Sunday 6 January 2008

Να πάει με τόλμη...

The Real Enterprise with the TV cast (NASA Photo)

I was accused of being a "Star Trek fan" by Dan the other day. If Star Trek fans were like, say, CSI fans, then I might not mind too much being counted amongst them, but as we all know these people are in a completely different league, and live in a totally different universe.

They are also very important. They administer and probably develop most of this planet's computer systems. I'm not sure whether the fact that many of our finest technologists have this obsession should worry us. I'd certainly be wary about using words such as "Star Trek" and "crap" in the same sentence - the Internet might suddenly stop working...



...Well, it didn't. Phew! Anyway, the programmes did have their good points. The women in the 60's outfits, for example. There was something else, though. The technology wasn't clunky like it was in most 50s or 60s Science Fiction. This was probably because the actual science bit wasn't really a major part of the story, and a lot of the gadgets and devices were things that people might want to use today.

Take their radios. These look very similar to modern mobile phones, although they don't have SMS or cameras. Or annoying ringtones (maybe the future will be better after all). And you never see Captain Kirk in the middle of some great mission getting a phone call from his mum.

Scientists are currently working on teleports. They've already managed to "transport" some atoms a metre or two. Not quite enough to beam up and down to a planet, but it's a start. Although you may well need a teleport at both ends, which is perhaps an issue. It'll be a braver man or woman than me who ever goes in one.

Computers talking is definitely a mistake, unless you're blind or can't use a keyboard. But the technology is there, there are just so many obvious practical problems - or opportunity for evilness. Can you imagine walking through an office full of voice activated computers saying loudly "Delete All Files", or "Reboot"? Yes, I thought you could.

The memory storage that they use is in the form of small disk-like objects, which aren't much different in scale from a DVD. Though the iPod seems to have gone out of fashion in the 24th Century. On the other hand, they have the holodeck, which is a considerable advance on the XBOX

One technology they never anticipated was the flatscreen displays In Star Trek, as with most programmes of that era, an astonishing amount of equipment is controlled with levers and buttons, and the output is in the form of a few coloured bulbs.

I've got all of the original series, and the 7 years of the "Next Generation" on DVD. As always with TV series, I'm obsessive about watching the episodes in order. I was devestated when Denise Crosby left half way through the first year. At some point, I intend to get round to watching the other three series.

I enjoy them, so maybe on second thoughts that does qualify me as a bit of a fan. But don't ever even think of calling me a "Trekkie", or I'll send some Klingons round...

22 comments:

Boricua in Texas said...

I loved watching Star Trek as a kid, and I enjoyed The Next Generation very much. I never warmed up to DS9 or Voyager, and I absolutely refused to watch Enterprise.

I am a fan, but definitely not a trekkie. I would not be caught dead at a convention, I would never dress up as a character, the technobabble bores me and there is no chance in hell I will learn to speak Klingon.

Jean Knee said...

oh. man I am awesome at that vulcan greeting thing. my ears aren't pointed but you can't have everything

beware that teleport thing--on Willy Wonka's wonka vision you ended up teeny, even if you wanna lose weight it seems like a mistake

Bee said...

Trekkie.

Bee said...

No klingons yet...

Brian o vretanos said...

Ingrid:

I've watched the first year of DS9, and quite enjoyed it, so at some point I'll get the other 6 seasons. I haven't seen any of Voyager or Enterprise. For me, nothing quite beats the original.

It's fascinating about Klingon, but there are too many real languages to learn.

Jean Knee:

Live Long and Prosper (skipping breakfast would be a good start)

Bee:

The Klingons refused to lower themselves to attack such a short puny earthling. I tried to explain that you were neither, but they didn't listen. I think that really they're scared of you.

Bee said...

Maybe they saw my morphing thing and thought I was tortured enough...?

Jean Knee said...

bee- you didn't go through the wonka vision thing did you?

my new favorite word is thing

Dan said...

I was right !!!
Would you say then that you're a closet Trekki ? Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

If you were to tey out the teletransport thing make sure there are no flies inside. I saw a movie were some dude turned into a human fly like this. I think the name of the movie was
"El hombre mosca" it was on telemundo.

Dan

Jean Knee said...

Oh good grief, I completely forgot about that fly thing

stay away brian

Brian o vretanos said...

Dan:

No I wouldn't say that! I admit you were partly right, though.

That's really wierd about the flies, because all sorts of life forms seem to go through the Star Trek teleport unharmed, though you never seem to see infestations of flies or spiders anywhere.

Aren't there a whole load of films (well, 4) called "The Fly" and suchlike, which are about this? I've not seen any of them, but I keep meaning to. I'll certainly watch them all before trying out the teleport...

Jean Knee said...

yessss, lots of fly movies.. speaking of which, I had lunch with Marty McFly just the other day

Bee said...

jean knee, I love Marty McFly! One of my favorite movie trilogies of all times. Dealing going back and forth in time... interesting.

Jean Knee said...

yep, he's nine months old now and oh so cute

Jean Knee said...

I'm gonna have to post about his mom, Cutie. she has started an online art shop

Jean Knee said...

hello, Brian. How are you this fine Monday?

Brian o vretanos said...

I'm fine, Jean Knee. Thankyou. I hope you're okay. You're blog seems to be ill at the moment - I can't get to it, for some reason.

I just hope you haven't posted anything new. I wouldn't like to miss out.

Jean Knee said...

I am fresh out of material at the moment, but you never know when inspiration might hit

Brian o vretanos said...

Your breakfast thing was inspired.

What about making crafty things out of something, say fruit?

I'm thinking of taking a word every day and writing about it. I can probably keep going on that for, oh, 2 or 3 days. We'll see...

Jean Knee said...

Just checking back to let ya know I still don't have a post up.



word a day sounds good. Like that word a day vocabulary building toilet paper

Jean Knee said...

still nothin

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

You are welcome to use my blog as toilet paper if you wish, although I suspect that there are better alternatives.

Unless you're really stuck.

I started my post yesterday, but didn't get round to finishing it. It should go up later...

Bee said...

Everytime I come over here and see those groovy 70s suits I wantta go buy some bell bottoms.