[oclug] Fwd: [edlug] Rather Depressing

[Jon Earle]

Rod Giffin wrote:

> Basically the difference between 14th century
> body armour and modern Kevlar armour is the Kevlar.

Perhaps, but that's like saying our modern T or button-down shirts are 
like 14th century shirts... or a new high-tech log home is like a 19th 
century home... they might look somewhat similar (cloth and logs), but 
gone are the old ways and a new hightech method is now how it's done 
(which itself will look primitive in 100yrs).

> No they don't.  But patent documents do record how something was done, so
> that it is possible to learn how without having to experiment with that
> phase.

There are better ways to record how something was done - ISO9000 
documents, for example.  Engineering reports, etc.  Patents are more 
like the societies of old (Masons, etc.) guaranteeing employment and 
income by keeping the knowledge to oneself.

I understand what you are suggesting.. sorta sounds like IPX... 
"Exploring the past to create a better future".  LOL  But I don't 
believe there's much need to learn how the ancients made armour to make 
effective armour ourselves (given that we've been making armour of 
various descriptions for centuries, nay, millenia).  That's akin to 
suggesting we need to figure out how the ancients made pyramids in order 
for us to make an effective burial tomb.  Other than simple curiosity 
("How did they do that?"), there's no need for it... I don't think 
Peter's Pyramids Inc. will do a brisk trade today. LOL

But for personal reasons, I think it's really cool.. I enjoy seeing 
wellcrafted tools of old... chainmail, swords, etc, even though I myself 
have no use whatsoever for any of it.  It's an interesting tour through 
history.. kinda puts us in touch with our roots.

Cheers!
Jon

-- 
Jon Earle
Software Developer / Network Manager
Specializing in Open Source Software Solutions
http://kronos.honk.org/~earlej/