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> As I recall, it was changed because Star Trek 2: The Revenge of Khan was due to come out

Close; it was originally going to be Star Trek II: The Undiscovered Country, but was changed to The Vengeance of Khan before finally ending up as Wrath.

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek_II:_The_Wrath_of_Khan

At some point between 2144 and 2154, Arik Soong was able to open all the locks in the San Francisco prison he was being held at using just a PADD. After this incident, he was only allowed to use paper when sketching and writing his ideas.

Source: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/PADD (this is first link in TFA).

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Padd#General_Specifications

The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual states that Starfleet PADDs are powered by sarium krellide power cells, and have an outer casing of boronite whisker epoxy, which would allow the PADD to sustain a 35-meter drop without damage.

Basically, you could use a PADD as a hammer and still write your report on it later.

They were more like paper cheap.

Doctor was signing and giving away PADDs loaded with a hologram of him singing in Virtuoso.
And you can often see characters using several PADDs when researching something - as one would do with notepads as opposed to what one might do with a notebook.

And what is Dr. Stephen Hawking supposed to have developed? The guy deals with gravitational theory. I suppose you think he should have come up with some kind of Star Trek 'singularity drive' or something as a consequence? Please.

As with most things, it is pure cost that prevents in-system colonization not technological failings. The main cost is simply the size and fuel for the launch vehicle especially as it must be quite heavy to include enough radiation shielding.

More than Three, surely, Rules of Aquistion.

Sigh.... that's what I'm going to miss most under the new regime, linking to obscure bits of Star Trek trivia.

The episode I referred to is named Descent, Part II. BTW, memory-alpha.org is a sweet resource for nerds like us :)

...as precious as children... yes

Data isn't property, you insensitive clod!

Won't someone think of the poor starving Horta babies?

mathematics is just applied logic, and logic is just applied philosophy... ... and philosophy is just applied physics ...

Kirk: "Everything Harry tells you is a lie. Remember that! Everything Harry tells you is a lie!"

Harry: "Now listen to this carefully, Norman: I AM LYING!"

Norman: "You say you are lying, but if everything you say is a lie then you are telling the truth, but you cannot tell the truth because everything you say is a lie, but... you lie, you tell the truth, but you cannot for you l... Illogical! Illogical! Please explain! You are Human! Only Humans can explain their behavior! Please explain!"

beeeeeeeeeep......thump.

That's what you just did to my brain by closing the loop. Thanks! :-)

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Induced_self-destruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzVxsYzXI_Y

Khan = Muslim

Or a genetically-engineered Indian.

Or a Genghis.

Khan = Muslim

Or a genetically-engineered Indian.

Imagine assessing employees' leadership and teamwork skills by jacking them into a virtual, multiplayer business scenario.

Sounds like the Kobayashi Maru scenario to me, just without any of the fun.

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Lightship Ancient grace and function.

If Google is working on one, I hope they'll get it right and call it the GPadd (Personal Access Display Device

Sorry, I'm an Atheist and the ending for me was like watching the crew of the enterprise meeting Santa Claus at the North Pole.

What if the crew of the Enterprise met Abraham Lincoln in space? Oh yes, a powerful but mysterious alien being reincarnated him and other historical figures to learn about good and evil. Yes yes, perfectly rational. Because, you see, it's in space. :-)

I do not believe in an afterlife but I enjoyed the ending of Lost because I thought it was a story well told. I also, for instance, don't believe that a person today could invent and build an immensely powerful and artificially intelligent exoskeleton, but I liked that story too.

Using inertial dampers?

Nonono, it's war is good for business.

I think you are referring to the Dermal Regenerator. Here's a list of episodes that featured this bad-boy.

An iPad is really a "new class" of device: a "content access" tool rather than a "content creation" tool.

It's not new; it's a PADD (even the name is almost the same). The only surprising thing is that it took this long to actually build a decent one!

I think most people who bought netbooks really wanted an iPad-like device from the beginning, but settled because no such thing existed (for example, I ended up with a Tablet PC, bought just before the first netbook came out). Netbooks started off as a poor compromise, and only got worse (bigger and heavier) over time.

