I would imagine computers of the 52nd century are quite capable, and quite small if we use even the last few decades as a guide. Quantum computers will get smaller. And the change to memory storage tech is that ships have essentially unlimited data storage capacity (within reason, but certainly they'd be able to store petabyte upon petabyte easily in a device the size of a loaf of bread - the trick is the computing to properly retrieve and utilize said data...)Sigtrygg wrote: ↑Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:13 pmI would argue that supercomputers would be needed to operate starships - running a multi gigawatt fusion power plant, controlling the environment (grav, temperature, atmosphere etc) while all the while running the avionics and flight controls, sensors, and being able to plot hyperdimensional n-body problems in real time, not to mention obtaining firing solutions on targets at light second ranges - not something you are going to do on an i-pad. Quantum computers are not small...
But they would not need d-tons of space for this sort of computing power. ST-Voyager had bio-computers that were similar to human brains in a network around the ship. That is more along the lines (even using mechanical ones) of what a ship would most likely have. Distributed computing works well and support damage control and other items that a ship would require in the Traveller universe.
I did not see the discussion. Though I would suspect that the Imperium places the same style of value on life that the modern world does. Life IS valued, but so are other aspects of it. The Imperium is modeled more along the lines of a libertarian sort of government, with the individual worlds left up to their own devices. But there are also laws governing safe transport of goods and services between systems, and laws protecting people from slavery and other forms of servitude. The recognition of fighting between planets and societies, and even corporations, is probably one of reluctant acceptance that this IS going to happen regardless, and if you can channel and isolate the actions into being less destructive for all of society, then you have a relief valve as needed... and an iridium hammer to bring down on any and all combatants who take it too far. Which, if you think about it, is probably one of the first questions asked before combat is involved - just how far the people think they can push their disagreements before they get slapped down by the Imperium. And, I would also guess, that IF the Imperium involves itself, there aren't any winners - except for the Imperium.