Alternatives to the internet?

[Ragitsu]

If the internet as we know it was never developed, what alternate communication system(s) could exist in a hypothetical sci-fi future? One example that comes to mind is the Holonet of Star Wars.

[Escafarc]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

If the internet as we know it was never developed' date=' what alternate communication system(s) could exist in a hypothetical sci-fi future? One example that comes to mind is the Holonet of Star Wars.[/quote']

 

Does this mean no Al Gore too?

[Ragitsu]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Does this mean no Al Gore too?

 

By definition, this would be in an alternate reality, so he doesn't *have* to exist there if you don't want him to.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

An idea I had a while ago was an alternate topographical model for the Internet, wherein each computer serves as a relay node for what amounts to a worldwide Wi-Fi network.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

An idea I had a while ago was an alternate topographical model for the Internet' date=' wherein each computer serves as a relay node for what amounts to a worldwide Wi-Fi network.[/quote']

 

That would be a, "mesh network."

[OddHat]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Well, looking at older Sci Fi, I always liked Piers Anthony's Macroscope. Every alien race would broadcast their science, art, entertainment, etc out into the universe. When you could detect the broadcasts, you were ready to join as much of an interstellar civilization as existed (which wasn't much at the start of the series). Macroscope fits into the Macroscope - Faith of Tarot - Kirlian Quest timeline, iirc.

 

Going really old school, Heinlein's first unpublished novel had people vid-phoning the library to make book requests, then getting the book printed out at home.

[dmjalund]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

By the year 2000, every american will have his or her own telegraph station in thier home, this is my promise to the American People!

[Ternaugh]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

By the year 2000' date=' every american will have his or her own telegraph station in thier home, this is my promise to the American People![/quote']

 

But can I connect it to my Difference Engine?

 

JoeG

(There's a punch card deck for that--Ada Calculating Corp.)

[Mathew]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

In one episode of the Outer Limts called "The Stream" all humanity has a small computer with wifi and and OCR software built into their tempels. It allowed them to instant message anyone on the planet, download ALL public knowledge, and could read (through their eyes) anything and input that knoweldge into their brains. No one in this world even knew how to read, as the computer would scan a sign or a book for them and input what it said directly into their heads. Resaurants had no menus, as it was just broadcast to you as you were on your way there, and you would instant message in your orders and ETA, so it would be waiting for you. There was no cash, just electronic transfers. Everything controlled by a remote was controlled by your implant.

 

The story of this episode centered around a young man who had been in a car accident as a child, and his brain was damaged in the spot where the implant would go. He was completely normal, in fact very intelligent, but he couldn't get the "Stream" implant. He had to survive by letting someone order for him, pay for him, etc. He had to teach himself to read, horde the last books that hadn't been destroyed, to find knoweldge, etc. It was a very good episode.

 

A setting like this would allow entry into the stream by default. ANyone who didn't have access to it would have a good sized physical limitation.

[Clonus]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Well one approach would be a more centralized system. The reason why the internet as we know it exists in the form we know know it, is because in the context of fears of nuclear war, a decentralized network was regarded as preferable. Without that fear, instead of having server farms scattered everywhere, we might instead instead just have 1-3 continually expanding megaframe computers per country. Makes it a lot easier to monitor and police. The logical extreme of this, is where you convert the whole planetary crust into one big computer and you just plug into it to communicate with or through it.

 

Then there's the steampunk approach. Never having invented electronic computers they rely on gigantic mechanical computers, which makes even having a personal computer impossible, but you can telegraph information requests to the big computers and it will telegraph back the answers. (Note that there was an episode of Murdoch Mysteries where telegraph operators were using it to talk dirty to each other, and one of them was murdered because she found out the man she was talking was really a woman.)

 

There's the green approach. An internet made of vines that can transmit electrical impulses to tree servers.

 

There's the proprietary approach. That's the one where there are dozen different mutually incompatible proprietary intranets each using different incomprehensible protocols that you have to pay (or be employed by the sponsoring organization) to subscribe to and you'll get sued if you move IP from one net to another.

