Excellent. Feel free to just jump into any discussion you see there, or start your own.

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The key functionality difference between a lightsaber and a "regular" sword, other than the blade cutting omnidirectionally and such, is that a lightsaber's weight is all in the hilt. the blade has no mass, meaning that it can be spun around far more rapidly.

Force-users typically have a very slight sense of precognition, so normal people going up against a trained force-user will generally be at a significant disadvantage in a lightsaber duel. Not always, but generally. A wielder doesn't [i]have[/i] to be Jedi/Sith, but not being one would generally mean constantly fighting an uphill battle. 

As for definitely or not saying when they were invented, we'll put a quote of the article about these weapons below.
[quote=Wookieepedia, on Lightsaber pistols]A lightsaber pistol was a type of lightsaber hilt designed by Force-sensitives seeking to conceal their Jedi heritage during the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire.

While the Jedi Order generally had no use for blasters, Force-users during the reign of the Galactic Empire often needed to conceal their relationship with the Force, and could not rely on using their lightsabers openly. Through customization, a second emitter could be added to the hilt that would release the weapon's energy as a projectile similar to a blaster bolt. Because the energy released was not encased within the focusing field that shaped the blade of a lightsaber, the bolts fired from the pistol hilt weakened rapidly as its coherence declined. These short-range stun bolts still caused some shock, but were not as effective as a blaster or lightsaber blade. [/quote]

It doesn't say that they've never been invented before, but it implies it. Which is why anyone desiring one needs to explain really well why their character has one (rule of cool won't suffice), rather than it outright being banned.

Anyways, we think most everything about this has been stated. A lot of the same arguments appear to bounce back and forth.
[b]The tech ain't banned, but it is restricted (requiring justification to the GMs to be allowed).[/b]

Much of the same can be said about other highly unusual pieces of technology. If you know or think it is something that is anything but mainstream and might/will affect power level of characters, as the GMs.