Another Angry Woman
Lizard@stavvers On the other hand, it (and all the other voice-activated stuff) knows when you're talking to it. Otherwise, replicators would be spewing out food any time someone near the input said anything food-related.
"So, I ordered some gakh once and..."
Replicator: DING!
"No, I don't want gakh..."
Replicator: DING!
"Look, you steaming pile of dingo's kidneys..."
Replicator: DING!
(At this point, stuff is spilling out onto the crewperson's pants.)
(Later, after showering and changing their uniform, they actually DO try to get dinner, only to be told they've exceeded their caloric allowance and need an exemption from Medical.)
MythicFox@LizardSF @stavvers Back in the 90's, the Nitpicker's Guild used to observe that the Enterprise doors functioned similarly. Someone gets up to leave Ten Forward (or wherever), and the doors open while they're still practically halfway across the room...
...unless they have to stop and say something dramatic before leaving. In which case the doors would remain closed while the crewmember walks up to them, stops, turns back, says the thing, and only when they're done do the doors open.