Organization: Penn State University
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 11:29:42 EST
From: Jeffrey S. Payne <JSP6@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Transporters, Insubordination, and The Quality of Life

Some Minor Spoilers, and Griping ahead.



















First, regarding all of the arguments about transporters:  It is stated clearly
in the r.a.s.tech FAQ that transporters are a direct violation of the laws of
Physics as we now know them, in praticular, The Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principal.  (Disclaimer: I am not a physics major of any sort, this is how it
was explained to me however) This states that it is impossible to know both
the exact position of a quantum particle and its velocity.  The writers
acknowledge this by having O'Brien mention doing a diagnostic on the
"Heisenberg Compensator"  ok, that problem is fixed.

Two points:  There isn't really any place for arguing the implausability of
transporter plot-lines, because the transporter IS (almost by definition)
implausable.  Second, ok, if you decide to argue it further, take it to
r.a.s.tech, AND READ THE FAQ BEFORE YOU POST!  Yes I know it is long, but it
contains very detailed explanations of these type questions, many of which are
from canon sources.  The real answer, no further discussion...If it is too long
for you to read the whole thing, it is all nicely indexed, and you can just
read about transporters, communicators, warp and relativity...these are old,
dead arguments. (and I have only been here 2 weeks!)

Next, some perspective on how certain things appear to happen "all the time"...
(Data disobeys, the holodeck hiccups, the ship is in danger...)
Watch the evening news...what do you see? Plane crash, tornado, murder...it is
much safer to fly than drive a car, but there is much more publicity given to
Plane crashes than to car accidents..why? because they are more rare, and draw
more interest.  What's my point you ask?  Let's do some math: From the FAQ's,
a season lasts 1000 stardates (41xxx is season 1, 42xxx is season 2...) and a
TNG Stardate is 24 hours.  I'll spare you the arithmetic, but with an average
25 shows a season, that leaves room for 40+ days to happen between episodes!
Imagine what would get covered if the news had to cover 40 days in 1 hour?

So, to use the holodeck as an example.  There have been many complaints about
FFOD is just another example of how often there are holodeck malfunctions.
I only remember 2 (Fistful and Elementary...) but let's say I'm wrong and there
were 5 episodes where the holodeck safeguards were overridden...5 accidents
in 13 years (that's right...I did the math) and *** 0 FATALITIES ***
How many people died in plane crashes?  In car accidents? hmmm...

How many times has Data disobeyed orders?  I count 3 (Measure of a Man,
Pen Pals, and The Quality of Life) in 13 years.  Hmm, for someone of Data's
record, that indicates to me that he doesn't stand up for something unless he
is right,or at least has a valid point.

I agree that the exocomps may be "alive" but have shown no signs of "sentiance"
(a major oversight in my opinion...) but lets throw that aside for a sec...
Data knew that even if Riker transported them into the stream, they would not
allow themselves to detonate.

I am just a bit frustrated with people bashing an episode because of its
technical implausability.  Paramount seems to me to have gone to great lengths
to make things scientificly logical, for the benefit of those of us (I enjoy
techno-babble) who pay that close attention.  In fact, they have done this
to a fault, where people have started to complain about too much techno-babble.

I enjoyed every episode this season.  In fact, there have been very few episode
s I didn't like.  (I have seen all but 7-10 of them)  I have also had great fun
ripping apart the technical aspects of the show (was I the only one who noticed
that Geordi's virus in I, Borg was less effective than R. T. Morris's Internet
worm?) I think both can peacefully co-exist...that is why there is
r.a.s.current and r.a.s.tech...and that is the way it should stay.


/ climbs down off his soap-box

Jeff Payne
Penn State Ogontz Campus              |Bitnet:   JSP6@PSUVM
Computer Assisted Learning Center     |Internet: payne@toto.oz.psu.edu
"What else have you done? Telekinesis? Teleportation? Spontaneous
 combustion of someone you don't like? That sort of thing..."
       -Q to Amanda in "True Q", ST-TNG
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current