One skill that I've always thought should be explicitely noted in RPGs is that adventurers are generally capable of "normal activities" that competent folks would generally be familiar with...culturally and setting dependent. But for instance, an early 21st century Terran adventurer would probably know
....
Etc.
Most of these things could be expressed as separate skills, but really--what's the point? Why not just let 'em do it by default?
I think this is key. From a certain culture/TL, a character
probably
has knowledge of a list. Which means there is a chance they will not, for any "mundane" skill.
That's a long way from saying everyone can:
-Swim
-Use common computer software (Microsoft Office)
-Setup a plug and play network
-Surf the internet and use google effectively
-Shoot normal small arms with 0 level effectiveness (though loading such guns may require familiarity)
-Use basic first aid -- applying pressure to stop bleeding, use a tourniquet, etc.
-Drive a car or truck
-Use basic climbing gear
I would say that familiarization training a some experience are enough for -0 level. The level of exposure and the complexity of the task both fugure in.
In 4 hours of training, with the right resources, I can give anyone a temporary pistol-0, or grenade launcher-0; 4 more hours, spread over 4 years, and it will become permanent. Rock Climbing-0, probably 10 times the time. Swimming-0, probably 100 times the time, dependent on age.
I have driven an 18-wheeler, once, unloaded, on a dirt road, never over 40 m.p.h.. This a task that anyone with Wheeled Vehicle-1 should be able to do, so I don't have it. But for my woefully bad attention in parking lots and traffic lights, I'd say I have Ground Car (or "Sedan")-1. I think this is a key differentce between Rifle-1 and Combat Rifleman-1, for instance: one is narrower. This narrowing can be a valuable tool for the GM.
If a belt-fed autorifle is a "normal" small arm, I would disagree with you on the above list. I would think Scouts, Marines, Army Soldiers, and possibly Merchants and Others would have basic familiarities with the types of firearms in a CT interstellar society, but the average scientist or bureaucrat from 2009?
I think as GM's, the dice are our friends. Thinking about character background, task complexity, and breadth of task, and rolling from the hip I think are necessities. Once one roll is made (lo and behold, your "professor" actually went through NOLS, a military academy, a long abortive attempt at Ranger School :nonono:, some other civilian rock climbing and some other military rope work, so he's got Rock Climbing-0), the character can write it down for color. I don't think we can have too much color in Traveller: I think we may lack the time or imagination to create what we would want, so what we have should be captured.
o: 
