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The section on replicator theory needs revision. As it stands now:
The first paragraph does not accurately describe the underlying process of the replicator. It does not rely on the rearrangment of subatomic particles. It does not create quantities of elemental molecules and then rearrange them chemically. Computer power has little to do with the situation, and speculating on the technology levels of the 24th century are beside the point in an article on a fictional technology.
Basically, the replicator is a small transporter pad. It is a special application of Transporter technology that basically beams matter from one location to another, but instead of bothering to duplicate it, substitutes a pre-scanned pattern.
Bulk matter is not stored at the replicator, it is stored at a centralized location on ship or station- which is then converted to energy, transferred to the required terminal, where the energy is converted to matter. There aren't any chemical reactions, the entire mass is made as a unit, straight down to molecular resolution. While replicators certainly CAN create elemental matter, it's certainly not exclusively so.
Chemical and subatomic manipulation is a hallmark of the protein synthesis used prior to the development of true replicators. The first paragraph needs serious revision or removal. -- Alexwcovington ( talk) 21:41, 28 Feb 2005 (UTC)
I support that. This paragraph is very wrong and needs heavy rework done.
According to the description in the TM the replicator is basically a very low resolution transporter and does not do any subatomic rearrangements or quantum level actions, but only on molecular level. For food it uses an organic suspension as raw material, not some particles from space. For non-food there are other bulks of raw material stored in the ship. -- 192.18.108.75
Is it true that Kirk's Enterprise had no replicators? What were they using in Tomorrow is Yesterday, then? Chicken soup appears out of nowhere. Adam Bishop 00:49, 29 May 2005 (UTC)
Redux, I don't understand how Adam Bishop is "getting ahead of ourselves" by referring to canon events, nor how those events can be dismissed as plot holes. To explain away original series technology that seems in all respects identical to replicator technology as the actions of the production crew would be the same thing as explaining away replicators in the 24th Century as nothing more than special effects. I think Mr. Bishop's reference to the sudden chicken soup is legitimate; it is not something the 60s writers overlooked, as in "where did that chicken soup come from?" it was something deliberately introduced as an example of 23rd Century technology. The fact that some users may not remember this particular incident, or others like it, does not change the fact that those incidents -- meaning uses of replicator technology -- were explicity used in the original series.
Redux, you repeatedly refer to allusions to canon events as fan speculation, which doesn't make any sense at all. Your insistence that the idea of replicators "didn't cross anybody's mind back when the show was produced" is OBJECTIVELY disproven by the fact that the technology WAS featured in several original series episodes, so obviously somebody had to think of it back then. Your logic that technology in the "Star Trek" universe must have advanced in the decades that passed between the settings of the two series is legitimate, but your logic that references to specific episodes do not have any place in an encyclopedic entry is highly faulty; that's all we have to go on. Reference to specific incidents is not inference or speculation, it's simple observation. I have attempted the latest revision to reflect your beliefs without ignoring these plain facts. If you still think that Mr. Bishop's and my own references to explicit events in the series are nothing more than speculation, I would request that you ask another editor to settle the dispute.
Adam Bishop is right. Redux is splitting hairs - particularly since the article mentions TOS only created "Colored cubes." TOS had technology to at least create sandwiches and beverages. This article should be turned over to another editor with less of an agenda to push. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2604:6000:E48B:B600:DC07:8C0:8CAE:EF18 ( talk) 03:15, 30 August 2019 (UTC)
21:22, 30 September 2005 Redux m (Rv. unwarranted removal of data.)
Apparently, you missed my point. Discussing plot lines is, as I said, besides the point for this particular segment. This article is not about an episode, and also not about the plots developed using the replicator in it, although, as I said, this could be approached elsewhere in the article. Talking about what is canon in the show goes right back to discussing retcons and details of the storytelling itself, which is not what that part of the article is about: we are describing a piece of fictional technology that was created as part of the background for Star Trek back when TNG was conceived, and the article states how it was originally inserted in the timeline: the 24th century. Sure it's been retconned, and sure the retcon counts as canon and is to be taken into account when discussing the plots of episodes, etc. But what I'm saying is that, for that particular section, this is besides the point.
