Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]³Captain Picard! Long range sensors pick up signs of an unknown lifeform.² ³Bring us into orbit, Mr LaForge² ³Data, can you identify this lifeform?² ³It is a Borg-like collective, Sir. They are in constant mental contact with each other and they share all their thoughts and emotions. They call themselves Luggers.² ³Luddites, you mean, Mr Data?² ³Incorrect, Sir, They are Luggers!² ³What are they doing? Can they de dangerous?² ³I am not sure, but they seem to babble, Sir!² ³Babble Mr. Data?² ³Yes Sir, they are communicating through a primitive technology about a large number of unrelated topics, that seem to repeat every 8 months, 3 days, 6 hours and 13 seconds. They are a very closed society and do not assimilate knowledge from other cultures. In fact they refuse to accept new knowledge and seem to internally generate their own concepts which they presumably value highly.² ³You mean Mr Data that we are dealing with a non-learning culture?² ³Effectively, yes Sir. The repetitious nature of their conversation does indicate an unwillingness to expand their knowledge and experience.² ³Can you identify a leader with whom we may discuss their situation. They may be in danger when they encounter the Borg.² ³No Sir, the Borg will only assimilate a culture when they can add to their own knowledge. This culture does not offer the Borg anything they might need. There is no leader, either, Sir. Some individuals are more expressive and express themselves more often, but they seem not to be valued any higher than the others.² ³In fact a very democratic or even anarchical type of society. Can they evolve?² ³ Hardly Sir, they lack the necessary tools and infrastructure to become a mature society. Nothing indicates they would prefer that.² ³Data, can you identify a pattern in their doings?² ³Difficult to say, Sir. On the one hand they talk at length about weapon systems, idicating a violent nature, but on the other hand they indulge themselves in obsolete topics, that have lost meaning in our age.² ³Example, Mr Data?² ³At this very moment they communicate about a topic called ³DOF², that is part of applied geometrical optics, which has no meaning to us anymore, as we use fotons as the base for our imaging systems, and we are in particle and electron optics. There is no consensus however, as they lack a common base of scientific knowledge and the structure of their debate is reminiscent of a fairy tale: full of surprising twists, but without any regard for facts. Based on my predictions, they will close the topic soon and start it again in 11 months, 12 days, 9 hours and 15 seconds with an error margin of 0.03 percent.² ³Well Mr Data, will they survive?² ³Positive, Sir, They have effective cloaking devices and shielded themselves from outside sources by some peculiar human habits². ³Yes Mr Data, I am familiar with these. So let us leave this sector. Mr LaForge, warp 6.² ³Red alert, red alert, the Luggers have infected our computer systems! We cannot leave. Abandon ship!² Erwin