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I think you guys missed my point, almost completely.
Pluto was named as a planet, by the scientific community, and then given to the world to add to the list of known planets, for all to know an use etc etc. It is written into every text book and science class. And it probably would have remained that way.... and so it came into popular and consistent use.
Now a few bodies further out were discovered that also looked remarkably like planets, did the scientific community name them as planets? Did they discount them as planets? No they decided to opt out of that debate almost entirely and instead change what was then an accepted (if somewhat incorrect) assignment of Pluto. And even then they didnt seem to manage to get a sound definition.
So while I dont care if its Pluto, Planet X or Dwarf Planet ABC.... I think there should be some consistency here, once they scientific community decides to put it out as a planet for all to use there should be more of a debate than what occured. Its not like they are changing the name / status of some obscure bit of research that know one knows about. Just imagine if the science community now said "well we dont like the name of Water, from now on it should be called Di-Hydrogen Oxide" quite correct, quite scientific, and quite unnecessary and stupid. So where is the difference here. Why should all school texts be rewritten just to call it a Dwarf Planet (for example)?
Also they are changing the status of 1 of 9 planets based on a sample size of 11 objects. So think about the statistics there, after sampling something 10 times would you go and discount 1 simply because it doesnt seem to quite fit the other 9? I think they were a bit too hasty to change this, especially with all flow on effects it will have, simply to avoid naming the other discoveries planets... an equally valid rule could have been "anything outside the orbit of Pluto is not a planet"... dumb but just as valid... with a sample set of 9 how do we know that it isnt right?
So considering the rushed decision to change the name of an accepted widely used term, for what are dubious reasons, well yes I think that consoltation and a better explination is warranted.
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