Holodeck question

[subcommanderbeavis 0]

This question has bugged me for many years now,though I have never asked any other fans for their opinions before.In the first episode of The Next Generation,Commander Riker and virtually everybody else seems astounded and amazed by the holodeck.The novelization of "Encounter at Farpoint" makes it clear that holodecks are a new invention.Yet,on Voyager Janeway claims that she "grew" up with the holodeck adventures of Flotter.

What gives?Did the writers overlook something?Is Encounter at Farpoint right or wrong?Is Janeway lying?Will the Chicago Bears die of humiliation before the end of the season?The world wonders!

Have any thoughts on this holodeck problem?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

In Star Trek: The Animated Series episode #19 "The Practical Joker", (a story similar to TNG: "Emergence") this episode had the first appearance of a holodeck on any Trek series. In The Practical Joker the U.S.S. Enterprise computer trapped Uhura, Sulu and McCoy into the holographic "Recreation" Room and subjected them to all sorts of dangerous environments. There is a scene in this Recreation room where Uhura, Sulu and McCoy go to a control console in its center for specifying what artificial environment was to be generated.

[Yellow_Dragon 0]

This is just a guess on my part,but I would think holodeck-type technology was probably in wide-scale use by the early/mid-24th century....maybe by the 2320's or so?

Perhaps the Starfleet did not acquire the technology for use as recreation until some time later?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

If I remember correctly, and someone please correct me if I am wrong but it is explained that the holodecks on the Enterprise-D are a new version, Riker is so amazed by the detail and complexity of the new holodecks. This left me with the understanding that Holodecks existed but just weren't as sophisticated as the new ones on the 1701-D.