And yes, this point has been brought up before, and it was eventually dropped every time. There's a large number of Star Trek fans out there, and they tend to think of the article as having to tell the story of the replicator as it was developed within the fictional universe, that is, disregarding what happened originally and describing canon retcon as the "truth". Problem is: this is not what needs to be done there. Again, this is not to say that it can't be done at all in the article, but it shouldn't be done in the opening section, and its inclusion does not mean that the current text would need to be removed/replaced. I've suggested to other users that they should write a new section in the article, explaining the present History of the replicator as described in the Star Trek storytelling system — that would be the appropriate venue to state that the replicator was present in the 22nd century, that the Federation didn't have it until the 24th century, etc., since those are plot elements, that should be in the article (but not to the detriment of the "real life" historical development of events). No one cared enough to actually write the section.
Let me use your own example as a basis for one of my own: if this article was about a Star Trek character, which was replaced in the show because the actor who played the character died (a little dramatic, but bear with me), we, as an encyclopedia (and not a Star Trek wiki), would have to have our article read something like: John Doe was the chief medical officer on board Enterprise, but when Whats-his-name, who played the character, died in 19XX, the writers removed the character from the story, by having him transferred to another starship. That would be in the opening section of the article, which could not read: John Doe was the chief medical officer on Enterprise who was transferred to another starship after three years. Notice that in this example, the "real life" event would be the untimely death of the actor who played the character. This absolutely has to be acknowledged in the opening section of the article. The plot change made to accommodate the needs of the storytelling (that they wouldn't be able to show that character anymore) has to be told in perspective. But then, we could have another section in the article, about the character's story arc, where we would talk about him from the storytelling perspective, saying stuff like John Doe was the chief medical officer on board Enterprise for three years, until he was transferred to another spaceship, where he served for the rest of his career, until he was killed by a Klingon Bird of Pray during a hostile standoff. And imagine that the character's death at the hand of the Klingons could have been inserted in the storytelling years after the actor's death, and done in another show, while making references to the characters of the previous shows. It doesn't matter from the perspective of the storytelling, since it's canon, or because no one had "clearly said" that the character had lived or died after leaving Enterprise, so we could assume either way, etc. But you see, this is a completely different issue.
Sorry, long post again. This actually makes it that much more difficult to make the point clearly. Maybe the example helped? And please, do try to
assume good faith. Regards,
Redux 19:15, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
Before commenting on this, let me start with something else in the article: we do not insert links in the middle of the article to discussions on the talk page. We sometimes do tag the article for issues that might be going on, and those tags contain links to the talk page some of the times, but that's only even done for extreme situations, usually when edit wars or other grave things are happening in the article, which has not been the case here. We are approaching a reasonable resolution, and the article's integrity was never at stake. But a link in the middle of the text, that we don't do — it's not the same as tagging, as with a "regular" tag. I'll remove it again.
Now, about the rewording, first a technicality: I used them myself to save time here on the talk page, but on the article we cannot use abbreviations for the shows, such as "TNG" or "TOS" or "ST:ENT". Just a heads up, since we are so used to applying those terms that we might forget that a lot of people will have no clue to what they mean (and it would be poor encyclopedic practice, anyways).
On to the rewording. About the centuries, yes it refers to canon, but it's done from a "real world" perspective, that is, we are not describing final canon (how it stands after the official retcons, etc., which would be suited for that new section), but rather how the story was constructed by the real people responsible for it. So, we'd say replicators were originally invented in the 24th century, being nonexistent (...), that's in reference to, as I mentioned before, the known fact that the new gadgets introduced in TNG were part of the effort to distinguish it from TOS, and mark the 80 years that had passed between both storylines. The zeitgeist seems to have been clearly to have the replicator (and other machines) be a 24th century invention. Then, of course, some of those things became rather popular, and there's the fact that there had been at least one Star Trek franchise in production between 1987 and 2005, which of course gives writers plenty of time to retcon stuff beyond recognition. Through those retcons, they have erased the original "time placement" of the replicator, with, for instance, the mention to its existing in the 22nd century, etc. Our accuracy lies in recognizing the original outline of the replicator (a machine that would have been invented in the 24th century proposed by TNG) and the fact that it has been altered at a later time (which differs, as per my previous comment, from saying something like replicators were present in the 22nd century, but the Federation didn't have it (...), which would be a statement "from within the storytelling" — again, for that other section). If we start eliminating the references to the original ideas because they (of course) contradict the recent retcons, we are, for all practical purposes, only reflecting the retcons from a point of view of the storylines.
