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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: problems with Star Wars #2 (part 2: the crux)
Message-ID: <5775@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Jul-85 12:47:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.5775
Posted: Wed Jul 10 12:47:02 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Jul-85 12:47:02 EDT
References: <1197@utcsri.UUCP> <5772@utzoo.UUCP>, <1236@utcsri.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 32

> >I have discussed elsewhere the interesting reasoning: "because some
> >types of SDI systems would be very dangerous, any SDI system would be".
> 
> But your article, from which this last comment is extracted, is using the
> mirror image reasoning:  "Because we do not have (or may not have) grounds
> to fear Star Wars in general, we should therefore not fear the current
> actual Star Wars proposal."

I wasn't aware that there was a "current actual Star Wars proposal", in
the sense of specific ill-advised hardware systems having been chosen for
active use.  And I think you are reading a bit much into the space between
the lines; I was claiming that the critics are being silly in certain ways,
not that the system they are attacking is beyond criticism.  Yes, I do have
reservations, some of them quite serious, about the current proposal.  But
it is vitally important that the baby not be thrown out with the bathwater;
it is high time, long past time, that our "defence departments" got back
into the defence (as opposed to deterrence) business.

> Just think of it as a giant Berklix in the sky, Henry.  The first time you
> hit funny code, bam!  we're all dead.  Or maybe the second time.  Or the third.

Just think of our current setup as a giant OS/360 in the sky.  You know your
programs won't run forever, especially since IBM keeps changing the control
blocks with each new release.  It's a question of whether you can get
everything important off onto another system -- yes, even a Berklix -- before
the crash comes.  Because there really isn't much hope of convincing the
Computer Center to stop buying from IBM.

[Oh boy, a rousing round of analogical one-upmanship!]
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry