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From: li63sdl@sdcc7.UUCP (DAVID SMITH)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Stupid Viewscreens and Dumb Captains
Message-ID: <1466@sdcc7.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-May-85 17:50:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc7.1466
Posted: Wed May 22 17:50:03 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 26-May-85 21:39:30 EDT
References: <768@voder.UUCP> <518@panda.UUCP>
Reply-To: li63sdl@sdcc7.UUCP (DAVID SMITH)
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 52

In article <518@panda.UUCP> plw@panda.UUCP (Pete Williamson) writes:
>>   There's supposed to be so much static interference that the viewing
>>sensors are hoplessly overloaded, as such the main viewscreen is all but
>>useless.  We see the great Admiral Kirk peering intensely at the screen,
>>trying in vain for a mere glimmer of the enemy ship and his deadly opponent.
>>*Where are they?* he silently murmurs.
>
>>   Quick dramatic cut to an exterior view as the great starship Enterprise
>>sails by, COVERED FROM BOW TO STERN WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A HUNDRED WINDOWS
>>AND PORTS PLASTERED OVER THE HULL!  One can imagine the rest of the crew is
>>up forward, gathered around a port, watching the Reliant sail back and forth
>>while betting on whether or not the Captain will see it this time!
>
>>   How difficult would it have been to write into the script that Kirk orders
>>Scotty to send someone up forward to install an optical viewer in a port
>>and hook it into the optical fiber network to send the picture to the main
>>viewer?  
>
>	I agree ... the writers screwed up on this one ... Captain James
>T. Kirk is a student of American History and would certainly know US Naval
>Procedures ... FOG has plagued Earth's naval traffic for centuries ... one
>of the best and easiest deployed "weapons" against poor visibility is to
>"lay all available hands on deck" to LOOK and REPORT. This is especially 
>true during a "RED ALERT" at "BATTLESTATIONS". Uhura should have been 
>continually advised on Kahn's whereabouts ... Federation Procedure would
>clearly deal with "low viz" situations ... in excruciating detail probably.
>
>	Regards,
>
>
>
>
>-- 
>						Pete Williamson
>"By hook or by crook, we will !!" ... #2

	That would work great, against *OPTICAL* poor visibility.
The poor visibility was supposed to be *ELECTRONIC*, i.e. radar,
sub-space ranging, or whatever they use.  Remember, these battles,
even at sub-light speeds, are being fought in a *LARGE* area.  Human
eyesight is good to maybe twenty miles.  With a lot of dust and
crapola in the way, maybe ten?  These ships are moving quickly, even
on impulse engines only.  There would be no great advantage to
having the crew watch, since they'd see it at about the same time
the video cameras did.  Most sensing on a starship would be
electronic.  I suppose we can consider the viewscreen to normally be
a sophisticated computer image integrating all the sensor data.

			David Smith
			UC Sandy Eggo
			{ucbvax, ihnp4} sdcsvax!sdcc7!li63sdl
"Fascinating"