As I am new to posting here at Flare, I am unsure where this topic belongs, since it has to do with both technology and "Enterprise" continuity violations. The powers that be may move it to the appropriate forum, if this is not it. A number of posters have suggested that having sophisticated "holo-technology" appear in "Enterprise" is a violation of continuity. Other posters have offered reasonable reasons and refutations for its appearance, so I will not add to them. Instead, I would like to address the attitude that "Enterprise" is the first show to violate the "holodeck timeline." Of course, we all assume that the holodeck was fairly new at the beginning of "The Next Generation," since the producers did their damndest to make it seem so. However, does not anyone else recall the "Voyager" episode where Captain Janeway related the charming story about how she flooded Flotter's enchanted forest? Now, unless Captain Janeway was the (never-mentioned) youngest Captain in Starfleet, and she used her father's rank to access the U.S.S. "Galaxy's" holodecks, which, in this scenario, would have been the first things installed, it would seem we have a violation of the "holodeck timeline" on our hands. I am sure that a reasonable explanation can be concocted for Captain Janeway playing "Flotter," a holographic "game," as a child. My point is, "Enterprise" is not the first show to violate the "holodeck timeline," so I would ask posters to stop suggesting as much.
Posted by Phelps (Member # 713) on :
The TNGTM says that the Holodecks had been around for about thirty years or so before TNG. Check the holodeck section.
Posted by Raw Cadet (Member # 725) on :
Well, then, our heroes responses certainly can be constued as odd. Of course, many things were odd about that scene. (Class of '78 . . . )
Posted by Raw Cadet (Member # 725) on :
I meant to say construed, not "contrued."
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Maybe they had only recently been installed on starships (possibly along with Starfleets "We want out ships to be big happy families of love and children" directive).
And the real reason the crew constantly expressed amazement at the holodecks was that they wer playing at being "cabbage-heads" (ie, exessing amazement at tecnology they should be familiar with in order for stuff to be explained to the audience).
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
It seemed that the E-D was full of holotech during the first and second seasons. The conference lounge displays were holographic, Riker had holographic entertainment in his cabin, and holographic games were played in 10-forward.
It wasn't explicitly stated that holotech pre-existed "Encounter at Farpoint", but there was nothing there against the idea of pre-existing non-shipborne holodecks, either. I'd tend to think that Starfleet would be among the last to receive this technology, just like militaries in general don't readily adopt "consumer entertainment tech" in the real world.
For Janeway to have played with Flotter, it would seem more plausible IMHO that she was doing so planetside. Holodecks aboard ships were a new thing in "EaF", but so were children... Of course, "army brats" like Janeway might have spent considerable time aboard ships even before the E-D started hosting civilian kids on a regular basis.
Personally, I feel that *all* the technologies seen in TNG or TOS should be shown to exist before those shows, just in a significantly cruder form (no, I don't really think the ENT transporters meet this criterium). This does away with the risk of real-world engineers developing these devices while "Enterprise" runs, and Trek not acknowledging the fact. Holograms ought to have been there at least since the early 21st century, but it should take some time for them to achieve the degree of realism witnessed in TNG.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Michael_T (Member # 144) on :
Well looking back at the episode, I'd say that other alien cultures have the holographic technology equivilant to the TNG-era Federation holographic systems.
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
As to technology coming late to the military, I am Canadian and I know our navy is a bit behind(laughs) but as our seamen go off to war a big deal was made that we could now email our loved ones on board ship. This would seem to support that some tech. comes late to the military, even when it is widespread for a long time in civilian life. Paul
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
P.S. i am sure they just installed pong on our Canadian warships for entertainment too. Paul
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
And not JUST Pong....but SUPER Pong t'boot!
Posted by Michael_T (Member # 144) on :
Super Pong? What in blazes it that? Is that Pong on drugs? Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
Pong on drugs is difficult, yet fun
Posted by Ace (Member # 389) on :
The Canadian navy playing pong...
...well, I'm sure it helps out with hand/eye coordination.
:: pictures a ship swerving around the ocean with Atari sounds in the background ::
[ October 24, 2001: Message edited by: Ace ]
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Well, if we assume holodecks only did landscapes and such up until early TNG (as the Bynar episode would suggest), we could postulate that Janeway didn't actually play the Flotter game on a holodeck. Perhaps, in her day, it was something more along the lines of an interactive television show, or something...
Posted by J (Member # 608) on :
No one has yet to mention possible advancements in Holodeck technology that was unique to the Galaxy Class, or even the Enterprise. Remember that virtual reality had been around for quite a while even in Star Trek's universe. Perhaps the holodeck in "E@F" was truly a new experience for Riker and the others.
