From Newsgroup: alt.tv.star-trek.tos   
   From Address: philnblanc@comcast.net   
   Subject: Re: Those Amazing Computers!   
      
   On 5/9/2011 5:49 PM, Ron wrote:   
   > On May 9, 1:57 pm, ToolPackinMama  wrote:   
   >> On 5/9/2011 2:19 AM, Ron wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> Spock gets curious and asked the computer what things Leighton, Riley,   
   >>> Kirk, and Karidian *had in common.*   
   >>   
   >> Where exactly does that line of dialog occur?   
   >>   
   >> http://www.voyager.cz/tos/epizody/13consciencekingtrans.htm   
   >   
   >   
   > Exactly? Start at the 20.00.00 minute mark where Spock goes to access   
   > the computer on the bridge   
   >   
   > Spock: "Correlate. Check their past histories; report any items,   
   >                any past experiences they all have in common."   
   >   
   > Offscreen the computer tells Spock all the gory details, which he then   
   > goes and relates to McCoy.   
      
   OK,Ron, we have no record of what the computer tells Spock, but we see    
   Kirk asking similar questions and getting his answers, and it may be    
   assumed that the computer eventually offered Spock the same information.   
      
   This is a common device in script-writing and is not a flaw.   
      
   We are not shown the process of Spock's inquiry in its entirety.  We    
   don't know how long his search actually took, or what other questions he    
   posed.  We were not shown what the computer said to him, but we    
   certainly can see the results of his research, and relax and enjoy the    
   show.   
      
   Spock has access to the same information that Kirk asked for and got    
   earlier.  To show the acquisition of the same info twice would be a    
   horrid waste of precious TV time.   
      
   This is not a plot hole.  Our imaginations are allowed to do some of the    
   work.  This is absolutely not a writer's failure or cheat - it's a    
   legitimate method for telling the story.  Star Trek writers, and indeed    
   virtually all TV episode writers frequently are deliberately scant in    
   playing out the details in order to move the story along.   
      
   Plenty of information is given in the episode to show how Spock arrived    
   at the same conclusion that Kirk did.  There is no failure on the    
   writer's part.  All the information we need was given to us.   
      
   So, in short, I disagree with you.  But it was an interesting question.   
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