What is your opinion on the use of Celestia for Sci-Fi?

[PlutonianEmpire]

I've noticed that a number of people have implied that they are displeased with the fact that a lot of Celestia users, including myself, use Celestia for the enjoyment of science fiction and/or science fantasy addon creation and use, as well as personal entertainment in general, so I'd like to post this thread because I am interested in hearing the opinions of the various inhabitants of this forum, and as well as promoting civilized discussion about the various reasons people use Celestia, not just for Sci-Fi/Sci-Fa.

I know Star Trek and Star Wars have been a touchy subject lately, but I do hope members (myself included) remain civilized.

What are your thoughts?

[kristoffer]

I using Celestia for Sci-Fi, and also other stuffs

I creating my own sci-fi story, and use it in Celestia.
Well, not only Celestia


I create addon for it

[BobHegwood]

As far as this old Brain-Dead geezer is concerned, both the scientific *and*
the Sci-Fi add-ons and discussions should remain on our forum here...

Methinks that the problem with all of the Star Trek and other fictional
topics remains within the fact that the Sci_fi topics seem to encroach
upon topics where users are looking only for scientific data. I really don't
mind the fictional add-ons and discussions, but I believe that they should
remain within their own arena.

Methinks also that Selden is probably getting sick of all this bickering too.

Can't we all just get along?

[Tegmine]

I believe the two can coexist peacefully. About 20 years ago, extrasolar planets were almost all theoretical. True, there were very good hunches, but nothing concrete. So, technically, any planets rendered in scientific literature could be considered "fiction" (although I remember seeing the word "hypothetical" tossed around alot.)

If you go by the definition of fiction (something invented or imagined) then ANY and ALL renderings of any planets or bodies not visited by a probe or imaged would fall under this umbrella. That would mean a good percentage of Celestia's content could technically be considered "fiction."

I use Celestia for both...I have my real-world addons and my fiction addons. I enjoy both, I visit both. I see no need for vitriolic debate, which only boils down to personal insults, hurt feelings and banishment.

(I guess you could say I'm pro Sci-Fi, but I do like it to be technically correct, ie, follow real world data as much as possible.)

-M-

[Hungry4info]

Bog Hegwood, I haven't seen you around for quite some time. It is good to see you post again.

I agree with the majority here that there's a place in Celestia for both, provided they do stay in their respective areas.

[Cham]

While I love SF, I think it's taking way too much place on this forum.
Apparently, there are much more SF stuff published or shown on the forum than real astronomy stuff.
It doesn't help to attract new people from outside interested in astronomy, since the forum is flooded with Star Trek, for example.

[selden]

The forum can only contain posts that people write.
If you want more posts about Celestia's astronomical applications, you might consider posting some.

[t00fri]

Let me phrase this quite clearly: I DO like intelligent fantasy and hence I DO like good SciFi!
Fantasy is an essential incredient in virtually every successful mind, by the way.

So, I think I never argued anywhere against good SciFi. Cham's recent work is a very good example of both fantasy and graphical fiction (backed up with the solid knowledge of a physicist).

We have designed and coded Celestia over 11 years as a VERY flexible 3D visualization framework.
As such there is OF COURSE also room for ficticious applications. That's part of the Celestia's global success. No doubt!

However ... when some users go on and on and on uploading never ending fleets of naive StarWar/StarTrek battle ship images (and nothing much else) and / or infiltrate inspiring threads with irrelevant and narrow-minded 1-line comments... then I feel ashamed to have left traces at such a place over more than a decade!. We all are aware that shatters.net is visited also by many very serious people outside the Celestia community, in the eyes of which I don't want to be associated with such flat activity.

If Selden feels happy with such stuff and doesn't mind loosing some of his good reputation by administrating it, then for me there is only the "escape alternative". That's what I have chosen for most of the summer.

Fridger

PS: From receiving numerous PMs I know that my feelings are shared by others...

[t00fri]

The forum can only contain posts that people write.
If you want more posts about Celestia's astronomical applications, you might consider posting some.

Selden,

that's a bit too simple. How about the alternative explanation that most of those qualified (and interested) to contribute to the astronomical applications threads have recently left shatters, entered lurk mode or are about to leave because of the overboarding "StarTrek noise"? At least I do know about some...

Fridger

[Cham]

How about the alternative explanation that most of those qualified (and interested) to contribute to the astronomical applications threads have recently left shatters, entered lurk mode or are about to leave because of the overboarding "StarTrek noise"? At least I do know about some...

This is exactly my case. I'm in "lurk mode" right now, exactly because I'm discouraged by all the bad taste SF which spoils the forum.

[selden]

I don't approve of censorship, except to keep discussions civil.

[t00fri]

I don't approve of censorship, except to keep discussions civil.

Like here, for example?

Please note that this is not the place to discuss the reality (or lack thereof) of Nibiru or other catastrophe or conspiracy theories. Any attempts to start such discussions will be summarily locked or deleted.

or here

The Celestia Web site is not for the discussion of non-standard theories.

or here

This is not an appropriate forum for discussing non-mainstream theories.

To my naive eye this looks like censorship concerning alternate theories.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please note that I am NOT at all opposing censorship of such crap!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BUT at least for me the filling of the storage media of this forum with hundreds of (mediocre) images containing only Star Trek / Wars battle ships ranges on the same level.

Anyway, whatever you decide, it will reflect back on you.

Fridger

[Cham]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please note that I am NOT at all opposing censorship of such crap!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BUT at least for me the filling of the storage media of this forum with hundreds of (mediocre) images containing only Star Trek / Wars battle ships ranges on the same level.

I fully agree with Fridger here. Too much is just too much.

[selden]

In the context of this forum I am using the term "censorship" to indicate the prohibition of posts about Celestia and its uses. I did not intend to use that word in a more general way. I'm sorry for the confusion caused by my poor choice of words.

If you don't want to view someone's posts, the phpbb forum software includes an "ignore" option with the infelicitous title of "Foes". It's included in your "User Control Panel" options.

The Celestia forum is primarily about the use of Celestia. except in the "Petit Bistro Entropy" subforum and the "Astronomy and Physics" subforum. Attempts to portray pseudo-science as science are not acceptable. but descriptions and examples of the use of Celestia to illustrate publications is acceptable. There are bound to be some grey areas, of course. but a decision about that will be up to a moderator. (Note that I am not the only moderator, just the one whose name is published prominently.)

[selden]

I am locking this thread. Confrontational posts are unacceptable. I do not want to have to ban more people for such things.