Re: Hand-made high tech

Dan's Traveller Mailing List Mail [email removed] writes:
>
> I think one would have to know what your definition of hand made was.
> I believe there is a car manufacturer in the south U.S. that hand
> manufactures limos (Blackhawk?). In this case all parts are indivdually
> fitted, milled, etc. But using a drill press or a lathe isn't really
> hand made is it?

I assume this society does allow the use of tools, otherwise they wouldn't
have progressed past the Stone Age.  In fact, they wouldn't have even made
it into the Stone Age!  Using a flint knife isn't really hand made, is it?
:-)

If the objection to mass-production is philosophical, what they may demand
is that an individual - or even a single group - be responsible for the
entire production of a given item.  And the maker(s) will take some pride
in their product, to the extent of embellishing it a little - signing it,
decorating it, or in some other way adding an organic touch.

> I think that this type of culture is interesting, however. What happens
> to visitors to the planet? How could you tell by casual inspection
> that a gun was mass-produced, not hand made?

Is it just a bland piece of metal?  Or does it have lots of nice, ornate
engravings on it?  Take a look at some old flintlocks, made in the days
when guns were handmade.  The gunsmith probably signed it, either in
writing or with his own brand of decoration.  Of course, a machine could
be made which produced suitably engraved parts, but most places wouldn't
bother.  The customs inspector is likely to say something like "Ooh, that
looks nice, definitely a personal touch there, right it's O.K.", or
alternatively "How boring, that's the thousandth one of those I've seen,
all the same, just drop it in that litter bin over there." :-)

- --
 "Keyboard?  How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  [email removed]
 UUCP: ..!uknet!cee.hw.ac.uk!adrian  |  ARPA:  [email removed]