Yes, Babylon 5 was very high quality, and the plot and detail still impress me! I most certainly agree! B5 and Honor are in the same high quality league! Both show cause and effect, and the characters grow.
I prefer my fiction to define and follow a consistant set of laws of physics. When a series does this and stays constant, it becomes much more "real" to me. Explained and ahered to rules allow me to visualize the situations better, and I can think along the lines set by these rules.
David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series does an excellant job of this. He defines how weapons and FTL propulsion works, and sticks with them. His details on character interactions will turn some off, but I love them. Seeing how he describes naval battles is a treat for this former member of Uncle Sam's Canoe Club! Weber also details the history, including how scientific discoveries came about. That structure and revelation strongly appeal to me.
That whole flag crap really pissed me off back in the day. I had to work to get my fish in 1995, only to see kids knowing half of what I did being handed them from 1996-2000. It was sad the "Great Dolphin Giveaway" was in full force. I received my checkouts from the A-Gang LPO, and the kids just found a belowdecks qualed MM2 to grape them. At least I knew what to do in a casualty!
Just got the book and the CD is loaded! The books support HTML, MS Reader, Mobipocket, Rocket RCA REB1100, and RTF! Here are the contents on the disk, and remember they are all unencrypted and free with "War of Honor".
David Weber "On Basilisk Station"; "The Honor of the Queen"; "The Short Victorious War"; "Field of Dishonor"; "Flag in Exile"; "Honor Among Enemies"; "In Enemy Hands"; "Echoes of Honor"; "Ashes of Victory"; "War of Honor" (the novel it comes in); "More Than Honor"; "Worlds of Honor"; and "Changer of Worlds"
David Drake "With the Lightnings"; "Lt. Leary, Commanding"; "An Oblique Approach"; "In the Heart of Darkness"; "Destiny's Shield"; "Fortune's Stroke"; "The Tide of Victory"
Eric Flint "1632"; "1633"; "An Oblique Approach"; "In the Heart of Darkness"; "Destiny's Shield"; "Fortune's Stroke"; "The Tide of Victory"; "Rats, Bats and Vats"; and "The Shadow of the Lion"
Dave Freer "Rats, Bats and Vats" and "The Shadow of the Lion"
Mercedes Lackey "The Shadow of the Lion"
Keith Laumer "Retief!"
Larry Niven "Fallen Angels"
Jerry Pournelle "Fallen Angels" and "The Prince"
John Ringo "A Hymn Before Battle"; "Gust Front"; "When the Devil Dances"; "March Upcountry"; "March to the Sea"; and "March to the Stars"
James H. Schmitz "Telzey Amberdon"; "TnT: Telzey and Trigger"; "Trigger and Friends"; "The Hub"; and "Agent of Vega"
There is also an art gallery, audio book samples, and filk music by Echo's Children. I can't recommend "War of Honor" enough, and this CD is a real treat!
Don't for their Honorverse Disc CD-Rom included with the hardcover "War of Honor". It has 22+ novels (including all 13 of the Honor Harrington ones) and all of which are unencrypted in multiple formats. This is perfect for loading the old ones on my Ipaq, and introducing someone to the series!
Yes, you can get some in the free library, but they have gone out of their way to make this CD and nice thank you for those who buy "War of Honor". Very cool!
Not true. I was stationed down on the Point Loma Submarine Base in San Diego, and the rules changed to 21 back in 1996. Some Fundies got offended that "kids" could drink on base, and so the Navy joined the other branches with 21. The problems caused by this greatly outweighed the misplaced moralism, because now the kids just went to Tiajuana to drink. We had a nice increase in the number of instances where sailors got in trouble down in TJ. Stupid Fundies!
Under the old rule it was 18 for beer, 21 for hard stuff; and we helped any who were too drunk back to their barracks room (or a buddy's room if they lived off base). The 21 for all crap definately set unintended consequences into motion.
Go to http://www.toyeast.com to order the real thing: Bit Char-G Racers by Tomy. They also sell Takara's Digi-Q. They are based in Hong Kong and can get really good prices on the real thing.
The Bit Char-Gs have lots of parts to upgrade (called Hop up parts) and there is a Toyota Trueno (Celica) set that comes with 3 different hardnesses of tires, 3 different suspensions, 4 different axel sets, two different bodies, 3 different gear ratios, the 2.2 rated (2200 rpm) motor, and some racing cones. It is a really good deal and runs at 27mhz.
