# Extremely trivial Star Wars question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025 "2017-03-12T20:46:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/1 "2017-03-12T20:46:15Z")
I came across [this image](https://i.imgur.com/Q55EE.jpg), presumably of Luke’s targeting computer in _A New Hope_. (I’m not sure of its provenance; if it’s not an actual screen shot from the film, the point is probably moot.) My question concerns the numbers on the bottom. The first and fifth digits both resemble a zero in Earth numerals, but - they are different from each other. Do they represent different values in the Star Wars universe? Is the placement significant (maybe an initial placeholder is different from one within a series)? Or perhaps the first character is not numeric at all, but an indicator of some unit of distance? I told you this was extremely trivial, but given the sheer amount of \*Star Wars \*minutiae out there, I won’t be surprised if somebody here can answer this. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/2 "2017-03-12T21:57:33Z")
WAG: the first digit is actually a letter “O” (Why? No idea), the second is a zero. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/3 "2017-03-12T22:09:51Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > WAG: the first digit is actually a letter “O” (Why? No idea), the second is a zero. Except the “O” has gaps on opposite sides. The problem is that none of us are fluent in over 6 million forms of communications. ---
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/4 "2017-03-12T22:18:08Z")
Well, you’ve got to remember they’re not speaking/reading english…they’re using “basic” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/5 "2017-03-12T22:18:57Z")
Well, why does the “8” look so stupid? Screw it, I’m going down to Tosche Station. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/6 "2017-03-12T22:21:15Z")
Clearly the display is a parsec counter. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/7 "2017-03-12T22:21:40Z")
The Rebels are on a shoe-string budget. As such, they repair their ships with whatever materials are available. This craft had a burned-out leading digit on the display, and was repaired with salvaged parts from a somewhat older model, which had a different electronics supplier. Fortunately, the parts were mechanically compatible with only minor visual differences. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/8 "2017-03-12T22:24:05Z")
Is this where the Uranus/Klingon joke goes? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/9 "2017-03-12T22:38:09Z")
WAGS: The first one is a dummy light to let you know the display is working. Not all the numbers are always lit, and if they are all out, you know the display is still working because the first one is still on. If the first one is out, then something is wrong with the display. Also, we have no idea what the numbers stand for. I once had an interesting experience listening to two non-drivers speculate on what “PRND12” on the dashboard of a car meant. For that matter, the line through the second O may indicate that this is whatever “gear” or what have you the target is in right now, and the weird 8 could be “change direction,” or even another dummy light-- an hour glass, say-- that means the laser is recharging. 3 2 & 6 could be power levels, with 3 being “normal,” 2 being “small jolt,” in case you ever need that, and 6 being the highest, a combination of the two-- 2 x 3 = 6. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/10 "2017-03-12T22:48:58Z")
The whole display says, “Check Engine” in Jawa. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/11 "2017-03-13T01:34:09Z")
It was an odd decision for Production Design to, in the _Star Wars_ universe, replace english letters with what has subsequently become known as [Aurebesh](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Aurebesh) (though it is a character-by-character substitution), but then decided to keep digits the same. Though famously they forgot to do it in [this shot](http://www.dvdactive.com/images/editorial/screenshot/2009/8/tractorbeam1977.jpg), which has since been [fixed](http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/dvd/zs/anh/tbpower2.jpg). I particularly like [this giant “94”](http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/9/93/Docking_Bay_94_SWI95.png/revision/latest?cb=20130311224303). ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/12 "2017-03-13T09:35:46Z")
It’s not an actual screen shot. It seems to be a shirt design. Based on what shows up when you google images of star wars targeting computer I’m willing to bet that: [ul] [li]The first 0 is an actual zero.[/li][li]The second zero is a zero and one at the same time. The shirt designer was a moron who couldn’t tell when the still images he used as a template showed a double image of a rapidly changing old fashioned display.[/li][li]The last eight is an attempt to balance out there only being one other weird digit. All of the real screen shots show ordinary digits.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/13 "2017-03-13T11:27:18Z")
> [@naita](#): > > The second zero is a zero and one at the same time. I just checked the movie. You’re totally right, that’s exactly what happened. Those numbers don’t even occur in the movie, Red Leader starts closer, and Luke’s shots skip over those numbers off-camera. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/14 "2017-03-13T12:42:34Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Screw it, I’m going down to Tosche Station. You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/15 "2017-03-13T13:47:04Z")
So why aren’t X-Wings called Aurek-Wings, Y-Wings called Vev-Wings, and A-Wings called Osk-Wings? That’s what _I’d_ like to know about it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/16 "2017-03-13T14:21:55Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So why aren’t X-Wings called Aurek-Wings, Y-Wings called Vev-Wings, and A-Wings called Osk-Wings? That’s what _I’d_ like to know about it. Your problem, Happy, is that you confuse people with the facts, that’s your problem. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/17 "2017-03-13T14:35:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So why aren’t X-Wings called Aurek-Wings, Y-Wings called Vev-Wings, and A-Wings called Osk-Wings? That’s what _I’d_ like to know about it. I’d sooner kiss a wookie than fly a Vev-wing! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/18 "2017-03-13T15:45:33Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So why aren’t X-Wings called Aurek-Wings, Y-Wings called Vev-Wings, and A-Wings called Osk-Wings? That’s what _I’d_ like to know about it. If they did that, they’d have to change the names of numbers and that’d mess up the prisoner transfer from cell block 1138 reference. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/19 "2017-03-13T19:57:57Z")
Not to mention, our fave droids would be named Resh-2-Dorn-2 and Cresh-3-Peth-Osk. Don’t exactly roll off the tongue, do they? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025/20 "2017-03-14T00:34:02Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So why aren’t X-Wings called Aurek-Wings, Y-Wings called Vev-Wings, and A-Wings called Osk-Wings? That’s what _I’d_ like to know about it. Largely because Aurebesh wasn’t formalized by Lucasfilm during the original trilogy. The Aurebesh characters which were used in the original trilogy (I think only in RotJ) were random. The first formal establishment of what is now known as the Aurebesh alphabet (with names for each character, and their English equivalents) was done by West End Games in a supplement for their Star Wars Roleplaying Game in 1994. In that era, there was very little in the way of formal canon in the Star Wars universe, and a lot of things which West End made up from whole cloth for the RPG were adopted by Lucasfilm as canon. > **[Aurebesh/Legends](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Aurebesh/Legends)** > > Aurebesh was a writing system commonly used to represent the Basic language. Its name was a portmanteau of its first two letters, Aurek and Besh. Aurebesh was commonly used by major governments from the Galactic Empire to the Confederacy of... In the `97 Special Edition of A New Hope, one of the tweaks Lucas made was to change the English lettering of the tractor beam controls (which Obi-Wan deactivates) to Aurebesh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremely-trivial-star-wars-question/782025.md?page=2)