New ways to win?

[joseph1944]

The Internet is working OT tonight.

------------------

[This message has been edited by joseph1944 (edited April 17, 2001).]

[Roman]

Joseph1944,

I have absolutely nothing against new technologies, space research and other forms of progress. In fact, I consider myself to be a scientificaly oriented person. I spend much of my spare time reading scientific journals like "Scientific American", "Science", or "Nature" and I am very interested in new developments in all fields of science.

However, I oppose including any futuristic elements in Civ 3, due to the fact that we do not know what direction science will take in the future and which technologies will prove viable and how they will shape the world. Of course, Civilization X is only a game, but for me the inclusion of future technologies will greatly detract from the historical focus and atmosphere of the game, which I cherish.

very OT:

As I already said, I am a great supporter of science, including (and perhaps even favoring) space research. What I am vehemently opposed to, though, is the monstrosity that is currently being built above our heads in the sky - the ISS (I refuse to call it Alpha, because it detracts from the achievements of the Russian Mir, the Salyut series of space stations and not least also from the American Skylab.). The ISS, over its 15 year lifetime is projected to cost $100,000,000,000. This, in my opinion, as well as the opinion of the majority of scientist, including space scientists, is a complete waste of money, which is badly needed in other areas of science, not least space research. Little useful research is actually going to take place at the ISS. Long term effects of weightlessness and other debilitating hazards of the space environment have already been studied extensively over more than 20 years of Russian space station programs as well as in the American Skylab. Other experiments destined for the space station can be done much more cheaply (and indeed more effectively) by sattelites and on the space shuttle. The waste of money on this abomination is phenomenal and will ultimately be responsible for slowing our advance into space, because were it not for the ISS, much of the money could be allocated to faster development of new RLVs, which would ease our access to space very significantly indeed.

The ISS has very little value and very large costs - both absolute and oppportunity. The only justification I can see for that piece of **** is its public relations value. Hopefully, it will do at least something useful ie. generate more public interest in space research and hence more funding for such. More likely, though, it will merely siphon of funds from other, much more sensible research programs.

[joseph1944]

Roman: on the lighter side maybe the ISS is going to be in the future "Star Fleet Command Center". There is some talk in Washington about starting a separate Space Command. The Air Force is not too happy about it because my guess is they would loose a lot of people to the new branch. I will admit that I love new tech. If ET would stop at my door and ask me to go for a ride, I would be gone in 60 sec.

------------------