I also have the Xanavi Hiroto GT-R special that has a 2.6 motor and uses 57mhz. It has a "cripple capacitor" in it, but you can go to http://www.ausmicro.com and search there for details on which cars have that and how to remove it. Once the capacitor is removed, the range dramatically improves.
Also look into the Booster cars. They have clear bodies that can be painted, have a motor that has a "stutter" setting for slower speeds (and longer battery life), and a booster speed that is normal. Motors are 2.2 and there is one car per each of the 4 frequencies (57mhz, 45mhz, 35mhz, and 27mhz). They use a special remote that can select any of the 4 freqs, but it has a terrible range. The remote for the boosters is sold separately and has a setting for use with future toy releases (tanks and subs are rumored).
The Bit Char-G advertise that they charge in 45secs on the controller (about right, sometimes longer), then race for 2 minutes (I get closer to 5 minutes). They are digital controlled, meaning no proportional speed or steering (but the booster cars' stutter speed gives effectively 2 speeds to cycle between). If you want that, look to the Takare Digi-Qs.
The Digi-Qs are a bit smaller, a lot faster, and suffer from a lag when sending signals. They run on infrared signals (the Bits are radio controlled), and have two motors (one per rear wheel). The cars mimic the real ones in performance, but a special controller (Digi Propo) can override the computer chips to change speed, breaking, steering, and acceleration. These cars cannot be modified as much as the Bits, but are awesome. They take around 10 minutes to charge and race for about 15 minutes.
Both cars types are not for carpet racing, and do require a bit of maintenance. Be prepared to play with the steering magnet on the Bits, clean out axels, and other odds and ends. Then hit the net to see the modified semis, monster trucks, and more!
Wonder if the Sims Online might have the same negative energies as Bladerunner. When BR came out, it featured some of the most successful and prominent companies of the time. Now all are gone (with Atari being a tool of Infogrames). I think it would be very interesting if the Sims Online had this kind of karma for the companies it advertises.
I still can't write with Calligrapher/Transcriber on my Ipaq. That program makes the assumption that everyone is right handed, so lefties like myself are SOL. When a letter crosses (like the cross in "t"), TS assumes we will cross left to right, and shows that in its example. That motion is natural to a righty as it flows to the hand. When I write, I cross right to left for the same reason. That one act throws the program's recognition into a hissy fit. Pity the TS version does not learn from experience how to recognize my writing.
Sam's Club has the Daewoo 5800 for only $90. You can disable the regions via remote, and disable Macrovision with a firmware upgrade from http://www.nerd-out.com (even has a step by step tutorial). Since removing Macrovision, I use my VCR as an RF tuner (my TV is 11 years old) and my player handles my VCD and SVCD disks like a champ. The Daewoo kicks ass!
Re:As 3DFX learned the hard way
on
VisionTek Folds
·
· Score: 2, Informative
At.35 um, the old TNT cards ran too hot. The cards generated too much heat, limiting clock speeds until the.25 um version came out. The smaller micron die size allowed more chip die to be cut from each silicon wafer.
No, the entire PCB line did not have to be upgraded, but the tools to work on the silicon wafer did. 3DFX had to retool their etching machines for any die shrink, whereas Nvidia can solicit work from TMSC, UMC, or any other fab willing to upgrade its own line. The other video card OEMS buy the chips made in 3rd party fabs and then pick and place. My point is that Nvidia does not have to spend money retooling a die set to cut from wafers, instead they can shop around the foundaries already doing that. If Nvidia did own its own fabs, then they would have to experience that additional cost and might be tempted to make their own boards for retail. The OEMs just tweak a referance design and plug in a chip, but the foundaries are a completely different step. Intel, AMD, TMSC, and UMC are all experiencing major costs upgrading their die lines (allowing them to squeeze more chips from a wafer and having faster chips), and Nvidia is largely immune to that. Remaining fab free is a boon to them.
As 3DFX learned the hard way
on
VisionTek Folds
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
I agree that Nvidia has been wise to stay out of manufacturing their own cards. Remember when 3dFX bought STB? That proved to be one big costly mistake that led to their assets being acquired by Nvidia.
Producing boards is very expensive as one must constantly upgrade the assembly line. When the die shrinks to a smaller size, the entire line has to be upgraded to take advantage. 3DFX learned this the hard way as having the factory slowed down their ability to respond to changing technology and market conditions. Once they bought STB, they became competitors with their former customers, and lost their support. Diamond, Creative, and Goulimont all dropped their 3DFX product lines overnight.
