So, was Cochrane's warp drive concept something special, or wasn't it ?

[Spot261]

A quick glance at Memory Alpha reveals 19 instances of cochranes or their metric variations being used as measures of subspace phenomena, although not always in the form of a traditional warp field. Various anomalies and transwarp effects are also listed but tellingly SF engines are rated in millicochranes.

 

[at Quark's]

A Vulcan or an Andorian accessing the same data would probably see native units there instead of cochranes, though.

That's possible, but I'd like to believe that it would be required of at least all Starfleet personnel to be adept in working with a certain 'standard' unit measurement system (and probably in a certain standardized language, too). You don't want to rely on computer conversions and translations to such a degree that (technical) communication and manipulation is impossible once the system breaks down severely enough to make conversions and translations unavailable (say, in a combat or other emergency situation).

From that, it would only be a small step to suppose they use that system in their everyday Starfleet working environment, too.

 

[Timo]

Then again, reliable translation is probably more vital to our heroes than reliable oxygen supply. Alien communications is what their job is all about when it comes to crisis situations. And I seriously doubt Kira ever learned to speak a single word of English, say, but she blended in just fine.

We can see with our own eyes that the computer readouts and pennant texts of hero starships are in Latin alphabet and English language. Then again, Cardassian or Kazon readouts are not, and our heroes fluently read those. There's no point in learning languages when you can apparently rely 100% on knowing all the languages of the universe anyway. (Well, 99% if we include DS9 "Babel").

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Longinus]

Then again, Cardassian or Kazon readouts are not, and our heroes fluently read those.

Wait, what, did this actually happen? I though UT was for spoken language only... This makes it even weirder than it already was.

 

[Timo]

The one thing the UT can't be is some sort of a microphone-and-loudspeaker combination, because that wouldn't even start to explain the lipsynch thing. If the UT hacks into the process somewhere deeper inside the neural process, then it could just as well process written languages, or gestural languages, or some sort of sepia-talk based on skin color changes. And Tom Paris does read Kazon just fine in, say, "Investigations". Or Torres the lingo of Kelis in "Muse". (Is it the UTs in our own brains/TV sets that give us plain written English in "Blink of an Eye", perhaps?)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[at Quark's]

It almost must be in that case. How else to explain all those situations where crewmen of different species' backgrounds are looking simultaneously at the same console with data ? Either they read the same language, or the UT interface goes a lot deeper than just audio translation ...

 

[uniderth]

In TAS Uhura references what we hear as English to be the "universal language we speak."

 

[Spot261]

Then again, reliable translation is probably more vital to our heroes than reliable oxygen supply

Strange, my wife seems to apply a similar philosophy to facebook

 

[Crow T. Robot]

I could have sworn there was an explanation in either TOS that the Universal Translator was inherently psychic (or at least used "brainwaves") in nature. Unfortunately, my memory is really hazy on the subject.

 

[USS Triumphant]

I could have sworn there was an explanation in either TOS that the Universal Translator was inherently psychic (or at least used "brainwaves") in nature. Unfortunately, my memory is really hazy on the subject.

Prolonged exposure to babel fish can do that, in rare cases.

 

[Crow T. Robot]

:P

I was curious so I looked it up. It was actually the episode with Cochrane. Go figure.

 

[TwoJakes]

I believe in The Outcast while Riker is showing Soren the controls of a shuttlecraft, Soren uses the term "millicochranes."

 

[drt]

ST '09 had Nimoy/Spock on a body close enough to personally witness Vulcan's destruction

The way he watched the destruction of Vulcanwas so stylized always thought it was more that Spock was seeing that with his mind's eye, the same way he felt the destruction of Intrepid in TOS, rather than literally witnessing it directly.

 

[Timo]

Indeed, Nero could hardly have counted on Spock witnessing the loss of Vulcan visually, from a planet that clouded over - but he could have counted on Spock witnessing it telepathically.

