khaosworks @ khaosworks @startrek.website

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120

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235

Joined

2 yr. ago

Moderating

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I think you got most of it covered except for living materials, which can’t be replicated because of the resolution limitations of replicators - like cargo transporters they operate on molecular resolution instead of the quantum resolution required for live transport. Gagh is a good example; because it ideally needs to be live it can’t be replicated in its intended serving form but has to be kept in barrels in cargo.

The other limitation would be stuff that’s prohibited by program not to be replicated, like weapons, banned substances, although that’s of course a coding issue rather than a materials issue.

Also, to correct a common misconception/inaccuracy repeated above - replicators don’t convert matter to energy or vice versa. They operate by dismantling the raw material for replication like a transporter does then reassembling them in new forms. The underlying technology is the same as the transporter, except that it rejigs the matter stream into a new configuration.

Which is why the question as to whether you want a holodeck or a replicator strikes me as a bit off because replicator technology is part of the way holodecks work. When you eat food on the holodeck it’s very likely that it’s replicated food, not a hard light illusion. Holograms of people can also either be hard light constructs or meat puppets manipulated by force fields, depending on the program and its requirements.

So if you ask me - holodeck or replicator, I’d choose holodeck because that gets me both the entertainment value and the ability to make objects and food.

Annotations up at: https://startrek.website/post/2829352

It would if he had visible genitals in that sequence, but he doesn’t.

In LD: “Second Contact”, Mariner says she was once trapped in a sentient cave for weeks: “You ever been trapped in a sentient cave? That’s a dark place that knows things.”

Oh the subspace outside is rippling

And the short range sensor’s tripping

I suspect there’s a cloaked ship, so

Make it show

Make it show

Make it show

Send a tachyon pulse to check it

If we’re lucky we’ll detect it

Then we’ll give it a tetryon glow, to

Make it show

Make it show

Make it show

When their ship is at last revealed

Arm the phasers and lock as they pass

We will watch as they flee the field

With a photorp up their ass

So the Romulans keep on flying

As we wave at them goodbye-ing

Till the next time they have a go

Make it show

Make it show

Make it show

Annotations up at: https://startrek.website/post/2610545

The back pain due to injury is true, but the reason he sat down that way isn’t because of that. Frakes confirmed in an interview that he did it because he thought that would showcase Riker’s cockiness. Nobody stopped him from doing it, so it stuck.

The back injury, however, is the reason behind the “Riker Lean”.

I wasn’t completely certain as well, but the Canadian city name and the registry number (Vancouver was NCC-40492) cinched it.

It’s not clear. They did send a delegation to the Ten-C summit, but so did Earth who wasn’t a member at the time. There’s a background star map in an earlier episode that shows “Ferengi Territory” as opposed to it being part of the Federation, but it’s barely visible.

“Now don’t worry, I’m sending a hologram of myself that only you can see and hear, and T’Pol says there’s a 92% chance if you do as we say you’ll get sent home.”

“You seem awf’ly calm about this, Cap.”

“I may have had some experience. I find saying Oh Boy every now and then helps.”

Correct, but that wasn’t what I was addressing - it was whether there was any further indication that Ferenginar did successfully join the Federation, so I was pointing to possible post-2381 indicators.

I knew it sounded familiar! Thanks, I’ll add that.

We know that by 2400 there are Ferengi cadets graduating from Starfleet Academy and by the 32nd Century there’s even a Ferengi Captain, among other Ferengi officers.

While not being a Federation member doesn’t preclude you from serving in Starfleet, there’s that to consider.

Annotations up at: https://startrek.website/post/2385489

I couldn’t think of or find anything special about Section 87 (except a Babylon 5 reference). The usual number that crops up is 47, anyway.

Annotations up at: https://startrek.website/post/2153916

It’s in this article:

Under the terms of the agreement, “AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material” under the contract, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.

The summary notes: “A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services.”

The company also must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material, and the WGA says that it “reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.”

So tempting, but I already have the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales in those editions, so I’ll feel like I’m paying a hundred quid for two books. I also have all of the HoME on Kindle… agh decisions decisions.

Ah, ok. With minimal spoilers:

When Picard came out, it became obvious that the post-Nemesis future depicted in the Litverse books was no longer compatible with canon. The decision was made to write finis to the Litverse, and that resulted in the Coda trilogy, which pretty much marks the end of the Litverse continuity. No future books will be set in that continuity, although some references may be made.

Are you aware that the Litverse as it stood has an end point? Just letting you know in case that factors into your enjoyment.