Subject: Another Ashens fan, I see...
Author:
Posted on: 2017-12-11 20:35:00 UTC
Anyways, I always headcanoned the consoles as VT-100-type affairs, but a throwaway line from ToS means this is impossible. So the canon options in terms of terminals that really exist are cheap desktop machines, or X Terminals, which are cheap, rubbish Project Athena-type stuff from the early 90's... huh. guess that works.
BEHOLD!
This is the Amstrad Portable Personal Computer 640.
Attentive audience members may note what the acronym is.
Something like this with not quite so many dials everywhere, with the upper diagram-thingy being cupboards and the left-hand panel being the disguise generator (except I always imagine it on the right):
This is fun. ^_^
~Neshomeh
I wouldn't be too surprised if the console designs varied from RC to RC, and I also wouldn't be surprised if some poor agent pair somewhere got stuck with, and have to somehow make do with, a bunch of stone abacuses tied together.
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Maybe you'd take some interest in the IBM System/360, in that case?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BundesarchivB145Bild-F038812-0014,Wolfsburg,VWAutowerk.jpg
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A PPC console has to have a screen to display the shocking/horrifying details of the latest mission assignment.
Also, you say that like I know anything about old computers. I really don't, other than, like, punch cards were a thing. ^_^;
~Neshomeh
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Yeah, back in those days since they lacked screens, they had to use teletypewriters: huge, slow and noisy contraptions that would display the text by printing it to a continuous roll of paper. I thought this might be a nice photo reference if you're looking for that "lots of buttons and switches and dials" aesthetic, though.
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Nice and properly console-ey.
[[Tom: But it needs a mouse! I can't play games on this...]]
...But Tom, there aren't any games on the console.
[[Tom: That is a lie and you know it.]]
Why are your fellow humans, hmmm, requesting that small rodents be attached to their consoles? Hooom. This is illogical. Is it the influence of the Discworld seeping in, perhaps? Hmmm, perhaps we should check the integrity of the shielding in those sections of HQ...
Makes-Things sighed and shook his head. It would take too long to explain. While his department head continued to ponder the conundrum, he simply set about upgrading the systems.
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Couldn't resist. But yeah, I'm sure they have more or less modern peripherals. ^_^
~Neshomeh
The reason I know there are games on the consoles is that Jay mentioned playing Quake on them in TOS.
So they better have mice. Keyboard-only Quake... *shivers.* Now THAT'S a nightmare.
In my head, they were always like this:
Except with a single big screen.
Anyways, I always headcanoned the consoles as VT-100-type affairs, but a throwaway line from ToS means this is impossible. So the canon options in terms of terminals that really exist are cheap desktop machines, or X Terminals, which are cheap, rubbish Project Athena-type stuff from the early 90's... huh. guess that works.
This is a little bit like my headcanon... 
Maybe more like https://31nswfs3qg8193cz720t9481-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/files/2017/05/1200px-Missioncontrolcenter.jpg where they seem to be trying to emulate that old-school console feel with LCD monitors.
Maybe they still use CRT because they seem to be able to withstand impacts better than LCD. Maybe they split the difference and put the LCD behind a pane of transparent aluminum.
