Yes, it was just wishful thinking on my part I think.
You can always tell an alt or bot account from a real account because the alt account will always post the same remark that the account holder posts. Its called post rigging.
Mining barges are not fine the way they are. The mining barges need more defenses and the ability to mount high slot weapons or at least some should come with bonuses for ECM or Dampening.
Like I have said before, mining barges need buffed to make it more difficult for gankers to get kills.
In reality, a mining barge would be super tanky while mining as well as being armed.
The Spice harvesters from Dune are a prime example of why barges need to be more robust.
I dont want to hear any b.s. about the harvesters from Dune having nothing to do with barges from Eve Online, either.
Gankers need to work not create alt accounts.
The spice harvesters from Dune are a great example for EVE mining!
Just like EVE mining, for spice harvesters it is not a matter of if they have to escape mortal danger while gathering valuable resources, but when.
To do so, the spice harvesters follow the same set of points that an EVE miner should:
- pay attention to your surroundings while harvesting
- allied vehicles scout for danger
- upon sign of danger from anyone, notify everyone and set the escape plan you prepared in motion
- once danger gets close enough, you stop harvesting and get out of there ASAP
5a. if point 4 fails, your harvester is now dead. Get another.
5b. if point 4 succeeds, you managed to harvest valuable resources with no loss! Yay!
The spice harvesters from Dune have a good escape mechanism, just like EVE barges. They cannot go toe-to-toe with something as dangerous as a sand worm, they have to run.
Unlike spice harvesters from Dune the EVE barges can actually fight minor threats, especially when they band together. Still, EVE miners can learn a lot from the Dune harvesters.
Aft weapon systems locked onto OT Smithers
The Spice harvestors from Dune must be picked up by a carrier ship that cannot sit in idle on the sand dunes due to the worms being able to detect the vibrations from their running engines. Therefore the harvestors must sit away from the harvester, which could be up to 15 minutes away.
The spice harvestor cannot have armor or weapons or even a small shield module attached to the hull due to increased weight that would bog the harvester down while mining as well as needing a larger and more costly carrier to lift the increased weight which equals less money spent on replacing crews, who must be a nickle a dozen to replace.
Fleet ops are good, but usually attract, what?
Ganker worms.
Even if a mining fleet has combat ships, the worms will simply call in other worms.
Therefore mining barges should at least have weapons capable of dealing with and destroyer three frigates or two destroyers. Small drones are not enough.
I get the feeling that your story about spice harvesters is showing the exact opposite of what youâre trying to accomplish for EVE barges.
The spice harvesters have zero defences and therefore EVE barges need better defences?
What?
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The comparison between the Spice harvester and mining barges of Eve Online is meant to show how harvesters and barges are expected to mine in different locations and solar systems to avoid attracting large numbers of worms or gankers.
I have stated this time and time again, since most Capsuleers consider Eve Online to be a PvP based environment, then there should not be any mining barge that doesnât have enough weapon systems and mining systems to get the job done.
It is literal, insanity, to allow a mining barge to be paper thin, like the Spice Harvesters are, just to suit some opportunistic worm gankers need to spice their lives up.
Luckily the EVE barges are not paper thin then!
All barges can fit a strong tank (if they so choose) and some of them even are specialised for combat!
What is shows is that a smart miner will bug out when danger comes, not stand and fight in a mining vessel. That smart mining consortiums recognize this fact, and as such donât bother wasting money heavily armoring or arming their resource collectors.
Do have any clue what real world heavy equipment for operating in a war zone looks like? It looks like this.
Notice the real world military strategists donât arm their heavy equipment?
Itâs often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Kind of like spending over a decade trying the same methods to kill the soul of a game you pay to participate in? 
There is not a single mining barge that is specialized for combat. If that were true, then all mining barges would be able to fit weapons in the high slot.
Procurer comes to mind
So the Vexor isnât specialized for combat? Ishtar?
Combat Drones arenât a weapon now? 
There are three barges:
Covetor - bonused for yield, reduced mining duration and range.
Retriever - bonused for ore hold capacity
Procurer - bonused for shield resistances and drone damage
I wonât spoil the answer, but I can tell you that one of these three barges is specialised for combat.
(Hint: It is the barge with two combat bonuses.)
They arent mining barges
Do follow the conversation, please.
My point was not all combat ships require weapons in the high slots. 
That is correct.
Drones are one of the weapon systems in this game. Ships do not require launchers or turrets to fight.
Youâre only presenting facts that prove a mining barge is not equipped to defend itself and win but is meant to be ganked, so an excessive need for minerals is kept in store to replace lost mining barges.
And which mining barge specializes in combat and mining?
Skiff. I used to mine in a Skiff during high sec Trig invasions, fight off the Trig patrols with drones, and never even have to stop mining.
The same ones that have been for at least 8 years.
Why do you not understand this already?
All of the barges specialise in mining, these are mining ships.
One of the barges also has bonuses for combat.