Talk:Spot (Star Trek)

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{{StarTrekproject}} {{WikiProject Cats}} From VfD:

  • I nominated this for deletion. Though I totally agree that fictional characters from television shows (especially one as seminal as Star Trek) deserve encyclopedic entries, I think that a seperate entry for the pet cat of a character is a bit over the top. I know Star Trek fans are completists and may disagree with me, but I really think that any "vital" information about Data's pet cat should be incorperated into the page about Data. I vote delete (obviously.)

P.S. - I can see that I have entered the link information to the page in question incorrectly but I have no idea why?! Can someone fix this for me? Pacian 09:56, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)

  • Spot (Star Trek)? --Ianb 10:09, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Fixed the VfD page. Merge and redirect to Data (Star Trek) Perhaps create a section for the little animal... and discuss Spot's unusual changing looks. --[[User:Allyunion|AllyUnion (Talk)]] 10:47, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Move to owners page please. --Marco 12:01, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Comment: Maybe Star Trek fans, as well as Pokémon fans should consider starting a seperate WikiProject dedicated to the subject. Obviously they are quite complex and fans want to have every detail included, this however may go overboard as this article shows. An example would be Perrypedia wich is about a German Science Fiction 'universe'. There are articles about the main characters on the German Wikipedia and links to Perrypedia for more info. [[User:Yardcock|Yardcock | talk]] 12:28, Sep 5, 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge and redirect to Data (Star Trek) at a minimum. I agree with a WikiGames and a WikiTV and a WikiAnime. Geogre 14:00, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • I'm not sure how you can say "any "vital" information about Data's pet cat should be incorperated into the page about Data. I vote delete" . Just do the merge and redirect yourself, and then the page would not have to be posted here on VfD. -- Netoholic @ 14:27, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
    • Though I appreciate your comment, it was a little catty. Though I would have gladly done the merge/redirect on my own, I thought that it was deserved of consideration by the entire wikipedia community. obviously, by the amount of input, I was correct. Additionally, I do not know how to eliminate the original page once the merge/redirect was done.68.48.8.97 08:02, 7 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge and redirect. -Sean Curtin 19:03, Sep 5, 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep - A pet or not, Spot was still a Trek character. The cat even appeared in a Star Trek movie. That makes it worthy of a wikipedia article. -- Crevaner 20:40, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • keep Dunc_Harris|☺ 20:51, 5 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge and redirect. We'll never have any decent-sized articles if every section is split off into its own article. Spot is better off in the Data (Star Trek) article. —Rory ☺ 21:23, Sep 5, 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge and redirect. The Data article says "Data also has a pet cat named Spot."--sounds like a perfect intro for the content from the Spot article. It seems like Spot would be fairly non-notable if not for his/her interactions with Data. Niteowlneils 03:02, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep - SimonP 05:40, Sep 6, 2004 (UTC)
    • Comment: I don't see how Data's cat could be expanded into a full length article. Care to enlighten everyone else how many episodes this changling cat has appeared in? I frankly believe it deserves its own section in Data simply because it tells more about Data rather than a minor character which is an animal -- that and there's guesses that Data has had several cats and being unoriginal -- called them all "Spot." --[[User:Allyunion|AllyUnion (Talk)]] 05:57, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. There's definitely enough information about Spot to have its own article. Voyager640 07:47, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge/redirect into Data (Star Trek). Or keep, I really don't care -- just don't delete. • Benc • 09:00, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. If we can have an article on SNUH, then we can have an article on Spot. Though I think this article needs some editing; it reads like a high school essay. - Brian Kendig 10:13, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
    • If we can have an article on SNUH, then we can have an article on Spot -- not so. Articles stand or fall on their own merits. Wile E. Heresiarch 16:11, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Delete: subtrivial. Wile E. Heresiarch 16:11, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. It's not like it's an article for random background Klingon guard #3. Spot featured prominently in many of the episodes, even saving the day in one, as well as giving Data his first tears. -Branddobbe 17:53, Sep 6, 2004 (UTC)
  • Comment: As far as I can see, this article can be only expanded by putting up the picture of all the cat types "Spot" has been. Then listing them, linking them to approprate animal articles, and listing all the episodes "Spot" was involved in. I still say that barely makes a half of a page. Branddobbe, please prove that this article can be expanded further than beyond that point. (Expanding the article normally helps to change the votes on the VfD page.) --[[User:Allyunion|AllyUnion (Talk)]] 22:20, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)
    • 1. I don't know why I was chosen as the defender of Spot. 2. It could go into greater detail about Spot's involvement in the relevant episodes (and movie). 3. Even if it can't be expanded, it still doesn't deserve to be deleted. -Branddobbe 23:52, Sep 6, 2004 (UTC)
  • Merge and redirect to Data (Star Trek) at a minimum but NOT delete. As the article stands at the moment, merge works better but if someone can expand the article more, it might merit standing on its own. RedWolf 23:32, Sep 6, 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep Data is in dead, so in theory the cat has more of a future than the owner. Krupo 02:46, Sep 7, 2004 (UTC)
  • To add a little more perspective, I have to say that I strongly disagree with everyone trying to show that the character of Spot, Data's cat, had any kind of relevance to the series. It was a cat. Just because it appeared many times on the show and was referenced in dialogue does not make it worthy of an encyclopedic entry. There were lots of minor characters who came in and out of Star Trek: the Next Generation and played major parts in the solution of a dilemma only to never be heard from again. Do they deserve individual encyclopedia entries? Of course not, and neither does Spot the cat. I further emphasize my vote to merge/delete. 68.48.8.97 08:02, 7 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. Having read the VfD comments before the article, I was prepared to vote for the merge and delete -- with, in fact, a bit of a chuckle at the idea that a fictional character's cat might merit an article. Now that I've read the article, though, I think it should stay. Adding this much detail about Spot to the Data (Star Trek) article would be clutter there. Having this one as a "daughter" article (few people will reach it except through the link from one of the other Star Trek articles) makes more complete information about Data and about the series available to those who want it. As for expansion, I agree with AllyUnion that it's hard to see much plausible room for expansion, but I think the article is OK as is. JamesMLane 02:40, 8 Sep 2004 (UTC)
    • Heh, I was thinking that too after reading through the two, well put. Krupo 03:30, Sep 8, 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep - I agree with JamesMLane and Krupo, merging into Data (Star Trek) would add clutter to what is by no means an undersized article. And it seems silly to delete this when a trawl through Category:Star Trek characters would reveal a number of more deserving candidates. —Stormie 04:54, Sep 9, 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. zoney ▓   ▒ talk 13:50, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. [[User:Dmn|Dmn / Դմն ]] 22:55, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. Evercat 22:04, 11 Sep 2004 (UTC)