We also have to consider that if we're contacted by aliens with advanced technology, it may turn out that they are very much like us. Being very much like us, when they were at our technological level a few hundred years ago and were visited by peaceful, benevolent aliens, they welcomed them with open arms, obtained their technology then wiped them out and started colonizing the galaxy after violent war destroyed their own home planet. So, when they come to our planet, they decide to take it from us and enslave us/wipe us out/herd us onto reservations. They would do this despite the fact that they have advanced technology and technically it's a waste to colonize earth because of their cultural expectations and the fact that, collectively, they're not really that bright. Kind of like the Pakleds from Star Trek. Or the Klingons, for that matter, although in that case, the aliens were aggressive invaders who enslaved the Klingons. Or Klingon history remembers it that way, at least. I imagine that a species significantly like us probably would demonize any advanced aliens we exterminated for their technology.

For that matter, enlightened humans might want to avoid contact with aliens, even if they're benevolent, due to the fact that we might do nasty things to them rather than the reverse. The best way to sell that to other humans of course, would be to tell them they have to hide from aliens because the aliens might be a menace.

You're applying how the average human acts to how you expect aliens to act.

No he's applying how advanced intelligence works on Earth to how it would work anywhere else it would develop. Advanced intelligence, meaning humans compared to dogs). The foundation of his argument is that intelligence is intelligence (regardless of the organism it manifests itself in) and eventually resource-related economic principles combined with the essence of conflict will bend the curve in our favor. If you're going to counter his argument, adolescent "but alienz are different!" statements aren't going to work.

Still assumptions, fx of the concept of individuality. What if it is a colony/hive mind type intelligence (and even thinking they might have had more than one, one won and is now looking for more resources). Or maybe it isn't really intelligence as we know it at all. Why assume ships and technology, it could be http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Crystalline_entity for all we know.

"Already the site has better coverage of some areas than Wikipedia, leading to the question of whether more such small wikis should be created for certain verticals."

What? daria42, have you been under a rock? That question is already answered!

You might remember a Slashdot article quite a ways back that talked about Wikipedia deleting entire entries where no one could definitively argue if it was "notable" content. One of them was an article detailing the weapons technology used by the Space Marines in the Warhammer 40K universe. Well now you can just type "w40k wiki" into Google and the very first search result is Warhammer 40K Wiki. It not only solves the problem of proving notability, but you can be assured that everything of relevance to the W40K universe will not be rejected by Wikipedia's nazis and is available in a conveniently cross-referenced database maintained by people who cherish the material.

If you are the gaming type, you can put in a game's title and the word 'wiki' after it as the terms for a Google search. The more popular or more dedicated fanbase it has, the greater the probability a Wiki was started for it. Some great examples are the Fallout Wiki, Star Wars wiki aka the "Wookiepedia", Star Trek wiki, Final Fantasy wiki and the Tekken wiki.....which covers quite a few the passions of the Slashdot community.

Hey I know, let's come up with ridiculous extremes and pretend they are real possibilities! Yeah sure, the atmosphere is totally going to turn to methane or something, and the plants are going to mutate into the things from the end of The Way to Eden! I've been so blind, why couldn't I see this happening before?!?!?!11ONE!

Oh that's right, because that analogy is stupid hyperbole.

And as flexibility is an attribute, a thing which makes events possible and not an event in of itself, it is not possible in this context for it to be 'fated' consequently there is no rational thing called a 'fatalistic view of human flexibility' regardless of how much you wanted that non sequitur to work rhetorically.

Further, do you seriously think that the guy living in a box under an overpass is better off than Caesar Augustus? Even if you take into account the medical advances, the guy in the box isn't really privy to those, he's probably going to die of complications from huffing paint or simply freeze to death. I mean seriously, come off it. Yeah, the AVERAGE guy lives pretty good even compared to the ancient and medieval elites, but the homeless are not a valid contrast.

I don't think you realize how much of your luxury is the direct product of biosphere changes. The abundance of food comes from the agricultural development of land which has a) lowered water tables b) increased inland salinization c) increased nitrate levels and decreased oxygen levels in aquatic environments etc. That fancy meat you eat comes at the expense not only of the immediate animals, but it is likely that extinct species such as the Aurochs had to go to make room for new species (yes, NEW SPECIES AKA DIFFERENT BIOSPHERE) of tastier and easier to manage domesticated cattle.

