Spoilers Senior Officer Replicators

[Charles Phipps]

I have no problem with the idea that the Replicators for Lower Deckers are crap versus Officer ones. We've seen repeatedly everyone complain about replicator technology. A lot of fans like to suggest replicator food is perfectly good compared to "real" food but everything shown on screen says the exact opposite. It's even still the case on Picard where Riker would rather get his own stone pizza oven and organic food than work with a replicator.

DS9 was also a constant struggle as apparently Cardassians only have Federation knock off replicators with Jake complaining about their inferior quality.

So it makes sense Starfleet divides the "luxury" replicators from the standard ones as they clearly have a lot of trouble with the technology.

 

[Timo]

The thing there is, the greatest replication achievements are made by the supposedly crappiest machines. Random Cardassian (Ferengi?) food slots on DS9 perfectly reproduce (and enlarge!) the probability-altering alien machines in "Rivals"; damaged machines that appear to work so poorly that even Janeway has to ration her coffee create living neural tissue without as much as a shrug in "Emanations".

Complaining is a leading international sport. It doesn't require that there actually be anything to complain about.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Romulan_spy]

I have no problem with the idea that the Replicators for Lower Deckers are crap versus Officer ones. We've seen repeatedly everyone complain about replicator technology. A lot of fans like to suggest replicator food is perfectly good compared to "real" food but everything shown on screen says the exact opposite. It's even still the case on Picard where Riker would rather get his own stone pizza oven and organic food than work with a replicator.

DS9 was also a constant struggle as apparently Cardassians only have Federation knock off replicators with Jake complaining about their inferior quality.

So it makes sense Starfleet divides the "luxury" replicators from the standard ones as they clearly have a lot of trouble with the technology.

I think it makes sense that real food would be superior to replicated food. After all, replicator tech would not be 100% perfect. Replicators are essentially making copies of food items. Copies will always be a little inferior to the original.

And it makes sense that Cardassian replicators might be inferior to Starfleet replicators if Cardassian tech is not as sophisticated. I like the analogy of a Chinese knock-off iPhone won't be as good as a real iPhone.

But I am not sure I agree about ships having separate "luxury" replicators for the senior staff and "common" replicators for the lower decks. It's not a case of having inferior Cardassian tech since both are the same Starfleet issue replicators. And the Federation prides itself in being an egalitarian society. So I am not sure they would want to purposely treat senior staff better than lower decks by giving one inferior replicator food. That's seems like it would promote distinct socio-economic classes which the Federation does not believe in.

 

[Hythlodeus]

I like the analogy of a Chinese knock-off iPhone won't be as good as a real iPhone.

which, of course, is seldom true. they're mostly the same except for the ridiculous price Apple demands for their incompatible products.

 

[BillJ]

And the Federation prides itself in being an egalitarian society.

Does Starfleet share in that pride? We've only seen minuscule parts of a huge organization.

So I am not sure they would want to purposely treat senior staff better than lower decks by giving one inferior replicator food.

They likely want to give their lower decks folks something to strive towards besides more work.

 

[Timo]

I think it makes sense that real food would be superior to replicated food. After all, replicator tech would not be 100% perfect. Replicators are essentially making copies of food items. Copies will always be a little inferior to the original.

I don't see how. Food isn't "perfect" to begin with: it's just more or less random molecules combined in ways that empirically satisfy a certain portion of the clientele, and drive others away in deep disgust. And all food is copies of food.

What the replicator might be guilty of is making 100% perfect copies: people might get bored with those after the 47th perfect copy of a truly enjoyable meal. But being slightly wrong every time is an exclusively positive thing, as it provides variety. And some will love it and others will hate it, just as with all food.

Now, if the replicator got every molecule 1% wrong every time, it would simply produce poison. The scenario where it gets the molecules 100% right is the more likely one there. But the quest to produce a high-class meal for Freeman and a low-class one for her daughter requires 100% success from the machines, both the machines. In this scenario, they are merely cleverly programmed so that Freeman always gets what she wants and Mariner never does, so that the motivation to climb the rank ladder emerges.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Orphalesion]

To me all that complaining TNG did about the replicators is just part of (especially early) TNG's superiority complex.

"Oooh we have this food technology millions of people would literally kill for, but instead of this nasty technology we'd rather have hand kneaded bread! Hand kneaded bread has more soul! We want 'real' schocolate sundaes and biologically farmed vegetables with beetle droppings and weevil larvae inside!"

The only context I've ever seen that addressed what's supposedly "bad" about replicated food is that it's "the exact same every time". Which doesn't really sound bad, imho. If you have the whole Federation's food databank to choose form I doubt it would get boring.
So yeah, to me all that complaining about replicated food was just overprivilaged people whining about having it too good.

