Specker spaces and their absolutes. I (Q1924647)

A (Tikhonov) space is Specker if for each nonzero real-valued continuous function there is a nontrivial clopen set on which it is constant and nonzero. It is shown that in general the absolute of a Specker space need not be Specker, but that absolutes of members of several interesting classes of spaces must be Specker. Stone duals of Specker spaces are studied, and totally ordered Specker spaces are characterized.