Here is a pdf of neuromancer if anyone wants it :
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qc7dsq

>>447
All cyberpunk novels tend to do that, but I think it just helps underscore the sheer weirdness of the circumstances the characters find themselves in.

>>442

Is this a spoiler for the other books?

>>454
Case is only in Neuromancer. Molly turns up all over the Gibsonverse though...

>>456
She's like the Johnny Depp of Cyberpunk. heh.

I jotted this down in one of my idea txt files way back as a sorta scifi setting idea thought thing. It's not really a method of FTL or anything (and technically not FTL at all but rather relativistic sub-light travel), but it's rather just some brainstorming on what interstellar travel culture would be like. I don't know how accurate any of it actually is, but it was interesting to me at the time.

"Space travel at relativistic speeds causes high variances in time as per relativity, causing immense cultural and social effects. Calculating *when* you end up is just as important as where in long distance stellar travel. This causes societies to develop high tolerances for individuals of very wide generational gaps. Prehaps even exists groups of time 'purists', static station or planetary residents who have not done signifigant time travel and still operate on a shared time scale- perhaps a class divide?.

In this: are societies primarily differenciated by what time (and hence levels of technological development) they subscribe? Or is there technological interchanging between societies to prevent such inequalities (how though? as travel lag would cause natural inequality)? In either possibility however, travlers themselves must undergo immense culture-shock coming out of travel into civilizations which have had far more time to advance than the travlers have percieved as had passed. Prehaps a sort of jaded attitude is adopted however, negating such shocks (or extending off that thought- even a zeitgeist of neo-luddism could develop as the high unpredictability of tech advancement causes a general disinterest in it and inversely gained interest in fundamentalism and predictability- forced stagnation. Could a sort of steampunk-analogue of space scifi be developed from this? or space-Amish for a more amusing thought)

Could travel be seen as a danger because of these time effects? Is long distance/high speed travel undergone reluctantly and at high risk? Prehaps done only by those with little to loose or little interest in societal roots? Could this all be made into a challange and limiting factor to space exploration in such a universe?"

-

Another little thing that I thought would be sorta interesting, and this time for a true FTL civilization, would be essentially for Light Archaeologists to exist that use the travel of light through spacetime as a sort of universal archaelogical record. They can calculate out where the light from a given position is in spacetime and via advanced photon gathering methods (essentially spacemagic, as I don't know how such would work), observe it as a live and objective record of the past.

But yeah, that's probably more or less impossible due to minimal amount of light and massive distances it would have to stay unscattered for.

I like the idea of things going REALLY fucking fast to traverse impossible distances(like the void of space) so any Sci-Fi that basically uses a vast amount of energy to power their "FTL" drives are cool with me. It's actually the only thing I hate about 40k. The fact that they use "going into an alternate deminsion" as a sort of FTL instead of pure FTL itself, although some races don't use the "warp". Star wars has a pretty good hyperdrive, except for the shitty visuals. I like the idea that FTL isn't j ust by being in a starship, that immensely powerful beings can travel through the void of space, sort of like ZOTE(even though they never travelled to distant planets without a ship) with giant mechs, or super-powered entities, moving with such speed to escape the eternity of solitude that is the void.

I don't like FTL at all. It's insufficiently intrepid for space travel. The real universe permits anyone to travel to anywhere else in the universe, if they have a craft and access to enough energy. Relativity and all that; it's possible to cover a thousand light years in ten years of relative experience; you just have to consign yourself to knowing you'll never get back home once you've left. I find that exciting; it's more of an adventure.

>>688
Forced stagnation is perfectly compatible with technological development. All technological development proves is that at least ONE human like entity is willing and able and free to develop new technology.

If you see new technology you can only infer from that that AT LEAST one laboratory exists.

(I intend the capitals as emphasis but at the same volume of speech <3 )

The capacity to shift matter from an exotic dimension into ours, and then back out.

Say, for example, you have Universe dimension A, and Universe dimension B. We'll call them USA and USB.

USA and USB both have their own configurations of matter, different from each other. Neither universe interacts in a classical, gravitational sense, however they share a spatial layout. If a star is due galactic center from you in USA, it would also be due galactic center if both the galaxy and the star were shifted into USB. Consider USA to be the air above the surface of the ocean, and USB to be the water and its contents below the surface of the ocean. With the correct application of force from within USA, (a fish hook on the end of a line) you can pull matter and its consequent gravitational pull from USB into USA (You've landed a fish). Once you have made apt use of the matter and its gravitational field, you allow the matter to drop back into its origin dimension (catch and release of the analogous fish)

The matter and its field is utilized in the following way:

A Hegemonic vessel, Baslim, from USA wants to accelerate towards a point elsewhere in its universe. It shifts a sensor into USB, and locates a star inside USB which is between it and its destination. The crew of Baslim shift said star from USB to USA. Baslim then falls towards the star, increasing in velocity as a falling starship is wont to do. Just prior to reaching a particular thermal/Roche threshold, the star is 'released' from USA and shifts back into USB. Baslim then locates another star or gas giant along its trajectory, pulls it into USA, lather, rinse, repeat.

