18th
"Okay, Morta. The Enterprise computer system is controlled by three primary main processor cores..."
Last night, I watced Rascals — a Star Trek the Next Generation episode.
A Ferengi, who has taken over the Enterprise (rather too easily), demands that Riker shows him how the computer works. Here’s the dialog:
“Okay, Morta. The Enterprise computer system is controlled by three primary main processor cores, cross-linked with redundant melacortz-ramistat 14-kiloquad interface modules. The core element is based on an FTL nanoprocessor with 25 bilateral kelilactirals. With 20 of those being slaved into the primary Heisenfram terminals. Now, you know what a bilateral kelilactiral is?”
“Of course I do, human. I am not stupid!”
“No. Of course not.”
- - Riker, spouting gibberish about the inner workings of the Enterprise computer to Morta
Of course, the Ferengi doesn’t want technical background — he wants a step-by-step hands on tutorial.
Putting technical background at the start of a chapter is a great way to STOP your readers learning anything and making them feel stupid or threatened. Great if that’s your goal. If not, try another way.