Diesel

Weird Harold wrote:

sunhawk wrote:Diesel engines do not need electricity to work.

There have been several long discussions on whether Diesel engines could be used without waking the Orbital Bombardment System (OBS or "Rakurai") True, they don't use electricity, but electricity is not the only thing prohibited by the Proscriptions -- just the only thing specifically prohibited in detail. Diesel engines produce combustion byproducts unique to high-pressure combustion and that "pollution" could be one of the OBS triggers.

Personally, I think that steam is adequate for the immediate future and all types of internal combustion can be bypassed once the Proscriptions and OBS are dealt with.

Electricity may be specifically prohibited to be used on Safehold's surface, but it obviously is required for the defensive detection and response of the Rakuri array to the SNARC approach. It is also obvious that electricity is or will be required to the use of the "key" on the computer panel underneath the Temple. There is also the use of electricity by OWL, and in the skimmers and transports used by Merlin, and communicators given to the Inner Circle. Therefore, it appears that Mr.Weber intends that electricity is not detectable by the Rakuri sensors below a certain level, or not at all.
Eventual use of electricity is an imperative for technological development of Safehold civilization, which Mr.Weber has indicated as Merlin's goal.

SciFi90 wrote:Eventual use of electricity is an imperative for technological development of Safehold civilization, which Mr.Weber has indicated as Merlin's goal.

Yes, Safehold will eventually get electrical and/or fusion power sources and electronics for industry and consumers -- just not before the Proscriptions are overturned and the OBS neutralized. I don't think anyone would dispute that.

The question is when (or whether) to introduce Diesel engines before the Proscriptions are lifted and/or the OBS is neutralized. Pretty much "anything goes" afterwards.

SciFi90 wrote:

Weird Harold wrote:quote="sunhawk"Diesel engines do not need electricity to work. /quote

There have been several long discussions on whether Diesel engines could be used without waking the Orbital Bombardment System (OBS or "Rakurai") True, they don't use electricity, but electricity is not the only thing prohibited by the Proscriptions -- just the only thing specifically prohibited in detail. Diesel engines produce combustion byproducts unique to high-pressure combustion and that "pollution" could be one of the OBS triggers.

Personally, I think that steam is adequate for the immediate future and all types of internal combustion can be bypassed once the Proscriptions and OBS are dealt with.

Electricity may be specifically prohibited to be used on Safehold's surface, but it obviously is required for the defensive detection and response of the Rakuri array to the SNARC approach. It is also obvious that electricity is or will be required to the use of the "key" on the computer panel underneath the Temple. There is also the use of electricity by OWL, and in the skimmers and transports used by Merlin, and communicators given to the Inner Circle. Therefore, it appears that Mr.Weber intends that electricity is not detectable by the Rakuri sensors below a certain level, or not at all.
Eventual use of electricity is an imperative for technological development of Safehold civilization, which Mr.Weber has indicated as Merlin's goal.

True, but first the levels of electricity are very low and thus unlikely to attract unwanted attention from Gbaba scouts that pass through the system. The OBS is likely shielded with TF Tech. Additionally, other than those in the know, Safeholdians in general have no idea that electricity is in use on their planet, and even if they recognized that the temple was run by electricity, hey, it was built by arch-angels so it's ok! Certainly they have no idea that the Rakuri is anything but God dropping stuff on "bad" people.

SciFi90 wrote:Electricity may be specifically prohibited to be used on Safehold's surface, but it obviously is required for the defensive detection and response of the Rakuri array to the SNARC approach. It is also obvious that electricity is or will be required to the use of the "key" on the computer panel underneath the Temple. There is also the use of electricity by OWL, and in the skimmers and transports used by Merlin, and communicators given to the Inner Circle. Therefore, it appears that Mr.Weber intends that electricity is not detectable by the Rakuri sensors below a certain level, or not at all.
Eventual use of electricity is an imperative for technological development of Safehold civilization, which Mr.Weber has indicated as Merlin's goal.

Who or what uses electricity now is irrelevant. Everything that uses electricity are heavily stealthed or of such low power it's virtually undetectable. The whole point about the ban on electricity in the proscriptions is to avoid sending out RF-energy which the Gbaba can detect but also the final key to lock down technological development.

When (not if) electricity is introduced on Safehold it will be done in such a manner as to avoid the risk of radiating energy which can be detectable. How that will come about will be interesting but maybe RFC will take a page from Isaac Asimov by transforming the reformed church into the Church of Science which will control how electricity is introduced.

Joat42 wrote:

SciFi90 wrote:Electricity may be specifically prohibited to be used on Safehold's surface, but it obviously is required for the defensive detection and response of the Rakuri array to the SNARC approach. It is also obvious that electricity is or will be required to the use of the "key" on the computer panel underneath the Temple. There is also the use of electricity by OWL, and in the skimmers and transports used by Merlin, and communicators given to the Inner Circle. Therefore, it appears that Mr.Weber intends that electricity is not detectable by the Rakuri sensors below a certain level, or not at all.
Eventual use of electricity is an imperative for technological development of Safehold civilization, which Mr.Weber has indicated as Merlin's goal.

Who or what uses electricity now is irrelevant. Everything that uses electricity are heavily stealthed or of such low power it's virtually undetectable. The whole point about the ban on electricity in the proscriptions is to avoid sending out RF-energy which the Gbaba can detect but also the final key to lock down technological development.

When (not if) electricity is introduced on Safehold it will be done in such a manner as to avoid the risk of radiating energy which can be detectable. How that will come about will be interesting but maybe RFC will take a page from Isaac Asimov by transforming the reformed church into the Church of Science which will control how electricity is introduced.

The big reason for the extended period without electricity was to allow the Gbaba to conclude their search without discovering the planet on which the humans had settled (now known as Safehold). There was no expectation given in OAR that electrical usage in the system would be undetectable to someone who was looking for it, just that the looking for it part would have already concluded.