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Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld

  
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godot_showed_u

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Since: Mar 21, 2004
Posts: 12



(Msg. 1) Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:36 pm
Post subject: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld
Archived from groups: alt>books>larry-niven (more info?)
In Man Kzin Wars IX, in "Fly-by-Night," which is written by Niven, he
describe's the variable-knife Beowulf Schaeffer uses as "hair fine
wire in a magnetic field, all edge and no blade." If I remember
correctly, in Ringworld Speaker-to-Animals takes a variable-sword
from (and I have to trust my memory here, my books were destroyed in a
fire) the weapons locker of "Lying Bastard" (I hope I'm getting my
ship names right and this isn't "Hot Needle of Inquiry"). Wasn't thi s
described as a wire in a Slaver stasis field? Seems unlikely that in
roughly the same time period two different devices would have the same
name...and the "all edge and no blade" part is just as i did imagine a
variable sword, something that could have an edge actually smaller in
width than the width of the molecules of the material that compose the
conductor of the field.

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anim8rfsk

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Since: Jul 28, 2003
Posts: 121



(Msg. 2) Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 10:51 pm
Post subject: Re: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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<< From: that expendable guy godot_showed_up DeleteThis @justice.com >>


<< If I remember
correctly, in Ringworld Speaker-to-Animals takes a variable-sword
from (and I have to trust my memory here, my books were destroyed in a
fire) the weapons locker of "Lying Bastard" >>

Actually he takes it out of a haunch of meat, in a ship that I don't think has
a name, right before they board the Long Shot.


<< Wasn't thi s
described as a wire in a Slaver stasis field? >>

Yes


<< Seems unlikely that in
roughly the same time period two different devices would have the same
name >>

I'm not sure why you think the devices are that different. One is in a stasis
field, the other a 'magnetic' field. Variable swords have a ball on the end of
them so you can tell where the blade is. Does a varable knife? Or does it
extend only a short way out, but you can stab with it as well as slice?

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godot_showed_u

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Since: Mar 21, 2004
Posts: 12



(Msg. 3) Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 1:45 pm
Post subject: Re: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
On 28 Mar 2004 22:51:56 GMT, anim8rfsk DeleteThis @aol.comNOSPAM (ANIM8Rfsk)
wrote:

><< From: that expendable guy godot_showed_up DeleteThis @justice.com >>
>
>
><< If I remember
>correctly, in Ringworld Speaker-to-Animals takes a variable-sword
>from (and I have to trust my memory here, my books were destroyed in a
>fire) the weapons locker of "Lying Bastard" >>
>
>Actually he takes it out of a haunch of meat, in a ship that I don't think has
>a name, right before they board the Long Shot.
>
>
><< Wasn't thi s
>described as a wire in a Slaver stasis field? >>
>
>Yes
>
>
><< Seems unlikely that in
>roughly the same time period two different devices would have the same
>name >>
>
>I'm not sure why you think the devices are that different. One is in a stasis
>field, the other a 'magnetic' field. Variable swords have a ball on the end of
>them so you can tell where the blade is. Does a varable knife? Or does it
>extend only a short way out, but you can stab with it as well as slice?

Thanks for the correction on the ship name. But the way you word it is
my point. One is a magnetic field; the other is a stasis field. We
don't know how the stasis field is generated, but is it likely that
all it is is magnetic fields? In "World of Ptavvs" only the human
scientist's (forget name) created effects are described, not the
method--that is, the field effect that is employed to generate the
volume of slowed time.

So, how do both get the same name IF the fields actually making the
weapons are different? The entire principle under which the weapon
functions would be completely different, but they'd have the same
names, and specific ones, rather than simply "knife."
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anim8rfsk

External


Since: Jul 28, 2003
Posts: 121



(Msg. 4) Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 4:35 am
Post subject: Re: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
<< From: that expendable guy godot_showed_up DeleteThis @justice.com >>


<< So, how do both get the same name IF the fields actually making the
weapons are different? The entire principle under which the weapon
functions would be completely different, but they'd have the same
names, and specific ones, rather than simply "knife." >>

Well, the 'variable' part doesn't refer directly to the fields - it refers to
the fact that the blade can be different lengths. You could make a switchblade
that the spring slid the blade out to different points and call it a 'variable
knife' even though the tech has nothing in common with the Niven version.

Automobiles are called cars regardless of being electric or gas or having 4
wheels or 4 or 6 or 8 or whatever.
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rpresser

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Since: Jul 14, 2003
Posts: 9



(Msg. 5) Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 6:59 am
Post subject: Re: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
that expendable guy <godot_showed_up.RemoveThis@justice.com> wrote in
news:53qt609u0s7f77oa226937uvp8009rp8gm@4ax.com:

> So, how do both get the same name IF the fields actually making the
> weapons are different? The entire principle under which the weapon
> functions would be completely different, but they'd have the same
> names, and specific ones, rather than simply "knife."

Possibilities:

1) Changing it from a magnetic field to a stasis field could be a
technological improvement. Such improvements do not always result in a
name change; we call both ENIAC and Dell's latest offerings "computers."

2) A stasis field might actually depend on the presence of a magnetic
field. I seem to remember that a stasis field requires an uninterrupted
conducting surface.

3) Niven might have changed his mind between books.
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tberk

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Since: Mar 11, 2004
Posts: 87



(Msg. 6) Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:47 am
Post subject: Re: Variable-knife/Variable sword/Man Kzin Wars IX/Ringworld [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
Ross Presser wrote:
> that expendable guy <godot_showed_up.RemoveThis@justice.com> wrote in
> news:53qt609u0s7f77oa226937uvp8009rp8gm@4ax.com:
>
>
>>So, how do both get the same name IF the fields actually making the
>>weapons are different? The entire principle under which the weapon
>>functions would be completely different, but they'd have the same
>>names, and specific ones, rather than simply "knife."
>
>
> Possibilities:
<snip>
> 2) A stasis field might actually depend on the presence of a magnetic
> field. I seem to remember that a stasis field requires an uninterrupted
> conducting surface.
>
<snip>


Number Two is the winner. Same same.

TBerk
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