MovieChat Forums > Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Discussion > How did Scotty know how to use a 20th ce...

How did Scotty know how to use a 20th century keyboard and computer?


Well, right after he mistakenly tried to speak to the mouse?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaVgRj2e5_s

For the record, the computer in question is an Apple Macintosh Plus:
https://www.quora.com/In-Star-Trek-4-how-did-Scotty-know-how-to-use-a-20th-century-keyboard-and-computer

http://www.starringthecomputer.com/feature.html?f=4

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Yeah, I questioned that back on IMDB and got absolutely hammered for it - and no, I didn't call it a "plot hole" or even call it an error. Just an observation.

Anyone who knows anything about computers knows you can't draw advanced 3D graphics with just a keyboard in a couple of dozen keystrokes on any computer, much less an 80s Macintosh. In fact, even people who didn't know anything about computers knew that.

The way I would have written that scene would be to have Sulu hand Scotty a self contained circuit card that he fabricated that contained both the transparent aluminum formula and 3D graphics on it before he went to visit the plexiglass company. Sulu would say: "here Scotty, just load this into slot where the floppy would go". Scotty could have said with surprise: "a floppy did you say??"

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Kirk had an antique Commodore PET in his San Francisco apartment in The Wrath of Khan.

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I'm sure Scotty studies up on ancient tech

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This crew has time traveled on a few occasions, maybe they studied up on old tech so that they would be prepared?

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I doubt the keyboard will ever change. But yeah, knowing whatever software that was and being able to crank out a molecular diagram on it like he was riding a bike is kind of corny.

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