This is the second of eleven observations I shared during my part in the conversation about Pen-to-Publication (see blog entry for 24 February 2012).

In this movie, the crew of the starship Enterprise travel back in time to 20th century San Francisco. The plot isn’t important. I remember some wonderful moments when the Enterprise crew engages with 20th century terrestrial trappings.

Two in particular come to mind: Captain James T. Kirk is in his cabin on the Enterprise using a pair of antique, Ben Franklin-esque spectacles to read a thick, leather-bound book (I don’t recall the title). The book is one of his most treasured possessions.

Later in the film, the crew encounters a computer; as it happens, it’s the original version of the Apple Macintosh, where the screen displays a seemingly handwritten “hello” when it’s turned on. Scotty begins talking directly to it:

Scotty: Computer! Computer?

[No response. He’s handed a computer mouse, then speaks into it like a microphone.]

Scotty: Hello, computer!

Dr. Nichols: Just use the keyboard.

Scotty: Keyboard. How quaint.