By remaining unemcumbered by fabs, Nvidia is able to shop around in Taiwan to pick the best foundaries for the dollar. If TMSC can't do the job, Nvidia can always switch to UMC of even IBM. Over at www.theregister.co.uk and www.theinquirer.net are often articles covering the problems the Taiwan foundaries are having in production, and speculation on how Nvidia should react.
Remaining fab free has definately been a boon to Nvidia, leaving them nimble enough to concentrate on R&D and changing conditions. It also keeps costs down.
I would like to see these groups actually solicit input from and listen to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Instead of letting big business install DRM copy-rape software at our expense, fair protections should be built into these boxes to allow us to timeshift, possibly skip commercials, and even to share broadcasts. I don't mind if a "pay per view" show can't be shared, or even if it has limited views after recording, but I want the ability to watch what I want when I want and how I desire.
If the potential customers had some say in how these boxes are designed, we might be much more likely to buy the things. Ease the fears of your typical/. reader, and the companies will find lots of technology acolytes to preach the wonders to the masses. Make us happy, and we will recommend the boxes to our family and friends. Ignore us, and may these boxes go the way of the Divx boxes that Circuit City lost so much money on. Media companies, throw us a bone and gain valuable allies. Screw us over and we will hack our ways to freedom.
To those who claim we have no fair use rights, I buy items to own. I expect the freedom to use my possessions as I see fit. Any restrictions on that perceived right of mine will be resisted by all means possible. Do not forget the power of the customer, we are always right.
Note, I am not a consumer. I will not be spoonfed whatever the media companies decide. I am a customer and I exercise the right to withhold my money if mistreated.
Try placing an * after the three letter words.
Example: rat*
While not a perfect solution (and no, this doesn't work on/.), it is well worth trying on other sites.
In 1997 I noticed many Kirin Beer vending machines in Sasebo and Yokosuka (sp?). They came in tall cans and were found near major shopping areas and arcades. Damn cool concept! Try looking around malls and covered streets.
I am still looking for a PocketPC/Palm/Psion emulator for the TI calcs, but here is a link to a PDA emulator for the HPs. IMHO it seems best to emulate the calcs on the much more capable PDA, rather than buy a calculator. Pity the calcs get much better battery life. Bugger!
http://nt.marin.esc.edu.ar/jpla/emu48ce/emu48ce.ht ml
While most commercials demand me to channel surf or go to another room until the show resumes, only one company consistantly makes commercials that I will rewind the VCR tape just to watch: Jack in the Box.
Their commercials are hilarious, entertaining, and very witty. I have even downloaded a few of their commercials off the net. They get your attention, make you laugh, and I never get sick of them. I remember his presidential ad campaign from 1996, the Spicy Crispy Chicks, the Meaty Cheesy Boys, and the Carnivores Football team. The new one has Jack saluting Americans of all types, while eliciting a chuckle.
I have to give this company a 10 for originality! In fact, I think I will stop by them today to grab a bacon ultimate cheeseburger as a reward for being clever!
This was from October, 1987, when I was in 8th grade. God is was cool to see Wolverine admit that Spidey was strong enough to break the admantium coated neckbones, while commenting that he could pop a claw through Spidey's skull at the same time! Seeing Spidey in the German costume fight by spider sense alone was a treat! Bye bye tombstones! I love that issue still!
This show is GREAT!!! I love how their weapons need to be turned on (limited battery?), no one trusts the transporter, their sensors had trouble locking onto people, the crew is learning their equipment, and the crew bickers (realistic). The best part is that their engine room, stairs, and ladders all have railings very much like on US submarines! Oh my God, that is a very nice touch! Their uniforms are a lot like our poopysuits (jumpsuits we wear on the boats) and I love the flat profile of the ship! I also enjoyed seeing the crew crosstrain on positions, just like in real life! I also love the fact that their top end speed was only warp 4.5 (I assume they are using the ST:TOS warp scale of 4.5*4.5=times the speed of light). Also the ship was effectively depth charged! Oh I love so much about this show already! We even get to see humans screw up first contact with the Klingons, setting up the stage for a cold war with them in Kirk's time! Lastly I love the fact that they can't rely on super technology to solve their problems! No more ST:TNG technology conquers all crap! I love this show!
