From:	Robert Watkins <robert.watkins@******.COM>
Subject:	Re: Fiber optics (was Re: FAB revisited)
Date:	Thu, 14 May 1998 17:37:49 +1000

Alfredo B Alves writes:
>>Wow. A -Workable- solution to the FAB net problem. Now if someone
>>could make a decent explanation for unidirectional datalines from
>>Neo-A's Guide to Real Life.


>How about this ... the lines are fiber optical right? Normally fiber

>optics have lasers and receptors at both ends so unidirectional lines
>only have lasers on one end and receptors on the other ... sound good?
>Or was there some mechanics quirk? I can't remember, my copy of NAGRL is
>with a friend ...


Here's the problem: how does your signal get back to you, so you can control
your persona?

What you're describing is something I called _true_ unidirectional lines.
You can send a smart frame up them, but can't travel up yourself (and the
smart frame needs to be able to find an exit to report back, if it needs
to). I described them extensively in a post about 1 week after I got NAGRL
(which was, um, about 2 months after it was released).

I'll dig up the post if you want.

--
.sig deleted to conserve electrons. robert.watkins@******.com