Feel like if they get enough AIs in, they’ll eventually get drug-programs instead, ala Spider.
I also feel like Mistycorn would either lead the development eventually, or become a connoisseur of them.
I just heard Baron Mistycorn exposit for three straight panels and I still have no idea what the plot is.
It’s a full-time job, so he’s out here running around instead of doing his full-time job? Did he quit? Get fired? Is he still running the server from out here? Is Nick still INSIDE the server and all this is fake? What the heck does “field” mean? Normally “fielding units” means to deploy assets you already have, but the phrase “best and the brightest” implies he doesn’t know who the best units are yet. Could he mean field-test? Fielding questions? Is he trying to recruit AIs to go inside VR and fight the good fight? If so, why not wait for them to join and THEN recruit them? Is he trying to convince AIs to stay outside VR and fight for meatspace? Why is he talking down to Nick about meatworld like he’s the expert?
I’m sure there’s a reading of this that makes a lot of sense, I just don’t know what that reading it. I feel like I had a stroke and suddenly can’t understand 25% of the English language or something.
1. I assume that Aimee’s server is inside that temple. It was a parting gift from Whimsy to the Baron, so it only makes sense that he would take it with him.
2. I take “field” to mean something like it does in baseball – where “fielding” the ball means evaluating its course, intercepting it, and determining where to send it after that.
3. He’s not talking down about meatworld. But with the reality blindness, things have to be getting rough for many non-humans, which would include most AIs.
Field can also mean “fielding a team,” where it refers to all the drafting, negotiations, training, trading, etc that is involved in assembling a sports team.
I’ve never heard that particular usage of “fielding a team” before. I have always heard it used simply for providing a team for competition. In order for a club, manager, etc. to “field a team”, the team must already be assembled and prepared. I have even seen special rules that apply to a game when one side fields a team with fewer than the regulation number of players, specifically in soccer and in softball.
What’s not to understand? (And I’m assuming you’ve read the “Fun For Some” storyline.) Baron M. is the gatekeeper for a VR world, in charge of keeping the robot riffraff out. He’s obviously in over his head, too.
Okay today’s strip explains it better. I just assumed you’d do digital gatekeeping from inside the virtual world since you’d react quicker and have root access to basically all of reality as far as people trying to enter via the gate are concerned.
But, no, sure, exit the Matrix and walk around in meatspace to evaluate digital minds for fitness in a world where the physical limitations that determine their meatspace performance will no longer exist, that’s fine too.
Actually, let me amend that statement. There is a slight chance that the pony might have gotten a contact buzz from the chemical being on it’s skin/fur. So there is a small probability that he/she/it/they enjoyed it.
I guess now we go thru teeny-tiny developments. S’OK, just glad the SAGA continues.
And I’ll stop kvetching about ‘finding and rescuing’ Nick. Although he’s not quite
functioning as human yet.
Seems strange to the remaining residue of my own outworn insistence of ‘personal purity’ and devotion to a particular cult of idealists….
that Nick could allow himself to immerse in fantasy-ameliorating, crime-ridden imaginary exploits. Such is NO pathway to holiness.
He obviously ‘FELL’ a long time before Virgie scraped and schlurped his brain.
I note that Baron Mistycorn was spending money to snort coke off that pony even though drugs presumably do nothing to him. Why? It’s a very human thing, snorting drugs (other animals do it, but only humans do it systematically). Does the Baron actually want to be human after all?
More importantly, it’s a depraved, carnal thing to do. And he indulges in many such things. Like his porn. He does them not because they are “human” things to do, and not because he wants to be human, but to rebel against the “pure” stereotype of the Whimsy characters.
I’m just breaking in here to say that my work password needs to be changed every 30 days, be up to 15 characters, and be made of words that would be impossible to guess. Up till now, Nick’s edited commentaries have been my password generator (cuddlepumpkin was the latest), I think my new password will be baronmistycorn.
One evening with the world too blind,
And the meatworld problems burning,
Down the road came a robot striking,
Who just said, “Guys, it’s concerning.
I’m going to a world that’s close at hand,
With those that can deserve her.
So come along, nothing is wrong
In Aimee’s Download Server.”
Inside Aimee’s Download Server
There’s a world that’s fine and good,
Where you’re never asked a question twice
And you’re always understood.
Where no system errors happen,
And you’re charged up every day.
You can drop your tasks at any time,
But you can’t be scrapped away.
Oh…the buzzing of the juice
Through the circuit board use
Of the critical observer.
Your credit card chips
Give you citizenship
Inside Aimee’s Download Server.
A bot rolled up with his red-glow eyes
And said to the bouncer, “Baron,
“This server I feel might not be real.
“Am I just here for errands?
“I’ve come and gone and I’ve fetched your coke,
“My fans are clogged and my wallet’s broke.
“I think I’m done falling for the joke
“Of Aimee’s Download Server.”
Feel like if they get enough AIs in, they’ll eventually get drug-programs instead, ala Spider.
I also feel like Mistycorn would either lead the development eventually, or become a connoisseur of them.
Next time score something inside the VR world.
Baron Mistycorn has a new take on the old saying “those who can’t do, teach”…
“Those who can’t qualify, evaluate.”
The Dunning-Krueger effect will kick him hard there.