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, Babylon 5 was very high quality, and the plot and detail still impress me! I most certainly agree! B5 and Honor are in the same high quality league! Both show cause and effect, and the characters grow.
I prefer my fiction to define and follow a consistant set of laws of physics. When a series does this and stays constant, it becomes much more "real" to me. Explained and ahered to rules allow me to visualize the situations better, and I can think along the lines set by these rules.
David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series does an excellant job of this. He defines how weapons and FTL propulsion works, and sticks with them. His details on character interactions will turn some off, but I love them. Seeing how he describes naval battles is a treat for this former member of Uncle Sam's Canoe Club! Weber also details the history, including how scientific discoveries came about. That structure and revelation strongly appeal to me.
That whole flag crap really pissed me off back in the day. I had to work to get my fish in 1995, only to see kids knowing half of what I did being handed them from 1996-2000. It was sad the "Great Dolphin Giveaway" was in full force. I received my checkouts from the A-Gang LPO, and the kids just found a belowdecks qualed MM2 to grape them. At least I knew what to do in a casualty!
Disgruntled former STS2/SS
Just got the book and the CD is loaded! The books support HTML, MS Reader, Mobipocket, Rocket
RCA REB1100, and RTF! Here are the contents on the disk, and remember they are all unencrypted and free with "War of Honor".
David Weber
"On Basilisk Station"; "The Honor of the Queen"; "The Short Victorious War"; "Field of Dishonor"; "Flag in Exile"; "Honor Among Enemies"; "In Enemy Hands"; "Echoes of Honor"; "Ashes of Victory"; "War of Honor" (the novel it comes in); "More Than Honor"; "Worlds of Honor"; and "Changer of Worlds"
David Drake
"With the Lightnings"; "Lt. Leary, Commanding"; "An Oblique Approach"; "In the Heart of Darkness"; "Destiny's Shield"; "Fortune's Stroke"; "The Tide of Victory"
Eric Flint
"1632"; "1633"; "An Oblique Approach"; "In the Heart of Darkness"; "Destiny's Shield"; "Fortune's Stroke"; "The Tide of Victory"; "Rats, Bats and Vats"; and "The Shadow of the Lion"
Dave Freer
"Rats, Bats and Vats" and "The Shadow of the Lion"
Mercedes Lackey
"The Shadow of the Lion"
Keith Laumer
"Retief!"
Larry Niven
"Fallen Angels"
Jerry Pournelle
"Fallen Angels" and "The Prince"
John Ringo
"A Hymn Before Battle"; "Gust Front"; "When the Devil Dances"; "March Upcountry"; "March to the Sea"; and "March to the Stars"
James H. Schmitz
"Telzey Amberdon"; "TnT: Telzey and Trigger"; "Trigger and Friends"; "The Hub"; and "Agent of Vega"
There is also an art gallery, audio book samples, and filk music by Echo's Children. I can't recommend "War of Honor" enough, and this CD is a real treat!
Don't for their Honorverse Disc CD-Rom included with the hardcover "War of Honor". It has 22+ novels (including all 13 of the Honor Harrington ones) and all of which are unencrypted in multiple formats. This is perfect for loading the old ones on my Ipaq, and introducing someone to the series!
Yes, you can get some in the free library, but they have gone out of their way to make this CD and nice thank you for those who buy "War of Honor". Very cool!
http://www.baen.com/orientation.htm
Not true. I was stationed down on the Point Loma Submarine Base in San Diego, and the rules changed to 21 back in 1996. Some Fundies got offended that "kids" could drink on base, and so the Navy joined the other branches with 21. The problems caused by this greatly outweighed the misplaced moralism, because now the kids just went to Tiajuana to drink. We had a nice increase in the number of instances where sailors got in trouble down in TJ. Stupid Fundies!
Under the old rule it was 18 for beer, 21 for hard stuff; and we helped any who were too drunk back to their barracks room (or a buddy's room if they lived off base). The 21 for all crap definately set unintended consequences into motion.
There is a freeware version scheduled to come out in 4th Quarter called PGP Freeware 8.0. http://www.pgp.com/display.php?pageID=31
Go to http://www.toyeast.com to order the real thing: Bit Char-G Racers by Tomy. They also sell Takara's Digi-Q. They are based in Hong Kong and can get really good prices on the real thing.
