posted
If you go to page 446 in the Encyclopaedia (3rd Edition) you'll see where I got the text from. I just updated the sign to look more like the ST:VI signs.
It's not like anyone is going to be able to read it, I just thought you folks would enjoy a bit of trivia.
quote: By the way, I would recommend American English spelling instead of UK English spelling in the decals. Starfleet uses American English spellings and style.
You'd better check the temperature in hell first.
quote: hrm.. Asherman's Compendium, and every website i find has Thelin.. the tiebreaker I guess would be Alan Dean Foster.. anyone care to check the Star Trek Logs?
I thought D.C. Fontana wrote "Yesteryear"? Anyway, I like Thelin better, it sounds closer to how it was actually pronounced. Either way there is always room for interpretation when trying to spell alien words into a terrestrial language.
posted
OK so Cochrane Fleet Yards uses UK English spelling and style.
I see the sign on page 446. Obviously the person who wrote the text of the sign has no training or experience in technical writing. Numbers should only be used in step-by-step procudures, this isn't one. So they should have three seperate paragraphs.
I was thinking that the signage of the captain's yacht needed more language of the type on the signs in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Remember the "Danger EM Radiation Hazard" on the doors of the transporter room?
I got the "Secured Area. Use of Deadly Force Authorized" from a sign taped onto a fence made of yellow hazard tape that was constructed around an F-117 fighter on static display at an air show at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Had a rather gruff-looking Air Force guard with a nasty shotgun guarding the airplane. I thought what's the point of showing it to the public if you are too paranoid to let anyone get near the airplane to see it. It isn't like "Aviation Week" hadn't already photographed every square inch of the airplane and knew what material it was construced of.
The rest of my suggestions came from my Technical Writing eduction and my years of experience writing hardware replacement manuals. The people who I worked for were always paranoid that someone was going to sue them if we didn't spell out to the installer. For example, that you needed to inplug the system and turn it off before opening the case of the PC. We don't want anyone to get a nasty electric shock or have jewelry, like chains, dangle inside the power supply.
I thought that this detail was overkill until I met one of the company's authorized dealer technician/installers. A monkey with a screw driver would have been much smarter than this person. Every step had to be written in agonizing detail for this person to understand.
So I thought that I would recommend similar signage on the airlock because if it was used improperly all occupants inside the vessel could be killed and the vessel could be damaged.
But since it will be small on the model and not seen, the language of the warning decal is unimportant.
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Plus I'd wager that Starfleet don't put untrained morons in charge of potentially lethal equipment. I'm sure everyone passing through that airlock wearing a gold and silver delta are well aware of standard airlock protocols, a sign like this is probably just an abbreviated reminder and mainly for the benefit of any civilians who might be aboard. Indeed in an emergency a detailed list of idiot proof instructions is the last thing you need, by the time you've read as far as "...ensure that all baggage has been cleared through security and any licensed tribbles have been sterilized" your eyeballs have frozen over and your skin is starting to turn a deep purple.
Now that I think about it, the only instance in Sci-fi where I've seen someone actually read one of these instruction panels is in Alien when Ripley is starting the destruct sequence.
As always, I've made suggestions in an attempt to help make designs better, not be obnoxious. Whether I succeeded or not is open to debate at this point.
I always liked the signage in "Star Trek VI" and thought it would be interesting if more starships had those warning labels. It always reminded me of tractors or heavy machinary and made it seem more realistic.
But I agree that you have to assume that Starfleet has trained its officers and NCOs properly or they wouldn't be aboard starships to begin with. It would be much too hazardous otherwise.
Registered: Jun 2003
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