From: ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu (Edward J. Hartnett)
Subject: Re: Bio filters in transporters..
Organization: CIRES, University of Colorado
Date: 13 Oct 92 18:23:55

In article <23793@optima.cs.arizona.edu> william@cs.arizona.edu (William (Dragon) Hertling) writes:

   In article <f-1z=+-@rpi.edu> aptev@rpi.edu writes:
   >
   >I was watching a considerably old show from ST-TNG..I belive the name of
   >the episode was "Unnatural Causes"..In this episode, they were
   >able to beam up only those molecules of Dr.Polanski that had the
   >molecular structure like those before she was affected by the old-age
   >virus..If this works, and it did, wouldn't this be the be    
   >st bio-filter possible?? This kind of transportation would be
   >foolproof..why does TNG have subsequent where they still beam up
   >individuals with unkown lifeforms if they have the knowhow to beam
   >people??   
   >

   According to the ST:TNG Tech Manual, they say that transporter technology
   was used "improperly" in several episodes. They don't mention episode names,
   but I'm sure this is one of them. Basically, what they did was not possible.
   The writers just made it up.

   Conceivably, many things could be done with the transporters that aren't. 
   The technical reason is that there is no way to hold all of the data
   neccesary for quantum replication. The actual reason is that writer's
   would be constantly using the transporter to save the day, and they don't
   want that.

   So basically, once again, the people at Paramount are saying "just ignore
   that, it never happened, forget it happened."

I can't believe I'm actually such a star trek nerd that I'm staying
after work to add to this conversation, but what the hell.

As a big fan of SF, and ST-TNG in particular, I believe that they are
far from exploring the possibilities of the technology they're
supposed to have. Transporters are a good example - lot's of excuses
have been offered (pattern-buffer, sheilds, etc.), but the fact of the
matter is that if people ever learn to do that, it will fundamentally
change society in ways we can only begin to guess. Simalrly with the
holodeck technology.

Then there's computers - the ST TNG computers are basically just the
same as the ones we have. They talk about how powerful their computers
are, but everything that they ever do with those computers on the show
could be duplicated fairly easily today! 

Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me? In ST (both of them)
when they have some SF technology they just take what's available
today, soup it up, and plop it in, without thinking of how it would
change people's lives. The only exception I can think of is Jordie's
visor, because it significantly changes his character and obviously
changed his life.

For example, if they can hook up shit to people's brain like that, why
not a brain-to-computer link? Then if they took those tiny little
communicators and put them inside your body too, you could talk to
each other without saying anything! Virtual telepathy for the masses!
And then if you've got that link to the computer, why not have it
transport you around with mental commands? No mare standing around
waiting for O'Reily to get off his Irish but!

Sure, I know everyone's going to say, but the transporters need to be
charged-up, they're expensive, or whatever, but the fact is that if
they really had all that technology they could work it all out so that
such things were possible.

One more point - R.H. had 'Slipstick' Libby calculating interstellar
trips with a slidestick. ST TNG has people talking to computers and
pressing buttons. Wouldn't it make more sense to have people hooked
directly brain-to-ship? I mean, hell, they practically do that now
with fighter piolets anyway, with all that heads-up display and
computer voice in his ears, etc. Why not have Wesley come on to the
bridge, pull out a big cabel on a retractable cord, and plug it into
his skull? In fact, who needs the cabel, how about RF through his
skull. He just sits in a chair and mentally hits a switch, and all of
a sudden he feels himself flying through space, making minute
adjustments with his brain without even being aware of it, just like
they trained him to when he attended the accademy (which he attends
via the holodeck in an ongoing cluster-wide subspace link). 

My roommate once suggested that they just hook a warp nacelle up to
Data's back, fire the rest of the crew, and scrap the Enterprise.
After all, why does he need a ship? (And he's the one that always
figures out how to get them oput of a fix anyway!)

Well, you get the idea.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

--
Edward Hartnett			ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu

Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.tech