The Bit Char-Gs have lots of parts to upgrade (called Hop up parts) and there is a Toyota Trueno (Celica) set that comes with 3 different hardnesses of tires, 3 different suspensions, 4 different axel sets, two different bodies, 3 different gear ratios, the 2.2 rated (2200 rpm) motor, and some racing cones. It is a really good deal and runs at 27mhz.
I also have the Xanavi Hiroto GT-R special that has a 2.6 motor and uses 57mhz. It has a "cripple capacitor" in it, but you can go to http://www.ausmicro.com and search there for details on which cars have that and how to remove it. Once the capacitor is removed, the range dramatically improves.
Also look into the Booster cars. They have clear bodies that can be painted, have a motor that has a "stutter" setting for slower speeds (and longer battery life), and a booster speed that is normal. Motors are 2.2 and there is one car per each of the 4 frequencies (57mhz, 45mhz, 35mhz, and 27mhz). They use a special remote that can select any of the 4 freqs, but it has a terrible range. The remote for the boosters is sold separately and has a setting for use with future toy releases (tanks and subs are rumored).
The Bit Char-G advertise that they charge in 45secs on the controller (about right, sometimes longer), then race for 2 minutes (I get closer to 5 minutes). They are digital controlled, meaning no proportional speed or steering (but the booster cars' stutter speed gives effectively 2 speeds to cycle between). If you want that, look to the Takare Digi-Qs.
The Digi-Qs are a bit smaller, a lot faster, and suffer from a lag when sending signals. They run on infrared signals (the Bits are radio controlled), and have two motors (one per rear wheel). The cars mimic the real ones in performance, but a special controller (Digi Propo) can override the computer chips to change speed, breaking, steering, and acceleration. These cars cannot be modified as much as the Bits, but are awesome. They take around 10 minutes to charge and race for about 15 minutes.
Both cars types are not for carpet racing, and do require a bit of maintenance. Be prepared to play with the steering magnet on the Bits, clean out axels, and other odds and ends. Then hit the net to see the modified semis, monster trucks, and more!
Wonder if the Sims Online might have the same negative energies as Bladerunner. When BR came out, it featured some of the most successful and prominent companies of the time. Now all are gone (with Atari being a tool of Infogrames). I think it would be very interesting if the Sims Online had this kind of karma for the companies it advertises.
I still can't write with Calligrapher/Transcriber on my Ipaq. That program makes the assumption that everyone is right handed, so lefties like myself are SOL. When a letter crosses (like the cross in "t"), TS assumes we will cross left to right, and shows that in its example. That motion is natural to a righty as it flows to the hand. When I write, I cross right to left for the same reason. That one act throws the program's recognition into a hissy fit. Pity the TS version does not learn from experience how to recognize my writing.
Sam's Club has the Daewoo 5800 for only $90. You can disable the regions via remote, and disable Macrovision with a firmware upgrade from http://www.nerd-out.com (even has a step by step tutorial). Since removing Macrovision, I use my VCR as an RF tuner (my TV is 11 years old) and my player handles my VCD and SVCD disks like a champ. The Daewoo kicks ass!
At .35 um, the old TNT cards ran too hot. The cards generated too much heat, limiting clock speeds until the .25 um version came out. The smaller micron die size allowed more chip die to be cut from each silicon wafer.
No, the entire PCB line did not have to be upgraded, but the tools to work on the silicon wafer did. 3DFX had to retool their etching machines for any die shrink, whereas Nvidia can solicit work from TMSC, UMC, or any other fab willing to upgrade its own line. The other video card OEMS buy the chips made in 3rd party fabs and then pick and place. My point is that Nvidia does not have to spend money retooling a die set to cut from wafers, instead they can shop around the foundaries already doing that. If Nvidia did own its own fabs, then they would have to experience that additional cost and might be tempted to make their own boards for retail. The OEMs just tweak a referance design and plug in a chip, but the foundaries are a completely different step. Intel, AMD, TMSC, and UMC are all experiencing major costs upgrading their die lines (allowing them to squeeze more chips from a wafer and having faster chips), and Nvidia is largely immune to that. Remaining fab free is a boon to them.