Also, if Spock could "really" see it, so could Scotty! We're much better off assuming only Vulcan telepaths could observe the event from that location.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[MAGolding]

After stardates, dates are most often given in human Gregorian Calendar terms. With the very rare exception, Federation ships are named after Earth locations or humans. Star Trek has always been very Earth/human centric so it's no wonder that the "inventor of warp drive" from Earth would be lauded as if he invented warp drive for the entire galaxy. Especially when we're dealing with TOS.

No. Many dates were given, but very, very, very few were specified as dates AD or BC and thus in the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Have you ever tried making a list of dates specified as AD or BC?
Even if all the unspecified dates are assumed to be Earth dates, it is reasonable to speculate that Earth dates are given in several different Earth calendars with different starting dates. In fact, we have to accept that is a proven fact.

 

[TwoJakes]

Indeed, Nero could hardly have counted on Spock witnessing the loss of Vulcan visually, from a planet that clouded over - but he could have counted on Spock witnessing it telepathically.

Spock in the scene was outside, his posture standing and looking into the sky. The scene didn't suggest he was in the cave experiencing things telepathically. If Nero let Spock know what his plans were and about when Vulcan was going to collapse Spock could have been outside waiting. Nero could have had Spock deposited only shortly before the atticipated collapse, not enough time to get to the base, to try to issue a warning, the only thing he could do is stand there and watch (with his own eyes).

Also, if Spock could "really" see it, so could Scotty! We're much better off assuming only Vulcan telepaths could observe the event from that location.

But would Scotty have known to stand outside? At that point in his life would Scotty have even cared? He probably felt Vulcan's destruction (shaking) but not witnessed it.

 

[Jedman67]

the UT simply translates the historical records to english on our TV sets.

 

[TwoJakes]

Even if all the unspecified dates are assumed to be Earth dates, it is reasonable to speculate that Earth dates are given in several different Earth calendars with different starting dates. In fact, we have to accept that is a proven fact.

As far as different calenders, the names of the months would establish quickly what calender was being used.

Chaitra is a month in the Hindu calender, not the European.

 

[WebLurker]

The most likely reasons that Cochrane's warp drive is so remembered is because it was an important milestone in Federation/Starfleet history (which is central to the franchise). First Contact explains just how important it was, and that it would be deemed significant in history for that alone.

Also, under the circumstances, its an impressive feat. Cochrane may not have built it in a cave with a box of scraps, but the post-atomic horror era of Earth was not pretty. It was also pretty quick, too and we have a few instances of aliens being amazed as just how fast humans can develop themselves:

“It took my people nearly 1,500 years to rebuild our world and travel to the stars. You humans did the same in less than a century.” (Soval, “The Forge” [ENT])

“But think about it, Uncle. That means that they want being savages with a simple barter system to leaders of a vast interstellar Federation in only five thousand years. It took us twice as long to establish the Ferengi Alliance and we had to buy warp technology from the [get cut off].” (Nog, “Little Green Men” [DS9])

So, between the fact that Star Trek focuses on the agencies that would most remember Cochrane, it's paramount importance in history, and the fact that it was an amazing accomplishment, it makes sense that Cochrane's warp drive would be famous, esp. as it seems to be implied that Starfleet runs on warp engines based on the Cochrane version.

 

[Timo]

But would Scotty have known to stand outside?

...For listening to the distress calls?

If he did go for a wee walk at a crucial moment (half a day?), though, I'm sure there'd still have been a beep from his console afterwards. There's always a beep for plot-relevant things.

At that point in his life would Scotty have even cared?

...So now our "hero" switches off his subspace set when it's nothing but that old boring "Vulcan is trembling! Vulcan is under alien attack! Vulcan is collapsing! Vulcan is gone! Vulcan is still gone! Vulcan remains gone! Wait for the most recent of Vulcan still being gone!" all day long?

And then a Vulcan waltzes in, and the subject doesn't arise?

it makes sense that Cochrane's warp drive would be famous

...Famous as in never getting a mention? That is, never. Except the two times our human heroes meet him face to face, that is.

So there are at least two planets named after him. Makes him twice as famous as Sherman, I guess. Whoever that was.

Timo Saloniemi