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From: BALZAC%YKTVMZ.BITNET%Berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Matter Transmission
Message-ID: <12478@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-Aug-84 16:03:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12478
Posted: Wed Aug 15 16:03:19 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Aug-84 01:02:57 EDT
Lines: 14

From:  Stephen R. Balzac 

Another story dealing with Matter Transmission is Players of Null-A and
World of Null-A by Van Vogt.  His matter transmitters do not create
duplicates, or disassemble the subject, but rather work on a the principle
of similarity: if you make the starting point A similiar enough to the
destination point B, then an object at A will move to B, the amount of time
involved depending on how close the similarity is.  While the principle
is not the most accurate, it does enable a society to exist without having
any of the cultural problems involved in matter transmission.

A comment from ST:  In the novelization of ST III, there is a line to the
effect that only groups such as StarFleet can make use of a transporter.
It's far too expensive for commercial use.