Project Duplex Carbasa

We get millions of requests every week about doing a Cardassian style app. And after a lengthy and constructive email conversation, I decided to actually get some work done and start working on it. The project is of yet unnamed (beyond it's codename Duplex Carbasa (Latin: "double canvas") and very basic with regards to functionality. However, it will give me an awesome chance to use up some of those lovely Cardassian computer sounds in my library.

Personally, I love the design of Cardassian monitors. So alien and completely original. However, throughout Star Trek, they've never been used for input. The only input that has been seen was accomplished either by voice or using those intriguing button controls that Mike Okuda and Doug Drexler affectionatley called 'vertebrae', 'horseshoe crab' and so on.

Until then, here's our Facebook gallery for the project that will be updated as the project begins to pick up speed.

Who Said Compassion is Irrelevant?

..It certainly wasn't these two Drones.

Here at the LCARS 47 Dev Project, it's not just about LCARS and fancy software—we love a bit of charity fun too. And this post is dedicated to just that.

Two close friends of Stefan's, Angie and M of the USS Isaac, Starfleet International, Region 20, are suiting up as Borg drones with a few other fellow Trekkers (and possibly a Klingon) in aid of Red Nose Day, this coming March 15.

They'll be walking the 'old walls of Newcastle', a trek of about 5 kilometers in aid of disadvantaged children in the UK and Africa. It's a fantastic event and we'd love it if you guys could rally together in support of the fundraiser. 

Click here to visit the donation page and help them hit their £1,000 target! Resistance is futile.

LCARS 47 Hacking Ripping and Exploiting

Recently, there's been a ton of ripping from LCARS 47 and people either recompiling duplicates, adding adverts and even trying to sell LCARS 47 (or lightweight copies) either as a pay-to-download, or as mobile applications.

Whatever the method, they are merely unoriginal, stolen content—use at your own risk, as we offer no warranty.

The problem is, thus far, CBS have left us alone. Why? Probably because we ain't doing this to get rich. Hell, we ain't doing this to get anything. Anyways... When people start ripping content and passing it off as LCARS 47 for profit, CBS might be lead to believe we're responsible. That could mean that my inbox becomes the target for a DMCA notice.

To those of you that are decompiling, reverse engineering and ultimately stealing from the Star Trek community: please don't, because it makes us look bad, it's malicious, and makes you look like a thief.

To this end, I remind you that LCARS 47 should only be downloaded (free) from:

• LCARS47.com, or 
• theBluPrint.org

In short, if you get it from somewhere else, you're on your own—we can't help you if something goes wrong.

Things Getting Heavy with the New Database

A huge overhaul is underway with the Federation Database. The new module will consist of everything we can think of... That's a lot of stuff. It truely is a monumental but highly rewarding task.

The first image to the left is a very famous cartograph of the Alpha Quadrant, the home of the United Federation of Planets.

The image to the right is a database file containing information pertaining to the Akira class starship, one of my favorite classes. There will be a file on every single starship class ever seen in Star Trek, every shuttle type, every escape pod design. Needless to say, it's gonna be huge. We won't be adding fan made stuff though but we may add selected noncanon ships like the Valiant class as well as ships from certain games like Activision's Falcon class (Romulan). We'll also use commonly accepted noncanon names for ships with no official name (where no tech manual gives it a name), like the Venture class scout seen in Star Trek: Insurrection.

The third image is something Stefan and I both worked on. He wanted to add this image since it has a ton of details.

Now, onto the really cool part...

A new, bigger Federation musical database. I know that you've all Googled a particular tune you heard in Star Trek, from Vivaldi to Sousa (pictured, right). Why not have it all in one app—available whenever? This will also include timeless Trek-unique pieces such as the already included Inner Light (but improved score). Federation Anthem? You got it!

There's only one minor problem... all the music (and the recording) must be either in the public domain or fall under a Creative Commons license. It's a minor problem, but it's one we have to respect. Having said that, I've found a ton of public domain works and I, myself, play the piano... so you'll probably be hearing more of my hammering on the black and whites.

On a quick side note, yes this database will be big. So it will not come with the main installer, but as an addon installer (much like the ever delayed Drydock plugins).