Mirror Darkly[]
Let's not forget that the interface seen in In a Mirror Darkly part 2 looks very much like LCARS, only black on blue instead of mostly orange on black? -- your friendly neighborhood -- Kawa
- The blue border looks like a more detailed version of the regular "glowing blue matte" that surrounded TOS LCARS displays -- Captain Mike K. Barteltalk 17:51, 2 Sep 2005 (UTC)
Correct pronunciation?[]
How do you pronounce this term? Is it pronounced as an acronym i.e. "L-Cars" or just as an abbreviation i.e. L-C-A-R-S?
I'm curious because of the pictures that have "a" in front of "LCARS" in the caption but if it is pronounced as an acronym, it should be "an" instead of "a".--Scimitar 21:32, 25 Aug 2005 (UTC)
- Interesting question -- this term is readable onscreen on innumerable occasions but I can't remember the last time anyone mentioned it aloud (in canon)
- For the record, i say "L-Cars" -- Captain Mike K. Barteltalk 01:37, 26 Aug 2005 (UTC)
- I say "L-Cars" tool; I'm pretty sure the Computer (Majel Roddenberry) said it once. - AJHalliwell 01:53, 26 Aug 2005 (UTC)
- I'm relatively sure it's "L" (the way the letter is pronounced) followed by "Cars" (as in the things you drive). So, repeat after me: L-CARS. :D --From Andoria with Love 10:23, 2 Sep 2005 (UTC)
- I'd love to know when it was said like that on screen! -- Captain Mike K. Barteltalk 17:51, 2 Sep 2005 (UTC)
- I'd like to know, too. The only time I can think of it being referenced like that was for the TNG and DS9 Companions on CD-ROM... or was it the Encyclopedia CD-ROM? Eh, I know it was one of those; whichever one started out with the computer saying "Welcome to LCARS menu system" or something like that. While I know they're not canon, they were made by the production staff of the show, so I'd imagine they'd know how to pronounce it. ;) --From Andoria with Love 00:49, 3 Sep 2005 (UTC)
- What you are probably thinking of is Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force. The game opens up with an LCARS menu, that has Majel Roddenberry saying (As the Computer voice) 'Welcome to L-CARS Menu System'. The same relates to TCARS, where it is pronounced T-CARS. Enzo Aquarius 00:53, 3 Sep 2005 (UTC)
- If your not talking about Elite Force, then I'd think your thinking of "Captain's Chair", I'm relativly sure they said it. But T-CARS was never said in Elite Force.
- Back on my last computer I downloaded a bunch of Computer sayings to replace the standard computer sounds (Since then the website has shut down, I think it was like: "Star Trek in sound and vision" or something) and they all cited episodes. One of them read it I think. I'll keep looking though - AJHalliwell 00:55, 3 Sep 2005 (UTC)
- Ah, my apologies. When I mentioned TCARS, I wasn't refering to Elite Force (Especially since EF is in the 24th century). Unfortunately, Star Trek in Sound and Vision is down, however, http://www.lcarscom.net/lcars/ has a very nice LCARS intro which states L-CARS. Enzo Aquarius 01:01, 3 Sep 2005 (UTC)
LCARS in the 23rd century and early 24th century[]
Did the LCARS interface (or at least an early version of it) exist in the late 23rd/early 24th century? I've noticed that ships of that era (e.g. Enterprises A-C, Stargazer, Excelsior, etc.) all have a common interface that were designed by Mike Okuda and somewhat resemble the LCARS system of the mid/late 24th century. I bring this up because the LCARS system was mentioned in the Ambassador-class article and had a reference to "Yesterday's Enterprise". --71.131.41.246 09:45, 1 September 2007 (UTC)
- Indeed there was, but not "LCARS" as we would think of it. I've seen it classified under "Pre-LCARS".
