# Star Trek **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 9, 1999, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707 "1999-07-09T02:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/1 "1999-07-09T02:52:00Z")
I’ve been a Star Trek fan for many years now, and since I don’t have access to a newsgroup, I thought I’d start a thread here about Star Trek. I figured we’d talk about ships, battles, characters - but **please,** no Trek v. Wars debates!!! I’ll start: Why are there so many Federation classes of ships (e.g., Nebula, Galaxy, Excelsior, Defiant, Yeager, Intrepid, yadda yadda yadda…) Whereas the Klingons, for example, have the Bird-of-Prey (K’vort and B’rel class), Vor’cha, and Negh’Var classes. Oh, yeah, the D7s are still in use, too. That’s 5. I’ve counted about 25 ships in the Federation. Why is that? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/2 "1999-07-09T04:44:00Z")
Sorry, that should have said 25 _classes_, not 25 ships. Geez, it’s getting hot in here, no? heh, heh, heh… Where is everybody? This **HAS** to be an important topic. C’mon, guys, pitch in! Ask a question about Star Trek, ignore mine if you want, whatever! Just POST! I’m trying to get hte Most Posts Before Closure Award. Never heard of it? I just made it up. [looks at watch] Maybe I’d better getr some sleep before I go insane, no?.. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/3 "1999-07-09T12:39:00Z")
Try visiting [www.nitcentral.com/discus](http://www.nitcentral.com/discus) for lots of discussion on all things Trek. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/4 "1999-07-09T21:16:00Z")
Probably because the Klingons are more a warrior race and not much into science and exploration, so they might use the same ships for all activities. The federation, OTOH, gets more into the exploration and science and other such stuff. OTOH, it might be that the federation is the main focus of ST and therefore more thought goes into its ships and less into the other civilization’s ships. It seems to me that our (US) navy probably has several classes of ships (aircraft carrier, battleship, etc.) so that might have something to do with it as well. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/5 "1999-07-09T21:22:00Z")
I think ST777 is on the right track (or trek). The Federation is always making improvements on old designs, but they don’t always discontinue old classes. So additional classes are created. By the time the TNG rolls around you have a whole bunch of classes. * * * Carpe hoc! (The Artist formerly known as pathunt) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/6 "1999-07-09T21:28:00Z")
I see your point, but wouldn’t 5 classes be much easier to maintain than 25 or 30? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 1999, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/7 "1999-07-10T19:03:00Z")
I guess there’s really only one reason for so few alien ships. One word - budget? * * * Your mother was a hamster, and your father smells of elderberry! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 1999, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/8 "1999-07-11T08:05:00Z")
Wow, am I ever glad to find you guys on this board. I was tinking there was just a bunch of geeks around here. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 1999, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/9 "1999-07-11T18:05:00Z")
That hurt. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 1999, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/10 "1999-07-12T18:40:00Z")
Why did being called a geek hurt? I proudly refer to myself as a geek. That sets me apart from the regular folks in this world. As for maintaining 5 vs 25, obviously it is cheaper to maintain 5, but we do not know what the reasonable life of each ship is. Let’s say it is 20 years, and every 5-10 years they make improvements and create a new “class”, why destroy the old stuff. The Newest Enterprise is muuuuuch larger than the orginal. But with some work the design of the orginal could be used for other tasks. Also, it makes them seem more advanced to have more classes of ships. Besides they do not have to maintain them, just make up new cool names and shapes. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 1999, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/11 "1999-07-13T05:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Also, it makes them seem more advanced to have more classes of ships. Besides they do not have to maintain them, just make up new cool names and shapes. If by “they” you mean “the writers”, this is correct. To create a new class of ship, all the writers need do is come up with its name and its purpose (warship, science vessel, etc), and tell the graphic artists to get working. But if we’re discussing the Trek universe as reality, the _Federation_ most definitely does have to maintain its ships. That’s why it has all those Starbases, after all. Every time something serious goes wrong with the Enterprise, the engineers make some temporary fix just in time to save the day, and then they “set course for the nearest Starbase” for permanent repairs. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 1999, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/12 "1999-07-13T15:44:00Z")
AuraSeer, I was kind of making a joke to remind everyone that eventhough I love Star Trek, I realize that it is fiction. Writers make the ships up and a modeler makes a model. Of course if it were real, the ships would have to be maintained, but the point was ST is not real. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 1999, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/13 "1999-07-14T02:09:00Z")
I’m a geek cause I like Star Trek? Well, then, I guess I’m a geek (female variety) – I even like the original series (does that make me even geekier?) My UPN channel is showing the originals (uncut) every day now. I’m not into the technical stuff like the classes of the ships. How about Voyager? love it too. My only complaint is the way they dressed 7 of 9. I love the character, but really, a cat suit that makes her look almost naked, and high heels – on a starship for God’s sake. I’ve read it was done to try to capture more of a male audience, but it’s such obvious pandering and imcredibly impractical and bugs me. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 1999, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/14 "1999-07-14T06:09:00Z")
They did it because ratings were faltering. Appeal to the biggest audience, thet’s their motto. I didn’t notice she had high heels. But then again, the ratings are back up… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 1999, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/15 "1999-07-26T07:29:00Z")
Are you aware that - on her first day on the set, Jeri Ryan had to be given oxygen because her suit was too tight? - Ethan Phillips (Neelix) said of her, “Jeri Ryan is a real bombshell. That suit of hers is very tight. If it were any tighter she’d be dead. It looks like stretched tarmac.”? - around here we refer to her as 2 of 38DD? ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/16 "2001-02-11T01:21:33Z")
My suggestion for the existence of several classes of starships is, among other things, time. The UFP builds, I choose to believe, vessels of enduring quality. This is why Miranda-class vessels are still in service in the days of The Next Generation. Starfleet will build a class of ships for some time, and then stop when they come up with a better design. With time those first ships dwindle in number, and so need to be replaced. Of course, some of the old are still around when the replacements come into service. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/17 "2001-02-11T07:49:34Z")
_Just an eensy-weensy [hijack] …_ **Wolfstu** , you are the Thread Resurrector Supreme. Six so far? Great idea! Your fellow Wolf salutes you! Is this because of the Great Cull to come? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/18 "2001-02-13T00:45:35Z")
Hijack implies trouble. I prefer to view you post as a temporary diversion to the masseuse. Thank you for the comment. Your approval is certainly appreciated. wolfstu ---
**Author:** ![St.Attila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/19 "2001-02-13T02:47:22Z")
I feel it’s my duty to post in every _Star Trek_ related thread this important observation: **_Star Trek:Voyager_ eats the corn out of my poo.** Thank you for your time. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707/20 "2001-02-13T08:04:50Z")
**Wolfstu** , point your little mousey-thingie [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=59739) and check out a new thread just for you… :rolleyes: Esprix [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek/6707.md?page=2)