I agree that Nvidia has been wise to stay out of manufacturing their own cards. Remember when 3dFX bought STB? That proved to be one big costly mistake that led to their assets being acquired by Nvidia. Producing boards is very expensive as one must constantly upgrade the assembly line. When the die shrinks to a smaller size, the entire line has to be upgraded to take advantage. 3DFX learned this the hard way as having the factory slowed down their ability to respond to changing technology and market conditions. Once they bought STB, they became competitors with their former customers, and lost their support. Diamond, Creative, and Goulimont all dropped their 3DFX product lines overnight. By remaining unemcumbered by fabs, Nvidia is able to shop around in Taiwan to pick the best foundaries for the dollar. If TMSC can't do the job, Nvidia can always switch to UMC of even IBM. Over at www.theregister.co.uk and www.theinquirer.net are often articles covering the problems the Taiwan foundaries are having in production, and speculation on how Nvidia should react. Remaining fab free has definately been a boon to Nvidia, leaving them nimble enough to concentrate on R&D and changing conditions. It also keeps costs down.
I would like to see these groups actually solicit input from and listen to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Instead of letting big business install DRM copy-rape software at our expense, fair protections should be built into these boxes to allow us to timeshift, possibly skip commercials, and even to share broadcasts. I don't mind if a "pay per view" show can't be shared, or even if it has limited views after recording, but I want the ability to watch what I want when I want and how I desire. If the potential customers had some say in how these boxes are designed, we might be much more likely to buy the things. Ease the fears of your typical /. reader, and the companies will find lots of technology acolytes to preach the wonders to the masses. Make us happy, and we will recommend the boxes to our family and friends. Ignore us, and may these boxes go the way of the Divx boxes that Circuit City lost so much money on. Media companies, throw us a bone and gain valuable allies. Screw us over and we will hack our ways to freedom.
To those who claim we have no fair use rights, I buy items to own. I expect the freedom to use my possessions as I see fit. Any restrictions on that perceived right of mine will be resisted by all means possible. Do not forget the power of the customer, we are always right.
Note, I am not a consumer. I will not be spoonfed whatever the media companies decide. I am a customer and I exercise the right to withhold my money if mistreated.
Try placing an * after the three letter words. Example: rat* While not a perfect solution (and no, this doesn't work on /.), it is well worth trying on other sites.
In 1997 I noticed many Kirin Beer vending machines in Sasebo and Yokosuka (sp?). They came in tall cans and were found near major shopping areas and arcades. Damn cool concept! Try looking around malls and covered streets.
I am still looking for a PocketPC/Palm/Psion emulator for the TI calcs, but here is a link to a PDA emulator for the HPs. IMHO it seems best to emulate the calcs on the much more capable PDA, rather than buy a calculator. Pity the calcs get much better battery life. Bugger! http://nt.marin.esc.edu.ar/jpla/emu48ce/emu48ce.ht ml
While most commercials demand me to channel surf or go to another room until the show resumes, only one company consistantly makes commercials that I will rewind the VCR tape just to watch: Jack in the Box.
Their commercials are hilarious, entertaining, and very witty. I have even downloaded a few of their commercials off the net. They get your attention, make you laugh, and I never get sick of them. I remember his presidential ad campaign from 1996, the Spicy Crispy Chicks, the Meaty Cheesy Boys, and the Carnivores Football team. The new one has Jack saluting Americans of all types, while eliciting a chuckle.
I have to give this company a 10 for originality! In fact, I think I will stop by them today to grab a bacon ultimate cheeseburger as a reward for being clever!
This was from October, 1987, when I was in 8th grade. God is was cool to see Wolverine admit that Spidey was strong enough to break the admantium coated neckbones, while commenting that he could pop a claw through Spidey's skull at the same time! Seeing Spidey in the German costume fight by spider sense alone was a treat! Bye bye tombstones! I love that issue still!
This show is GREAT!!! I love how their weapons need to be turned on (limited battery?), no one trusts the transporter, their sensors had trouble locking onto people, the crew is learning their equipment, and the crew bickers (realistic). The best part is that their engine room, stairs, and ladders all have railings very much like on US submarines! Oh my God, that is a very nice touch! Their uniforms are a lot like our poopysuits (jumpsuits we wear on the boats) and I love the flat profile of the ship! I also enjoyed seeing the crew crosstrain on positions, just like in real life! I also love the fact that their top end speed was only warp 4.5 (I assume they are using the ST:TOS warp scale of 4.5*4.5=times the speed of light). Also the ship was effectively depth charged! Oh I love so much about this show already! We even get to see humans screw up first contact with the Klingons, setting up the stage for a cold war with them in Kirk's time! Lastly I love the fact that they can't rely on super technology to solve their problems! No more ST:TNG technology conquers all crap! I love this show!