Re: Some FT background stuff (guidelines for writers)

>>Again the problem of course is predicability. If every pilot has
access to
>>exactly the same knowledge, every pilot will react to a given
situation in
>>more or less the same way. 
>Oh, I STRONGLY disagree. Here's an example. We all have access to
>exactly the same knowledge: the Full Thrust rulebook. Does everyone
>react the same way with the same ship designs? No! The chip gives the
>human the knowledge needed to fly a ship. How he applies that
>knowledge is his business.
Your example isn't extreme enough. For the idea of 'chip memory' it's
more
a case of 'having read the same rulebook in the same room at the same
time
and all played the same games rolling the same dice for the same
result'.
This sort of plug in memory is that level - If I and you plug in the
same
chip, we not only have the same knowledge, but we also have the same
experiences and (possibly) the same thought patterns. Small variations
in
the processing of that mean I might veer 25 degrees left when you veer
30,
but we both veer left. Which is pretty bad when facing a scattergun
equipped Kra'Vak.
 
>I've been rethinking this, though. It probably wouldn't work for
>another reason. Manual dexterity (such as touch typing) requires the
>formation of neural pathways in the brain. So does fighter piloting.
>Even if you knew exactly how to fly the fighter, the rest of the brain
>hasn't developed the neural pathways to guide your hands. Slotting in
>a chip would only work if you overrode most of the brain. We're
>talking cyborgs here, which is way off what Jon is suggesting.
This is the point I have always made about this - skills which have a
non-cognitive component (say ballet rather than french vocab) require
more
than just knowledge. You could give the the 'knowledge' of a world-class
javelin thrower but I couldn't compete at an olympic level because I
don't
have the muscle mass for it. These 'implant' devices can speed training
and
as I said nanotechnology could possibly even build me the muscle mass
(folowing the example) in short time, but I don't think we will get to
the
point where Joe Bloggs can plpug in a chip and be a champion fencer all
of
a sudden.

>Now THAT is a neat concept. That could cut the learning time
>drastically. But wouldn't the nanomachines rewire the neural pathways
>the same way, thus giving you the "everyone thinks alike" problem you
>mentioned above?
yes. But then what's the difference between nano-rewired memory and
silicon
on a plug-in. Hmm.
  
>>All seems fair- but why not make 'yellow two' and 'orange' the same
state -
>>otherwise yellow two seems pretty superfluous.
>One reason: weapons lock. Yellow two is everyone on edge but with
>weapons on command lock. Orange actually has the weapons turned off.
>It's safer to have a different alert level. That's why I called it
>ORANGE. Kind of like yellow or red, but not quite. Could have been
>something like Purple or Blue, I guess.
But wouldn't that mean changing the bulb? :)

>I think so. Nations managed their fleets without radio for many, many
>years, even after the invention of steamships. 
Gaaahck. Someone pointed out to me that the two largest 'empires' this
planet has seen both happened before the combustion engine was invented,
never mind the radio. D'oh. 

			TTFN
					Jon
----------------------------------------------
"Reality never lives up to all that it used to be.."
	Beth Orton 'Best bit'
BWFC Fans Page - http://www.sar.bolton.ac.uk/bwfclist/home.html
BWFC mailing list - send 'subscribe' to BWFC-L-REQUEST@bolton.ac.uk