Everything you always wanted to know about 'The Doctor'

[thelordharry]

I have some questions about the Doctor (but mostly about 'mobile' holograms i.e. The Doctor)

His comm badge......so what is it like, a functioning holographic virtual comm badge? How does that work then?
Does he weigh anything?
What is it like to touch him and be touched by him?
What is his strength? If he punches you, would it hurt?

And even the fish begin to weep...

La donna è mobile
Qual piuma al vento,
Muta d'accento - e di pensiero.
Sempre un amabile,
Leggiadro viso,
In pianto o in riso, - è menzognero.

[Tyyr]

I have some questions about the Doctor (but mostly about 'mobile' holograms i.e. The Doctor)

His comm badge......so what is it like, a functioning holographic virtual comm badge? How does that work then?

I suspect it's just an image. Since he's just a figment of the ship's computer's imagination if he needs to use the comm system the computer can access it directly.

Does he weigh anything?

Most of the time I don't think so. Even when he's "solid" it's still just a trick of the containment fields.

What is it like to touch him and be touched by him?

Sexual healing?

What is his strength? If he punches you, would it hurt?

I'd imagine as much force as the containment fields can handle so probably hurts like hell.

[Mikey]

His comm badge......so what is it like, a functioning holographic virtual comm badge? How does that work then?

My guess (and it's only that) is that it's just window dressing, and he communicates by accessing the ship's comms through his holo-matrix.

Does he weigh anything?
What is it like to touch him and be touched by him?

Probably close to human norms, judging by the way people had previously reacted to holographic humanoids (Tasha's aikido opponent, for example, seemed to interact with her the same way a "real" person would.)

What is his strength? If he punches you, would it hurt?

Probably, again, the same as the human after which he was modeled.

[thelordharry]

RE: the comm badge, what about when he's off-ship? Is there any canon evidence that he uses the comm badge like a real comm badge (i.e a 24th century mobile phone?) when there clearly isn't any nearby supporting communication technology?

[Sonic Glitch]

I have some questions about the Doctor (but mostly about 'mobile' holograms i.e. The Doctor)

His comm badge......so what is it like, a functioning holographic virtual comm badge? How does that work then?

I assume it's as real as the computer needs it to be. We "know" holodecks use small-scale replication for some things so maybe the computer just replicates a functioning combadge when necessary. Don't we hear him speak in the episode where he finds himself projected on the outer hull, and the crew can hear him so that would indicate some sort of internal communications connection wouldn't it?

Does he weigh anything?

I suspect if you put him on the scale, no. But isn't it possible that the computer produces the illusion of mass for contact?

What is it like to touch him and be touched by him?

See above. Probably the same as one of us touching another person and vice versa, he is supposed to resemble human norms.

What is his strength? If he punches you, would it hurt?

I seem to recall somewhere (or maybe I just think I heard it) that he can probably change is strength depending. His strength and consistency (how "solid" he is) are functions of the computer and w/ the way his program is written can probably be altered at will.

Tho from what we see in the show, he is programmed to be as close to human norm as possible.

[kostmayer]

Don't we hear him speak in the episode where he finds himself projected on the outer hull, and the crew can hear him so that would indicate some sort of internal communications connection wouldn't it?

Not sure that counts - didn't they install extra holographic transmitters round the hull - whichever way they did it, I think it was still the ship itself transmitting the Doctor, so there was no extra communicaton involved really - the crew were effectively interacting with the computer on the ship.

What does Odo do with his communicator when he liquifies?

[Tyyr]

What does Odo do with his communicator when he liquifies?

You don't wanna know.

[Sonic Glitch]

Don't we hear him speak in the episode where he finds himself projected on the outer hull, and the crew can hear him so that would indicate some sort of internal communications connection wouldn't it?

Not sure that counts - didn't they install extra holographic transmitters round the hull - whichever way they did it, I think it was still the ship itself transmitting the Doctor, so there was no extra communicaton involved really - the crew were effectively interacting with the computer on the ship.

I'm not sure how that's different from what I said. If I didn't say that, that's mostly what I meant. It could be that the holo-badge functions as a little transmitter type thing on away missions, linking his program to the ship? After all, if holographic bullets can kill I don't see any reason that a holographic combagdge can't work.

As for Odo, are the Founders that could at shapeshifting that they could correctly reproduce a functioning piece of technology? Didn't one of them fly through space as his own spaceship?

[kostmayer]

You don't wanna know.

You mean he has to do a Sheridan everytime he wants to go to sleep? No wonder he's grumpy.

[kostmayer]

Don't we hear him speak in the episode where he finds himself projected on the outer hull, and the crew can hear him so that would indicate some sort of internal communications connection wouldn't it?

Not sure that counts - didn't they install extra holographic transmitters round the hull - whichever way they did it, I think it was still the ship itself transmitting the Doctor, so there was no extra communicaton involved really - the crew were effectively interacting with the computer on the ship.

I'm not sure how that's different from what I said. If I didn't say that, that's mostly what I meant. It could be that the holo-badge functions as a little transmitter type thing on away missions, linking his program to the ship? After all, if holographic bullets can kill I don't see any reason that a holographic combagdge can't work.

As for Odo, are the Founders that could at shapeshifting that they could correctly reproduce a functioning piece of technology? Didn't one of them fly through space as his own spaceship?

Ah, I may have misunderstood you. What I meant was, when he is on an away mission, he's an independent program being run locally on the mobile emitter. So if his communicator is working, then either the emitter itself is transmitting to the ship, or its generating a fully functional comm badge. I'd suggest the latter, I can't imagine a communication is the most complicated item the mobile emitter would have to run.

When he was being emitted outside the hull (was it in Basics?), the emitters and the computer running the program were all on board ship, transmitting his out. There was no need for the Doctors program to generate a working comm badge.

[thelordharry]

What do you suppose SF did with the mobile emitter after Endgame? Reverse engineer it and turn a blind eye to the fact that technically, it shouldn't have been a reality for several hundred years? Maybe they just let the Doctor keep it without any interference? (he says pulled a 'k-yer, right' face)

[Mikey]

What do you suppose SF did with the mobile emitter after Endgame? Reverse engineer it and turn a blind eye to the fact that technically, it shouldn't have been a reality for several hundred years? Maybe they just let the Doctor keep it without any interference? (he says pulled a 'k-yer, right' face)

Put it in an unmarked crate in a vast but forgotten warehouse.

[thelordharry]

Oakey Dokey, Doctor Jones!

[Sonic Glitch]

What do you suppose SF did with the mobile emitter after Endgame? Reverse engineer it and turn a blind eye to the fact that technically, it shouldn't have been a reality for several hundred years? Maybe they just let the Doctor keep it without any interference? (he says pulled a 'k-yer, right' face)

Put it in an unmarked crate in a vast but forgotten warehouse.

They have top men working on replicating it right now.
Who?
Top. Men.

[Sionnach Glic]

What do you suppose SF did with the mobile emitter after Endgame? Reverse engineer it and turn a blind eye to the fact that technically, it shouldn't have been a reality for several hundred years? Maybe they just let the Doctor keep it without any interference? (he says pulled a 'k-yer, right' face)

Who's to say they can reverse engineer it? The Voyager crew couldn't do it, and they were able to invent a shuttle that went to Ludicrous Speed. I can see the mobile emitter being looked at for a few years, then shoved in a warehouse after the team eventualy gives up. They'd probably have a go at it every decade or so until they managed to get their own version working.