In my proposal for rewording, it says As originally created for TNG, the replicator would have been invented in the 24th century, being nonexistent on TOS (and the 23rd century). (...). That would seem to reflect this reality, because it states the original construction of the story by those responsible for it: the replicator (like other gadgets), was originally conceived to be a technological leap made during the gap of 80 years. Maybe we could improve the wording, but I don't think that the reference to its being a 24th century invention according to the original idea, which was done for the TNG show (we're not saying simply that the replicator was invented in the 24th century because that's the storyline of the show).
And I think that we can use the word 'exists', since that ST:ENT episode shows a working replicator in the 22nd century (it wasn't just a scientist working on a project using the concept). I'll stop now, before this gets too long. Also, I'll be on a wikibreak as of tomorrow, so if we can't resolve this now, you could do the rewording as we have it so far, I'll get back to it as soon as I return. Regards,
Redux 15:36, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
On a sidenote: what will we do in 95 years, when the arrival of the 22nd century will make ...showing a similar device as early as the 22nd century. dangerously ambiguous? The current version now is merely ambiguous. -- Zanaq 18:05, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Are there any Star Trek storylines that explore or at least mention the invention of the replicator? The replicator is probably one of those plot devices that creators try not to think about too hard, but surely some Star Trek writer somewhere has explored the replicator's IC origins. Was it a human creation, or was it introduced to Man by the Vulcans, or what? Mr. Billion 08:04, 16 Jun 2005 (UTC)
I added a small comment about replicators possibly being alien tech into a section that basicly said the likley hood of replicators being created by the 24th century is slim to nil based on our current progress of tech development. This was removed by Redux because, and I quote... "(Was this suggesting alien transference of tecnology? This is not the point here. This section is about Okuda's scientific explanation for how it could work, albeit maybe not as soon as the 24th c.)" First of all, I have no idea who Okuda is, secondally if that section is just about the theory of how they work then there shouldn't be an assumption of whether or not we'll have them in the 24th century or not since it discounts things like the possibility of another scientific boom like the last century and alien intervention. If you really must have the assumption of a time frame in there and how it would not be possible you should really have another POV to make the artical NPOV -- Zikar 3 July 2005 16:04 (UTC)
A replicator can create any inanimate matter, as long as the desired molecular structure is on file, but it cannot create antimatter, dilithium, or a living organism of any kind.
Matter isn't created... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 170.224.179.148 ( talk • contribs) .
In the section "Technology To Die For", it's stated that Captain Janeway refuses to give out the technology of the replicators to anyone in the Delta Quandrant for fear that the technology would be improperly used. This, however, is not completely true. In the episode called "Think Tank", Janeway offers the replicator technology to the "think tank" group as a means of payment for their assistance. Even though they don't accept it, she didn't seem like she was trying to keep the replicator technology to herself. I seem to be able to recall at least one other episode in Star Trek: Voyager where Janeway offers replicator technology to an alien race, although this needs to be confirmed or refuted.
I've reworked the introduction to remove what is effectively mere speculation about how the replicator works and replace it with a description of what it does.
Surely as long as you have matter-energy transporters you have replicators. At the most basic level you'd only have to beam chicken soup up once and you'd be able to make it infinite times. Many episodes have established that a transporter can be used to clone things, it's just designed not to do so accidentally. Also, if 'food dispensers' are not replicators, don't they deserve their own article/section? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 64.122.208.51 ( talk) 18:34, 29 January 2007 (UTC).
