Quick discussion on the episode Court Martial.

[ZapBrannigan]

The obvious in-universe point of the microphone device was to eliminate the heartbeats of everybody in the room one by one, for purely dramatic reasons. But that's also a practical way to do it: once eliminated, they stay eliminated, and can now wander everywhere in the ship without making it more difficult to track Finney.

Well, that wasn't a plot hole after all. Thanks.

How the device identifies a specific heartbeat is not described in detail.

It must be that each one has a unique sound, if your audio resolution is high enough.

One remaining plot hole is that the Enterprise could have easily been placed in a stable orbit prior to shutting down the impulse engines. And the drama could have been added back by some other "ticking bomb" style sabotage by Finney.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

My problem with the white sound device was that your body makes more noises than your heartbeat.

In fact, I wrote a fanfic inspired by just that, in which

Spoiler: Fanfic

Scotty, who isn't in this episode, returns to the ship hungry as a bear and his stomach roars over the ship's comms, scaring the heck out of McCoy.

 

[Timo]

It must be that each one has a unique sound, if your audio resolution is high enough.

The problem is that this type of sound ought to be constantly changing. It might be possible to keep the computer from confusing the sound of Stone's heart with the sound of Finney's even if both constantly changed, but that assumes they'd have a sample of Finney's heart noises, too (they supposedly do get it after eliminating everything else, though). But it just sounds as iffy to me as trying to identify a person by, say, his handwriting or his silhouette. A lot of variables there.

One remaining plot hole is that the Enterprise could have easily been placed in a stable orbit prior to shutting down the impulse engines. And the drama could have been added back by some other "ticking bomb" style sabotage by Finney.

True. But Trek often seems to feature ships in hover, presumably because they want to maintain station above a point of interest. Starbase 11 would be a point of interest, and one our annoyed Commodores and Captains would wish to keep within transporter range until this nonsense was over. '

(And it is within transporter range, as evidenced by Cogley bringing Jamie Finney aboard, thus beaming down once and up once. There are two ways for this to happen: he goes down while things are fine, then beams up when the orbit is already decaying - which doesn't sound likely, as he isn't deliberately trying to make a hostage out of Jamie - or then completes the cycle before Finney sabotages the engines. If the latter, the ship doesn't really have time to do a full freefall lap around the planet between the beamings. OTOH, unless Kirk really prodded his guests along, the time is too long for a freefalling ship to remain above the horizon of SB 11 all the time.

So, utter disregard of space physics by the writers actually works in favor of said physics...)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[jup]

I presumed that the function of the microphone was so that everyone could roam about the ship. Else, just filtering out the bridge was my instant jump-to pondering point, as well. As for the ever changing conditions inside the Human body...I also presumed that even back then, they comprehended that computers would only become more complex and capable of doing a great number of things...like adjusting for variances like that. They just didn't know exactly how the tech would evolve.

Capt. Kirk: Captain's log, supplemental. Engineering Officer Scott informs, warp engines damaged, but can be made operational and re-energized.
Enterprise Computer: Computed and recorded, dear.
Capt. Kirk: Computer, you will not address me in that manner. Compute.
Enterprise Computer: Computed... dear.
Capt. Kirk: Mr. Spock, I ordered this computer and its interlinking systems repaired.
Mr. Spock: I have investigated it, Captain. To correct the fault will require an overhaul of the entire computer system and a minimum of three weeks at a starbase.
Capt. Kirk: I wouldn't mind so much if only it didn't get so... affectionate.
Mr. Spock: It also has an unfortunate tendency to giggle.

Of course, I do tend to ponder why if Finney was trying to stay hidden while enacting his revenge, he'd ever bother reprogramming the computer on how to play chess. Sure. I guess he's got to have some kind of distraction. And this ship seems rather lacking in options. But, I don't tend to think of him as being able to mentally support a whole 3-D chess board inside of his head. And, to duck into the break room sure seems like a good way to get caught.

 

[J.T.B.]

Of course, I do tend to ponder why if Finney was trying to stay hidden while enacting his revenge, he'd ever bother reprogramming the computer on how to play chess.

I never thought that's what it was. I thought the degraded chess playing was some kind of odd side-effect of Finney's tampering with the computer record. Like the memory bank was a sealed system and whatever Finney did broke the seal and could "taint" the memory in unforeseen ways.

 

[UssGlenn]

The microphone looking white noise device should have been replaced with a simple little gizmo that is clipped on the uniform, everybody gets one and it masks your sounds while you wear it. Then there is no more question of how it keeps working when you leave the bridge.

 

[Commishsleer]

I never thought that's what it was. I thought the degraded chess playing was some kind of odd side-effect of Finney's tampering with the computer record. Like the memory bank was a sealed system and whatever Finney did broke the seal and could "taint" the memory in unforeseen ways.

The connection seems a little vague when you drill this episode down. I mean why can't Spock get better at chess after all his games with Kirk? Maybe that's why he can suddenly beat the computer, maybe he programmed the chess game months ago, maybe he's better at chess than programming.
The way I explain it to myself was maybe Finney wiped out recent program changes and they got the default chess program without any of Spock's programming so that's why he beat it so easily.