- --FastLizard4 21:19, 1 September 2007 (UTC)
Tactile interface[]
I was under the impression that the Tactile interface referenced was one designed by Tuvok to deal with his disability, and was not a standard installation. This would be supported by Paris' use of actual switched etc. in the delta flier, saying that he wanted tactile fedback, this would imply that normal LCARS did not give feedback (I can't remember the episode name). Has the tactile interface been mentioned on any other occasion? 65.75.110.90 16:16, 16 February 2008 (UTC)
- Firstly: no, it hasn't been used elsewhere (to the best of my knowledge). Based on "The Year of Hell", we know that the tactile interface is possible, albeit whether it is a standard function, you're right—we don't know. However, what Paris was talking about was a grip-in-your-hands-feel-the-resistance-of-the-ship tactile interface, like one would find in a jet fighter or a car today. What Tuvok has installed/adapted/enabled was effectively (IMHO) braille for LCARS. — THOR =/\= 02:23, 18 February 2008 (UTC)
Removed Notes[]
I moved the following background notes here for now:
- It is debatable whether or not the creator of the LCARS was Dr. Michael Okuda, an in-universe character regularly seen on background graphics.
Unnecessary speculation.
- The date of the invention of the LCARS is not known although the modern LCARS was first installed on board the Enterprise-D.
Canon source? If there is one, this belongs in the in-universe part of the article with a citation. – Cleanse 11:18, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
Interface with LCARS within Data's Lab and his workstation in his quarters[]
The program in wich Data and Mr. La Forge are looking for his mom's ship, use a contection to montor feedback, and also they used it other time to, sorry my memory is not great for the differnt shows LOL, also the feedback. would be audio, or seen by the user I would think. As for addaption I would not have any idea I hope you find this useful if not remove notes and braille is a system that I am tried to learn to use right now, for I am a person who has low vision and reading print is getter hard at time, also using a vocal system is something I am working on I have a hearing imparment, which blure sometime the begining of words.-GinnyStar-STD MOT 05:08, 20 October 2008 (UTC)
- What? --OuroborosCobra talk 05:23, 20 October 2008 (UTC)
Site list[]
The end of this page seems to be turning into a website directory, which we are not. Do all of the links listed have some tie to the show? (background materials posted by production staff, or other info)--31dot 10:05, September 21, 2010 (UTC)
- I agree, most of those need to be removed as they don't really are "production material". In my opinion, the first two can stay (although okudagrams.com might perhaps better be listed at Okudagram?), while the rest needs to go. An exception might be the link that is described as "working LCARS from all the series", but I'm not sure about that. -- Cid Highwind 17:38, September 21, 2010 (UTC)
- Here's a list of the removed links:
- The LCARS Manifesto
- Basic LCARS Design Guidelines
- LCARS Multimedia - working LCARS from all the series
- LCARS24.com - A working LCARS system for older PCs
- LCARS x32 - A working LCARS system for Windows (under active development)
- LCARS Standards Development Board
- LCARS Explorer clone optimized for low resolution touchscreens
- LCARS Reader - A functional commercial LCARS interface for reading RSS feeds on Apple iPads and iPhones
- For reference. -- sulfur 18:19, September 21, 2010 (UTC)
- Here's a list of the removed links:
I've removed a couple more in the last two days, and I've also protected this page (at the autoconfirmed level) due to the repeated additions. 31dot (talk) 10:38, September 27, 2012 (UTC)
TOS/ENT[]
Quote:
Whether the interfaces seen in The Original Series and Enterprise are LCARS are debatable
I dunno about TOS, but ENT hardly uses the same operating system as the later series. NX01's computer is definitely binary based (we've seen some XB of data deleted), since it stores data as bytes, while in VOY they often use 'quad' as a storage unit. Also there's no voice output or signs of computer AI in ENT. And the pilot uses a joystick to drive the ship. --193.110.186.126 12:46, May 9, 2012 (UTC)