I have a problem with the fact that this article states that TOS never showed an actual 24-th century one. To the contrary, if I can remember the episode were they rescue those crazy kids on treagus (I think its spelled that way), they clearly see an empty "box". The orange cover closes, goes back up and the box is filled with food from absolutely nowhere. Is that not a replicator? -- User: Dark Observer
Image:Janewayreplicator.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
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The "food dispensers" in ST:TOS have also been referred to as "Food Processors" or "Food Synthesizers."
Orders for food were not given by voice command, but by food cards (TOS: "And The Children Shall Lead" They could also be programmed with tapes (TOS: "Day of the Doves") ("Program the food synthesizer to accommodate our guests.") It is highly unlikely that the galley food be ready to prepare Klingon food stuffs, and in that case, why program the "dispenser"? In TOS: "Yesterday is Tomorrow," chicken soup appears immediately after ordered.
In fact, the idea is present in the non-cannon Animated Series, which allowed voice commands (TAS: "The Practical Joker") In that episode, one character gets a unexpected amount of food. It also featured Romulan Food Synthesizers. If you can program the synthesizer to dispense any of a wide array of foods, how could the kitchen keep up? Is there a menu posted?
The ST:ENT protein resequencers can't make complicated foods, and the word protein implies that it is modifying something already made.
The reason that many say that they aren't replicators is that there is still a kitchen, and the crew quarters don't have them. It could simply be that the technology is still new, and would take too many resources to place in every compartment. There is one in the transporter room, which could imply that they are tied to the transporters. The food processors also may be quite large in this era.
Also, there is a galley in Star Trek: Insurrection, as Picard orders an Ensign to go to the galley and tell the cook to skip the fish, as their guests where determined to be vegetarians.
Also, the word synthesize is "similar" to the word "replicate.'
However, in Voyager, Janeway states that Kirk didn't have replicators. As these slots only produce food, and not other items, this may mean something. Also, the technology may be somewhat different.
The Memory Alpha wiki for Star Trek has a page which explains these synthesizers at http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Food_synthesizer
I have one single question in mind: If replicators can create energy out of matter, why does the Voyager crew has to "save the energy for the journey back to home" ? Can't they use their own garbage, or better, some asteroids, to create unlimited energy to run the ship and the replicators ? Answer(theory that makes sence).It takes energy to recylce matter into energy and the amount you wind up with is not high enough for this to be practical it is like burning a gallon of fuel to make a gallon and an ounce it just isn't practical
J
—Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.202.165.251 ( talk) 00:14, 29 December 2007 (UTC)
That makes sense. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.9.145.142 ( talk) 13:19, 28 October 2008 (UTC)
Image:Janewayreplicator.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot ( talk) 07:06, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
Tagging original research; the extremely limited sources listed in the article do not provide sufficient material to support some of the statements made (e.g. "Throughout the first seasons, the Kazon and other races tried repeatedly to obtain the technology".
86.133.229.194 (
talk) 15:07, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
Might be a bit nitpicky, but there IS money, just not used by Humans. This article even mentions latinum, the currency in general use. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 141.109.108.119 ( talk) 04:40, 12 March 2009 (UTC)
I remember some form of currency being mentioned from time to time in TOS, credits I think it was. Also I have some form of recollection that the Federation as an entity uses currency to deal with other races and governments. -- WEKS ( talk) 07:18, 12 November 2009 (UTC)
Star Trek technology is quite popular, and a lot of people think about the question whether things such as beaming or holodecks can eventually be invented. Is there any scientist who has ever talked about the ST replicator technology? -- Orthographicus ( talk) 18:18, 1 May 2012 (UTC)
If someone has a copy of A Private Little War can they check the text of the last paragraph of the plot. Does Kirk want flintlocks manufactured or 'replicated'?-- Canoe1967 ( talk) 23:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I know that the image is showing a Makerbot brand 3D printer called the "Replicator", but I don't think such an image belongs on the Star Trek Replicator page, especially when 3D printing isn't discussed. 24.246.12.8 ( talk) 04:17, 20 September 2014 (UTC)
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The section on replicator theory needs revision. As it stands now:
The first paragraph does not accurately describe the underlying process of the replicator. It does not rely on the rearrangment of subatomic particles. It does not create quantities of elemental molecules and then rearrange them chemically. Computer power has little to do with the situation, and speculating on the technology levels of the 24th century are beside the point in an article on a fictional technology.
