Waste systems

[knnn]

I tend to picture a more modular system, rather than a massive Network with centralized systems.  So each habble only has to deal with the utility needs of it's own residents more or less, and only has to move material to it's neighbors (rather than the whole height of the spire).  This also may be the reason why some of those habbles are currently unoccupied, rather than simply a matter of the population not being at capacity.

So what happens if one habble is put out of comission (either neglect or deliberate)?  Does that mess up the whole network?

[Quantus]

So what happens if one habble is put out of commission (either neglect or deliberate)?  Does that mess up the whole network?

Nah, basic bypasses would need to be in place regardless, and otherwise that becomes the benefit of a de-centralized design: fewer bottleneck failure points, and fundamental redundancy. There would be an inherent design limit in that you couldnt handle any more disabled habbles in a row than you had the power to pump past.  So if you can pump only four levels up lets say, you cant bypass more than four levels without at least getting their reservoir pumps running.  But then that starts getting into pump designs and mechanisms, the actual value requirements, the pressure limits of the piping, etc. 

[Brightbane]

They get their water from the mists. They filter it out of the air somehow.

And I guess I just assumed that their waste got converted into the vatsand.

[Mith]

Extract all the useful stuff out of it, and I guess you would be left with something resembling sand.

[Arjan]

They just use the old method. In a bucket out of the window. There is a reason all those creatures living beneath the spires are so angry.

[knnn]

And I guess I just assumed that their waste got converted into the vatsand.

Sure, but in the absence of "just dump it in the soil" you need a not insignificant amount of machinery (tanks/pipes/etc. ) to do this correctly.

They just use the old method. In a bucket out of the window. There is a reason all those creatures living beneath the spires are so angry.

[jb3435]

They get their water from the mists. They filter it out of the air somehow.

hey look...starwars reference where is Luke?

[Aminar]

hey look...starwars reference where is Luke?

That's your Star Wars reference from Jim?   :p

[crusher_bob]

I don't remember anything about lack of water.  For example, nothing about bathing as a signifier of social class.  So I guess it's possible that the spire is pretty efficient at just recycling the waste.  The waste gets the water drawn out and recirculated and the solid matter gets sterilized and used as fertilizer (vatsand).  There appears to be enough available electrical power and, presumably, previously available biological knowledge to set up such a reclamation system.  How much it runs without intervention and how muc hthe spires inhabitants maintain it isn't mentioned anywhere. 

That would explain where (most) of the water comes from and where (most) of the poop goes.  Both very important things to cove when any large population gets discussed.

Of course, without rain, I'd guess that street cleaning / garbage removal / etc has got to be a pretty big deal.  No mention of how lower class sections of the Habble constantly smell of poop, rotting garbage, etc.  One good outbreak of Cholera or something and you can't just wait for the rain to come and clean things up a bit.  You have to go and scrub all that down by hand.

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Of course, if the Predator is self aware, what about the spires themselves?  Do they live in the self aware colony?

[knnn]

I don't remember anything about lack of water.  For example, nothing about bathing as a signifier of social class.  So I guess it's possible that the spire is pretty efficient at just recycling the waste.  The waste gets the water drawn out and recirculated and the solid matter gets sterilized and used as fertilizer (vatsand).  There appears to be enough available electrical power and, presumably, previously available biological knowledge to set up such a reclamation system.  How much it runs without intervention and how muc hthe spires inhabitants maintain it isn't mentioned anywhere. 

That would explain where (most) of the water comes from and where (most) of the poop goes.  Both very important things to cove when any large population gets discussed.

Of course, without rain, I'd guess that street cleaning / garbage removal / etc has got to be a pretty big deal.  No mention of how lower class sections of the Habble constantly smell of poop, rotting garbage, etc.  One good outbreak of Cholera or something and you can't just wait for the rain to come and clean things up a bit.  You have to go and scrub all that down by hand.

Good points on the whole shower/bathing thing.  Indeed, the outbreak of something like Cholera would be quite devastating to a habble. 

Of course, if the Predator is self aware, what about the spires themselves?  Do they live in the self aware colony?

I guess that depends if a spire has it's own power crystal at the heart of it.  Or perhaps if the spirestone itself works as power crystal itself.  We don't see Folly trying to communicate with the spire (as she does with the library and the ship), so that's a mark against that possibility.

[Quantus]

I guess that depends if a spire has it's own power crystal at the heart of it.  Or perhaps if the spirestone itself works as power crystal itself.  We don't see Folly trying to communicate with the spire (as she does with the library and the ship), so that's a mark against that possibility.

True, but to be fair she was just opening up some of her abilities as the story unfolded, so may not have had the chance.  And the Predator is, by it's nature, a more active entity than the Spire would be; a Spire gaining sentience doesnt have drives for freedom or the hunt, it would be more mountain-like I'd think, becoming more aware of it's Here-ness than anything as awake as the Predator.

[knnn]

a Spire gaining sentience doesnt have drives for freedom or the hunt, it would be more mountain-like I'd think, becoming more aware of it's Here-ness than anything as awake as the Predator.

Perhaps.  I guess I don't like the idea too much because it feels like yet another Alera analog.

[Aminar]

I wonder if Spirestone might not be moderatly anti-bacterial. That could explain a lot of things. Including the low rate of woodrot.

[Quantus]

Perhaps.  I guess I don't like the idea too much because it feels like yet another Alera analog.

Fwiw, that is the wording JB recently used to explain what the Outer Gates would be like gaining sentience.   

[knnn]

Fwiw, that is the wording JB recently used to explain what the Outer Gates would be like gaining sentience.   

um, what?   Where is this quote?