TANSTAAFL is an acronym for the adage "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch," which was invented by science fictionwriterRobert A. Heinlein and promulgated in his 1966 novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Simply put, it means that you can't get something for nothing. Even if something appears to be free, there's always a catch -- someone wants something from you in return.
This argument may also be applied to natural physical processes; see thermodynamics.
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... to a smaller extent by the slipping friction.
The device is covered by US patents 3,726,146 (1973) and 5,353,655 (1994) by L.A. Mishler and US patent 5,800,3 ...