But because you're ignorant, you want to ride the wagon of biosphere changes and spit at it too.

Wikipedia can't be the solution to every information-gathering problem. And despite some slogans to the contrary, it clearly doesn't want to be. It has policies of Notabiliy, No Original Research, and Neutral Point of View that effectively make it unsuitable for certain information. If you want in-depth, exhaustive information about other topics, you consult a more specialized resource, such as drum and bugle corps, Star Wars, Star Trek, garden flowers, movies, Pokémon, Peter Pan, travel, alternate realities, etc. Wikipedia even has a mechanism for interwiki linking to many of these resources, recognizing them as independent specialty resources.

Or a Star Trek self destruct sequence.
"Code zero zero zero. Destruct. Zero."
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Auto-destruct

Wow, This sounds like last nights voyager, except it used borg nano probes rather then magnets.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Repentance_(episode)

The pic looks like the Zetarians.

That episode would be The Wire. Season 2, Episode 22.

(It's spelled Garak, btw.)

It also goes to show how a carefully engineered nano-particle can be used to kill people in a rather covert way.

Parthos, a la Yuta!

In short, once someone sells a 7" display, with decent pen-input, basic wireless, and a stupid-simple UI, for perhaps $25, then you'll see the last stronghold of paper fall away.

Agreed. I would go as far as saying that Star Trek already predicted this: instead of paper, the Star Trek characters just pass around Padds.

Really, all the device needs is an easy way to display PDFs on it (ex. perhaps something as simple as dragging a PDF to the bottom of your screen displays it on the nearest Padd-equivalent) and paper-simple pen input for writing on documents, and paper just won't have any advantages left in 90%+ of situations.

Any birds unlucky enough to get sucked in will suffocate. 4 birds, 1 stone!

Correction, sir, that's blown in.

It's synthehol, not synthahol.

Ultimately, drones will have defenses and counter-attacks.

Reminds me of this Star Trek Voyager episode

No, because the laws of physics in Trek universe aren't stable, but change unpredictably from time to time. The locals have adapted to that and update their thinking without even noticing; those of us outside the continuum perceive changes as discontinuity.

Of course, you are missing the point that the physics in the Trek universe are unstable due to economics of Paramount Studios and the casual whims of the screenplay writers who may need a plot devices of some sort or another. Forgetting that the Trek universe is mostly explained by the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition is a mistake that most Trek fans seem to miss. I think secretly the Trek writers simply discovered a hidden tome buried in the Paramount executive suite and simple pretended that those rules were fictional.

Sounds like the Navigational deflector for a starship in the Star Trek universe.

The navigational deflector (also called the deflector dish, the deflector array or the nav deflector) is a component of many starships, and is used to deflect space debris, asteroids, microscopic particles and other objects that might collide with the ship. At warp speed the deflector is virtually indispensable for most starships as even the most minute particle can cause serious damage to a ship when it is traveling at superluminal velocities.

Star Trek may be filled with inanity and loads of technobabble, but it does occasionally have a sound basis in science.

As an aside, I've always wondered what the current state of plasma research is. When can I get me a plasma force field for my home, or my own personal lightsaber/hedge clipper/daughter's boyfriend intimidation unit?

The problem has been fixed, it was interference by some bolts.

Ah, these...

Yes they did But no one remembers because it was a Dr. Pulaski episode.

For those who don't:

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Darmok_(episode)

Temba, his arms wide.

And you need to know who Judge Aaron Satie is.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Aaron_Satie

I wonder if the poster will every become educated enough to quote real people?

Engage the Ion Thrusters, No. 1.

A tablet, in general I mean not just the iPad, has a better form factor for doing things like looking up information or doing small chunks of data entry.

I believe I mentioned that I have a tablet myself, and it has practically the same weight as the iPad. I can tell you, it is an awful fit for any computing "on the go". Too heavy to begin with, then iPad is hard to hold with one hand (my UMPC has grip space, thankfully). And it's just awkward all around to walk with the thing. I use my tablet for reading in bed, and I hold it with both hands, like a book. If you believe any data input is possible "on the go" - it just isn't so. You want to sit down, put the thing on the table (my UMPC has a flap on the back for that) and then you use the stylus (provided with mine) or the greasy fingers to work it.

