Comments on: Handheld Gauss Cannon http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/ The nerve center of Viper Pilot's interstellar war on mediocre music. A blog (mostly) about music, science fiction and technology (and some tenuous links between them). Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:12:57 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Smarty Pants http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1047 Smarty Pants Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:53:06 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1047 Underwater, pointy sticks work quite well. :-D Underwater, pointy sticks work quite well. :-D

]]> By: Viper Pilot http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1044 Viper Pilot Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:00:11 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1044 My preference is for railguns over plasma weapons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railgun I suspect a gauss cannon, properly waterproofed, would work for underwater operations where gunpowder is useless. Hrm, I seem to recall there were gauss guns in X-Com. Thank you, video games, for paving the way to the future! I'm going to install X-Com tonight... My preference is for railguns over plasma weapons:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railgun

I suspect a gauss cannon, properly waterproofed, would work for underwater operations where gunpowder is useless. Hrm, I seem to recall there were gauss guns in X-Com. Thank you, video games, for paving the way to the future!

I’m going to install X-Com tonight…

]]> By: Smarty Pants http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1043 Smarty Pants Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:24:47 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1043 I dig what you're saying, Viper...but I submit that jets / rocketry solved a problem the propeller could not, ie MACH speeds, travel outside of atmosphere, etc. Does the Gauss Cannon solve a problem that gun powder cannot? And if there is one, is the problem one that's big enough to warrant the expense and time of R&D? I mean, I'm with ya on the R&D to "see what this f*cker can do"...but if I was looking for true advancement (over explosives) I'd invest in plasma weapons. :-D I dig what you’re saying, Viper…but I submit that jets / rocketry solved a problem the propeller could not, ie MACH speeds, travel outside of atmosphere, etc.
Does the Gauss Cannon solve a problem that gun powder cannot? And if there is one, is the problem one that’s big enough to warrant the expense and time of R&D?
I mean, I’m with ya on the R&D to “see what this f*cker can do”…but if I was looking for true advancement (over explosives) I’d invest in plasma weapons. :-D

]]> By: Viper Pilot http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1042 Viper Pilot Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:30:33 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1042 I'll see your spit-ball and see you a mucusy lump of swine flu. I think that something being currently less effective isn't a reason to mothball the R&D, Smarty. Pretty much everything starts off more expensive and bulkier than existing tools. Early rockets were way less useful than, say, propellers, but look where modern air travel is now. I wouldn't have wanted to be a Russian test pilot in the 50s, let me tell you. Also, I'm sure you'll find a treehugging wanker somewhere who'll say that the gauss cannon releases less carbon emissions than gunpowder. ;) I’ll see your spit-ball and see you a mucusy lump of swine flu.

I think that something being currently less effective isn’t a reason to mothball the R&D, Smarty. Pretty much everything starts off more expensive and bulkier than existing tools. Early rockets were way less useful than, say, propellers, but look where modern air travel is now. I wouldn’t have wanted to be a Russian test pilot in the 50s, let me tell you.

Also, I’m sure you’ll find a treehugging wanker somewhere who’ll say that the gauss cannon releases less carbon emissions than gunpowder. ;)

]]> By: James http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1041 James Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:05:15 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1041 "The problem with a sharpened stick is that your R&D path is relatively short…" - VP Which means you are out and about stabbing and poking a lot sooner with less time cooped up in the lab R'ing and D'ing! Also if for some reason teh enemy attacked whilst you were still at the stick stage (perhaps pondering the best sharpening technique) you could still give them a hefty clout. Unsharpened sticks being a staple of head breaking for many centuries. If teh enemy attacks a half finished rail gun, who knows? “The problem with a sharpened stick is that your R&D path is relatively short…” – VP

Which means you are out and about stabbing and poking a lot sooner with less time cooped up in the lab R’ing and D’ing!

Also if for some reason teh enemy attacked whilst you were still at the stick stage (perhaps pondering the best sharpening technique) you could still give them a hefty clout. Unsharpened sticks being a staple of head breaking for many centuries. If teh enemy attacks a half finished rail gun, who knows?

]]> By: Smarty Pants http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1040 Smarty Pants Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:06:22 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1040 OK...so if we MIComplex the thing, then you run into cost vs benefit. Aside from the "uber cool" factor, it's a huge expense to solve a problem that's already been solved cheaply and effectively with gunpowder. And pointy stix. What problem does a Gauss rifle solve that justifies the expense and the switch over to an entirely new (probably not idiot proof) tech? Just spit-ballin' here... :-) OK…so if we MIComplex the thing, then you run into cost vs benefit. Aside from the “uber cool” factor, it’s a huge expense to solve a problem that’s already been solved cheaply and effectively with gunpowder. And pointy stix. What problem does a Gauss rifle solve that justifies the expense and the switch over to an entirely new (probably not idiot proof) tech?
Just spit-ballin’ here… :-)

]]> By: Fred R. http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1039 Fred R. Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:16:10 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1039 Hey, the sharpened stick has made great advances thanks to chemistry and material science. Teflon Coat that stick, and it ain't gonna catch on any organs or gristle. Or deposit a coating of Rhodium on the end, and it'll even go through calloused skin. Stick a rocket on the end, and you are the envy of North Korea. Hey, the sharpened stick has made great advances thanks to chemistry and material science. Teflon Coat that stick, and it ain’t gonna catch on any organs or gristle. Or deposit a coating of Rhodium on the end, and it’ll even go through calloused skin. Stick a rocket on the end, and you are the envy of North Korea.

]]> By: Viper Pilot http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1038 Viper Pilot Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:06:09 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1038 I gotta back Fred up here - that guy doesn't exactly look like the Netherlands' Minister of Defence. If you wanted to build that thing with Military-Industrial Complex levels of cash, you could probably shoot a much heavier and much more aerodynamic piece of metal a lot faster and a lot harder. The problem with a sharpened stick is that your R&D path is relatively short... I gotta back Fred up here – that guy doesn’t exactly look like the Netherlands’ Minister of Defence.

If you wanted to build that thing with Military-Industrial Complex levels of cash, you could probably shoot a much heavier and much more aerodynamic piece of metal a lot faster and a lot harder.

The problem with a sharpened stick is that your R&D path is relatively short…

]]> By: Coyote http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1037 Coyote Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:27:02 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1037 Oh and Paris Hilton is the epitomy of a talentless hack who is only famous for acting like a rich princess whore. Lady Gaga is in the cheap whore catigory. Two different whores. Oh and Paris Hilton is the epitomy of a talentless hack who is only famous for acting like a rich princess whore.

Lady Gaga is in the cheap whore catigory.

Two different whores.

]]> By: Fred R. http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1036 Fred R. Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:58:30 +0000 http://viperpilot.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/handheld-gauss-cannon/#comment-1036 I think it is mostly proof-of concept. Making the gun standard assault rifle size would give more room for capacitators, and heavier ammo. Add a battery backpack, and multiply everything by 3 due to mil-spec equipment, and its an impressive weapon. Plus it is quiet! No tell-tale gunshots to give away your position. I think it is mostly proof-of concept. Making the gun standard assault rifle size would give more room for capacitators, and heavier ammo. Add a battery backpack, and multiply everything by 3 due to mil-spec equipment, and its an impressive weapon. Plus it is quiet! No tell-tale gunshots to give away your position.

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