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From: throopw@rtp47.UUCP (Wayne Throop)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: What an advanced race would come far to get....
Message-ID: <114@rtp47.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 13:25:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtp47.114
Posted: Fri Jul 26 13:25:13 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 09:12:27 EDT
References: <2763@topaz.ARPA> <91@rtp47.UUCP> <525@mmintl.UUCP>
Organization: Data General, RTP, NC
Lines: 39

I'd like to make some clarifications on some points raised about an
earlier article.

> > Living space might be a reason, [for alien invasion] but would require
> > an unreasonably advanced transport technology to make it feasible and at
> > the same time have the technology level low enough to preclude easier
> > solutions to population pressure (such as Ringworlds).  (The exception
> > is when cost is no object, eg, the aliens need to escape from a
> > supernova or the like.)
>
> First of all, I doubt that Ringworlds are an easier solution to population
> pressure.  It takes a lot of energy for interstellar travel, but it takes
> a lot more to build a ringworld.

I have no idea how much energy must be expended to  build a ringworld.
But I seriously doubt it would be as much as the energy required to
boost the life support and posessions of several billion alien folks to
near-lightspeed.

> Besides, there is an underlying fallacy here: the idea that there is such
> a thing as enough living space.  Exponential growth will use up whatever
> space is available, in relatively short order.  So we have a ringworld.

That *is* a fallacy all right.  But I don't agree that it is "here", in
the sense of my asserting that there is such a thing as "enough living
space".  All I said was that aliens looking to increase their living
space would probably emulate Holland rather than Spain.  (That is, they
would construct some rather than exploring to get it.)  I based this
assertion on the relative costs as they seem to me with known or
extrapolated technology.

> In short, our children *can* go to the stars; and even come back.

Quite so.  Explorers and trade can be sent to the stars.  However, I
still have my doubts about wholesale export of populace.

> franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
-- 
Wayne Throop at Data General, RTP, NC
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