Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with trek

Best HCI Examples In Pop Culture

libraryman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:09:26 -0800

What are the best examples of human/computer interaction in tv and movies (please mention specific scenes and episodes if you can). ex: HAL in 2001, The touch screen in Minority Report, Scotty talking to the mouse in Star Trek IV -lol, etc...

Bike bike bike bike. Help!

actionpact — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:29:20 -0800

Deciding between two Trek bikes for someone who's never rode a bike before. Need your help, hivemind! I asked this question a while ago, which was super-helpful at the time. My birthday just came and went on Tuesday, and I got surprised with the awesomest gift ever: a bike! Well, the promise of one anyway. We went to our LBS and I explained that apart from riding a tricycle, I'm clueless about what I need. The guy we spoke to was really helpful, told me how the brakes work, how you usually get on/off a bike, and helped me figure out what sort of bike I need (comfort, with the potential of doing commuting, mostly on roads but I'd like the option to go on rougher ground when needed, low-step design so I can wear skirts). His suggestion was to go for a Trek, specifically he recommended the Navigator 2.0-- which seems like a nice relatively lightweight sturdy bike with fat tires (and pretty decently priced!). He suggested also the Electra Townies if I wanted a flat foot design, but seeing them in person kind of set me against them (though I still like the Amsterdams).

After flipping through the brochure I also got interested in their Hybrids, specifically the 7100 and 7200 . At another branch of this store, we spotted a 7200 and I have a date to try it and the Navigator out on Saturday. But my concern is since I don't know how to ride a bike that I won't really get which is better, or better suited for me. I know the hybrids are better for going faster because they have thinner tires (and I think a little bigger?). Beyond that though, I don't know. I do know I like the look of the hybrid bikes better, they are more aesthetically pleasing to me. But the Navigators aren't ugly, so even if I wind up with that I won't be that sad, because hey, it's a bike! And I'm really excited to have a bike.

So my question is: which bike is probably better for me? Hybrid or Navigator? Of course I know I'll have to ride it/test it to know what works for me, but if you own one of them and love them, I want to hear why it was the best for you. Or if you're a bike expert, I want to know your take! I'll be asking the people at the bike shop more in depth on Saturday, but I'm just trying to do my research while I'm at it. Our limit is around $500-- the Navi's around $330, the 7100's $420, and the 7200's $450. Between the two hybrids, I'd probably just pay the extra $30, but that's a big difference between hybrid and Navigator, so I don't know if you get what you pay for on this sort of thing.

I also don't really know the benefit of going for the 7100 vs the 7200 vs the other models they have-- when I asked the people at the shops, they basically just said the difference was different components. Since I'm not a bike jock I have no idea what makes one component awesome, y'know? Will I really miss the top of the line bike derailleur? Or can I get the cheaper model and still feel pretty happy with the type of bike?

Some pertinent details: 25, girl, 5'10" so I'm looking at the 16/16.5" models, trying to minimize back pain, and somewhat of a bony butt (so i don't know if the saddles are going to be an issue?).

Other questions that may be dumb, but I'm asking 'em:
1) Are prices at bike shops firm? Ours are below the suggested price but I don't know if you're supposed to haggle or something.
2) I like the hybrids in the light peach/green colors, but the 7200 I spotted was black. There's one more branch I'm going to check out, but is it expected that the bike you buy is the one they have in the shop? This is pure aesthetic reasoning here--I dunno whether it's common practice to ask to order a bike color when they already have a model in the shop.

Thanks all! Can't wait to be on two wheels!

Need audio clips for samples from Sci-Fi Channel, and The OC

mediocre — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:58:25 -0800

I am looking for a specific ad for Star Trek: Enterprise's Sci-Fi Channel reruns.. Also a question for fans of The OC. For reasons too long and boring to go into, my friends all call me The Captain, or any variation thereof. There is an ad that runs during the end credits of various programs on Sci-Fi that tries to illicit nostalgia, a sort of "Remember when...?" type ad, and at the end it says "And The Captain gets all the ladies"

I am looking to use the sample in a hip hop song. Anybody have a programmed TiVo'd with the ad, or somehow have it otherwise?

Also, there is an episode of The OC that I am told has the line "Welcome to Portland, bitch" when a rich kid moves to Portland where people are "real".. does anyone know specifically which episode this is, or could they even rip the sample out of the episode for me?

"The Man Trap" or "Where No Man Has Gone Before" - where do I start?

Lucinda — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:23:10 -0800

Trekkie/Trekker Filter: Should I watch the episodes of TOS in the order in which they were produced, or the order in which they were aired? I have decided to make use of my new iPod Classic by watching the original Star Trek, of which I have only previously seen an episode here or there (Mirror, Mirror and City on the Edge of Forever are the only ones I can recall off the top of my head).

