"Stross' objections to ST are really along the lines that these questions are meaningless in the sense that the characters' actions are essentially identical to

"Stross' objections to ST are really along the lines that these questions are meaningless in the sense that the characters' actions are essentially identical to what they would be in a time with totally different technology." They aren't though? Like what about Data?? There is a fundamental issue with the logic here that Stross is equating not explaining future tech in a believable, consistent way with characters not being meaningfully changed by the technology. Fantasy could not exist as a genre if one equalled the other.