Why can laptops be connected to every piece of alien tech?

[_Owen_]

As Mckay said in "Home," There may be some disasembley required.

Owen Macri

[Supreme Thor]

Yeah...

"Jeez! I just spent $2000 on that computer just to get it disassembled?!"....

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

Yeah, that could be true. But how could they adapt the cord and such to plug-in to the tech? I don't think they use Dell computers.

Exactly. Anyways, everyone knows it takes a Mac to save the planet.

[Rin]

Exactly. Anyways, everyone knows it takes a Mac to save the planet.

Toss in a few sun machines for research with the Mac's and I'm with you (I'm a Unix kind of woman myself). Personally I cringe every time I see the dell logo.

[Supreme Thor]

Can I ask what's up with Dell? Not trying to be rude, but I favor Dell over anything else.

[_Owen_]

I believe that more than a significant number of people on this forum, are extremly familiar with the workings of a computer, as am I, (in regular words, Computer Geeks, no offence anyone). A Dell is a very generic computer, it is straight off of the shelf and into the box. Custom built computers are faster, and better in some ways. Dell has gotten a bad reputation, i'm not really sure how to describe it, really there is nothing wrong with a Dell for common everyday use, people who play sofisticated multiplayer games might need more customized computers because of the requirements of the game. Give me a minute I will try to think of an analogy.


Owen Macri

[Mr Prophet]

I believe that more than a significant number of people on this forum, are extremly familiar with the workings of a computer, as am I, (in regular words, Computer Geeks, no offence anyone).

Why would that be offensive?

A Dell is a very generic computer, it is straight off of the shelf and into the box. Custom built computers are faster, and better in some ways. Dell has gotten a bad reputation, i'm not really sure how to describe it, really there is nothing wrong with a Dell for common everyday use, people who play sofisticated multiplayer games might need more customized computers because of the requirements of the game. Give me a minute I will try to think of an analogy.

The phrase would be: Jack of all trades and master of none. It does all the basic things quite well, but isn't really good at anything specific. Still, I'm pretty sure that for the most part the military uses computers from the usual suppliers, although as big buyers they could probably place a bulk order for laptops to their own spec; I don't know exactly how that kind of contract would work, but I do know that industrial-scale buyers don't have the same restrictions as individuals or small offices.

[CatGoddess]

Yeah, that could be true. But how could they adapt the cord and such to plug-in to the tech? I don't think they use Dell computers.

They MacGyvered something?

[_Owen_]

Why would that be offensive?



The phrase would be: Jack of all trades and master of none. It does all the basic things quite well, but isn't really good at anything specific. Still, I'm pretty sure that for the most part the military uses computers from the usual suppliers, although as big buyers they could probably place a bulk order for laptops to their own spec; I don't know exactly how that kind of contract would work, but I do know that industrial-scale buyers don't have the same restrictions as individuals or small offices.

I just thought that calling a whole bunch of people computer geeks might offend someone, personaly I know that I am a bit of a computer geek and I am definetly a sci fi etc. geek, I just wasn't sure about everyone else. I just didn't want to get a lot of negative reputation because of silly comment I made and wasn't thinking about what impact it could have.

Thank you Mr. Prophet for clarifying that, I had my finger on the correct reason but I couldn't think of it.

Owen Macri

[Mr Prophet]

I just thought that calling a whole bunch of people computer geeks might offend someone, personaly I know that I am a bit of a computer geek and I am definetly a sci fi etc. geek, I just wasn't sure about everyone else. I just didn't want to get a lot of negative reputation because of silly comment I made and wasn't thinking about what impact it could have.

Anyone on a sci-fi forum who can't hack being called a geek is probably in the wrong place.

[_Owen_]

That is a good point.

Owen Macri

[buckner]

People have a hard enough time switching between operating systems think how much harder and impossible it would be to connect to alien tech.

[_Owen_]

lol, it would be hard but not completly impossible.

Owen Macri

[buckner]

computers use a binary system dont they, well it they do what are the odds of being able to speak with alien tech that does not use a binary system.

[_Owen_]

Actually, the first computers used binary code, now it is much more common for computers to use hexadecimal math, or base sixteen. Some computers use other bases as well.

But yes it would be hard, however not impossible, you would need to build a program to comunicate with the alien computer language.

Owen Macri