Data's station switch
- Thread starter Sketcher
- Start date
This isn't a complete answer, but in terms of an in-universe explanation, it's likely that the two forward stations are interchangeable anyway due to the completely touch-based LCARS interface. We've already seen that the far-back stations are modular like that, since they can each individually be set for different departments. It makes sense that either forward station could be helm or ops depending on the preference of whoever is in command.
Picard perhaps realized that he preferred it the other way, for whatever OCD reason.
Picard perhaps realized that he preferred it the other way, for whatever OCD reason.
Well it's only proper that the driver is on the left side.
I'm sure you mean "right side" since that's where the Helm station is and where it driver's seat is on European cars.
Anyway, I don't think there's any "in-universe" explanation and there may not even be a decent "out-of-universe" explanation either. The closest I can think of is that it was different from TOS which is what they were going for in TNG's early season? To be as un-TOS as possible?
It's meaningless anyway, the idea is that the consoles on the ship are interchangeable, if Picard wanted his helmsman to stand in the horseshoe railing and the weapons officer at one of the aft stations he could have it set it up that way.
From a production point of view, putting Data on the port side of the bridge, put him on the same side as the two turbo lifts, and the door to the ready room. After the first season the helm was largely occupied by a dialog-less extra (and Wesley), who sat next to the unused door to the emergency turbo lift.
In terms of camera angles, moving Data made a lot of sense.
In terms of camera angles, moving Data made a lot of sense.
From a production point of view, putting Data on the port side of the bridge, put him on the same side as the two turbo lifts, and the door to the ready room. After the first season the helm was largely occupied by a dialog-less extra (and Wesley), who sat next to the unused door to the emergency turbo lift.
In terms of camera angles, moving Data made a lot of sense.
Very true.
The episode "Ship in a Bottle" shows that Geordi was right handed.
Well it's only proper that the driver is on the left side.
I'm sure you mean "right side" since that's where the Helm station is and where it driver's seat is on European cars.
No, just UK cars. Even then, not sure about Northern Ireland, they might drive on the right as well to align with Ireland.
Both N.I and Ireland drive on the left too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic
There are several episodes of S1 TNG that feature Data (at his usual left-hand-side ops panel) being ordered to set a course, so it's indeed likely that the systems are interchangeable, and that many operations can be performed from multiple panels.
Similarly, I'm sure communications and weapons etc have occasionally been handled from different panels to the tactical position.
Similarly, I'm sure communications and weapons etc have occasionally been handled from different panels to the tactical position.
