5 responses

This may be a little brief because I have little time to respond to the
past two digests.

1: Handmade High-tech: where do you draw the line? Some of the parts required
to build more advanced and efficient machinery simply MUST be manufactured? Is
it alright if it's powered by 'natural' fctories, like a mill that uses a
water wheel? I can tell you how a jet turbine works, but I wouldn't know what
to build it out of to accept the streeses--and you might not be able to make the
alloys without a masive foundry (which is a kind of factory). You need to be
more discriminating in your definition. But it's a good idea.

2: Near Stars: I would be very interested in an Excel version of the list.
Please send it to me at:
	[email removed]
Provided of course it doesn't take up some obscene amount of space. I can
probably handle about 750K without deleting all the other stuff I have.

3: 0-G cargo. Well, no, it doesn't get easier to move. You still have all that
mass to shove around. On Earth, you fight the the force pulling it down
(Gravity) but in space you're just as likely to push yourself farther than the
box you're pushing.

4:Z-coordinates: James vassilakos said there was difficulty when two stars
occupy the same Z-coordinate on a 3D map. I think he meant the same XY
coordinates; identical Z-coordinates would put them on the same page. If they're
on the same XY coordinates, one's right beneath the other, which would indeed
make it hard to spot on a series of transparencies.

5:Armor penetration: I can understand HE not penetrating well, especially if
it blows up on impact. HEAP, I agree, should burn right through armor.

As for lasers, let's discuss armor. Kevlar is made up of a ballistic weave, like
a big quilt. When something blunt (a bat, a bullet) hits it, it spreads the
damage out over a greater surface area, dispersing it in a way. However, as a
weave, it is very susceptible to impaling attacks, like knive and lasers (which
are pretty thin). I would ignore the armor rating againt laser for any armor
based on such a weave (though hard armor, like a battlesuit, should have full
protection).


J Roberson