Basically, the replicator is a small transporter pad. It is a special application of Transporter technology that basically beams matter from one location to another, but instead of bothering to duplicate it, substitutes a pre-scanned pattern.
Bulk matter is not stored at the replicator, it is stored at a centralized location on ship or station- which is then converted to energy, transferred to the required terminal, where the energy is converted to matter. There aren't any chemical reactions, the entire mass is made as a unit, straight down to molecular resolution. While replicators certainly CAN create elemental matter, it's certainly not exclusively so.
Chemical and subatomic manipulation is a hallmark of the protein synthesis used prior to the development of true replicators. The first paragraph needs serious revision or removal. -- Alexwcovington ( talk) 21:41, 28 Feb 2005 (UTC)
I support that. This paragraph is very wrong and needs heavy rework done.
According to the description in the TM the replicator is basically a very low resolution transporter and does not do any subatomic rearrangements or quantum level actions, but only on molecular level. For food it uses an organic suspension as raw material, not some particles from space. For non-food there are other bulks of raw material stored in the ship. -- 192.18.108.75
Is it true that Kirk's Enterprise had no replicators? What were they using in Tomorrow is Yesterday, then? Chicken soup appears out of nowhere. Adam Bishop 00:49, 29 May 2005 (UTC)
Redux, I don't understand how Adam Bishop is "getting ahead of ourselves" by referring to canon events, nor how those events can be dismissed as plot holes. To explain away original series technology that seems in all respects identical to replicator technology as the actions of the production crew would be the same thing as explaining away replicators in the 24th Century as nothing more than special effects. I think Mr. Bishop's reference to the sudden chicken soup is legitimate; it is not something the 60s writers overlooked, as in "where did that chicken soup come from?" it was something deliberately introduced as an example of 23rd Century technology. The fact that some users may not remember this particular incident, or others like it, does not change the fact that those incidents -- meaning uses of replicator technology -- were explicity used in the original series.
Redux, you repeatedly refer to allusions to canon events as fan speculation, which doesn't make any sense at all. Your insistence that the idea of replicators "didn't cross anybody's mind back when the show was produced" is OBJECTIVELY disproven by the fact that the technology WAS featured in several original series episodes, so obviously somebody had to think of it back then. Your logic that technology in the "Star Trek" universe must have advanced in the decades that passed between the settings of the two series is legitimate, but your logic that references to specific episodes do not have any place in an encyclopedic entry is highly faulty; that's all we have to go on. Reference to specific incidents is not inference or speculation, it's simple observation. I have attempted the latest revision to reflect your beliefs without ignoring these plain facts. If you still think that Mr. Bishop's and my own references to explicit events in the series are nothing more than speculation, I would request that you ask another editor to settle the dispute.
Adam Bishop is right. Redux is splitting hairs - particularly since the article mentions TOS only created "Colored cubes." TOS had technology to at least create sandwiches and beverages. This article should be turned over to another editor with less of an agenda to push. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2604:6000:E48B:B600:DC07:8C0:8CAE:EF18 ( talk) 03:15, 30 August 2019 (UTC)
21:22, 30 September 2005 Redux m (Rv. unwarranted removal of data.)
Apparently, you missed my point. Discussing plot lines is, as I said, besides the point for this particular segment. This article is not about an episode, and also not about the plots developed using the replicator in it, although, as I said, this could be approached elsewhere in the article. Talking about what is canon in the show goes right back to discussing retcons and details of the storytelling itself, which is not what that part of the article is about: we are describing a piece of fictional technology that was created as part of the background for Star Trek back when TNG was conceived, and the article states how it was originally inserted in the timeline: the 24th century. Sure it's been retconned, and sure the retcon counts as canon and is to be taken into account when discussing the plots of episodes, etc. But what I'm saying is that, for that particular section, this is besides the point.