[austenandrews]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

I had an idea for a non-digital network involving a high-res fax system that transmitted custom circuits between large installations, each of which is equipped with countless electronic components to utilize dynamically. I never worked out the scope for feasibility.

[Mathew]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

In the book "In the Year 2889" (written in 1889) all the information in the world in his dispensed by a central "newspaper" company. They don't release newspapers any more, but they have rooms full of reporters who record all the stories on wax cylinders. Everyone has a telephone (voice telegraphs) in their homes which also contains a recording cylinder. You subscribe to the newspaper, and tell it your preferences, then each day your personalized voice news in called in to your wax cylinder for you to listen at your convienance. You can tell the newspaper your preferences, like companies you want to follow, sports teams, local news, or following the arms race on Mars... whatever you want. It's an amazing short story considering it basically predicted podcasting 100 years before it existed.

[GoldenAge]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Perhaps, after death, the spirit remains... and can interact. Could an entire civilization benefit from the near instantaneous transfer of information via ghost messengers?

[GoldenAge]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

based on my idea above I did a little research and it seems like the Warp of 40k mythos could be used as a "spirit" or "psychic" conduit. http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Immaterium

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

...Now, try coming up with an alternative that's better.

[Clonus]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

...Now' date=' try coming up with an alternative that's better. [/quote']

 

Better for what?

[Escafarc]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Better for what?

 

For Pron! of course:D

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Better for what?

As an alternative to the internet. What can do what the internet can do, but better?

[OddHat]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

As an alternative to the internet. What can do what the internet can do' date=' but better?[/quote']

 

Global hive mind. Everyone has a telepathic implant / virus / alien parasite / super drug / nanite colony / cojoined twin, which allows them to enter a trance state from which they're able to access the collective memory, imagination and conscious minds of everyone else in the system / building / city / state / country / world / solar system / galaxy. Everything the Internet can do, but better.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Global hive mind. Everyone has a telepathic implant / virus / alien parasite / super drug / nanite colony / cojoined twin' date=' which allows them to enter a trance state from which they're able to access the collective memory, imagination and conscious minds of everyone else in the system / building / city / state / country / world / solar system / galaxy. Everything the Internet can do, but better.[/quote']

...Except keep spammers, viruses and malware out.

[OddHat]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

...Except keep spammers' date=' viruses and malware out. [/quote']

 

Depends on your choices as storyteller. If you like the idea of Collective Unconscious Spammers, Viruses and Malmemes, keep them in (and they'll be "better" since they'll go straight to the brain). If you don't want them, keep them out.

[Lucius]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

"This room is full of your thoughts, ladies and gentlemen. And not just your thoughts. Last week's thoughts. Last year's thoughts. Endless thoughts.

 

The name for the eternal reality of thought is, the Akashic Record."

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary notes that Lucius is quoting the movie Anti-Clock

[Tasha]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

I am wondering whether a centralized system would have eventually have to become decentralized like our Internet. Due to the prevalence of BlackHat programmers. If you have only one huge megaserver it make for a VERY juicy target for both Crackers and for Physical Intrusion (ie Terrorists or thieves or natural disaster). Also there's the issue of Latency (hard to get around the speed of Light), if the Megaserver is sitting in NYC, then the folk in CA will be getting a ton of latency on their connections (BTW this is an issue for having satellites of servers). Having your networks decentralized you can spread the load out some and also it gives you some redundancy in case the server goes down.

 

If DARPA hadn't started the internet, we would have had a number of AOL type services that might or might not have ever interconnected. Not being interconnected means that you choose your network at login and people are probably subscribed to multiple services to get all of the different content they want. Network services would probably look a lot like American Cellular companies work now. With limited competition in a given geographical region.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

Depends on your choices as storyteller. If you like the idea of Collective Unconscious Spammers' date=' Viruses and Malmemes, keep them in (and they'll be "better" since they'll go straight to the brain). If you don't want them, keep them out.[/quote']

I probably wouldn't want them in a game, but in reality, they'd most likely exist.

[Ragitsu]

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

 

An FTL network, for starters, would be "better".