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Comment by Izkata | Hacker News Reader

Star Trek's bridge controls can be reconfigured, but there's a standard static configuration that doesn't change while they're in use. This is also referenced at a different point in Voyager when Tuvok is annoyed by how Tom Paris uses a nonstandard configuration. So that at least reduces the need for constant visual contact.

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There's another Voyager episode in which Tuvok is temporarily blinded and he tells the computer to turn on the tactile interface so he can work on a computer console. So even 25 years ago before everyone had a touchscreen in their pockets, it was obvious that touch screens wouldn't be great for all situations.

And of course there’s the comment in ‘All good things’ by Dr. Crusher when she says she can’t believe how they got by with 2D controls in the old days, and how the current holographic controls were much easier to use.

So, Star Fleet made the same transition as the US Navy, from a touchscreen to 3D tactile controls.

Also in theory controls for any system can be transferred to any console on the ship, I can think of one episode where Seven transferred helm, tactical and ops down to an engineering console.

That was part of the problem on the USS McCain: there were so many different modes of control that the crew lost track of the state of the system.

I'd be really interested to see how the UI handled signposting for those handed-off functions, because I don't think the idea is inherently unwieldy, it just needs a good clear implementation.

It's it true that the whole bridge section can be separated and replaced from the saucer, which of course can also be separated from that thing with the engines?

The bridge modules can be fairly easily swapped out in drydock, but I don't believe that can be done while underway.

The Galaxy class was the first class of ship with a saucer separation system that could be re-attached while in flight. I believe the Constitution class did have the ability to separate its saucer, but that was accomplished with explosive bolts and it couldn't re-attach without being in drydock.

Right, before they mainly used it as an escape vehicle in case of warp nacelle or containment issues.

Yeah, the warp core ejection systems always seem to conveniently fail. You would want to dump the entire engineering section and haul ass if you were sitting on an antimatter bomb.

There were also physical backups in case the automated ejection system didn't work. There was always a physical backup to any touch interface that was critical to system operations.

That galaxy-class saucer separation thing was honestly not a great idea, and it was somewhat annoying when they used it in the episodes. The problem with it is that only the "stardrive" section has warp capability, so what good is it to be able to separate except for using the saucer as a last-resort escape pod in case of warp engine failure? The saucer is simply too slow to go anywhere in a reasonable amount of time without a warp engine: at sublight speeds, it would take years just to get to the closest star system. This is probably one of the most annoying things about Star Trek: they completely ignored speed-of-light issues like this too often. Using "warp drive" as a plot device to get the characters from system to system in a week or less at FTL speeds is fine, but if you're going to do that, don't fall back on sublight "impulse drive" as something that's actually useful for anything except getting into and out of orbit.

One of the reasons for that functionality I don't recall actually making it to an episode - tactical advantage in a fight. The rear section had increased maneuverability when separated, and it resulted in two targets for attackers, both of which could fire back.

Perhaps, but one of those targets is effectively stationary because it's so comparatively slow.

IIRC they used a similar tactic in "The Best of Both Worlds."

The saucer section can still maintain a warp field for a little while after separation at warp, it could potentially coast quite far out of harms way.

Tactically that would only make sense if the engineering hull could keep an enemy ship entirely occupied, if there was more than one enemy ship engaging then its going to be difficult to keep them all from pursuing the saucer.

You are right though, if you did suffer a warp core breach you aren't going anywhere quickly. But in almost all situations help is only one subspace call away.

>But in almost all situations help is only one subspace call away.

Huh? No way; whether you're in a battle with 3 cloaked Romulan warbirds, or have an imminent warp core breach, you have minutes, at most, to get help. Other starships aren't that close by.

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