opnet [OpNet] Uptight about technology?

[Trooper]

I have had, while not a unique but a rare opportunity to deal with a lot of quote-unquote blacktech. I've heard the proclamations of doom and the other claptrap and I've become a bit sick of it.

First of all, the only way really dangerous tech is going to come into being is with a lot of money and a load of resources. Do you know how much Dr. Allinsky has at her disposal to be able to put out what she does? More tech support than you can shake a stick at and a ton of money. So, it's not some random individual is going to be able to blow up the moon.

Second, what makes baseline technology so harmless? Nuclear bomb anyone? Please.

Sorry, just venting a little bit. I just went on a short operation with a glorious anti-armor device that could cut through even U.S. armored-cav. And I find out that Dr. Allinsky is having to deal with yet another full on press from Utopia trying to gut her research.

[kestrel404]

I've had to deal with Utopia on this front more than once, but I do not begrudge them this office. Despite what you may believe, there are any number of technologies that can be mishandled with little money and relatively cheap equipment, if there is a nova with the right abilities available.

Biological agents are always big sticking points for good reason. They have a tendancy to reproduce, and the capacity to mutate or otherwise change the way they function in subtle but radically dangerous ways. The cost for a modern bio-research suite that can produce Ebola's more dangerous big brother? Under a million dollars.

Chemical warfare has taken off in leaps and bounds in recent years. While a lot of it has been reserach into non-lethal drugs and such, enough of it has been along the lines of new ways to melt baseline lungs or reverse the quantum flow in nova's nodes that there is still a big need for oversight on this kind of lab. I'm biased, so I won't even tell you what it would take for me to get that kind of lab started. I'll give you a hint, though. I carry around that much money in my pocket.

Nanotech. I hope I don't even need to go there. Yes, it takes money, expertise, and more money. But the potential is still as scary as biotech.

Conventional tech covers a lot of ground these days. While most of it is pretty much ignored by Utopia, even if there is a nova on-site doing research, conventional weapons can still be made that are beyond reasonable. Large-scale robots, hand-portable launchers that fire multi-kiloton yield weaponry, attack satelites and the like are all viable research options for the modern scientist, and none of those have any real use against targets smaller than cities, or violate any number of arms treaties. This, I think, is the kind of research you're talking about. And I think that if you bother to look into the international treaties relating to weapons developments and exercise a little common sense, I doubt you'll find that Utopia is unjustified in their concerns. Overzealous, perhaps, but not unjustified.

[Matryoshka]

Black tech you say? I think most people miss the really dangerous black tech. I could unleash an economic model that would make the earth flat.

[Hugin]

And I can name about a dozen Novas who'd happily counter it. Stop bragging Signy, it isn't attractive.

[Matryoshka]

As if friendship was part of my long term goals. Hugin, many novas may want to have it. The fact of the mater is don't you think that the market is a wasteful archaic meathead of exchanging objects?

[Hugin]

No, not really.

And to be honest, I couldn't imagine any Nova that would want to be your friend.

[Regina Newcastle]

I think we could safely rule out baselines, the great apes, most breeds of dogs, whales, dolphins, elephants, and macaws, as well.

[Leliel]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alchemist:
I've had to deal with Utopia on this front more than once, but I do not begrudge them this office. Despite what you may believe, there are any number of technologies that can be mishandled with little money and relatively cheap equipment, if there is a nova with the right abilities available.

Biological agents are always big sticking points for good reason. They have a tendancy to reproduce, and the capacity to mutate or otherwise change the way they function in subtle but radically dangerous ways. The cost for a modern bio-research suite that can produce Ebola's more dangerous big brother? Under a million dollars.

Chemical warfare has taken off in leaps and bounds in recent years. While a lot of it has been reserach into non-lethal drugs and such, enough of it has been along the lines of new ways to melt baseline lungs or reverse the quantum flow in nova's nodes that there is still a big need for oversight on this kind of lab. I'm biased, so I won't even tell you what it would take for me to get that kind of lab started. I'll give you a hint, though. I carry around that much money in my pocket.

Nanotech. I hope I don't even need to go there. Yes, it takes money, expertise, and more money. But the potential is still as scary as biotech.

Conventional tech covers a lot of ground these days. While most of it is pretty much ignored by Utopia, even if there is a nova on-site doing research, conventional weapons can still be made that are beyond reasonable. Large-scale robots, hand-portable launchers that fire multi-kiloton yield weaponry, attack satelites and the like are all viable research options for the modern scientist, and none of those have any real use against targets smaller than cities, or violate any number of arms treaties. This, I think, is the kind of research you're talking about. And I think that if you bother to look into the international treaties relating to weapons developments and exercise a little common sense, I doubt you'll find that Utopia is unjustified in their concerns. Overzealous, perhaps, but not unjustified.

You make a very logical case, especially in terms of bio/gengineering and nanotech. And I hope to all Infinity that noone is working on temporal mechanics....

That being said, the question basically comes down to do you trust Project Utopia? I for one do not. The idea of a Utopia is enough of a deluded fantasy in and of itself. It is something that cannot exist in nature without external influence/assistance. And of course, anyone providing said assistance by definition has an agenda of their own.

There is also the word Utopia in and of itself. If I am correct it's meaning is No Place or something similar? Viewed in one angle it has shades of nihilism, and I fear the Uppies are nihilism for Novas. True, they do not have "Arbeit Macht Frei" written over the gates to Rashoud Labs, but that is likely only a matter of time...

[Access]

Quote:

Originally posted by Signy Malory:
Black tech you say? I think most people miss the really dangerous black tech. I could unleash an economic model that would make the earth flat.

Signy, all you do is talk and talk, and never show any action. I think you should go back to kindergarten, because that's where you stand intellectually with everybody else in this conversation.

[Matryoshka]

Access is that what you really think? Then by all means it must be true. After all, you know everything.

[Trooper]

Well, Alchemist, thank you for responding. Okay, you've got some points and I'm far from a scientist. I just find it annoying that so much effort is put into stifling research.

[Access]

Quote:

Originally posted by Signy Malory:
Access is that what you really think? Then by all means it must be true. After all, you know everything.

Sarcasm aside. I didn't claim to know everything, and I never have. I just stated the fact that I know more than you, and I have faith that many others here do as well.

[Regina Newcastle]

Careful, Access. Apparently, those are "fightin' words", here.

[Access]

Apparently so.

To be on track though, I can understand the fear behind certain technological advances, especially considering one of the last breakthroughs was the atomic bomb as mentioned earlier.

I find it better to go at my own pace and not reveal any of my findings until completely necessary now. So far such a technique has served me well.

[Matryoshka]

Access, if you were to fight someone, would you warn them? I know I wouldn't. That is just me. You are free to think what you want, and say what you want. This not only because I find you cute, but because if I got upset anytime someone disagreed with me, well I would have no time to do anything else.

Scary black tech is more often than not tech that changes the world in a way that radically shift the balance of power. In each polity we have had a class of those who had power. These people have used every tool they had to retain their power. They often say they are doing so for the good of the people, and in some cases they may believe it.In fewer cases they maybe right in the short run. In even fewer cases they just may be right.

So let's look at the nuke? It is a horrid item that should never been made? Wrong I think it is one the best items ever made. Note that the 20 years prior to the making of the atom bomb, it is very likely that more people died in the actions of war than all other wars in human history put together. So you tell me. Was the atom bomb a bad thing?