In “The Ultimate Computer”, the duotronic M-5 computer was deemed a failure which sent its creator Richard Daystrom into a nervous breakdown. Not only did Daystrom experience psychological distress (probably the most polite way to describe it), but was responsible for a machine that killed upwards of 53 people.
Why would a person responsible for the invention of a computer that unintentionally killed (unintentionally as in, not ordered to do so) get their name enshrined? Is there anything to explain why such a troubled person that ended up killing others in a quest to eliminate the risk of human death, would inspire anyone to name an organization after them?
This is firmly Memory Beta canon, but this bit from the Star Trek Adventures Core Rulebook still feels like an interesting addition to this conversation:
I didn’t notice this before but in Alpha canon Daystrom Institute was founded in 2256, before TOS. So this speech doesn’t make sense. The writer probably didn’t know that either.
EDIT: I need to clarify that this information is from “Chose Your Pain”, so it came along after “The Ultimate Computer”.
It looks like this rulebook was released 2 months before the Discovery episode.
Honestly, I think I’d personally consider the Disco naming a canon goof up - Daystrom was only 37 years old at that point. While he’d certainly done a lot in his career by then, it still feels weird to name such a major part of Starfleet after him when he’s still relatively young.
I think my headcannon, and a reasonable retcon in my opinion, is that there was a predecessor organization to Daystrom, somewhat like how there was NACA before there was NASA. When Discovery mentions Daystrom, they should actually be mentioning the predecessor organization.
Daystrom Institute is UFP, not Starfleet affiliated. Hence why those who work at Daystrom aren’t Starfleet.