Memory Alpha Question

[Computer]

Under the main article for the "United Federation of Planets" on Memory Alpha it refers to the Federation, its laws, government etc in the past tense.

An excerpt from the first paragraph:

The United Federation of Planets (commonly referred to as The Federation) was an interstellar federal republic"

Have these articles always read in the past tense or were they changed to reflect the on-screen demise of the franchise?

 

[AdmiralGarak]

It always has been in past tense. It makes it easier to read. It's the same with Captain Picard's entry. If the subject of a given entry were killed/destroyed/lost in some future story, it saves the editors from having to go back and alter the tense of the entire article.

Besides, the franchise hasn't demised. Or have you missed the fact that there's a major new movie on the way?

 

[Lynx]

I guess that it's common for all kind of Trek reference librarys. The Star Trek Encyclopedia was also written in past tense.

 

[captcalhoun]

it's a conceit that the encyclopaedia is written from the POV of some time in the 'future' of Trek, like the 25th or 26th centuries...