From: putzolu@toadflax.cs.ucdavis.edu (David Putzolu)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.tech
Subject: Re: Orientation
Date: 9 Nov 92 06:57:50 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis

In article <1detq4INN8uh@bowen.rick.cs.ubc.ca> w5y092@rick.cs.ubc.ca (Stephen Todd Leroux) writes:
>Why is it that when two ships meet out in the depths of space, they're
>always both the same side up?  It's not like there's a big this-side-up
>sticker for the universe, is there?  Picture the scenario:
 [snip] [snip]
>And before you flame me, remember: it was my brother's idea.

Obviously your brother needs to study up on his warp propulsion theory.
As discovered by Zefram Cochrane's student, Karl Olsson, there is an 
increase in Warp efficiency that is proportional to alignment with 
existing gravitational planar fields. The equation (in simplified terms,
ignoring the subspace spin & subspace universal terms, which mostly
cancel at the velocities the Enterprise generally travels at, go like
this (Olsson, 2072):

     E   =  E  * ( 1 - K  * sin( E  * D  ) )
      A      P          Z         G    A

Where: E   = Actual efficiency
        A

       E   = Predicted efficiency
        P

       K   = Zefram Cochrane's Z Constant
        Z

       P   = Eigenvalue of the matrix describing the gravitational
        G    forces acting on said warp-velocity body which are of
             significance on the scale of Transformational
             Relativity(Cochrane, 2064).

       D   = Calculated angular displacement from primary graviton
        A    planar field (PGPF) (Olsson, 2070).

Thus we have a loss of warp efficiency proportional from deviation
from the PGPF. Thus ALL vehicles traveling via a 'standard'
warp propulsion vehicle will be aligned to this field,
in order to maximize efficiency, and thus appear to be, "right
side up" to each other, when in fact they are "right side
up" in relation to the same thing, ie, the PGPF. This also
(obviously) explains the reason that the Enterprise usually
assumes an orbit parallel to the plane described by the rotational
movement of planets, in order to maximize efficiency of energy
expenditure in its FTL computers, which utilize warp fields. 
              
>  +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
>  | Steve Leroux            | My views do not necessarily represent |
>  | U of British Columbia   | those of carbon-based life in general |
>  | Canada                  | or human beings in particular.        |
>  +-----------------------------------------------------------------+	
>  | & brother.		    | Who is just barely human anyways.	    |

(Hands waving furiously in order to explain what is obviously just
something the writers chose to do in order to not confuse viewers.)

| David M. A. Putzolu               | putzolu@cs.ucdavis.edu               |
| Senior, CS & Psych, U.C. Davis    | op disclaimer(opinion : ptr mine)    |
| "Put your hand on the TV screen and repeat after me: I do hereby promise |
| only to watch the Ren & Stimpy show,  to make underleg noises during the |
| good scenes,  to wear unwashed lederhosen  every single day  of the rest |
| of my life! That's it! You are in our secret club!"                      |