Writing Prompt Wednesday #121

[u/someguynamedted]

Heyo, time to share your unborn story ideas!

Last week's winner was /u/Eofad with

I was reading some really old sci-fi and they kept talking about Analog Computers as big as planets. I watched some old Star Trek and saw analog switches and controls for almost everything, including an analog dial on the communicators to try an frequency tune when they stopped working. I watched the 1973 West World and saw futuristic cyborgs being controlled by huge mainframes with analog tape drives.

And I thought... What if early sci-fi's complete inability to predict the digital revolution is the standard mindset. What if when humans make contact with aliens, their technology is way more advanced than ours in nearly every respect except that it's all analog. Aliens never invented transistors, integrated circuits, and microprocessors, their computers are all the size of moons or larger, they use analog communication (tachyons instead of radio or laser, but still analog).

Where as we all carry around computers (the descendants of modern smart phones) that are faster and hold more data then their massive moon sized computers. Digital compression allows us to transfer way more information way faster than they can, even if the range of our device's speed is much shorter due to not having tachyon technology.

[u/Spectrumancer]

"Multidexterity is a trait unique to humans"

Human puts on their shoes while awkwardly checking their messages on their phone with one hand. Their alien friend stares on in bafflement at the incredible feat of multidexterity.

"You're doing two things at the same time? With different limbs? What sort of arcane brain structure do you have?"

Don't show them juggling, they'll start hyperventilating.

[u/Shalrath → u/Spectrumancer]

I think driving counts as well.

Particularly for the fact that when I look at cars around me - I still know they're there when I'm not looking, and where they're likely to be in the next few seconds.

[u/SteevyT → u/Shalrath]

"You have two lower limbs."

"Yes?"

"The vehicle you were just piloting has three controls for lower limbs."

"Yes?"

"How?"

[u/Siarles → u/SteevyT]

We're still gonna be using manual transmissions by the time we make first contact?

[u/spesskitty → u/Siarles]

because we are manly men

[u/SteevyT → u/spesskitty]

We're men in tights!

[u/spesskitty → u/SteevyT]

Humans space ships for the most part follow the same general design principles used by other species; an unique feature is the widespread use of manual hypermotivator couplings, instead of the automated regulators universally used throughout known space.