And yes, this point has been brought up before, and it was eventually dropped every time. There's a large number of Star Trek fans out there, and they tend to think of the article as having to tell the story of the replicator as it was developed within the fictional universe, that is, disregarding what happened originally and describing canon retcon as the "truth". Problem is: this is not what needs to be done there. Again, this is not to say that it can't be done at all in the article, but it shouldn't be done in the opening section, and its inclusion does not mean that the current text would need to be removed/replaced. I've suggested to other users that they should write a new section in the article, explaining the present History of the replicator as described in the Star Trek storytelling system — that would be the appropriate venue to state that the replicator was present in the 22nd century, that the Federation didn't have it until the 24th century, etc., since those are plot elements, that should be in the article (but not to the detriment of the "real life" historical development of events). No one cared enough to actually write the section.
Let me use your own example as a basis for one of my own: if this article was about a Star Trek character, which was replaced in the show because the actor who played the character died (a little dramatic, but bear with me), we, as an encyclopedia (and not a Star Trek wiki), would have to have our article read something like: John Doe was the chief medical officer on board Enterprise, but when Whats-his-name, who played the character, died in 19XX, the writers removed the character from the story, by having him transferred to another starship. That would be in the opening section of the article, which could not read: John Doe was the chief medical officer on Enterprise who was transferred to another starship after three years. Notice that in this example, the "real life" event would be the untimely death of the actor who played the character. This absolutely has to be acknowledged in the opening section of the article. The plot change made to accommodate the needs of the storytelling (that they wouldn't be able to show that character anymore) has to be told in perspective. But then, we could have another section in the article, about the character's story arc, where we would talk about him from the storytelling perspective, saying stuff like John Doe was the chief medical officer on board Enterprise for three years, until he was transferred to another spaceship, where he served for the rest of his career, until he was killed by a Klingon Bird of Pray during a hostile standoff. And imagine that the character's death at the hand of the Klingons could have been inserted in the storytelling years after the actor's death, and done in another show, while making references to the characters of the previous shows. It doesn't matter from the perspective of the storytelling, since it's canon, or because no one had "clearly said" that the character had lived or died after leaving Enterprise, so we could assume either way, etc. But you see, this is a completely different issue.
Sorry, long post again. This actually makes it that much more difficult to make the point clearly. Maybe the example helped? And please, do try to
assume good faith. Regards,
Redux 19:15, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
Before commenting on this, let me start with something else in the article: we do not insert links in the middle of the article to discussions on the talk page. We sometimes do tag the article for issues that might be going on, and those tags contain links to the talk page some of the times, but that's only even done for extreme situations, usually when edit wars or other grave things are happening in the article, which has not been the case here. We are approaching a reasonable resolution, and the article's integrity was never at stake. But a link in the middle of the text, that we don't do — it's not the same as tagging, as with a "regular" tag. I'll remove it again.
Now, about the rewording, first a technicality: I used them myself to save time here on the talk page, but on the article we cannot use abbreviations for the shows, such as "TNG" or "TOS" or "ST:ENT". Just a heads up, since we are so used to applying those terms that we might forget that a lot of people will have no clue to what they mean (and it would be poor encyclopedic practice, anyways).
On to the rewording. About the centuries, yes it refers to canon, but it's done from a "real world" perspective, that is, we are not describing final canon (how it stands after the official retcons, etc., which would be suited for that new section), but rather how the story was constructed by the real people responsible for it. So, we'd say replicators were originally invented in the 24th century, being nonexistent (...), that's in reference to, as I mentioned before, the known fact that the new gadgets introduced in TNG were part of the effort to distinguish it from TOS, and mark the 80 years that had passed between both storylines. The zeitgeist seems to have been clearly to have the replicator (and other machines) be a 24th century invention. Then, of course, some of those things became rather popular, and there's the fact that there had been at least one Star Trek franchise in production between 1987 and 2005, which of course gives writers plenty of time to retcon stuff beyond recognition. Through those retcons, they have erased the original "time placement" of the replicator, with, for instance, the mention to its existing in the 22nd century, etc. Our accuracy lies in recognizing the original outline of the replicator (a machine that would have been invented in the 24th century proposed by TNG) and the fact that it has been altered at a later time (which differs, as per my previous comment, from saying something like replicators were present in the 22nd century, but the Federation didn't have it (...), which would be a statement "from within the storytelling" — again, for that other section). If we start eliminating the references to the original ideas because they (of course) contradict the recent retcons, we are, for all practical purposes, only reflecting the retcons from a point of view of the storylines.
