From: shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham)
Subject: Re: Why Endor? OR The Economy of Galaxy Farfaraway
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 03:57:56 GMT

As the original poster of this thread, I would like to summerize the responses
that *I* like and my comments on the subject.

1. Which Galaxy is it?
For the few didn't get it (including those who think this to be the FUTURE
Milkey Way), all 3 movies begin with a fairy-tale-like text: "A long time ago,
in a galaxy far, far away". Well, for a lack of better name I decided to call
it Galaxy Farfaraway (I humbly suggest we adopt this name in this newsgroup).

2. How many habitable systems?
I suggested hundreeds, and supported that suggestion in two ways: That the
characters talk about named systems as if all are known to their audiances,
and that the Empire has used THOUSANDS of probe-droids (with perhaps ten used
on each system).
Respondent have mentioned that Galaxies have perhaps 10^11 star systems. This
in itself does not prove that the number of HABITABLE systems need be large, or
that the number of HABITED systems is.
Respondents have pointed out that characters may be well versed in the LOCAL
geography (astronomy?) of where they are at, and not the enire Galaxy. This is
a valid point and I thus withdraw "characters familiarity with system names" as
a support for my suggested number.
Respondents suggested that the Imperial fleet is much larger than any that we
saw (including in the Endor battle) and must thus require the infrastructure of
(perhaps) millions of planets. I think that the Emperor has made it clear that
the balk (if not all) of the Imperial fleet was at the battle of Endor. Anyway,
since we don't know what the production capacity of the industrial systems is,
this is hardly the point. If a Death Star can be constructed at ENDOR, a
serious industrial planet should be able to churn out stardestroyers like
they were toaster-ovens.
I have not seen any good argument against my second supporting argument 
(thousands of probe-droids). That figure is mentioned twice in TESB, in the
openning text, and in Admiral Weasel (sp?) rebuke: "We have THOUSAND of probe
droids searching the FAR reaches of the Galaxy. I want proofs, not lead" (the
emphasis is mine, I may be SLIGHTLY misquoting). The Empire is clearly
conducting an exhausive search! (oh, and BTW, I don't think PDs have hyperspace
capabilities - the one we see does not use it, the Empire finds HS capability
too difficult even for tie-fighters, and the PDs are allready crammed with
functions within their small volume).

All-in-all, I still think there are hundreeds (or perhaps low thousands, at
most) habited systems. But I now base this solely on the number of probe droids.

3. Are the planets we visit on the fringes of the Galactic economy?
There seems to be a consensus that they are.

4. Why was the non-industrial Endor choosen for DS II construction?
The answer proposed in several different fashions is that secrecy could not be
maintained if a more populated planet was chosen. This answer is logical, and
I accept it.

5. What an industrial planet looks like?
Several creative suggestions were made. I am sure we all agree that a future
movie with a scene in such a planet will be something.

6. Other comments.
Many have pointed out that I am a bad spellor, I sink my speelling is jast
abuot perfect. I speel jast as well as Yoda tokes :-)
Some have used the Zahn novel(s) for supporting evidence. I have read ONE of
his novels (DFR) and decided never to let that novel influence my posts. As
for the Imperial capital, it may or may not be an industrialized planet - no
evidence is given one way or the other.

- well, what do you guys think?

Dan Shoham
shoham@ll.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars