TOS Computer Question

[GSchnitzer]

Well, if anyone has any idea what the word/text on the button in the shadow right under the crewman's hand is, I'd like to know.

Yes, it's "THANTUX," which means nothing as far as I know. For years I've tried really hard to hallucinate that what it says is "THANTUN." (Mr. THANT was the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) back when Star Trek was on the air, so I thought maybe that was the inspiration for the marking.) But I can't do it: the last character looks to be an "X, not an "N."

This boxy unit had just been used in the previous episode ("Court Martial")--in both Commodore Mendez' office and in the courtroom. So for "The Menagerie," they tried to make it look like a third, different unit by redecorating it with all the goofy wording. (The wording still remains on the unit when we see it again down on Eminiar in "Taste of Armageddon.")

Pretty much everything you would want to know about the various desktop boxy computer units can be found here:

http://tosgraphics.yuku.com/topic/371/t/TOS-Computer-props.html

 

[Keith1701]

Okay, well I found this HD cap, and it answers the question-marked text, and points out some mistakes I made, but I still need to know if the "thantux" word is right, lol:

Good Question, and great picture of the prop as well.

 

[FordSVT]

Almost too much detail, it really looks like a wooden box nailed together and painted, even has chips on the edges where it was cut with a saw. Good thing TV back then wasn't broadcast very clearly.

At least, for the most part, TNG+ stayed away from modern computer terminology when describing amounts of data and calculation speed. They just made shit like "kiloquads" up. I think the only time a hard number was mentioned was Data's 32 trillion OPS, which isn't even that fast compared to some of today's super computers, but then again his brain is about the size of ours, it obviously requires far less energy and gives off far less waste heat than a modern supercomputer, and the nature of Data's positronic matrix probably allows him to use those OPS in a way modern computers can't. Maybe some kind of quantum parallel processing or something like what some scientists think human beings might do with their organic brains.

 

[G2309]

Its always best not to go into too much detail I agree. We cant predict what advancements we'll make and such references make episodes sound dated.

 

[Bill Morris]

Tessallated Hamilton Analysis, Natural Triangluated Uniform Examination. It has to do with how a topgraphical map gathered from orbit is organized and tabulated as an array of surface triangles and their geodesic coordinates so the computer can report the location of any requested search item found.

 

[Anticitizen]

Tessallated Hamilton Analysis, Natural Triangluated Uniform Examination. It has to do with how a topgraphical map gathered from orbit is organized and tabulated as an array of surface triangles and their geodesic coordinates so the computer can report the location of any requested search item found.

Okay... so what does the single on/off toggle switch do? Turn the Tessallated Hamilton Analysis, Natural Triangluated Uniform Examination system on or off?

 

[Bill Morris]

That's not hard. You either want THANTUX mode on or you don't.

 

[Brian]

You might check this thread: http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=81174

There's a lot of great information in there about props.

 

[T'Girl]

Yes, it's "THANTUX,"

My previous computer used to display the words "Thank You" from time to time after certain commands.

In Diane Duane's novels, the little cassettes seen sliding into slots were referred to as "logic solids."