In my proposal for rewording, it says As originally created for TNG, the replicator would have been invented in the 24th century, being nonexistent on TOS (and the 23rd century). (...). That would seem to reflect this reality, because it states the original construction of the story by those responsible for it: the replicator (like other gadgets), was originally conceived to be a technological leap made during the gap of 80 years. Maybe we could improve the wording, but I don't think that the reference to its being a 24th century invention according to the original idea, which was done for the TNG show (we're not saying simply that the replicator was invented in the 24th century because that's the storyline of the show).
And I think that we can use the word 'exists', since that ST:ENT episode shows a working replicator in the 22nd century (it wasn't just a scientist working on a project using the concept). I'll stop now, before this gets too long. Also, I'll be on a wikibreak as of tomorrow, so if we can't resolve this now, you could do the rewording as we have it so far, I'll get back to it as soon as I return. Regards,
Redux 15:36, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
On a sidenote: what will we do in 95 years, when the arrival of the 22nd century will make ...showing a similar device as early as the 22nd century. dangerously ambiguous? The current version now is merely ambiguous. -- Zanaq 18:05, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Are there any Star Trek storylines that explore or at least mention the invention of the replicator? The replicator is probably one of those plot devices that creators try not to think about too hard, but surely some Star Trek writer somewhere has explored the replicator's IC origins. Was it a human creation, or was it introduced to Man by the Vulcans, or what? Mr. Billion 08:04, 16 Jun 2005 (UTC)
I added a small comment about replicators possibly being alien tech into a section that basicly said the likley hood of replicators being created by the 24th century is slim to nil based on our current progress of tech development. This was removed by Redux because, and I quote... "(Was this suggesting alien transference of tecnology? This is not the point here. This section is about Okuda's scientific explanation for how it could work, albeit maybe not as soon as the 24th c.)" First of all, I have no idea who Okuda is, secondally if that section is just about the theory of how they work then there shouldn't be an assumption of whether or not we'll have them in the 24th century or not since it discounts things like the possibility of another scientific boom like the last century and alien intervention. If you really must have the assumption of a time frame in there and how it would not be possible you should really have another POV to make the artical NPOV -- Zikar 3 July 2005 16:04 (UTC)
A replicator can create any inanimate matter, as long as the desired molecular structure is on file, but it cannot create antimatter, dilithium, or a living organism of any kind.
Matter isn't created... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 170.224.179.148 ( talk • contribs) .
In the section "Technology To Die For", it's stated that Captain Janeway refuses to give out the technology of the replicators to anyone in the Delta Quandrant for fear that the technology would be improperly used. This, however, is not completely true. In the episode called "Think Tank", Janeway offers the replicator technology to the "think tank" group as a means of payment for their assistance. Even though they don't accept it, she didn't seem like she was trying to keep the replicator technology to herself. I seem to be able to recall at least one other episode in Star Trek: Voyager where Janeway offers replicator technology to an alien race, although this needs to be confirmed or refuted.
I've reworked the introduction to remove what is effectively mere speculation about how the replicator works and replace it with a description of what it does.
Surely as long as you have matter-energy transporters you have replicators. At the most basic level you'd only have to beam chicken soup up once and you'd be able to make it infinite times. Many episodes have established that a transporter can be used to clone things, it's just designed not to do so accidentally. Also, if 'food dispensers' are not replicators, don't they deserve their own article/section? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 64.122.208.51 ( talk) 18:34, 29 January 2007 (UTC).