end moved discussion

Contents

[edit] Somali cat reference

"Spot originally appeared as a Somali cat, but he later became a normal house cat." I'm just wondering exactly what this is supposed to mean/imply, considering that the Somali breed is a "normal house cat." [[User:Lachatdelarue|Lachatdelarue (talk)]] 17:33, 25 Sep 2004 (UTC)

The Somali is a purebreed....basically a long-haired Abyssinian...and probably FAR too energetic for a starship, as any Somali or Abby owner will tell you!

The "normal" cat reference just means Spot is a domestic short-hair....a polite term for a mutt.

[edit] Gender

I remember one teacher in college who thought his cat was a male, until he took the cat to the vet. He said the cat appeared and acted like a male. It was only after the vet made a detailed examination that he discovered the cat was actually a female. He said he found out that in some rare cases, a cat could appear and act like a member of one sex, but biologically be a member of the other sex. That might've happened here.

Why is this article about deletion and not about Spot himself? I came here looking for information about Spot.

Er, is it possible that Spot isn't a Terran cat at all, and in fact may be a Trill symbiosis partner? If so, that might explain the abrupt gender changes...

User:Calibanu15.40, 30 July 2006

Okay, that's officially the best theory ever. --Masamage 05:25, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

He/she could also be a Schrodinger's Cat who escaped from the notorious thought experiment and ended up on the TNG Enterprise...

User: Calibanu14.55, 01 August 2006

[edit] Parallel in Worf

I have now twice removed this fact that was added by Walabio that has nothing whatsoever to do with Spot:

Another explanation is that Worf never made it back to his home Universe in Parallels.

Am I missing something? Or is Walabio just being a troll? --HeroicJay (not official user name)

I think the poster is trying to say that Spot's sex-change is evidence that, in the episode Parallels, Worf ended up returning to a universe that was almost like his own, except with a female Spot instead of a male Spot. Which, really, is putting way too much thought into things :). --142.242.2.248 23:45, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hong Kong Phooey

First, I vote to keep the article. The fact that we have such along and varied discussion means there is some relevancy and interests in this arcane subject.

Second, anyone know the connection between Data’s cat Spot and Hong Kong Phooey’s cat Spot. Is it merely a coincidence—i. e. Spot usually being a dog’s name?

Señor Cardgage 04:22, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikifying Ode to Spot

Hi,

I played around with a few links. I'm not happy with the one I've put for "counterbalance" (Equilibrium). E Pluribus Anthony suggested Equilibrioception instead, but that is to do with the sense of balance, as in how the inner ear works, not so much about the movement of body parts to maintain balance and co-ordination. I'm still looking for a general link that describes counterbalance in the way a tight-rope walker uses a balancing pole, or a feline or kangaroo uses a tail... perhaps this link should be removed until a better subject can be found? - Sinewalker 01:43, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

Hey there! Thanks for the note. The term movement usually refers to when an organism moves a body part, like me (or Regan MacNeil) turning their head, while holding oneself in place, while locomotion deals with a being moving from point A to point B. Equilibrioception deals with the overall sense of balance in maintaining anatomical equilibrium, though I must admit that none and all of the terms deal directly with this topic. Perhaps you should just use your 'gut instinct'? ;) I hope this helps. E Pluribus Anthony 08:58, 3 November 2005 (UTC)
Hi again. As well, I interpret 'cognitive array' to possibly include any nervous or sensory organs conducive to cognition, including (for a cat) the brain, eyes, nose, whiskers, etc. Nervous system may the apt wiklink in this instance; thoughts? E Pluribus Anthony 22:33, 3 November 2005 (UTC)
Actually, I believe E Pluribus is incorrect. Where he used "movement" he meant "locomotion", while where he used "locomotion" he meant "motion." Just my 2 cents after doing disambig link repair for movement. Feel free to ignore. Amalas =^_^= 19:07, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Quotes

Can we move these to Wikiquote? Gerard Foley 16:29, 28 November 2005 (UTC)

The quotes should probably be copied, not displaced or moved. Numerous Star Trek (and other) articles contain notable quotes for characters, and help to round out those articles. E Pluribus Anthony 20:47, 28 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Copyrighted poem?

User EngineerScotty removed the quoted Ode to Spot, claiming that it's a copyrighted poem. Is the poem actually copyrighted somewhere as such, or is it merely a portion of a copyrighted teleplay, which surely can be quoted as much as any other exchange from a show, play, or film. For instance, the TOS theme song is quoted in full in that article. Unigolyn 06:30, 8 September 2006 (UTC)