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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Why would 'they' visit us?
Message-ID: <471@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 10:39:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.471
Posted: Fri Aug  2 10:39:36 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Aug-85 21:03:22 EDT
References: <3033@topaz.ARPA>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
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[]
> Seeing as we are out on one of the arms near the edge of a 'small' galaxy
> we probably haven't been visited because we haven't been found. Its like
> why don't people go to small towns way off the beaten track. Because the
> roads either are non-existant or in need of repair. If there is a method
> to FTL travel and it requires a receiver at the other end to arrive at.
> It could be an airport or a port or some sort of machine, maybe even
> some amount of mass to lock onto or a beacon of some sort. Maybe when
> we get out there we will find out that there is a huge interstellar 
> civilization but the 'road to SOL' is a bumpy one (maybe a Bob Hope XX 
> Bing Crosby XX movie in 2300) and they aren't coming here till we get 
> it fixed. When the first slow boat travels get out there and come back
> with the beacon maybe then we will get more travelers coming here.

On the other hand, if there is no way to go FTL (which seems at present
more likely) then this argument doesn't make much sense to me.  If all
you can do is visit the nearest few stars then that's what you'll do.
This will tend to spread a spacefaring race everywhere.  If you live
in Hoboken and can only walk then some people will walk to Bayonne.
-- 

"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas