For the record, I think it's all stupid. :D

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Better to think it's stupid than to nitpick and Starscream about.  Transformers are aliens first, and then robots.

Better to think it's stupid than to nitpick and bitch about.  Transformers are aliens first, and then robots.

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I'm not sure I understand the significance of your distinction. What does it matter if you call them "aliens" or "robots"? They're both. How does that change anything about them?

I'm not sure I understand the significance of your distinction. What does it matter if you call them "aliens" or "robots"? They're both. How does that change anything about them?

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The only thing I can think of would be that 'alien' would refer to them being from somewhere else, and therefore their rules of technology would be different than ours.  'Robot' would infer that they were man-made.

 

But I'm not really sure that's what he meant ...

Is this horse dead?

Science fiction is a defined genre and isn't really open to your interpretation. Madhammer's just trying to inform you of what's correct...

 

^.........throwback

 

:tftongue

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It's open to my interpretation as it is how I choose to classify it for my own personal take. That doesnt affect any of you. So deal with it cupcake :tftongue

The only thing I can think of would be that 'alien' would refer to them being from somewhere else, and therefore their rules of technology would be different than ours.  'Robot' would infer that they were man-made.

 

But I'm not really sure that's what he meant ...

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That's exactly what I meant.  We cannot judge Transformers based on real world robots.  They are not welding arms in a car assembly plant.  Heck, they're not even typical sci-fi robots like the Terminator or C-3PO.

That's exactly what I meant.  We cannot judge Transformers based on real world robots.  They are not welding arms in a car assembly plant.  Heck, they're not even typical sci-fi robots like the Terminator or C-3PO.

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"Alien" means "not from here". It describes where something originated. "Robot" means "mechanical being". It describes what something *is*. They're not mutually exclusive (or even related) terms.

 

Anyway, I still don't get how it matters.

way in the begining of this topic MADHAMMER said star trek is a sci-fi series... i only want to point out that it WAS a sci-fi series... :tfevil  :tfevil  :tfevil

now stargate... theres something.

It's open to my interpretation as it is how I choose to classify it for my own personal take. That doesnt affect any of you. So deal with it cupcake :tftongue

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We're not trying to get personal here. We're just having a discussion, hopefully one that we can all learn from. All we're trying to do is explain the established definition of the science fiction genre (a term which, admittedly, is often misapplied). You can call Strawberry Shortcake science fiction for all I care. But it doesn't make it so, any more than me calling "Blade Runner" a chick flick makes it so.

"Alien" means "not from here". It describes where something originated. "Robot" means "mechanical being". It describes what something *is*. They're not mutually exclusive (or even related) terms.

 

Anyway, I still don't get how it matters.

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Well, actually, according to Webster Robot means:

 

1 a : a machine that looks like a human being and performs various complex acts (as walking or talking) of a human being; also : a similar but fictional machine whose lack of capacity for human emotions is often emphasized b : an efficient insensitive person who functions automatically

2 : a device that automatically performs complicated often repetitive tasks

3 : a mechanism guided by automatic controls

 

and the word comes from a Czech word (robota) which means compulsory labor.

 

so the way I se it a "mechanical being" would be more than a just a "robot" by dictionary def. of the word. 

 

What I think MikePrime was tying to say was TF's are Alien life forms first, and therefore Living robots with souls (spark).  As apposed to just robots (devices that automatically perform complicated tasks) from another planet. 

 

so... we can't really compare their technology to ours, no matter how advanced our AI gets, we'll never be able to "breath life" into our robots (IMO)

god dyam it... why hasn't anyone gotten mad about me pointing out star trek is dead yet?!?!?! :stone