I have a problem with the fact that this article states that TOS never showed an actual 24-th century one. To the contrary, if I can remember the episode were they rescue those crazy kids on treagus (I think its spelled that way), they clearly see an empty "box". The orange cover closes, goes back up and the box is filled with food from absolutely nowhere. Is that not a replicator? -- User: Dark Observer
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The "food dispensers" in ST:TOS have also been referred to as "Food Processors" or "Food Synthesizers."
Orders for food were not given by voice command, but by food cards (TOS: "And The Children Shall Lead" They could also be programmed with tapes (TOS: "Day of the Doves") ("Program the food synthesizer to accommodate our guests.") It is highly unlikely that the galley food be ready to prepare Klingon food stuffs, and in that case, why program the "dispenser"? In TOS: "Yesterday is Tomorrow," chicken soup appears immediately after ordered.
In fact, the idea is present in the non-cannon Animated Series, which allowed voice commands (TAS: "The Practical Joker") In that episode, one character gets a unexpected amount of food. It also featured Romulan Food Synthesizers. If you can program the synthesizer to dispense any of a wide array of foods, how could the kitchen keep up? Is there a menu posted?
The ST:ENT protein resequencers can't make complicated foods, and the word protein implies that it is modifying something already made.
The reason that many say that they aren't replicators is that there is still a kitchen, and the crew quarters don't have them. It could simply be that the technology is still new, and would take too many resources to place in every compartment. There is one in the transporter room, which could imply that they are tied to the transporters. The food processors also may be quite large in this era.
Also, there is a galley in Star Trek: Insurrection, as Picard orders an Ensign to go to the galley and tell the cook to skip the fish, as their guests where determined to be vegetarians.
Also, the word synthesize is "similar" to the word "replicate.'
However, in Voyager, Janeway states that Kirk didn't have replicators. As these slots only produce food, and not other items, this may mean something. Also, the technology may be somewhat different.
The Memory Alpha wiki for Star Trek has a page which explains these synthesizers at http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Food_synthesizer
I have one single question in mind: If replicators can create energy out of matter, why does the Voyager crew has to "save the energy for the journey back to home" ? Can't they use their own garbage, or better, some asteroids, to create unlimited energy to run the ship and the replicators ? Answer(theory that makes sence).It takes energy to recylce matter into energy and the amount you wind up with is not high enough for this to be practical it is like burning a gallon of fuel to make a gallon and an ounce it just isn't practical
J
—Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.202.165.251 ( talk) 00:14, 29 December 2007 (UTC)
That makes sense. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.9.145.142 ( talk) 13:19, 28 October 2008 (UTC)
Image:Janewayreplicator.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot ( talk) 07:06, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
Tagging original research; the extremely limited sources listed in the article do not provide sufficient material to support some of the statements made (e.g. "Throughout the first seasons, the Kazon and other races tried repeatedly to obtain the technology".
86.133.229.194 (
talk) 15:07, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
Might be a bit nitpicky, but there IS money, just not used by Humans. This article even mentions latinum, the currency in general use. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 141.109.108.119 ( talk) 04:40, 12 March 2009 (UTC)
I remember some form of currency being mentioned from time to time in TOS, credits I think it was. Also I have some form of recollection that the Federation as an entity uses currency to deal with other races and governments. -- WEKS ( talk) 07:18, 12 November 2009 (UTC)
Star Trek technology is quite popular, and a lot of people think about the question whether things such as beaming or holodecks can eventually be invented. Is there any scientist who has ever talked about the ST replicator technology? -- Orthographicus ( talk) 18:18, 1 May 2012 (UTC)
If someone has a copy of A Private Little War can they check the text of the last paragraph of the plot. Does Kirk want flintlocks manufactured or 'replicated'?-- Canoe1967 ( talk) 23:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I know that the image is showing a Makerbot brand 3D printer called the "Replicator", but I don't think such an image belongs on the Star Trek Replicator page, especially when 3D printing isn't discussed. 24.246.12.8 ( talk) 04:17, 20 September 2014 (UTC)