What would you fix on the E-D?

[Bryan Moore]

I voted holodeck, but honestly, the idea of a better warp core, that could be more easily ejected would be far more intelligent.

Also, smaller quarters may not be such a bad idea. Though you could assume what, no more than 100 officers of Lt. (JG) and above, and the rest in shared quarters? On a ship that size, it's reasonable

[The Wormhole]

What I would fix was already fixed in Generations when they had more computer stations on the bridge. I always thought it looked kind of bare during the series.

[Bryan Moore]

What I would fix was already fixed in Generations when they had more computer stations on the bridge. I always thought it looked kind of bare during the series.

Agreed, but the movie lighting was AWFUL. I mean christ. I understand they were going for a military look/feel, as if a submarine. But geezus, even Das Boot it wasn't that dark! But I love the use of the space far more.

[The Wormhole]

What I would fix was already fixed in Generations when they had more computer stations on the bridge. I always thought it looked kind of bare during the series.

Agreed, but the movie lighting was AWFUL. I mean christ. I understand they were going for a military look/feel, as if a submarine. But geezus, even Das Boot it wasn't that dark! But I love the use of the space far more.

Indeed, the lighting in Generations was horrible. Especially in Ten Forward, where it seemed as though the only light was coming from outside. Now this is fine when they're orbiting a star like they were at the time. But what about when they're in deep space? Is the room pitch black?

[Teaos]

The warp core would be a handy up grade. It is the most dangerous part of the ship probably.

[DBS]

Okay, I decided to think about what (if anything) was actually fixed (or at least improved, then compare it to what I'd like to see.

1. Add redundant weapon control systems - not needed, IMO

2. Give the holodeck a safe "off switch" located outside the door, to rescue crew in case of malfunction "We're workin' on it!"

3. Place components that require maintainance in rooms instead of Jefferies tubes - I have to assume that stuff is placed where it does the most good, not just based on easy access. It's never really caused a problem, as far as I can tell.

4. Install dedicated computers to take over ship functions where possible, as opposed to relying on a single computer - I'll remind the Cylons not to bother our refit!

5. Link bridge consoles to a circuit breaker (no more exploding consloes!) - What? And remove Dramatic Plot Device?

6. Shrink the crew quarters substantially. - I think there's room. How many people do you want on this ship?

7. Add two extra warp nacelles, six poorly scaled phaser cannons, and ten photon torpedo launchers -

8. Other (please specify) - I'd actually keep most of it the same. (except for those holodecks - at least not tie them into a computer that is nearly sentient....) I could see a sort of "soft separation" between the computers. I think it makes sense to be able to tap into the main computer, but you should be able to automatically cut off the connection if there is a problem.

9. I would not suggest any changes. - No engineer would say that...

10. Add diverse and redundant systems to prevent a warp core breach - Finally, something they actually did a LITTLE to improve (at least between Generations and the end of DS9 - Galaxies in the Dominon War took a heck of a lot more damage than they could have without SOME improvement)

[Space Ghost]

I voted holodeck, even though it hadn't quite become overplayed yet in TNG. In VOY, on the other hand...

[Sionnach Glic]

1. Add redundant weapon control systems - not needed, IMO

I was thinking of the times the E-D lost all weapons to a single hit when I suggested that.

have to assume that stuff is placed where it does the most good, not just based on easy access. It's never really caused a problem, as far as I can tell.

I personally find the idea of high ranking officers (where the hell are all the engineers?) crawling around looking for important systems in the middle of a crisis to be quite ridiculous.

I'll remind the Cylons not to bother our refit!

I don't think I worded that option too well. What I meant was instead of relying on a single computer system, have lots of decentralised computers for different systems that aren't linked together. I didn't mean hand over the ships completely to the computers!

I think there's room. How many people do you want on this ship?

Its a space ship, not a cruise liner! The ship could be a lot smaller and would need less resources.

7

Yeah, that wasn't meant seriously!

I could see a sort of "soft separation" between the computers. I think it makes sense to be able to tap into the main computer, but you should be able to automatically cut off the connection if there is a problem.

Thats what I meant by number 4.

Finally, something they actually did a LITTLE to improve

I guess Starfleets original design team must have met a few "accidents" during the war.

[I Am Spartacus]

I'd shrink the crew quarters to what we'd really see in a military organization, and use the tremendous amounts of extra space to give the Galaxy class redundant weapons control systems, since Worf doesn't seem to understand the meaning of "fire all weapons."

[Teaos]

I think with something as advanced as a Federation capital ship the main computer may need to be in control of every part of the ship. It does all the work while the crew point it in the right direction.

[Sionnach Glic]

So why couldn't they have multiple computers overseeing small sections of the ship?
e.g. One for the helm, one for weapons etc.

[Teaos]

Because it is advantageous to have all that controlled by one thing. When the captain says fire at something the ship has to get into position line up and take the shot while not exposing themselves to danger.

We have no idea what the guy at helm is doing. We presume he controls the ship like we do our but maybe he gives a vague comman and the computer does the rest. By being one big computer it can achive results better than many smaller ones.

[Captain Seafort]

Because it is advantageous to have all that controlled by one thing. When the captain says fire at something the ship has to get into position line up and take the shot while not exposing themselves to danger.

We have no idea what the guy at helm is doing. We presume he controls the ship like we do our but maybe he gives a vague comman and the computer does the rest. By being one big computer it can achive results better than many smaller ones.

The problem is that if that one computer gets infected or damaged, your stuffed. Take the Yamato - they downloaded the Iconian program, and without isolation every system on the ship was probptly infected. If they were going to run athat program at all it should have been on a computer physically separated from the main system. Or the Naked Now, when the disassembly of a single bank of isoliniar chips in engineering completely disabled the ship. It's a recurrant problem with Fed starship design - if the primary system goes down, be it the computer, weapons, warp core ejection, or whatever, there's no backup. Everything's so integrated that when part of it breaks the whole thing's useless.

[Teaos]

Ok I'll conceed that there should be a back up system but I think they also need the main computer to control everything. Then they could have back up comuters seperated from the main that do nothing unless the main goes down.

[Captain Seafort]

Ok I'll conceed that there should be a back up system but I think they also need the main computer to control everything. Then they could have back up comuters seperated from the main that do nothing unless the main goes down.

Why. Why does the holodeck need to know what the weapons are doing? Why do the shields need to know what the shuttle mainainence schedule is? There are some systems that need to be linked - sensors and weapons for example - but most coordination can be done by the crew, and the different computers need not all be tied in to the same system. That way, when the holodecks break for the umpteenth time, cerain holographic megolomaniacs can't sieze control of the entire ship.