Books in the 24th century?

[PorthosShadow]

Not get too far off topic but I was watching "Booby Trap" a few weeks ago and something struck me as odd. Lt. Commander Geordie Laforge the cheif engineer of the Federeration Flagship apparently doesn't know the name Leah Brahms who we are told is a brilliant engineer and really responsible for said engine of the Federation Flagship.

Now, what strikes me odd is that obviously Georgie doesn't know who this woman is but rather its apparent no one in the 24th century writes biographies or books about people. With the except of holidecks humans in the 24th century either hang out with each other or read. I always thought of Geordie as a nerd burried in tech manuals and books.

So it really surprises me that the cheif engineer didn't at least recall comeing across the name of a key designer of The Enterprise.

 

[Epsilon IX]

It does seem odd that someone like Geordi doesn't know the chief designer of the Enterprise or hasn't done his research in the first place, especially when we get the impression that he probably has more books and engineering manuals than friends, and that being in the position he's in might mean that it is required.
As for the physical aspect of 'books', we have seen throughout the series that people look at data on PADDS, or on computers, which I imagine would have a greater advantage since they can store more data and you can scroll up and down, and not worry about losing your place. Some people, however choose to read old-fashioned style books for old time's sake, or because they believe that they capture the beauty and essence of the written word better than what can be displayed on a PADD or for nostalgia. The latter point can be best expressed in the way that although we have CDs and MP3s we still listen to vinyls or cassettes from time to time.

 

[Finn]

Agreed. Geordi should have been at least aware of Dr. Leah Brahms.

 

[Lt.Cmdr.LaForge]

aye, one would expect some one so engrossed in the workings of his ship that he would at least have heard of the person who designed his engines... But since Geordie knows almost everything about everything else, we can forgive him for this one =] Laforge ftw

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Never mind that he didn't know who she was... He never bothered to find out that this woman he's very enamored of was MARRIED? Given the roughly year and a half between Booby Trap and Galaxy's Child, that's just too much of a stretch for me.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Maybe someone else stole her credit in the history books. It might explain why she has such a big chip on her shoulder.

 

[EmperorTiberius]

Engineers work in teams. It was designed by a team most likely, and she was the leader and took all credit. I really doubt that a ship engineer today knows who designed the nuclear reactor that runs a carrier, you would just assume it was a bunch of engineers.

 

[RAMA]

It seemed to me that because Brahms was a "junior member" of a large design team, she got lost in the mix. Perhaps because of her age, she was not given as much credit as Geordi discovered she deserved. As for books, well the future is already here:



Difference in Kindle 1 to Kindle 2's dithering:

Sony's entry: