From: tagg@hg.uleth.ca
Newsgroups: rec.games.cyber
Subject: Questions about the Net
Date: 29 Jul 92 04:52:13 GMT
Reply-To: apple!hg.uleth.ca!tagg
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Archive-Name: rgc533


      Hey, how about a new topic?

      The Net has always posed great problems for me.  Almost nowhere is it
accurately enough described to suit my taste.  I would like to know how other
gamers see it.  I ask some questions and pose the solutions I know below:

-- How does a runner jack in?
Talsorian's cpunk has runners jack in directly. Since direct brain-device
interface is relatively common and cheap, all data and commands are driven
through an i/o port mounted somewhere on the runner's body.  Advantages: I love
the image of the military cowboy with a combat deck in one hand ramming it into
an interface port with the wires running from his wrist and his eyes glassed
over.
Gibson uses 'trodes on the skin.  Okay, no problem here;  I perfer to really
jack when I jack, but this is okay. More importantly, Case and his kind use a
keyboard of some sort when decking. This is by far my preference; I love the
fingers flying blindly across the keyboard, lightly making adjustments to the
runner's programs.

-- Who can jack in?
Talsorian seems to hint that only Runners can jack.  This is clearly stupid;
why would the thing be build if only a chosen few could use it with any level
of proficiency.  (I think this was changed somewhat in 2020 but I still perfer
the old, gritty boxed 1st edition.)
Does everyone jack?  Do you do word processing by VR, or is it only used by
computer geeks?  How common is it?  What sort of people _wouldn't_ jack?

-- What is the physical basis for the Net?
ICE: Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics.  One school of thought is that the
Grid is a computer projection of _electronic_ signals; that is to say,
impedences, resitances, amplifiers, multiplexers, security gates.  Physical
objects.  This would explain the 'trace': a physical route that the electrical
signals flow, a pattern of switches and gates that defines the route of the
signals.
Another possibility is that there is one big computer or network of
computers with integrated software that work together to create an artificial
reality, representing all nodes on the network within this reality, and
governing their interaction.  Netrunner battles would be a hacker contest on
the unseen command level of this system.  Drawbacks: assumes either collusion
between all software designers or a powerful agency to put such an integrated
and cohesive system into place.  Unlike cpunk.
Another possibibity: the deck does all the work, representing all software
constructs in whatever system is being used into the same visual context. 
Drawback: a deck that can interface and interpret signals from ANY computer
system would be frigging powerful.  Too powerful to be a mere terminal.  Smart
as an AI, maybe.

-- What is the correspondence between real-world geography and net geography?
Both Cpunk and Shadowrun have an almost one-to-one correspondence.  I say nuts
to that...  why should the net follow three dimentional spacial relationships
anyway?  Why can't things be larger on the inside than the outside?  Why should
things exist only in one place?  Why should it be more difficult to move to a
distanct point than a closer one?  This question must be answered in the
context of the last one.

-- Are Netrunners computer programmers or video game players extrodinare?


If anyone can add to this list or these comments, I'll be listening.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Nathaniel Tagg               The U of Hell,  Lethbridge, AB
    "It's just a matter of putting one point seven one five three seven two
and two point two oh four six two eight together."     --The Doctor 
___The opinions expressed by the author of the preceding message are not 
nessesarily representative of the opinions of the author of the
preceding message.____
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