electronics replacing pianos?

[RicB]

David A... Joe... all you guys I like so very much...

Great posts, full of good vibes and enthusiasms...  In particular I like 
the reoccurring call  to taking the high road. 

But I am still sitting here missing an answer to a perhaps uncomfortable 
but perhaps very relevant question... one that we all may have to face 
in increasing degree sooner then we may think. 

IF.... one first accepts for the moment that an electronic based replica 
of an acoustic piano could be made so as to be indiscernible in every 
acoustic and touch sense of the word... what would be so bad about 
this.... indeed.... what would the consequences be good / bad / or neither ?

Such an instrument could do many many things present day pianos cannot.  
For example play in any and all temperaments at the flick of an eyebrow. 
Indeed... one could program the thing to real time update its 
temperament so as to achieve pure thirds or fifths or anything one likes 
no mater what the key center is or how far one wanders from it in the 
course of any given piece.  Actually the possibilities for what an such 
an instrument could do would be virtually boundless.

I seem to be getting a sense that some of you find an unattractiveness 
to this simply based on the implicit loss of the present day instrument.

But what conflict is there in the pursuit of the high road of excellence 
if ones goal is the realistic realization of such an electronic 
replication of the acoustic world... or the rest of it for that matter ? 

We can discuss back and forth how far virtual realities can go in 
recreating real reality... but for my part I have no doubt that the day 
is coming where all things real will be indiscernible with all things 
virtually real. Humans if they are anything, are extremely clever 
tinkerers.  As a general rule... when first an idea is spawned it is 
only a question of time before we see it become a reality.  And herein 
lies the real questions of import IMHO.  Just where the hell are we 
going by welcoming this virtual world with far more then open arms then 
many of us seem to want to admit ?

Just some thoughts from the other side of the fence... by one who loves 
the acoustic piano every much as bit as all of you.

Cheers
RicB