[PvK]

I don't think it's very realistic to be able to duplicate a technology from an alien civilization one month after having one example of it. I think realistically, there would be many more tech levels and prerequisites in the way. You have to be pretty close to the same tech level and technique to really be able to make practical use of someone else's devices in the short term. It would be useful and provide ideas, and even same or lower tech levels could provide what would essentially be some research points, but not, I think, usually, the ability to immediately start building the same thing, unless it was really close to what you were already doing.

PvK