 

[The Wormhole]

The replicators might replicate better food for the senior officers than the junior officers, but that food can still be crap. It's just higher quality crap.

 

[Charles Phipps]

But I am not sure I agree about ships having separate "luxury" replicators for the senior staff and "common" replicators for the lower decks. It's not a case of having inferior Cardassian tech since both are the same Starfleet issue replicators

That would be a big supposition. Replicator tech could be very complex with an "HD" version and a "standard" with them deciding to only install the HD versions for the Senior staff.

There's no reason to assume replicators all function identically.

I don't see how. Food isn't "perfect" to begin with: it's just more or less random molecules combined in ways that empirically satisfy a certain portion of the clientele, and drive others away in deep disgust. And all food is copies of food.

That's not really how food works and there's a thousand of little things that can go into it to make it less than appetizing or more. Just look at the variety and taste quality of a hamburger. Now it becomes an issue of, "Surely replicated food won't be as bad as fast food hamburgers" but maybe it really is just programmed with less complex and less well done versions.

The replicators might replicate better food for the senior officers than the junior officers, but that food can still be crap. It's just higher quality crap.

In the Lower Decks verse, it seems that its the crumbly bits on the macaronni that make Boimler's day.

 

[Shawnster]

Picard complained about the quality of his replicated food in at least 1 TNG episode, and he was the captain!

Of course, maybe this shows progression between TNG and LD eras. The quality of replicator for senior staff has increased over the years and now the sub-standard (or standard) replicator for the LD crew used to be viewed top of the line.

The same happened with crew quarters. The size of Kirk's quarters in the TMP era became the size for Jr officers quarters by the time of TNG.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

You'd think by 2380, a replicator would be a replicator, taking away the massive industrial replicators that spit whole ships out.

 

[Charles Phipps]

You'd think by 2380, a replicator would be a replicator, taking away the massive industrial replicators that spit whole ships out.

I imagine that the mechanism to make spicy food is different from the thing to make ships. I doubt technology is simplified in the future rather than even more complex and specialized.

Picard complained about the quality of his replicated food in at least 1 TNG episode, and he was the captain!

Of course, maybe this shows progression between TNG and LD eras. The quality of replicator for senior staff has increased over the years and now the sub-standard (or standard) replicator for the LD crew used to be viewed top of the line.

The same happened with crew quarters. The size of Kirk's quarters in the TMP era became the size for Jr officers quarters by the time of TNG.

It could also just be a matter of programming. You aren't allowed to customize your replicator when you're an Ensign (for fear of screwing it up) and only have the standard Ensign meals. While the Senior Staff have a lot more freedom to upload their own cuisine.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I imagine that the mechanism to make spicy food is different from the thing to make ships. I doubt technology is simplified in the future rather than even more complex and specialized.



It could also just be a matter of programming. You aren't allowed to customize your replicator when you're an Ensign (for fear of screwing it up) and only have the standard Ensign meals. While the Senior Staff have a lot more freedom to upload their own cuisine.

No doubt, but a food replicator being different for a senior officer would seem odd, unless the Captain has some black market connections and can get something not normally available.

 

[Charles Phipps]

No doubt, but a food replicator being different for a senior officer would seem odd, unless the Captain has some black market connections and can get something not normally available.

Well presumably the Lower Deckers share a caferteria version and the Senior officers get their own private one.

Then again, maybe I'm just envisioning the difference between the office coffee machines.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm more wondering if it is the chief engineer tinkering with it and boosting its efficiency and power consumption.

 

[Charles Phipps]

I'm more wondering if it is the chief engineer tinkering with it and boosting its efficiency and power consumption.

If they wanted it to be all in Boimler's head, it would also be accurate I admit.

"Senior Staff macaroni tastes different! It tastes of authority!"

 

[fireproof78]

If they wanted it to be all in Boimler's head, it would also be accurate I admit.

"Senior Staff macaroni tastes different! It takes of authority!"

Good old placebo effect.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Rsequenced protein.

Its possible that Federation replicators replicate vegetarian dishes.

Cardassian replicators, and federation replicators with illegal hacks, make actual meat.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Well presumably the Lower Deckers share a caferteria version and the Senior officers get their own private one.

Then again, maybe I'm just envisioning the difference between the office coffee machines.

That's it for me. Why would they make different food? If Starfleet isn't a true military (not a prelude for "that" argument), much less a 19th or early 20th century one where officers always had better rations, or early days of replicators (TOS had everybody using the same ones) then I'd guess they did the same things.

 

[Charles Phipps]

That's it for me. Why would they make different food?

Well, I presume because they'd be programmed better for Senior officers or of a different model. A replicator for the Lower Decks presumably exists to serve large numbers of people nutritious meals fast and done.