A question on "The Terminator"

[qnr]

In the introduction to The Terminator they show these robot/mechanical - ummmm - planes or hovercraft. How come they have "running lights" on the tail? Why would other machines need them with all the instrumentation they would supposedly have?

Edit: typo

[alittlelark]

1. They were developed by humans at Cyberdyne

I assume they designed them that way.... but an interesting question.

[qnr]

4. Oh yeah, that's right

I was thinking that after they took over, they started designing and building their own, but even if that were the case, there would be a lot of the originals around.

[skylarmae]

2. ever since Arnold's CA stunt - I totally boycott anything Arnold!!!

He is sooooo one of them ... just my thoughts.

[qnr]

3. I agree, but

we already owned it, I'm just encoding it to play on my Philips DVD/DivX player

[7th_Sephiroth]

5. even after original development and design by SKYnet

it is still computer programming, probably has its files on designing aircraft still from the human programmers, and marker lights are a must for humans

[qnr]

7. wonder if they still had seats and such? n/t

[7th_Sephiroth]

9. yes

but terminators could fly them, too

[qnr]

15. Sounds like pretty wimpy Terminators {shrug}

[7th_Sephiroth]

18. because they fly aircraft?

they have ejector seats, too

[qnr]

19. No, that their hydraulics can't hold them up and they have to sit. n/t

[7th_Sephiroth]

20. the seat serves at an ejection unit

the pilot (if there is one at the time) canescape from the downed aircraft and continue the fight

[qnr]

21. Can't see it.

See what you are saying, but a Terminator should be able to just rip its way out of a crash, or drop/jump through an open hatch rather than needing an ejection seat, prior to an impending crash.

[7th_Sephiroth]

22. once again, skynet shows its flaws

it's still a program that designs from man-written files

[qnr]

23. Valid point n/t

[7th_Sephiroth]

24. and it is a self learning program

wich means it will still need outside influences to grow, and with a limited human presence, it will remain in its infancy until it encounters another race from wich to grow (i have submitted a story to darkhorse for a terminator predator comic book and they said they liked it)

[qnr]

25. Nice. Congratulations n/t

[7th_Sephiroth]

26. duno if they will use it yet

:(

[BlueJazz]

6. The K3TX (or ..as you call them, hovercraft) are equippted

with lights simply as a back-up system for the ground TR-17's sensors. The TR-17 has multiple sensors, so the visible spectrum lights on the K3TX are only used as a "Last Resort" (for bearings).

[qnr]

8. Oh. OK, but if you're a TR-17, do other machines refer to you as

TR, 17, TR-17, or what?

[7th_Sephiroth]

10. probably referred to between machines

by serial number

[qnr]

13. Makes sense. But then, if they're down at the robot DMV,

and things seem to be getting too un-automated, do they bitch about being treated like a name, instead of a number?

[7th_Sephiroth]

14. there will be no robot DMV

the robots will be programmed with proper driving knowledge

[Elidor]

11. It aids the computers in creating on-the-fly flight paths

EDMs (electronic distance meters) constantly record the distance to the other ship and the computers adjust accordingly.

Sounds good to me.

[qnr]

12. Well, seems like a little radar ranging would be easier, but what

do I know, I'm not a machine.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

16. Simple. Just like we still have sailing vessels plying the waters now

there will still be vehicles in the future that are around today, and will not have the modern advanced collision-avoidance stuff.

[qnr]

17. True, carbon-based-lifeforms are easier to crush than your

mechanical brethren... makes sense. Gee, what sailing vessels? (Just kidding)