My husband has organized them in order by date of production, but I'm wondering if I should try and capture the "watching it for the first time like they did back in the 60's" feel of the show by watching them in the order they were aired.

Or am I overthinking a pile of beans?

Andreana Weiner: recent-ish pictures plz?

Quarter Pincher — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 11:43:57 -0800

Can you find me some more recent pictures of Andreana Weiner, an American actress, other than from the ST:TNG s07e07 "Dark Page" with which co-stars a young Kirsten Dunst? Perhaps someone has Adams Family Values or Red Dragon and could take screenshots? Thanks!

Chicago Movie/TV Fandoms (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, BSG, Trek, Gen Scifi)?

WCityMike — Tue, 15 May 2007 11:49:24 -0800

How can I get in touch with television and movie fandom in Chicago? I wanted to follow up on an earlier question of mine in which I asked for Chicago geek group activities/social events. Although I got a satisfactory bunch of answers, I thought I might expand on it a little more and see if I might get some additional pointers that weren't touched upon in the original question's answer.

Specifically, I'm wondering about Chicago geek culture as it centers around some television and movie fandoms — for example, Buffy, Angel, Firefly/Serenity, Battlestar Galactica (current series), and Trek — and/or general science fiction/fantasy fandom (such as those who like Asimov, Bradbury, etc.).

Essentially, if you think of the wide array of geekdom that you might find at a science fiction convention, that's the kind of groups and people I'd like to meet up with. (Similarly, if there's a website which offers a good, thorough listing of upcoming Chicago conventions, that'd be cool, too.)

(I'm interested in non-fandom Chicago socialization, too, but I've found good resources about that, including my own earlier question, this Ask Mefi question, and a few good Chicago resources (example). I'm just having some trouble digging stuff up on those particular areas. Although Meetup.Com has yielded some leads to follow, I'm thinking Ask Mefi's wisdom of the commons might yield some more reliable suggestions and or tips.

europe bike trek questions

pamccf — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:18:59 -0800

We're planning on biking across Europe. We're planning on doing it a year from now. What are we forgetting? What did you encounter in a similar trip that we might be unprepared for? Any general advice? The executive summary: We are two, living in the US. We currently bike to work (5-10 miles daily). We also make a longer trip (10+ miles) at least once a week, sometimes twice. Currently, this is a bit of a stretch. We are attempting to increase that upper limit gradually to where we can comfortably do 50 miles in a day by the time we leave. (We think we have time to do this without much strain.) We are experienced in hostel-travelling in Europe (moving inter-city by car, rail, and bus). (We have French, German and Russian.)

Our planned route goes from Amsterdam to Istanbul in a rough L-shape, the hinge being Warsaw. (Some details are fuzzy here - can you help?) Our bikes are these (should we ditch them?); we have no panniers yet, but we're looking at these (are there better?).

We are not bringing tents or camping gear. Should we worry about finding places to stay? We don't have maps of our route. Should we plan on getting these in-country? In Amsterdam?

We might take the plane. Have you turned your bike into a folding bike/have you gone for an extended ride with a foldie? We might take a boat. Have you taken a freighter cruise/are there other ocean alternatives?

Bonus question: We are planning to stay in Istanbul for an indeterminate time. Should we plan on being able to get around town by bike? Something tells me no. Can you tell me yes?

Nerdly ringtone?

furtive — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:03:52 -0800

I'm looking for Star Trek communicator sample in .wav or .mp3 Ideally I'd like one similar to the one found 35 seconds into this commercial... it's a bit longer than your normal more common communicator clip and I've heard it in other places recently (The Daily Show on 16 Jan).

What would be the effects on the earth if the moon exploded?

tcobretti — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 22:28:47 -0800

What would be the effects on the earth if the moon exploded? Let's forget about the "how," and just focus on what would happen, both long term and short term.

This is for a cheesy scifi project I am working on, not just because I was idly wondering about it.

Trek Costumes?

donguanella — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:35:05 -0800

Can anyone suggest a place in the greater Los Angeles area to rent or purchase Star Trek costumes? The costumes are of the "Star Trek: The Original Series" flavor. I need to get my hands on them today or tomorrow. Seven total, of multiple colors (yellow, blue, red). I've made the calls to the big rental shops, as well as to Paramount Costuming... no dice. I'm thinking more along the lines of the geeky corner store magic shop? Any ideas? Online shops w/ overnight delivery?

Live long and prosper.

Question number 12197

hughbot — Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:13:14 -0800

All right nerds, here it is: What's the best Trek series?