How do self-replicating mines work?

[Gandalf]

Is it possible that DS9 was prepared for something like this?

Because it might be possibl they started stockpiling them when the Dominion started bringing regular transports to the AQ.

[Enola Straight]

They began building them with the sudden idea of Rom (quark's brother and Nog's father).

[Sea Skimmer]

I think it'd be safe to say that these mines are noticeably more expensive than torpeodes.
So how could they manufacture so many, so quickly? Even their replicators require either lots of excess matter, or LOTS of energy to convert to matter.

How could the Federation afford all of this?

I agree it's unlikely the station could do everything its self. But they may have obtained materials and perhaps ordered some components from Bajor which seems to have something of a military infrastructure. Likely they also brought in stuff from Star Base 375? and the rest of the Federation.

But overall cost wouldn't be an issue, the Federation economy and manufacturing base can support hundreds of ships each with hundreds of torpedoes while running on a peacetime basis. DS9 its self had 5000 photons. So it's like the USA buying TOW missiles, they're expensive for there size but vast numbers can still be procured.

[Death from the Sea]

Is it possible that DS9 was prepared for something like this?

Because it might be possibl they started stockpiling them when the Dominion started bringing regular transports to the AQ.

Like Enola said above they didn't know how they were going to mine the wormhole until Rom designed the mines. They built/replicated the mines from what they had on hand.

[Gandalf]

They began building them with the sudden idea of Rom (quark's brother and Nog's father).

Good point, I just figured that given the armaments mentioned in WoTW, they might have the mines, or at least the materials handy.

[Eleas]

How could the Federation afford all of this?

But... but... the Federation doesn't use money! That means they don't have to pay for anything!

[Crazedwraith]

How could the Federation afford all of this?

But... but... the Federation doesn't use money! That means they don't have to pay for anything!

It still has to find the resources for things though they can't just make things from thin air. (yes i knew you were joking)

[Eleas]

How could the Federation afford all of this?

But... but... the Federation doesn't use money! That means they don't have to pay for anything!

It still has to find the resources for things though they can't just make things from thin air. (yes i knew you were joking)

Dammit, I was baiting Praxis! Don't spring my trap!

[Robert Walper]

Perhaps the minefield utilizes technology similar to Commander Data's power cells stated in ST:Insurrection. According to Data, his power cells continiously recharge themselves.

The remaining question then would be from what source is energy being accumulated from? Solar power? Solar winds? Natural subspace fields?

Any other ideas?

[Darth Wong]

Perhaps the minefield utilizes technology similar to Commander Data's power cells stated in ST:Insurrection. According to Data, his power cells continiously recharge themselves.

The remaining question then would be from what source is energy being accumulated from? Solar power? Solar winds? Natural subspace fields?

Any other ideas?

You forgot the "Data is an idiot" explanation. We're talking about someone who fucked up a simple surface area calculation and who once checked the accuracy of the computer's readings by asking it if they were correct.

[Kuroneko]

Perhaps the minefield utilizes technology similar to Commander Data's power cells stated in ST:Insurrection. According to Data, his power cells continiously recharge themselves.

The remaining question then would be from what source is energy being accumulated from? Solar power? Solar winds? Natural subspace fields?

Ah, there is actually an explanation for this consistent with Trek. They get their energy from the Zero Point Energy of vacuum. At the original proposed figure of one Planck mass per Planck volume, this provides nearly unlimited resources for Treknology. Observe that this is precisely the diameter of the event horizon of a black hole with that mass--literally, then, everything is full of holes. This is obviously consistent with the rest of the Trekverse.

[Robert Walper]

Perhaps the minefield utilizes technology similar to Commander Data's power cells stated in ST:Insurrection. According to Data, his power cells continiously recharge themselves.

The remaining question then would be from what source is energy being accumulated from? Solar power? Solar winds? Natural subspace fields?

Any other ideas?

You forgot the "Data is an idiot" explanation.

If I may be blunt, concluding idiocy on the part of characters is a last resort, and should only be done if absolutely necessary. Frankly, Data's power cells could theoritically be continuously recharging themselves, he merely never specified from what source they do so.

A casual reference to a solar powered calculator "continuously recharging" itself isn't entirely inaccurate, if vague and unspecificied on how it does so.

We're talking about someone who fucked up a simple surface area calculation and who once checked the accuracy of the computer's readings by asking it if they were correct.

Irrelevent. Stupidity may account for some arguements, but if a reasonable solution can be found without falling back to the "idiocy" arguement, I favor it.

[Darth Wong]

If I may be blunt, concluding idiocy on the part of characters is a last resort, and should only be done if absolutely necessary.

