In article <vfX9j.26163$_m.13376@bignews4.bellsouth.net>,
ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) said:

> I have some increasing problems with the world. Not enough to put
> me off the series, but enough to raise thoughts of "that is *not*
> plausible". In particular, the interaction of "reactive paint" &
> "plasguns" is described such that it seems to be of tac-nuke
> intensity with long-term dirty-bomb-like consequences, yet
> reactive paint is used on almost every vehicle, and plasguns seem
> to be as common as slingshots, and are wielded without any
> (in-story) visible consequences.

Wasn't there something like that involving laser guns and shields --
but everybody and their mutant cousins kept using shields all over
the place anyway -- in DUNE?

--
William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com>

On 19 Dec 2007 04:18:58 -0500, William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com> wrote:
>ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) said:
>> I have some increasing problems with the world. Not enough to put
>> me off the series, but enough to raise thoughts of "that is *not*
>> plausible". In particular, the interaction of "reactive paint" &
>> "plasguns" is described such that it seems to be of tac-nuke
>> intensity with long-term dirty-bomb-like consequences, yet
>> reactive paint is used on almost every vehicle, and plasguns seem
>> to be as common as slingshots, and are wielded without any
>> (in-story) visible consequences.
>
>Wasn't there something like that involving laser guns and shields --
>but everybody and their mutant cousins kept using shields all over
>the place anyway -- in DUNE?

"lasguns", and yes - if I recall right, it was part of a Great Compact between
the Houses that because everyone used shields, lasguns weren't an acceptable
weapon of war because of that megaatomic interaction...

Dave
--
\/David DeLaney posting from dbd@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower
It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see
Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK>
http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.

Here, William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com> wrote:
> In article <vfX9j.26163$_m.13376@bignews4.bellsouth.net>,
> ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) said:
>
> > I have some increasing problems with the world. Not enough to put
> > me off the series, but enough to raise thoughts of "that is *not*
> > plausible". In particular, the interaction of "reactive paint" &
> > "plasguns" is described such that it seems to be of tac-nuke
> > intensity with long-term dirty-bomb-like consequences, yet
> > reactive paint is used on almost every vehicle, and plasguns seem
> > to be as common as slingshots, and are wielded without any
> > (in-story) visible consequences.
>
> Wasn't there something like that involving laser guns and shields --
> but everybody and their mutant cousins kept using shields all over
> the place anyway -- in DUNE?

Yes, but not quite as bad. Everyone used shields, but lasguns were out
of fashion.

It still left open the question of why tac-nuke-level bombs weren't as
cheap as dirt.

--Z

--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
If the Bush administration hasn't thrown you in military prison without trial,
it's for one reason: they don't feel like it. Not because you're patriotic.

In article <slrnfmhs9o.jh2.dbd@gatekeeper.vic.com>,
dbd@gatekeeper.vic.com (David DeLaney) said:

> William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com> wrote:
>
>> Wasn't there something like that involving laser guns and shields
>> -- but everybody and their mutant cousins kept using shields all
>> over the place anyway -- in DUNE?
>
> "lasguns", and yes - if I recall right, it was part of a Great
> Compact between the Houses that because everyone used shields,
> lasguns weren't an acceptable weapon of war because of that
> megaatomic interaction...

Ah. While I remembered that the use of atomic weapons
themselves in combat was Right Out (Paul's people loopholed their
way around that by using a duke to blow up an _unmanned_ wall that
was protecting an enemy compound; since they didn't actually kill
anyone directly with it the rest of the Houses didn't feel obliged
to get together and stomp them flat), I hadn't recalled any formal
ban on the use of the lasgun-and-shield reaction, or on the use of
lasguns at all.

--
William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com>

On 20 Dec 2007 02:36:26 -0500, William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com> wrote:
>dbd@gatekeeper.vic.com (David DeLaney) said:
>> "lasguns", and yes - if I recall right, it was part of a Great
>> Compact between the Houses that because everyone used shields,
>> lasguns weren't an acceptable weapon of war because of that
>> megaatomic interaction...
>
>Ah. While I remembered that the use of atomic weapons
>themselves in combat was Right Out (Paul's people loopholed their
>way around that by using a duke to blow up an _unmanned_ wall that
>was protecting an enemy compound; since they didn't actually kill
>anyone directly with it the rest of the Houses didn't feel obliged
>to get together and stomp them flat), I hadn't recalled any formal
>ban on the use of the lasgun-and-shield reaction, or on the use of
>lasguns at all.

I may of course have details wrong; it's been ... hmm, several years since
I reread the series the last time.

Dave "currently working through my 'A' paperback backlog" DeLaney
--
\/David DeLaney posting from dbd@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower
It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see
Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK>
http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.

In article <fkd61q$q8e$1@panix2.panix.com>,
wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) said:

> Ah. While I remembered that the use of atomic weapons themselves
> in combat was Right Out (Paul's people loopholed their way around
> that by using a duke to blow up an _unmanned_ wall that was

Er, make that a nuke. Not a duke. Nor even a cuke. And Luke had
nothing to do with it.

--
William December Starr <wdstarr@panix.com>