On Fri, 23 Apr 2004, Kenneth Stone wrote: > This goes back to that whole geography discussion > and how much math is known and by whom. (Did I > get that right Mark? :-) My working hypothesis > is that both visualization and coordinates can be > used, and more skill is required for coordinates > (and a greater knowledge of math?). Something > I have been wondering is: What is used as a > reference for coordinates? Probably the Orb and > two other objects (x,y,z) (think GPS), but they > need to be small (so not the Greater or Lesser > Sea) to reduce errors. The Orb is not a fixed point -- wouldn't this mess up a coordinate system? "3 miles north-north-east and 1 mile up of the Orb" is going to land you in a giant Jhereg next if Zerika decides to teleport to Smallcliff for a little fresh fruit between the time you get the coordinates and the time you do the teleport. > Perhaps there's an > e'Barrit system and a Lavode system and a > e'Drien system, etc. The e'Barrit system is > probably x,y,z with the orb and special staffs or > objects. The Lavode system would probably be > something more complicated like polar coordinates > (distance, angle from north, angle from ground level > (altitude). Then you only need the Orb. I would > bet necromantic math is something else entirely. > Sorry for rambling, geometry and mapping is a > hobby of mine. > > Ken When did it stop being 'staves' and start being 'staffs'? I see this more and more often of late. Also, you have a dangling paren -- here, take this: ). pe the Empire should standardise to the furlong/firkin/fortnight system