| rdfs:comment | - The Alliance views technology as an extension of a new way of thinking. Humans view technology as a powerful tool, yet not as mature or respectable as the power of magic. To them, the craft is best left to the gnomes and dwarves who invent new weapons, devices and vehicles of war that the humans can benefit from while relying on the old ways of their own culture. Dwarves and gnomes are the true masters of steam and brass; for them, forge and artifice has always been a way of life, and technology presents new challenges that magic never has. The ability to craft magnificent weapons of destruction appeals to the dwarven sense of war, and firearms have become a respected aspect of their culture. Dwarven riflemen are feared, and their steam tank crews are also given tremendous respect for thei
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| abstract | - The Alliance views technology as an extension of a new way of thinking. Humans view technology as a powerful tool, yet not as mature or respectable as the power of magic. To them, the craft is best left to the gnomes and dwarves who invent new weapons, devices and vehicles of war that the humans can benefit from while relying on the old ways of their own culture. Dwarves and gnomes are the true masters of steam and brass; for them, forge and artifice has always been a way of life, and technology presents new challenges that magic never has. The ability to craft magnificent weapons of destruction appeals to the dwarven sense of war, and firearms have become a respected aspect of their culture. Dwarven riflemen are feared, and their steam tank crews are also given tremendous respect for their skill in guiding their magnificent weapons of war. Gnomes on the other hand are more concerned with the practical applications of technology, using it to craft all manner of sights, scopes, helmets, constructs, and a variety of devices with odd uses, from targeting dummies to clockwork chickens. For a gnome, no idea is too silly or insane to explore through the craft of technology. The night elves view almost all technology with disdain, seeing it as another creation of artifice, another affront to the nature of the world, a violation that will one day lead to the same ruin that the high elves once spread with their love of the arcane. Yet it is clear to all of the Alliance races that the battlefields are changing thanks to technology. Firearms are a tremendous equalizer, and a trained sniper can be as deadly to a knight as a dragon’s breath. The machines of war provide protection and weapons that level the field even against the mightiest of monsters. That the Alliance is aware of this bodes well for their future. In simplest terms, it is science applied to practical use. Thus, by this definition, a simple can opener is a technological device. A more accurate description is that technology is the system by which an entire society provides for the wants and needs of its population. However, with the Gnome race, they are even more technologically advanced than the Dwarves themselves, and is even their primary way of survival. Technology tends to improve as the demand for it increases. A society might go decades or even centuries without a major advancement before some bright inventor comes up with something that alters the fundamental way things are done. For example, wagon wheels help move heavy loads from place to place, while wheels of stone grind meal into flour. Put notches in a wheel, connect them together, and you have gears that can drive even more complicated devices. All too frequently, war is the primary driver of technological advancements. The Ironforge dwarves spearheaded this trend, developing gunpowder and firearms as a way to achieve an edge against their foes in combat. Flying machines, originally just curiosities or at best scouting tools, are now being outfitted with flak cannons and bombs. Who knows where these advancements will lead? Although there are always individual exceptions, the various races of Azeroth tend to view technology in different ways.
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