# Obsolete Star Trek technology **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709 "2011-04-17T07:50:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/21 "2011-04-17T13:38:48Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The ships computer was based on mainframes that were used from the 1950’s into the 1980’s. I started my programming career on a Honeywell mainframe and terminal. That was standard in offices everywhere. > > To use the Enterprise computer you had to sit down at a terminal just like offices in the 60’s & 70’s. Enterprise had no laptops, tablet, pads, or phones to access the computer. No text messaging, email etc. Even TNG and Voyager had those limits. Actually they had individual access terminals in the Captains office on the desk, you see on in sick bay on Bones’ desk, and in Wrath of Khan Khan is reclining on his bed in quarters with a terminal unit on a swing arm. I would be willing to bet that if they carried this thought out to a sensible conclusion there is a terminal in every officers personal quarters, there is probably a ships library for enlisteds with public access terminals. I seem to remember they had open bay barracks for lower ranked enlisteds, there might be one or two public access terminals in there as well. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/22 "2011-04-17T14:36:58Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Wrath of Khan Khan _Viva la France!_ ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/23 "2011-04-17T14:48:35Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I guess Data doesn’t see any need to patch himself directly into the computer for day-to-day operations. He wants to be human. That’s always the excuse for why he doesn’t use his superhuman abilities–except for when he does. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/24 "2011-04-17T15:01:42Z")
I have an app on my phone that mimics a tricorder. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/25 "2011-04-17T15:17:45Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Actually they had individual access terminals in the Captains office on the desk, you see on in sick bay on Bones’ desk, and in Wrath of Khan Khan is reclining on his bed in quarters with a terminal unit on a swing arm. I would be willing to bet that if they carried this thought out to a sensible conclusion there is a terminal in every officers personal quarters, there is probably a ships library for enlisteds with public access terminals. I seem to remember they had open bay barracks for lower ranked enlisteds, there might be one or two public access terminals in there as well. They also had these stand alone units that could be I guess thought of as PCs. They also had these planet side when they were doing research in the field like in Miri and The Omega Glory. The show never explained what these units were for in relation to the ship’s main computer. > **[ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](https://imageshack.com/)** > > Unlimited space to host images, easy to use image uploader, albums, photo hosting, sharing, dynamic image resizing on web and mobile. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/26 "2011-04-17T16:02:04Z")
smartphone \> communicator alcohol \> synthehol security measures to prevent holograms from accessing nonholographic-pertinent systems now \> ST ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/27 "2011-04-17T16:27:42Z")
True, the communicators are probably the most obsolete. They’re just glorified walkie-talkies. They don’t have voice mail, play music, take pictures, video games, GPS… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/28 "2011-04-17T16:41:22Z")
Apparently, the ENTERPRISE lacked circuit breakers (1890 technology). Look at the bridge after a Klingon hit-smoke and sparks are issueing from the control panels-whilst Spock probes around with a screwdriver. Also, down in the “engine room”-why do they have guys sitting at those control panels-do those dilithium crystals require constant maintainence? Also, where does Scotty stash the booze? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/29 "2011-04-17T16:48:20Z")
> [@](#): > > I have an app on my phone that mimics a tricorder. Nah, it might _look_ like a tricorder, but it doesn’t have the broad array of sensors that a tricorder does. Granted, it probably does have a few sensors that tricorders _aren’t_ ever shown to have. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/30 "2011-04-17T16:52:19Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Isolinear data chips seem rather unnecessary since it’s easy to just beam everything around via wireless networks. Even without a base station one can form ad-hoc networks with portable devices. That leaves you vulnerable to electronic warfare measures that could jam some or all of your communications. Not saying it’s a good reason to use isolinear data chips, but a local data cache certainly makes sense if the expense is not unreasonable. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/31 "2011-04-17T17:14:18Z")
> [@Stupidest thing one of your teachers ever said or did?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-thing-one-of-your-teachers-ever-said-or-did/68198/44): > > smartphone \> communicator > alcohol \> synthehol > security measures to prevent holograms from accessing nonholographic-pertinent systems now \> ST The last one made me literally LOL, but I wish the second were not a joke. It would be awesome if there was a way to get the intoxicating affects of alcohol but also completely get rid of the feeling in a moments notice. I bet many would kill for just no hangover. And, yes, circuit breakers \> sending raw plasma to nearly every station. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/32 "2011-04-17T17:23:55Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > They also had these stand alone units that could be I guess thought of as PCs. They also had these planet side when they were doing research in the field like in Miri and The Omega Glory. The show never explained what these units were for in relation to the ship’s main computer. > > [ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](http://img525.imageshack.us/f/imagebu.jpg/) They did have those portable pads that Yeoman Rand was always shoving in Kirk’s face and the stylus he would use to sign them (also becoming oblsolete). > [@Dahnlor](#): > > True, the communicators are probably the most obsolete. They’re just glorified walkie-talkies. They don’t have voice mail, play music, take pictures, video games, GPS… They lose enough Red Shirts on away missions without everyone wandering around an alien planet playing Angry Birds. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/33 "2011-04-17T17:46:15Z")
Yeah, the one time we _did_ see portable gaming devices on the Enterprise, it nearly cost them the ship. Though it does call to mind one early episode of _Babylon 5_ where we see Vir playing some sort of handheld game instead of paying attention to a diplomatic meeting. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/34 "2011-04-17T17:59:12Z")
Didn’t the very first episode of Star Trek use what looked like 3 1/2 inch floppy drives in the court martial proceedings of Captain Kirk? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/35 "2011-04-17T18:26:32Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > …I do note with some amusement that we’re moving past the flip-phone era. The design is still in use for most basic phones, but leading edge phones tend to be rectangular blocks. Kirk’s communicator has come and gone. Even TOS communicators were a hell of alot more advanced than any cellphone available today. They didn’t need any kind of cell tower network, could transmit between planets, or even through solid rock. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/36 "2011-04-17T18:38:35Z")
They couldn’t communicate over interplanetary distances. They’re satellite phones, with the starship being the satellite. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/37 "2011-04-17T18:53:49Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > They did have those portable pads that Yeoman Rand was always shoving in Kirk’s face and the stylus he would use to sign them (also becoming oblsolete). Yes, TOS predicted [pen tablets](http://www.cepro.com/images/uploads/star_trek_ipad_300.jpg) which never really caught on because touch interfaces have become the norm. However, it was still a [good prediction](http://www.fujitsu.com/img/HK/pen_35001.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/38 "2011-04-17T19:01:22Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > And seatbelts! I wonder when they’ll figure out surge suppressors? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/39 "2011-04-17T19:05:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > He wants to be human. That’s always the excuse for why he doesn’t use his superhuman abilities–except for when he does. Well in fairness he only uses them in duties, hobbies, and in pursuit of being human. I don’t think he quite gets the irony, considering someone had to point out to him “people don’t have internal chronometers” when he was trying to see a watch pot not boil as quick. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709/40 "2011-04-17T19:11:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > To use the Enterprise computer you had to sit down at a terminal just like offices in the 60’s & 70’s. Enterprise had no laptops, tablet, pads, or phones to access the computer. Not exactly. TOS had pen tablets and some computers could be programmed by voice. I think the biggest mistake in TOS was that user interfaces would consist primarily of [colorful blinking lights](http://www.whattofix.com/images/TrekPanelTOS.jpg). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obsolete-star-trek-technology/578709.md?page=3)