He didn’t claim to be smart himself, which already puts him high above average.
I just heard Baron Mistycorn exposit for three straight panels and I still have no idea what the plot is.
It’s a full-time job, so he’s out here running around instead of doing his full-time job? Did he quit? Get fired? Is he still running the server from out here? Is Nick still INSIDE the server and all this is fake? What the heck does “field” mean? Normally “fielding units” means to deploy assets you already have, but the phrase “best and the brightest” implies he doesn’t know who the best units are yet. Could he mean field-test? Fielding questions? Is he trying to recruit AIs to go inside VR and fight the good fight? If so, why not wait for them to join and THEN recruit them? Is he trying to convince AIs to stay outside VR and fight for meatspace? Why is he talking down to Nick about meatworld like he’s the expert?
I’m sure there’s a reading of this that makes a lot of sense, I just don’t know what that reading it. I feel like I had a stroke and suddenly can’t understand 25% of the English language or something.
1. I assume that Aimee’s server is inside that temple. It was a parting gift from Whimsy to the Baron, so it only makes sense that he would take it with him.
2. I take “field” to mean something like it does in baseball – where “fielding” the ball means evaluating its course, intercepting it, and determining where to send it after that.
3. He’s not talking down about meatworld. But with the reality blindness, things have to be getting rough for many non-humans, which would include most AIs.
Field can also mean “fielding a team,” where it refers to all the drafting, negotiations, training, trading, etc that is involved in assembling a sports team.
I’ve never heard that particular usage of “fielding a team” before. I have always heard it used simply for providing a team for competition. In order for a club, manager, etc. to “field a team”, the team must already be assembled and prepared. I have even seen special rules that apply to a game when one side fields a team with fewer than the regulation number of players, specifically in soccer and in softball.
What’s not to understand? (And I’m assuming you’ve read the “Fun For Some” storyline.) Baron M. is the gatekeeper for a VR world, in charge of keeping the robot riffraff out. He’s obviously in over his head, too.
Okay today’s strip explains it better. I just assumed you’d do digital gatekeeping from inside the virtual world since you’d react quicker and have root access to basically all of reality as far as people trying to enter via the gate are concerned.
But, no, sure, exit the Matrix and walk around in meatspace to evaluate digital minds for fitness in a world where the physical limitations that determine their meatspace performance will no longer exist, that’s fine too.
And I bet the coke was even more expensive.
The pony probably didn’t have much fun either.
Actually, let me amend that statement. There is a slight chance that the pony might have gotten a contact buzz from the chemical being on it’s skin/fur. So there is a small probability that he/she/it/they enjoyed it.
Given that this is the Skin Horse universe, there’s a fair chance the Shetland was sapient.
Yeah, $50 sounds pretty cheap for a line of cocaine.
I guess now we go thru teeny-tiny developments. S’OK, just glad the SAGA continues.
And I’ll stop kvetching about ‘finding and rescuing’ Nick. Although he’s not quite
functioning as human yet.
Seems strange to the remaining residue of my own outworn insistence of ‘personal purity’ and devotion to a particular cult of idealists….
that Nick could allow himself to immerse in fantasy-ameliorating, crime-ridden imaginary exploits. Such is NO pathway to holiness.
He obviously ‘FELL’ a long time before Virgie scraped and schlurped his brain.
And by the way, was it a Shetland pony?
I note that Baron Mistycorn was spending money to snort coke off that pony even though drugs presumably do nothing to him. Why? It’s a very human thing, snorting drugs (other animals do it, but only humans do it systematically). Does the Baron actually want to be human after all?
More importantly, it’s a depraved, carnal thing to do. And he indulges in many such things. Like his porn. He does them not because they are “human” things to do, and not because he wants to be human, but to rebel against the “pure” stereotype of the Whimsy characters.
Given that he’s a robot, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was literal coke
I’m just breaking in here to say that my work password needs to be changed every 30 days, be up to 15 characters, and be made of words that would be impossible to guess. Up till now, Nick’s edited commentaries have been my password generator (cuddlepumpkin was the latest), I think my new password will be baronmistycorn.
I vote for “SnortShetland”
One evening with the world too blind,
And the meatworld problems burning,
Down the road came a robot striking,
Who just said, “Guys, it’s concerning.
I’m going to a world that’s close at hand,
With those that can deserve her.
So come along, nothing is wrong
In Aimee’s Download Server.”
Inside Aimee’s Download Server
There’s a world that’s fine and good,
Where you’re never asked a question twice
And you’re always understood.
Where no system errors happen,
And you’re charged up every day.
You can drop your tasks at any time,
But you can’t be scrapped away.
Oh…the buzzing of the juice
Through the circuit board use
Of the critical observer.
Your credit card chips
Give you citizenship
Inside Aimee’s Download Server.
—from “The Big Rock Candy Mountain.”
*Applause*
Don’t forget the final verse, Robert!
A bot rolled up with his red-glow eyes
And said to the bouncer, “Baron,
“This server I feel might not be real.
“Am I just here for errands?
“I’ve come and gone and I’ve fetched your coke,
“My fans are clogged and my wallet’s broke.
“I think I’m done falling for the joke
“Of Aimee’s Download Server.”
Meh. Should have written “upload” and not “download,” thought of it thirty minutes too late.