Several things

[JackBush]

1. Way back in May, 2013, Vanamonde posted an excellent explanation of the navball. http://ow.ly/Chewy The problem now, in 2015, is that imgur.com has deleted the pictures that go with it.  Since they're a rather valuable part of the article, can we get them back? I'm sure there are a lot of newish people who would value this article, and the effort would be worthwhile.

2. What is an actuator and what do you do with it, or what is it for?

3. Adapter. I understand the word but what does the device do; when do you use it; how do you use it? 

Thanks so much for answers to any and all of the above. There is so much in this game and so many things that can befuddle those of us who are beyond noobs but still lowish on the learning curve (which I suspect goes forever).

[swjr-swis]

16 minutes ago, JackBush said:

 http://ow.ly/Chewy 

@JackBush That link seems to point to a youtube music video, not a KSP navball explanation...

(another reason why I dislike redirector links)

[swjr-swis]

19 minutes ago, JackBush said:

2. What is an actuator and what do you do with it, or what is it for?

3. Adapter. I understand the word but what does the device do; when do you use it; how do you use it?

2. Actuators in general are things that translate energy into movement. In the context of stock KSP they can refer more simply to 'things that move' like the landing legs, airbrakes, etc. but more often you'll see that word when discussing mods like Infernal Robotics that add actual motorised hydraulics, hinges, etc, which allow people to build doors, VTOL engines, etc which are not in stock.

3. Adapters are used between (a stack of) parts of one size and (a stack of) parts of another size, to make them fit. For example, to fit 3.75m diameter parts under 2.5m diameter parts, you could place a Kerbodyne ADTP-2-3 adapter.

[JackBush]

54 minutes ago, swjr-swis said:

@JackBush That link seems to point to a youtube music video, not a KSP navball explanation...

(another reason why I dislike redirector links)

I've never had that happen  before. Here it is http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/27861-how-to-read-the-navball/

[Snark]

1 hour ago, JackBush said:

3. Adapter. I understand the word but what does the device do; when do you use it; how do you use it? 

 

Adapters are those conical parts to go from one stack size to another, as swjr-swis pointed out.  The reason you would use them is streamlining.  Prior to 1.0, there wasn't any reason at all to use them, except cosmetic-- there was no such thing as aerodynamics, so you could just (for example) plop a 1.25m stack down on top of a 2.5m stack, and that flat rim sticking out wouldn't hurt you any other than looking bad.  Post-1.0, doing something like that incurs a lot of drag, so conical adapters provide a smooth transition.

[CalculusWarrior]

Vanamonde may still have those images on his local drive, you may want to message him and ask if they're still around.

[Vanamonde]

Imgur didn't delete them. I did because the thread was so old I didn't anybody would see it anymore. I've been meaning to re-do the thread, though. 

[JackBush]

Thanks for the answers about actuators and adaptors, folks. I really look forward to your re-created navball threat, Vanamonde. Could you make it a sticky at the top of the first page? Maybe it goes in tutorials?

[Vanamonde]

I've started working on it, thanks to the encouragement.