The Laser Rifle is here

November 9, 2005 8:02 PM

Does this look familiar to these. First transparent alumina, now this. When do we get Holodecks.
posted by notcostello (26 comments total)

Does this look familiar to these.

I don't know, why don't you ask those?

(... similar)
posted by rkent at 8:17 PM on November 9, 2005

[?]
posted by Balisong at 8:21 PM on November 9, 2005

this?
posted by kliuless at 8:25 PM on November 9, 2005

This?
posted by numlok at 8:31 PM on November 9, 2005

Sorry. I first ended the sentence at familiar then added "to these" later on without catching the error, even after re-reading it about 20 times.

A million apologies. I will have to fling myself around the sun at warp speed to go back in time to correct the error.

Does anybody else need anything else changed?
posted by notcostello at 8:37 PM on November 9, 2005

When will you change it.
Sorry, punctuation police here. Carry on.
posted by moonbird at 9:04 PM on November 9, 2005

Oh, and pretty cool first link. Kinda spooky, but par for the course.
posted by moonbird at 9:06 PM on November 9, 2005

I'm writing code for a facility that's about two steps away from a Holodeck. (They're big steps.)
posted by Eamon at 9:10 PM on November 9, 2005

I keep changing it but somebody keeps changing it back.
posted by notcostello at 9:10 PM on November 9, 2005

transparent 'alumina'? You mean 'sapphire'?

It's hardly new.
posted by delmoi at 9:26 PM on November 9, 2005

Yes sapphire is what it is and yes it is quite old, which is all explained in the transparent alumina link above.

Transparent aluminum oxynitride, the newish material, which is different than transparent aluminum that Scotty mentioned in the movie. Yada yada yada

Did you know that Gilligan invented the Light Saber?

William Shatner can maybe tell us more.
posted by notcostello at 10:06 PM on November 9, 2005

Alex, Star Trek for $200.

Two steps away and Seven of Nine.

What is how close are we to holodecks and the first "person" I want to meet when I turn it on.
posted by notcostello at 10:12 PM on November 9, 2005

When do we get Holodecks.

Fuck that, where's my jet pack dammit?!
posted by Relay at 10:30 PM on November 9, 2005

That's a might fancy lookin' laser pointer. It's about as fancy as those $1000 hammers we used to sell Uncle Sam back in the day. Except purtier.

When do we get Holodecks.

Would you like to phrase that in the form of a question?
posted by loquacious at 10:38 PM on November 9, 2005

With the holodeck, we both get what we want.

You get the jetpack, and I get to be one with the collective.
posted by notcostello at 10:39 PM on November 9, 2005

It was not a question but a demand!
posted by notcostello at 10:55 PM on November 9, 2005

Forget the jetpack. I'll throw my hat over the wall for the flying car...
posted by Samizdata at 11:49 PM on November 9, 2005

This
posted by Joeforking at 1:57 AM on November 10, 2005

Pfft. They're obviously re-using a Dominion PHASr rifle prop. CONTINUITY ERROR!
posted by Harry at 3:36 AM on November 10, 2005

All I want is for "pentabits" to be changed to "petabits" in the article behind the Holodeck link. It's almost as irritating as silicone chips and transparent aluminium.
posted by flabdablet at 4:23 AM on November 10, 2005

Eamon, is the floor of that thing actually a giant trackball? That would rock! (and roll).
posted by flabdablet at 4:28 AM on November 10, 2005

Unfortunately not. Instead, it's a giant rear-projected screen.
posted by Eamon at 6:45 AM on November 10, 2005

The Pentagon is already using a holodeck to train soldiers to go to Iraq. I wrote about it in Wired a year ago. Being in it was a sobering experience.
posted by digaman at 8:17 AM on November 10, 2005

Very fx looking and all, but do these engineers even consider anymore that soldiers will have to lug this big bastard around?

If I were working in Army R&D, the first question I would ask is "How much of this sci-fi cruft can we get rid of and still have an effective weapon?"
posted by moonbiter at 8:45 AM on November 10, 2005

It makes me wonder how many animals were blinded as they tweaked the gain down on that device just to the point that it doen't cause "permanent" blindness.
posted by jasn at 9:36 AM on November 10, 2005

With all those folks being held in various locations around the world, why assume we tested it on animals?
posted by FormlessOne at 11:09 AM on November 10, 2005