Sionnach Glic wrote:Firstly, how are they even going to tell the machine what to make? I can't imagine it's a simple process to tell it to stop building power tools and start building surface to air missile launchers. Particularly since you've just evicted everyone who knew how to run it off-world.
Actually, it would be that simple. Just input a different program. Also, this scenario only works if they didn't get rid of all of the machinists. Even one guy could do it if the plant is mostly automated.
Sionnach Glic wrote:And if you figure that out, how are they even going to feed the machine? It still needs raw materials to work with. Where are they going to get these? I'm sure there's a stockpile sitting around, but how long will that last? And once it's gone, how will they ever get more?
I imagine they'd get them the same way they did before, only with Navi personnel.
Sionnach Glic wrote:How will they keep the plant running? Something that complex can't be easy to maintain, and I doubt the Na'vi have a decent repairman hanging around.
That's a good one, but the Navi seem to be adaptable and intelligent; they could be taught with time.
Sionnach Glic wrote:How will they power it? None of the people left on the planet know how to run the base's power plant. That's a recipe for failure (if not catastrophic disaster) right there.
How will they feed the power plant?
Also a good one. Again, we have to wonder how many people it took, and how many, if any of them stayed. If all of them left, game over. Otherwise, again, train the Navi.
Sionnach Glic wrote:How will they operate most of the stuff that the plant can make? Does Jake Sully know how to operate a SAM? How about piloting an aircraft? Operating a starship?
I could probably operate a SAM or an aircraft with a little practice; so could you. There's a reason they make military equipment "idiot-proof".
Sionnach Glic wrote:Even ignoring all of the above, most of the stuff the plant can produce is still going to be useless to the Na'vi. Why? Because they're all designed for human operators. A Na'vi is never going to be able to pilot one of those gunships, simply because he'd be too big. So at best you've got a half dozen or so people, mostly civilians, who are able to operate what the plant makes.
Untrue. The size difference isn't as drastic as it seems. I could drive a Yugo, even though it was apparently designed for and by midgets. Pull the seats out, and they'd definitely fit. Or, simply scale up the cockpit and controls slightly.
Sionnach Glic wrote:Because of the above, for the plant to be of any actual use they'd need to know how to create new designs from scratch, then program that into the plant for it to manufacture. Good luck with that.
Like I said, modern machinists regularly (as in, all the time) write their own programs, and modify existing designs. As long as you have a few good machinists, and a few people with knowledge of the equipment to be made, it would be a matter of trial and error.
Sionnach Glic wrote:And even ignoring all the above, would the Na'vi even use it? We know that, initialy, the RDA tried to get on good terms with them, offering them medicine, electricity, roads, etc. The Na'vi politely told them to bugger off due to cultural reasons. I find it hard to imagine that the Na'vi would so willingly start using the RDA's abandoned equipment. Particularly when such equipment undoubtedly has the attatched stigma of being used to destroy their home and sacred sites.
They were using the communications equipment in the final battle, and they seemed to have adapted quite a bit by the end. Besides, Jake is the clan leader at the end of the film; he'd certainly be able to convince most of them to use whatever means available to survive, and the other clans respected him enough to listen as well.
Again, this is all speculative, but it's certainly not as impossible as people seem to think.
Sionnach Glic wrote:Oh, and another thing. Anything the plant can build is going to be limited by its size. While it could probably produce larger objects in bits and pieces, the Na'vi and friends aren't going to have the know-how to actually piece these bits together. And I doubt the plant can also make assembly manuals.
I don't see why not. Modern business software has training modes. The necessary info should be in the database.
There is only one way of avoiding the war – that is the overthrow of this society. However, as we are too weak for this task, the war is inevitable. -L. Trotsky, 1939