It has been absolutely necessary for a long time in order to explain Data's utterances.

Frankly, Data's power cells could theoritically be continuously recharging themselves, he merely never specified from what source they do so.

Then they're not recharging themselves, are they? They're being recharged by another device, ie- a power source.

A casual reference to a solar powered calculator "continuously recharging" itself isn't entirely inaccurate, if vague and unspecificied on how it does so.

No, I'm afraid it's entire inaccurate. A solar-powered calculator is solar-powered and solar-charged, not self-powered or self-charged.

Irrelevent. Stupidity may account for some arguements, but if a reasonable solution can be found without falling back to the "idiocy" arguement, I favor it.

Then explain those incidents I mentioned.

[Robert Walper]

Irrelevent. Stupidity may account for some arguements, but if a reasonable solution can be found without falling back to the "idiocy" arguement, I favor it.

Then explain those incidents I mentioned.

Any attempt on my part without more extensive information on those incidents would be self defeating...for the moment, I must rely upon your on conclusion.

[Robert Walper]

Frankly, Data's power cells could theoritically be continuously recharging themselves, he merely never specified from what source they do so.

Then they're not recharging themselves, are they? They're being recharged by another device, ie- a power source.

If I may just point out, Data's statement doesn't need to be interpreted literately. He was speaking to a young child who apparently had little to no grasp of technology and it's applications. Data giving him a long winded explanation on something he has no comprehension of isn't exactly going to accomplish much. Clearly the boy did not possess the comprehension to question the scientific validity of Data's statement, but that was by no means expected either.

For example, if someone who knew next to nothing about technology asked me why I always place my cordless phone on it's holder, I could readily say "The battery just needs to recharge itself.". Accurate, no, but it can suit as a rather vague explanation of what is going on.

My impression from the particular scene in ST: Insurrection is Data simply wasn't going to dwell on details with a young child who was just recently scared of technology(ie: Data himself), never mind understanding it.

A casual reference to a solar powered calculator "continuously recharging" itself isn't entirely inaccurate, if vague and unspecificied on how it does so.

No, I'm afraid it's entirely inaccurate. A solar-powered calculator is solar-powered and solar-charged, not self-powered or self-charged.

A bad analogy on my part. Obviously, I need more practice in that regard, which would include a better grasp upon relations between certain subjects.

Perhaps a better analogy would have been a device that utilizes solar power(or other external source) to charge up batteries that can last for some time without further charging from said source. Data's implication that his power cells "continuously" recharge suggests the source from which they accumulate energy is perhaps not readily deflected or interfered with.

[Praxis]

If I may just point out, Data's statement doesn't need to be interpreted literately. He was speaking to a young child who apparently had little to no grasp of technology and it's applications. Data giving him a long winded explanation on something he has no comprehension of isn't exactly going to accomplish much. Clearly the boy did not possess the comprehension to question the scientific validity of Data's statement, but that was by no means expected either.

For example, if someone who knew next to nothing about technology asked me why I always place my cordless phone on it's holder, I could readily say "The battery just needs to recharge itself.". Accurate, no, but it can suit as a rather vague explanation of what is going on.

My impression from the particular scene in ST: Insurrection is Data simply wasn't going to dwell on details with a young child who was just recently scared of technology(ie: Data himself), never mind understanding it.

Data has never dumbed his explanations down in the past. How come Picard always has to say, "Data!" to get him to stop from overwhelming people in technobabble?

And Data almost never uses phrases like "recharge themselves", and even if he did, he wouldn't be using those phrases when talking to a boy from another planet which might very well have different phrases.

A bad analogy on my part. Obviously, I need more practice in that regard, which would include a better grasp upon relations between certain subjects.

Perhaps a better analogy would have been a device that utilizes solar power(or other external source) to charge up batteries that can last for some time without further charging from said source. Data's implication that his power cells "continuously" recharge suggests the source from which they accumulate energy is perhaps not readily deflected or interfered with.

He doesn't say that they're "continuously recharging" from something, he says, "they continuously recharge THEMSELVES". Batteries don't recharge themselves.

[Robert Walper]

Data has never dumbed his explanations down in the past. How come Picard always has to say, "Data!" to get him to stop from overwhelming people in technobabble?

Those familar with Trek would tend to agree Data has learned to "dumb" down his typically long winded replies as witnessed in early TNG.

He doesn't say that they're "continuously recharging" from something, he says, "they continuously recharge THEMSELVES". Batteries don't recharge themselves.

Neither does my cordless phone, but I could word it that way.

Subjective dialogue interpretation. The assumption is one must take every word Data says literately, as opposed him merely making vague and short explanations to someone who wouldn't understand them anyhow.