I don't know how people are supposed to use the iPad. The keyboard demo shows that it should be standing nearly vertically (maybe at 75-80 degrees), but how do you do that without the keyboard stand? If you sit somewhere, like at a coffee shop, do you need to stack books behind it, or you must hold it in your hand all the time? If the latter, it sounds not very ergonomic. I understand that crew in ST:TNG are carrying tablets all the time, but rarely they are shown actually working on them; a tablet is mostly used to glance at. The computer in Captain's ready room is a desktop.

This is not something iPhone users are encountering because their device is small, and it doesn't need to be held for long (only while you dial a number, and do some other occasional computing.) Most of the time iPhone spends in the pocket, even if it plays music.

Then again, I'd much rather have one of those than a netbook. (I'd rather have a 17" laptop than both of them combined.)

As matter of fact, my main computer (that I type this on) is a 17" Fujitsu LifeBook. This was actually a nice purchase, previously I had only desktops. But now I know that there is a lot of value in a "desktop replacement" type of a notebook. I can carry it if necessary, but usually it sits on the desk and I use it as a desktop. It's plenty fast. The other computer, as I said, is the UMPC, and I have a PDA also. That's why I am so sure that the tablet idea is so limited and limiting - I have the thing for several years.

Funny thing is, the lowest-priced entry-level iPad would be more useful to me than a typical netbook. Heh.

Well, of course it's your decision, I only point out that the iPad will not have the selection of software that Windows/Linux users are familiar with, and it won't have a keyboard, and it won't have USB host or camera - something that netbooks usually have; even my Q1 tablet has all of the above, along with WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, VGA output, *stereo* speakers and *stereo* microphones.

You know, I am sure they will claim that the play is on the "iPod" name. However, I think that they are really going for the iPADD name (PADD as in Personal Access Data Display from Star Trek http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/PADD). They can't make it too obvious I guess because Paramount would sue them. But when I see a slate form factor machine like this I immediately think PADD.

Fujitsu? Heck, I'm still waiting for the lawsuit from Paramount/CBS.

Ahhhh...but you are forgetting one thing friend, and that is Rules of Acquisition #34 "War is good for business". In war more ships get built, bigger and better weapons are needed, it is good for the economy!

Never underestimate man's greed, nor his lust for power. Sure we could go somewhere else and get it, but at what cost? Will going somewhere else lower profits by 3%? If so then hell no! It will screw up the quarterly earnings report! Sadly I think Alien 1 & 2 & 3 had it right, with large mega corps eventually ruling space as they rule the planet now, and any and all decisions will ultimately be based on how it effects profits. If it kills 1 million soldiers but saves the corp several hundred billion in profits? Well we can always breed more soldiers, now can't we?

Sorry if I sound a little cynical, but all I have seen from the human race is more and more clever ways to kill each other. Hell look at the Middle East, where if they don't have Jews or Christians to fight they fight each other! How many centuries have the Sunni and Shia been killing each other again? Sadly I just don't ever see our natural bloodlust ever being erased, it will just be used by the mega corps in pursuit of ever larger profits. Imagine if you mixed the Ferengi with the Klingon, and that would be the real way we would behave in space.

If they are scared by the odds of creating a black hole in the LHC, then should be hidden and trembling below their beds as are far more probable ways to end the earth, the human civilization or their own lives in any minute than the black hole one. Is almost as possible as creating red matter, with the same attributes than in the movie.

Well, lets see what the Nagus would say....hmm...I would say that rules 1 "once you have their money you never give it back" 16 "a deal is a deal" and 45 "expand or die" would just about cover it.

And since TiVo filed in Marshal Texas, AKA "patent troll haven of the USA" I would say rules 10 "greed is eternal" and 263 "Never let doubt interfere with your lust for latinum." would cover their side.

I have to say I hope MSFT slaughters TiVo, simply because they filed in Texas and I hate jury shopping. The system is corrupt enough as it is without crap like "patent troll havens" further rigging the outcome.

Yes, it was in the season six episode "Rocks and Shoals." It was a fairly amusing line all things considered imo.