Trinary syntax

Trinary code is a term used to describe an advanced form of computer language used by cultures in the galaxy, such as the Federation.

Federation computers use an advanced system, using the data storage measurements quads, kiloquads and gigaquads to measure data. The systems are based in binary code, yet also accomodating the use of trinary. (VOY:"Hope and Fear")

Trinary is a further evolution of binary code. In binary, when an electric current is used to transmit or carry data and information, the information is encoded as ones (1) or zeroes (0), with an "off" current representing 0, and an active, or "on," current representing 1. A single one or zero is referred to as a unit of information, referred to as a "bit." By comparison, a trinary code, by definition, is a three-state system, with three different signals possible. This dramatically increases the capacity of a system, and the complexity of data storage and encoding.

Star Trek computers are frequently referred to operating in binary capacities, such as TNG:"11001001" and VOY:"Favorite Son," however, references to trinary code, and the possible obsolescence of binary, have been made in modern Trek productions. Since an electric current can only be on or off, the science to create a working trinary code computer is probably not possible using modern electrical technology. Scientists today have theorized, though, that quantum mechanics might provide solutions for trinary code, or even quadratic, alternatives to binary code. This would be known as quantum computing.

The term "quad" has been theorized to be related to quadratic code, the four-state variation of binary and trinary, possible in theoretical quantum computing, however, it has been solidly established that Federation computers utilize both binary and trinary code, and no mention has ever been made of this relationship in any canon sense.

Presumably trinary involves 0,1 and 2. Using an 8 bit code, there are 2⁸ or 256 possible binary states per byte. In trinary, there would be 3⁸ or 6,561 states available per byte. A quadratic would allow 4⁸ or 65,536 states.