[NGTM-1R]

It would be vaguely inconvinent if they emerged directly in the middle of Cloud Nine...

[Ace]

Anyway, the great thing about BSG is that how things like FTL works doesn't really matter. It's damned refreshing to get a nice sci-fi show that conciously tries to stay away from techno-babble.

Actually, there was an episode that hinged entirely on how the FTL drives work. The one where the Galactica "lost" the fleet, remember?

2. Colonials can compute an FTL jump from A -> B, but not from C -> B.

Especially considering that these Colonials made advanced AIs it did seem a bit silly. Being able to do FTL more like what was seen in Exodus part II makes more sense. Now perhaps accuracy in FTL jumps being tied to processing time would work well- i.e. to maintain a proper formation with the fleet a certain amount of time is needed. Similarly tactical jumps would need to be precalculated (dealing with 'terrain' that doesn't move such as asteroids or planets) as it'd take too long to process new ones on-the-fly.

Even then the calculation time for accuracy would need to be tied to some oddities of FTL space as opposed to anything else. Hell the Cylons being developed for FTL navigation at first would make sense. (ala Guild Navigators)

[aldo_14]

My understanding is that there are tiny random errors in position, etc, that occur in every jump - and which are reliant upon local geography, including the details of unmapped or partially unmapped beyond-red-line space - and failing to correct them for the next jump means a huge magnification and the position we saw Galactica in.

[karajorma]

I seriously can't believe you just grouped football with Chekov and Bergman. That makes me want to do inappropriate things.

In terms of how arrogantly their fans put down anyone who watches and discusses sci-fi for being nerds not worth bothering about they're pretty much the same thing.

[Ford Prefect]

Well what do you mean "not worth bothering about"? I mean, I like sci-fi TV but come on, it's not Chekhov.

[NGTM-1R]

At the risk of making the obvious point...

...no, it's much more interesting than that.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Well you're entitled to your opinion, but you've got a difficult case to make if you're going to argue that it's more intellectually substantial.

[NGTM-1R]

Being intellectually substantial is what you make of it.

[aldo_14]

Well what do you mean "not worth bothering about"? I mean, I like sci-fi TV but come on, it's not Chekhov.

*phew*

[Mefustae]

It would be vaguely inconvinent if they emerged directly in the middle of Cloud Nine...

Not really, considering Cloud Nine is currently a slowly expanding mass of slightly nuclear debris.

[karajorma]

Well what do you mean "not worth bothering about"? I mean, I like sci-fi TV but come on, it's not Chekhov.

There is a certain attitude that discussing certain kinds of movie or TV is nerdy and therefore not worth bothering with.

If you spend time debating Chekov you're just as big a nerd as if you spend time discussion Galactica. In fact you're a bigger nerd. Galactica is new. It's not been discussed yet. You could simply read the dissertation of someone far more learned about Checkov than you will ever be if you want to understand the subtext of his plays. 

I'm not saying that anyone is wrong to discuss Checkov or Bergman. I'm saying that if you do you should realise you're doing the exact same thing that is being done on this thread. There's nothing wrong with discussing things your passionate about with people who hold similar opinions so why should a certain subset of people who do it be insulted just because they like a TV show rather than a play?

If someone wants to say I'm a nerd because I like Battlestar Galactica that's one thing. But to say I'm a nerd because I discuss the show simply makes anyone who discusses any entertainment form rather than just switching channels/going staight home a nerd too.

[Ford Prefect]

It just seems to me that you're reacting to one extreme by moving to the other. I fully agree that it's stupid to call someone a nerd because they're discussing a particular topic, but it isn't necessary to predicate that argument on the notion that all topics of discussion are of equal sophistication. I've had intelligent conversations about Pink Floyd and about Bach, but that doesn't change the fact that there are volumes more to be said about the latter than about the former (musically speaking). The same applies to the question of Chekhov versus Battlestar Galactica; that there are volumes more to be gleaned from the former doesn't change the fact that you can get plenty from the latter. Despite what various postmodernist windbags will argue, artistic merit is a matter of degree. (And don't think for a moment that I'm separating things into "entertainment" versus "great literature", because if you had said "Dickens" instead of Chekhov and Bergman, I probably wouldn't have said anything.)

[Kosh]

It would be vaguely inconvinent if they emerged directly in the middle of Cloud Nine...

Cloud Nine's gone man......

[karajorma]

It just seems to me that you're reacting to one extreme by moving to the other. I fully agree that it's stupid to call someone a nerd because they're discussing a particular topic, but it isn't necessary to predicate that argument on the notion that all topics of discussion are of equal sophistication. I've had intelligent conversations about Pink Floyd and about Bach, but that doesn't change the fact that there are volumes more to be said about the latter than about the former (musically speaking). The same applies to the question of Chekhov versus Battlestar Galactica; that there are volumes more to be gleaned from the former doesn't change the fact that you can get plenty from the latter. 

 I'm not saying that BSG is the artistic equal of Checkov. I'm merely saying that if talking about something you enjoy makes you a nerd then we all qualify.

[Unknown Target]

What's wrong with being a nerd, anyway? Everybody's a nerd about something. If you're obsessed with sports, you could be considered a sports nerd.

[Mefustae]

It's more the social stigma surrounding the issue. Public perception dictates that being a sports fan is far more socially acceptable than being a sci-fi fan. Doesn't make any sense to me.

[karajorma]

I can't see why being able to quote the batting average for any given player is any less nerdy than knowing the frequency of the Enterprise's shields.

Yep it's a social stigma but on this forum we point of the stupidity of those all the time

[Ford Prefect]

I think the essential quality of a nerd isn't simply knowing a lot about a particular topic; it's the inability to understand that those around you might not be as interested. I always thought the surest sign of nerdiness is when someone takes every opportunity to steer the conversation back to his area of interest, usually to everyone else's exasperation.

[Bobboau]

new episode tonight, spoilers may be present in following posts.

[Mars]

I think the essential quality of a nerd isn't simply knowing a lot about a particular topic; it's the inability to understand that those around you might not be as interested. I always thought the surest sign of nerdiness is when someone takes every opportunity to steer the conversation back to his area of interest, usually to everyone else's exasperation.

In that case: I used to be a nerd.