I'm starting to feel limited at two monitors and I think I have a problem. I don't even know what I'd use #3 for yet, I just would like to have options.

That sounds amazing. Honest question: how much more screen would it take before a full VR setup would seem more practical? Not everyone has a battlestation like this, and I'm genuinely curious where the line is. Thank you.

They apparently put the human element back into communications by having a third party physically carry the message like pre-screen eras. For reasons, you see.

Reminds me of the paper printouts in the very earliest TOS episodes. Like, what do you do when you run out of paper in deep space? And do you really have the storage for 5 years worth of computer printouts? Logistically, even an etch-a-sketch makes more sense.

That is one way to not get hacked I suppose

I recently read an interesting argument that the federation isn’t in fact communist, but basically something beyond our current economic concepts.

We have:

• explicit self determination, individualism and self fulfillment are held in the highest regard, so much so that it is considered the objective of life to find personal fulfillment and in doing so, giving back to society
• post scarcity economy, everyone can have any material need fulfilled at any time by virtue of replicators. Though many goods and commodities are still produced in the traditional way to provide a better quality product (how is this limited amount allocated?)
• Money is not used internally, but the federation has no objection to using it for commerce with other cultures. There is also indication for power tied credit system that federation citizens are subject to, for example for complex replication and transport
• being a merchant or trader, or rather generally seeking profit and material wealth are, while considered outdated by most, not offensive or even illegal within the federation. There is plenty of evidence for private enterprise, for example the publishing studio that distributes the doctor's holo novel in VOY

And many more, even contradictory to our current day minds, aspects that put the federation system and ideology someplace further than our current concepts.

I'm sorry, what?

post-scarcity, not communist.

I'm more amused by Jake writing his stories on a PADD with a stylus, but you see it and it's all printed text.

They can even have their own special UI! The way they talk about reconfiguring panels makes it seem like you can build your own UI on the fly, especially the time Worf yelled at a dude who put the con controls in the engine room of the defiant and didn't use the standard layout.