TARDIS information system

The TARDIS Information System was a searchable database discovered by the Fifth Doctor's companions Nyssa and Tegan from a readout in the control room. The Fifth Doctor called it the TARDIS databank.

Articles in the databank could be accessed by typing in a two-letter initialism for the subject. Entering IF, for example, would bring up the database's index file. Nyssa noted that using the Index File to search for the Index File was an example of recursion.

It turned out had modified the Doctor's TARDIS using Block Transfer Computation as part of his plan to ensnare the Doctor in Castrovalva. At least some of the Information System's contents, such as the entry on Castrovalva, would not otherwise have existed. (TV: Castrovalva)

Turlough read aloud a historical account from the Information System, telling of Earth's collision with its sun to Tegan in order to purposefully upset her. (TV: Frontios)