And why did they need a crew to maintain orbit. I think the Exeter remained in geosynchronous orbit unmanned?

Also the white noise heart thing that works on Spock too seems a bit weird. What practical use would you have for it on a Starship? Still it had great drama so I forgive it.

 

[Timo]

The connection seems a little vague when you drill this episode down. I mean why can't Spock get better at chess after all his games with Kirk? Maybe that's why he can suddenly beat the computer, maybe he programmed the chess game months ago, maybe he's better at chess than programming.

Even today, it should be easy to see that computers will be better than live people, not by some slight degree, but about a million times more overwhelmingly than an elephant arm-wrestling an ant...

The way I explain it to myself was maybe Finney wiped out recent program changes and they got the default chess program without any of Spock's programming so that's why he beat it so easily.

Why simplify, let alone to the degree of oversimplifying? Why does something the designated computer wizard Finney does have to be understandable to mere mortals?

More fundamentally, why think that anything we know about computers today should be even remotely relevant to what computers are like in the 23rd century (even in the ultraconservative, technologically retarded Federation)? It's about as ridiculous as a general from 1,500 BC telling how he would manage Operation Barbarossa - he's likely to get even the simplest fundamentals dead wrong.

And why did they need a crew to maintain orbit. I think the Exeter remained in geosynchronous orbit unmanned?

In orbit of some sort at any rate. But geostationary is highly impractical - for a world like Earth, it's too distant for the visuals we usually get in Trek, including this episode. And the planet on which SB 11 seems to have a pretty typical mass/gravity and day/night cycle, so we can't plead styrofoam or neutronium here. And never mind whether SB11 is at the equator or not (because the transporter wouldn't mind, either), but that's a factor in certain other cases.

Also the white noise heart thing that works on Spock too seems a bit weird. What practical use would you have for it on a Starship? Still it had great drama so I forgive it.

The very idea that it has no practical use is a great excuse for it appearing impractical, now isn't it?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I thought the degraded chess playing was some kind of odd side-effect of Finney's tampering with the computer record. Like the memory bank was a sealed system and whatever Finney did broke the seal and could "taint" the memory in unforeseen ways.

I have a different take on why Finney's log alteration damaged the chess program. My work involves mainframe computers, and since many unrelated programs perform the same types of chores at some point or other, we save a ton of coding work by having a "Proc Lib" (pronounced Prock Libe; contraction of procedure library).

A proc is like a subroutine, a generic "plug in" program segment, stored in the Proc Lib. Whenever a main program has to do some common task, like a sort for instance, it calls upon the appropriate proc to do that. Having a vast number of programs share the same few procs is more efficient than duplicating those generic subroutines a vast number of times.

To get away with altering the video log, Finney had to alter (corrupt) a shared program, or proc, that Spock's chess program was also calling upon. The chess game continued to play, but not correctly because something it needed, some shared code, was out of kilter.

 

[DonIago]

I'm reminded of the Western episode of TNG, where Data's interfacing with the computer had unintended side-effects.

 

[scotpens]

Also the white noise heart thing that works on Spock too seems a bit weird. What practical use would you have for it on a Starship?

Since it's obviously a microphone, it's so Kirk can entertain the ship's crew with his rendition of "Rocket Man."

 

[DonIago]

Kirk "entertaining" the ship's crew with his rendition of "Rocket Man" at the end of the episode would have been an ingenious way to both locate and incapacitate Finney.

 

[jup]

I could definitely buy into ZapBrannigan's explanation on how the two programs might interlace. And, it also makes sense how Spock might reach the same kind of conclusion. Because, I sure don't see how Spock might otherwise think that altering the video logs would have any effects on a chess AI. We can also give thanks to Voyager on nudging us in on how all on-board computer functions are basically tied into one massive mainframe.

The White Noise device seems simple enough. It's a studio. Got lots of microphones hanging about, I bet. Making a clip on prop would probably have cost money. Simple. Reuse extra equipment as a prop.

"Have no fear. O'Riley's here. ...I'll take you home again, Kathleen." Kirk: "Please. Not again." Yea...having a sing off competition sound fun, right about there.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Now, they establish that Kirk has to fill out some detailed report and sworn deposition because a man was killed. Did he have to do this every time he lost a crewman? Because, he'd be on trial a LOT....

 

[Mytran]

From the way Kirk and the Commodore are talking in this episode, my guess would be...yes!

I don't suppose the reports are normally submitted in person, though

 

[DonIago]

FORM 787-D: Reduction in Starship Personnel

Personnel:
A. Missing in Action
B. Turned noncorporeal.
C. Stayed behind voluntarily.
D. Died.
E. Lost, presumed hiding in crawlways.

Check all that apply:
A. Crewman
B. Lover
C. Former Lover
D. Sexy Yeoman
E. Civilian Beamed up from Planet
F. Civilian Passenger
G. Evil Admiral
H. Good Admiral (just kidding!)
I. Ambassador
J. Family