Data's Day

[Finn]

Last evening, I saw Data's Day, first time I've watched TNG in a long while. Something nagged me a bit. Throughout the episode, Data narrated as if he was writing a letter to a Commander Maddox. But he appeared to discuss the situtation with that Romulan spy. Surely that incident would be classified (maybe only "Vulcan Ambassador is Romulan Spy" hit the newswaves though) and Commander Maddox probably doesn't have the clearence to gain the details of this situtation?

 

[pleccy]

I haven't seen this episode yet. I'm on season 2 but isn't Commander Maddox the guy that tried to make data the property of Star Fleet and wanted to disassemble him?

 

[JB2005]

^Data's a very forgiving guy, and it's supposed to be an irony that all this freaky stuff happens, but to Data, it's just an ordinary day...plus we've seen how open Starfleet is on Next Gen...

 

[Xerxes1979]

What dialogue do you feel was of a classified nature?

Most of Data's log entries were about the wedding. Here is a transcript.
http://www.voyager.cz/tng/epizody/085datasdaytrans.htm

Also Maddox was a full three-pip commander, perhaps his rank allowed him to view such material without difficulty

 

[Trekker4747]

Last evening, I saw Data's Day, first time I've watched TNG in a long while. Something nagged me a bit. Throughout the episode, Data narrated as if he was writing a letter to a Commander Maddox. But he appeared to discuss the situtation with that Romulan spy. Surely that incident would be classified (maybe only "Vulcan Ambassador is Romulan Spy" hit the newswaves though) and Commander Maddox probably doesn't have the clearence to gain the details of this situtation?

It may be one of those episodes where we're not supposed to take every single, precise, thing that happens to us on screen as "really happening" or, rather, being part of Data's letter.

 

[john titor]

Have you seen gazorras version of datas day and the follow up datas date?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSoV91ofwHA&feature=channel_page

 

[Hober Mallow]

It may be one of those episodes where we're not supposed to take every single, precise, thing that happens to us on screen as "really happening" or, rather, being part of Data's letter.

Like when Kirk is stranded on an alien world in the middle of a life and death situation yet there's still a "Captain's log" entry just after the commercial?

 

[DonIago]

My favorite would be his log entry in "Where No Fan Has Gone Before".

 

[Trekker4747]

It may be one of those episodes where we're not supposed to take every single, precise, thing that happens to us on screen as "really happening" or, rather, being part of Data's letter.

Like when Kirk is stranded on an alien world in the middle of a life and death situation yet there's still a "Captain's log" entry just after the commercial?

Sort of, but I've always taken that as an "after the fact" log-entry, oddly, spoken in present tense.

 

[Cyke101]

It may be one of those episodes where we're not supposed to take every single, precise, thing that happens to us on screen as "really happening" or, rather, being part of Data's letter.

Like when Kirk is stranded on an alien world in the middle of a life and death situation yet there's still a "Captain's log" entry just after the commercial?

Encounter at Farpoint had Q coming to the bridge. At the middle of that visit was a commercial break and then a captain's log. Did Picard really record his log in front of Q?

 

[Timo]

..an "after the fact" log-entry, oddly, spoken in present tense.

I for one would find it odd if the narration to a video record of events were in anything but the present tense.

If Kirk, after the adventure of the week, narrated "And then we walked right into a trap, oh, and see how I punched this guy, only there were too many of them", I'd feel I were watching a holiday video rather than a military log of events...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Lucky Charms]

Given that Commander Maddox (or the department he works for) apparently has enough pull to almost have Data dismantled, perhaps he has a high enough security clearence? I would think anyone who is cleared to look at Data's inarrds has a high security clearence.

 

[Timo]

OTOH, Starfleet doesn't seem to think too highly of Data's innards. Why, the first mission to find out some facts about his origins happened 26 years after his discovery, and apparently was the first time anybody realized he had a Soong-built positronic brain... Maddox appeared to be the only one with an interest, and he had harbored it ever since Data's enrolling at Starfleet, that is, for more than a decade, before taking actual action.

OTOH, one might assume that all Starfleet correspondence is automatically subject to censure, and that Data's letters home were edited to match the clearance of the recipient (and of possible other people who'd have or gain access to the letters).

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Arpy]

Why should it be kept secret? Cause it's embarrassing? The Federation's a free society...isn't it about accountability, oversite? Perhaps it's we who are too secret.

 

[DonIago]

That's the same argument that could be used to justify Data turning himself over to Maddox in the first place...

 

[Arpy]

That's the same argument that could be used to justify Data turning himself over to Maddox in the first place...

You lost me. Please elaborate.

 

[dauntless]

This is the first episode I ever saw, way back in the 90s.

 

[DonIago]

Why should it be kept secret? Cause it's embarrassing? The Federation's a free society...isn't it about accountability, oversite? Perhaps it's we who are too secret.

Why should Data be allowed to keep knowledge of how he functions to himself? Why should he _not_ be reproduced? Think of how many lives could have been spared in the Dominion War if every ship had been crewed by androids.

How dare he refuse to give the greatest gift he has to give to the Federation, especially when he owes his life to the Federation for having found him to begin with.

NOTE - I'm expressing these views as a matter of debate, not as an endorsement.

 

[Timo]

Well, supposedly a telepath can turn down Starfleet's offer of well-paid slavery. Or a shapeshifter. Or a boy wonder like Wesley. Why not an android?

Also, Starfleet probably already enslaves as many AIs as it ever needs - every starship or runabout computer seems capable of acting as an AI when needed. Would Data really have that much more to offer?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[DonIago]

Rushed.

Ship's computer can't fully operate a starship. Crew of androids can. Big difference.

I believe MoaM specifically addressed whether or not Data should be able to turn down the offer, though opinions may differ on whether or not it was the right decision.