- The data storage is irrelevant. The LCARS is the graphical interface system. It was never made clear what the name of the interface was in TOS and ENT. It is the name of the interface in all of the TNG-era shows. That's all we know. -- sulfur 15:09, May 9, 2012 (UTC)
How does someone add this information to the page?[]
I don't have the writing skills to incorporate this data into the page. I think the information gives more information about the LCARs system. In the episode "The Chase", we have a galaxy map. Next to the galaxy map, we have the following data:
- Research Data Format
- Data Redundancy Checking
- Backup Streaming Online
- LCARS Backup Online
- Datastream Link Online
- Protected Archives Offline
- Storage Area One Available
- Storage Area Two Available
- LCARS Core Available
I think a more compentent writer can write a sentence or more to integrate this into the article.Throwback (talk) 21:15, July 12, 2014 (UTC)
Quote?[]
Should we add a quote to this page? I don't know which episode, but the computer once said "This computer terminal provides full access to the LCARS Computer Net." 169.139.251.254 17:54, October 17, 2014 (UTC)
- Please review MA:QUOTE for guidelines on when quotes are appropriate and what is being looked for. 31dot (talk) 02:30, October 18, 2014 (UTC)
PCAP?[]
This article claims that the Kelvin timeline ships use an LCARS equivalent called PCAP, but I can't find references to this anywhere else on the site.Alkonium (talk) 15:09, July 21, 2016 (UTC)
- "PCAP" or "PCAP SYS" was shown on a large number of the computer displays in both Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, so I suspect that's where it comes from. Why it's only referenced here? No idea at this point in time. -- sulfur (talk) 15:34, July 21, 2016 (UTC)
Removed text[]
I removed the link to artificial intelligence since it wasn't described in the show with that term. It obviously had sophisticated routines, just not described as AI. Thebilldude (talk) 03:36, January 2, 2018 (UTC)
I also changed the definition paragraph to omit the phrase "operating system" since that term doesn't appear to be used (after having gone through all TNG at least) and has several connotations which also were not mentioned (did LCARS actually run the computer or simply facilitated access?). The term "Library computer subsystem" was visible on LCARS displays on several occasions with some references included in article. The original text:
- The Library Computer Access and Retrieval System (LCARS or simply library computer/ship's library for short) was the name of the computer operating system employed by the United Federation of Planets, used aboard Starfleet vessels, starbases, and space stations. They were subsystems of the main computer. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", "The Vengeance Factor", "Conundrum")
Thebilldude (talk) 20:25, January 4, 2018 (UTC)
LCARS TOS[]
LCars was in TOS (note the close up of the panel LCARS SUBPROC.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XNPD380IpBQ/Sanxd_bhEYI/AAAAAAAAE54/b8lxTLfw8MY/s1600/P116_16.jpg --216.66.128.179 06:40, February 5, 2020 (UTC)
- What do you expect people to do with a completely context-less picture like that? -- Capricorn (talk) 08:56, February 5, 2020 (UTC)
I'm sorry you aren't the brightest tool in the shed clearly not the sharpest bulb either. Seems simple to me. The panel shows LCARS Subprocedure tied together with Personal Communicators, The Optical Data net, Tricorder Dump(download) etc. Use your imagination. --216.66.128.179 23:13, February 5, 2020 (UTC)
- I know you are but what am I? It's a cool find if true, but what we really need to know is where that was seen so we can verify and cite it. -- Capricorn (talk) 23:38, February 5, 2020 (UTC)
- Well... presumably it would have come from TOS-R or maybe In a Mirror Darkly, and it would have been noticed by some fans at the time but no one bothered to add the info. On the other hand, the same design was also used in a "my-creation" by a Texas prop hobbyist [1]. -- Capricorn (talk) 17:36, February 7, 2020 (UTC)
Real-world historical precedent?[]
Just as the famous Trek delta was purposely adapted from NASA symbology, it seems to me that the LCARS acronym was similarly inspired by the real-world ACARS system, in use throughout aviation since 1978. But I've got no source to back that up. 70.160.231.74 12:56, May 20, 2020 (UTC)