Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ssc-vax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!wanttaja From: wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja) Newsgroups: net.movies Subject: Re: Comments on 2010 Review -- **SLIGHT Message-ID: <270@ssc-vax.UUCP> Date: Fri, 14-Dec-84 12:50:11 EST Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.270 Posted: Fri Dec 14 12:50:11 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 04:42:00 EST References: <1394@ritcv.UUCP> <12100004@acf4.UUCP> <267@umd5.UUCP> <1211@bbncca.ARPA> Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA Lines: 36 > > Speaking of technology, wasn't anyone else dismayed at the 1950's level > of user-interface on the Leonov: buzzes, whistles and all sorts of gee-gaws, > and row upon row of SWITCHES! My God, we're dumping this today. How can > it other than insult us to see this proposed as the leading edge of hi-tech > 30 years from now? (One friend of mine pointed out that this was a > SOVIET ship, and hence was to be expected!) > -- Did'ja notice the picture spread in Av Week a couple of years ago on the Salyut Space Station? Yep, that's right... SWITCHES! Lots and lots of SWITCHES! I vaguely remember a keyboard tucked away in a corner, but it was not apparently emphasised on the console. The question is, of course, whether this practice will continue on Soviet spacecraft to the 21st century. Given the innate conservatism of the Soviets, and the hostile environment of space (cosmic ray upsets of RAM, etc), there may be some possibility of continued reliance on hardwired controls- especially in a manned system. Buzzes? Whistles? Speaking as a former USAF satellite jockey, more power to them! I WANT audible indications of status- I can look at only one place at once, but an audible signal allows monitoring status of several systems as once. If you want to hear bells and whistles, talk to an "Old Crow" (Electronics warfare operator). In aircraft, threats detected by the ECM equipment are passed to the operator in specific audio sequences- depending upon type of radar detected. Still, considering the technology level apparent in DISCOVERY, I think the tech level of LEONOV indicated a greater difference in technology between US and Soviet systems than would actually be the case. Ron Wanttaja (ssc-vax!wanttaja) "TAG, GSM, We're ready to go active on 3151, and Crypto-3B OFF is in the queue, ready to transmit..."