Re:FT-Tech in FT

Sorry if this reply is a old one, but I`ve been thinking about this
(actually, it`s been nagging at the back of my mind, and I just realised
what I was thinking of).

Oerjan Ohlson wrote-

>>What I was getting at is that one races tech may or may not be easily
>>coppieable, but the tech used may give the scientists new ideas on how
>to
>>develope systems using that tech.

>If you can't copy the other race's tech, you can hardly use it for any
>new purposes either. It might cause you to take another look at your
>own tech base (much like the TFN did with their laser tech in Crusade),
>though.

That is what I was thinking of, but it does not have to be a direct copy
of
the way the other person does it. Look at the differences in the way
soviet
and yank nukes developed in the early years of the nuclear age after
WW2.

>>One example that springs to mind that is not just copying alien tech,
>>is using KV grav tech to develope a HH style "wedge" propultion
>>system. The original KV drive would give more maneuverability, but the
>>HH style drive would give you a big advantage against KV K-guns.

>This is an example of not merely *copying* alien tech, but of
>*surpassing* it. If such a drive/defensive system were possible with KV
>grav tech, you can bet just about any amount you'd like that the KV
>themselves would've developed and deployed it long ago just like the
>humans developed screens and the Phalons developed shroud glands to
>defend against their own main weapons.

My counter to this is the fact that humans already have some
understanding
of grav tech (they have artificial gravity and acceleration
compensators),
and I could see humans developing their grav tech along different lines
from
what they already understand, with clues gained from the bits of alien
tech.
The "wedge" style propultion (a example just from the top of my head)
could
be developed by KV, but would they acept a drive that gives limited
protection (ie-from 1 arc only), if it restricted their maneuvering? I
see
the KV, with their limited arc weapons, valuing maneuverability above
almost
all else. Of course, this raises the idea of the KV developing a kinetic
sheild to protect their ships against incoming fire (thinking along the
lines of disadvantages of the PH shroud gland for firer).

BIF
 "yorkshire born,yorkshire bred,
 strong in arms, thick in head"