Why does the future only begin at TL9?

[jspade]

Originally Posted by doctorevilbrain

Mr. Pulver, I can't wait to hear your reply.

With that kind of belligerence, I wouldn't reply to you. Why should he?

[vicky_molokh]

Rough OP. But I do want to read the replies.

[ed_209a]

Originally Posted by doctorevilbrain

Computer Monitoring Gear using TEMPEST is a MYTH! Why isn't it listed as Superscience?

Originally Posted by robkelk

Really? Could have fooled me... and I'm in the industry.

I'm not in the industry, but I can tell you it can't completely be a myth because I have witnessed a very crude TEMPEST set in action.

It's about 1988 or so, I am typing on the family computer, while watching TV on a B&W set with rabbit ears. I don't remember what got me to this one UHF station, but I could see (but not read) the lines of text from my monitor repeated on my TV. It was very fuzzy, but it was definitely my monitor screen.

If a teenager can do it accidentally, with a _TV_, I have little doubt a TS-clearance government lab with a ridiculous budget could do it.

[whthat]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

That does seem like one of their worse ideas. High tech provides TLs for some items from TL0-4, which is a lot more helpful and takes no more space than than 'TL9, and we won't bother to mention that it's also TL8.'

If you are looking in the UT book I think they assume you are dealing with at TL9 or high world and thus need a TL9 (or higher) ax, knife, length of rope or spork. If you need the TL 8 version look in High Tech.

As for the beam power thing: Tesla was working on the concept around 1900 so in an alternate world were Tesla won the publicity war against Edison (or they didn't but heads in the 1st place) it would probably wind up a TL 6 or 7. In our world though we are a long way from have it be a viable, useful and widespread power solution. Part of this is due to the physics issues involved and part of it from the standard we now have for how little pieces of electronics run.

[vicky_molokh]

BTW, you're not Doc E Vil, are you?

[David Johnston2]

The difference between the TL 9 glowsticks and modern day ones, is that it gives off the illumination of the short term sticks, but lasts for a full day. Real life jet injectors do not contain enough power to deliver 100 injections between charges and can't do their thing through up to DR 1. There is a world of difference between just using microwaves to send signals, and actually beaming large amount of power over long distances with no significant inefficiency issues. The futuristic thing about sprays is what you may be spraying. The futuristic thing about wire fences is the kind of wire you are using. You can compare the plasma weapons stats to those of a flame thrower. Hint. Plasma is better. And while laser microphones were invented at TL 7, not ones you can keep in your pocket.

[cmdicely]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

That does seem like one of their worse ideas. High tech provides TLs for some items from TL0-4, which is a lot more helpful and takes no more space than than 'TL9, and we won't bother to mention that it's also TL8.'

For things where the stats would be identical at a TL less than 9, it would make sense to give the lower TL, but (even if the same kind of item is available) it makes sense to list the TL that the stats correspond to in any case.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by cmdicely

For things where the stats would be identical at a TL less than 9, it would make sense to give the lower TL, but (even if the same kind of item is available) it makes sense to list the TL that the stats correspond to in any case.

I'd have no problem with UT not listing any stats for pre-TL9 gear. That's not what the book is there to do. But listing things that obviously predate TL9 as being TL9 technology is at best wasting a useful digit of information.

[walkir]

Originally Posted by whthat

If you are looking in the UT book I think they assume you are dealing with at TL9 or high world and thus need a TL9 (or higher) ax, knife, length of rope or spork. If you need the TL 8 version look in High Tech.

And if you're at the Interface of TL 8/9... you're lost. It would have been nice to at least include a paragraph about making stuff from a lower TL at purpose. But the books aren't integrated that good, anyway.
Including TL8- stuff in UT would weaken the "Book of TL9+-items"-concept considerably, but making sure the books fit together neatlessly would have been good.

[mearrin69]

Originally Posted by ed_209a

I'm not in the industry...do it.

Never seen it in action personally BUT it's been a documented phenomenon since WWII I believe.

I was in MI in the late-80s and early 90s and all of our equipment was TEMPEST-shielded. I was told that the building was as well, but I obviously can't verify that. I'm pretty sure the U.S. government wouldn't spend billions on something that's entirely unnecessary...oh, wait...well, maybe they would but I don't think that's the case here.
M