
What's the origin of Picard's signature phrase, “make it so”? - tosh
https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/9695/whats-the-origin-of-picards-signature-phrase-make-it-so
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binarymax
GNU really missed an opportunity here:

    
    
        ubuntu@ip-10-0-0-252:~$ make it so
        make: *** No rule to make target 'it'.  Stop.

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craftyguy
Submit a patch:
[http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/make/](http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/make/)

~~~
SyneRyder
Considering the reaction to man including a similar easter egg, it might not
go down well (sadly).

[https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/405783/why-does-
man...](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/405783/why-does-man-print-
gimme-gimme-gimme-at-0030)

~~~
eximius
That easter egg is hilarious and anyone mad that it was included has a stick
up their butt.

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mlthoughts2018
I just assumed it was developed after a long period of market testing
different phrases to see what audiences liked best.

\- "Cause it to be."

\- "Arrange for things to be as we discussed."

\- "Instantiate that state of affairs."

\- "In regards to bringing about what we had just been describing: yes."

\- "OK. Fine."

\- "I've had quite a bit of tea today and I'll be in the lavatory. Please
ensure our plans come about by the time I return."

\- "Just do it!"

By the time the market testing team had decided the final phrase was the most
successful, they realized Nike already got to it first and had to throw
something in at the last minute.

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teachrdan
You'd be remiss to not read McSweeney's "TV Catch Phrases that Weren't":
[https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tv-catch-phrases-that-
we...](https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tv-catch-phrases-that-werent)

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ams6110
Standard Navy phraseology.

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brational
American-English translation of "do the needful".

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teilo
> '"Make it so" was a standard phrase used by British naval officers.'

Which makes perfect sense, because Picard was French.

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mixmastamyk
Lots of French learn English with a British accent and vice-versa, no?

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porterde
This would be a nice alias for the usual 'apply' command in desired state
configuration type systems...

kubectl makeitso -f stuff.yaml

terraform makeitso plan.tf

etc

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lurquer
It's an anagram of "I ask 'em to."

There's many such Easter eggs in the series.

Such as Jean Luc Picard's name... A reference to the well-known phrase "Cup
and Jar lice." The character was bald, so he didn't have lice, etc., etc. No
need to repeat the story.

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ggm
personally, I think he should have (mis) said "on my command unleash hell" but
I wasn't in the writers meeting.

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dano
Bookem

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NedIsakoff
Its a signature phrase. TV characters tends to have one.

~~~
stephengillie
_Number One, engage._

