austenandrews

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

Whatever happened to the idea of sending signals over power lines? That could theoretically have evolved into something widespread, I assume.

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

On the quantumnet Google also has a product called Particle.

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

...We already do.

As an alternative to the internet?

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

It may be useful to discuss the difference between medium and content. Currently we have several physical technologies for communication - wired internet, wi fi, cell, landline telephones, etc. In many ways though, the real power lies in what's transmitted, not how. The web, for example, can be transmitted through any of the above, but its power lies more in how it's used. So if we were to postulate some new medium - say every brick and bolt in every building has an internal computer with short-range wireless, forming a network with smaller and vastly more nodes than the internet - the bigger question is exactly what would be done with it. If its function is no different than existing media, is it ultimately distinct in the long run?

I think it's fun to postulate methods of networked communication that are fundamentally different. Off the top of my head, let's say every person has an internal organic computer that constantly talks via pheromones to those around them, like an organic wireless network. By necessity then you're always communicating with a living being, not just a computer. How does that alter what's being transmitted? Weird to think about.

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

Right, and towers will probably have better performance in almost all cases, at least until/unless cell router technology improves. But several emergencies in the last few years have highlighted the need for such a decentralized system.

Re: Alternatives to the internet?

If DARPA hadn't started the internet' date=' 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.[/quote']

Interestingly, there's a movement afoot to implement decentralized cell phone communication. That is to say, instead of all calls routing through towers, they can be routed through nearby cell phones in the same way internet packets route through whatever servers are available. Such a system would have resiliency similar to the internet and would allow sustained communication even when the local infrastructure is destroyed (due to an earthquake, flood, etc).

 

Alas, for obvious reasons, cell companies are resistant to this idea.

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.

Re: Ctrl+V

Mantan Moreland

Re: 1930 Art Deco Henderson

You know who should ride that motorcycle? Edna Mode.

Re: "Neat" Pictures

What does it mean?!

Re: Gravity Is Only A Side Effect ?

Sounds like he's going even farther. Spacetime distortions aren't fundamental, but emergent from entropy.

To understand the implications, I'm sure you have to know a lot more higher math than I do.

Re: Aliens: everything you know is... well, "wrong" doesn't even begin to cover it.

Octopusses don't have bilateral symmetry?

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now?

Hocus Pocus by Focus (long version)

Re: Aliens: everything you know is... well, "wrong" doesn't even begin to cover it.

One could make a sort of anthropic principle/self-selection argument in favor of more humanlike aliens. If life is sufficiently common in the universe that spacefaring humans meet countless sorts of aliens, it's not unreasonable to presume that some aliens will be more humanlike than others. (Convergent evolution on Earth can shape very different life forms into very similar structures; given a wide enough sample size, there's no reason to claim that noticeably humanlike aliens couldn't evolve under the right conditions.)

One might further posit that the closer the alien is to a human, the more its interactions with humans will conform to human-only interactions. It's reasonable to expect that humans would interact more with familiar aliens than with unfamiliar ones. Furthermore, interactions that are more humanlike will adhere closer to human-only dramatic conventions. Given these two factors, it follows that we would see more stories about humanlike aliens than about not-very-humanlike aliens.

Am I wrong?

Re: Aliens: everything you know is... well, "wrong" doesn't even begin to cover it.

But most depictions of aliens in popular SF are beyond lame: sticking a forehead appliance on an actor wearing a period costume and calling him an "alien" has become status quo in SF on both the large and small screen. And it's been that way so long that the status quo has become a pathetic joke.

TV & movies are, luckily, not the extent of SF.

Re: Aliens: everything you know is... well, "wrong" doesn't even begin to cover it.

The article is so broad as to be fairly meaningless. You can replace the word "aliens" with just about anything and the list wouldn't change much. It does bear mentioning that the universe might be weird in a number of ways that often go unspoken, but to claim that "all works of science fiction" ignore these ideas displays a rather limited knowledge of the genre.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now?

Gladiator soundtrack

Re: Build a Pleasure Planet

Fantasy Island is a good template. Crank out loads of disposable androids, externally controlled, to precisely match the customer's specifications. Recycle them when the trip is over.

For that matter, allow visitors to assume new android bodies Avatar-style. Then turn them loose into insane gladiatorial arenas, cities of winged people or merfolk, etc.

Re: Public Domain Extraterrestrials

Only that, while it's reasonably clear that Starro was inspired from the movie, if one were to use those aliens in some inappropriate context, DC might feel the need to claim the look of the character as their own IP. Dunno if it could stick.

Re: Conan: The Current Movie in Progress.....

Heh' date=' Manu Bennett plays Crixus in the Spartacus Blood and Sand stuff. If you look up his name in google Images, you'll get a good look at the guy. Looks like he stepped out of a Frazetta painting for the most part.[/quote']

He does look good. Momoa's got six inches on him, though.

Re: Public Domain Extraterrestrials

Yeah, the one with the Starro aliens. I wouldn't bet money DC couldn't claim rights on that look.

Re: Build a Pleasure Planet

For sure you'd have loads of carefully-crafted paradisical locations - I'm thinking thousands of islands of various sizes and climates - plus weather control on at least local scale.

Maybe the islands can be moved around into desired configurations.

Re: Conan: The Current Movie in Progress.....

Cruzan in me, Seagram's Seven before you, and beer and lime martinis for the women.

Re: R2-D2

Having trouble with your droid?

Re: how tall is life

somthing's fishy here

austen

andrews