The implications of this method of travel are a theoretically unlimited speed (limited in practical terms by the sensors capacity to detect, shift, and unshift stars as it proceeds) and the capacity for such a shift--drive to function as a weapon. Imagine your planet is a dread enemy of Baslim, and a red supergiant is shifted to within spitting distance of you for a few moments. Other implications include the residents of USB being sorely vexed that their stars are being randomly shifted in and out of their own universe. Such a technology has the capacity to inspire outrage not just across star systems and galaxies, but universes as well.

>[directed] energy weapons
I'd imagine they'd be illegal, one way or another. They're likely disruptive to communications, so FCC should be butthurt about it.

>blood transplants from young people
... how would this help, at all? it won't make the telomeres in your cells longer, and won't stop your body from creating new blood cells.

What if you took blood when you were young, then used that as some kind of template for later repair or something?

>>809
EM weapons are already illegal (to use) for this reason, unless you're waaaaaaay up in the gigahertz range. Photonic weapons are just fine though. Regardless, what are they gonna do about it, shoot you? At least with weapons you can shoot back.

>>812
Blood would be no good. You'd want cells capable of division. I don't understand much of the theory, but stem cells of the right kind could potentially be used.

As I look at Count Mecha and other mechanized people, I find that eternal life isn't always happiness. It's because life is limited that people try hard to live and feel for others, and that is what creates kindness. That is what I have realized.

Mechanical bodies have got to be removed from the universe.

I've realized that living forever is no reason to get a mechanical body.

That's why I'm going to that planet in the andromeda galazxy that gives out immortal bodies for free. So that I can destroy it.

>>810
s0t4a0u0r2t1f4e1r7r-i-e

I wonder if the internet in it's current form will still exist, or something will superceed it

rude

You see me.

Hybrid airships flying over the city.

rude

rude

rude

rude

rude

rude

I'd like to replace my defective eyes.

>>479
But with neural implants. I'd like to have some kind of neural implant to boost my short term memory.

This
>>471

>I would be afraid of my strength
With current technology it's probably be much weaker than a typical hand. It's not like the movies.

every invaluable cognitive trait, each piece of what you are, every bit of you that helps people or experiences the beauty of the universe, can be pathological if taken to extremes or applied in inappropriate places.

I can't tell if this is a Star Trek thing, or you're just trying to justify racism through metaphor.

SAGE has been used.

>>618
This.

>>624
>>618
Fuck you guys I happen to like where this is going

>>617
Well said, OP, well said. Being a Klingon myself I did everything to teach my fellow Klingons about species-awareness. Yet the Council bans such remarks. It's an intergalactic conspiracy. Soon there will only be mixed-hybrids Klirocans, or something. Disgusting, unhonorable species traitors. This is genocide of the Klingon people and we can't take this anymore. The federation will implode with a loud bang and then the Klingons will kill everyone who betrayed our culture and diluted it.

The posters above me are the blind ones. It is denial. they don't want to see the truth, because they think its "uncivilized" to think so. They forget their roots and don't see the downfall of every culture. We are unequal and qwe have a birthright.

Klingon Empire rise!

>>618
>>624
>This.
Samefag.

Google built a working simulation of the human brain with 16,000 computers...and all it did was go on youtube and look at cat videos. So I guess Skynet is a /b/tard.

the idea of an AI turning evil is just stupid. a computer does what it is programmed to do.

the risk that a bug make it do something we consider bad might exist though. but it might aswell make it not work. or just misunderstand a word. or something else.

>>605
Hahahaha nice this made me lul

>>529
No, Watson is far more than a search engine. He gained his knowledge by reading wikipedia and other encyclopedias. Natural language cognition is a significant achievement. Watson understood puns and word play and other nuances.

>>574
That''s what Watson does, he understands language.

>>721

A computer can't "naturally" understand language, that's a contradiction in terms. Watson just gives the illusion of understanding, his performance on Jeopardy is proof of that.

>>672
Kids do blow stuff up, just not in high density, affluent metropolitan areas.

>>752
Yeah, but the kids themselves don't blow up into lumpy flesh-machine hybrids.

>>731
I like this show. It's like a workplace comedy with hard sci fi

Star wars

I think the biggest impediment right now is that people simply don't have enough money to deck the world in cybernetics.

0c4h5r0i0s6t2o5p2h6e-r
0m4a0r2t4i7n8-4-1-9
0r4o4b9e9r2t1-3-2-6
f0a4d1y1s3u9b0w9a0y2
j0o4n6n7y0s6e2r0v2a8s4-3

>>717

assessment of readiness to change: how confident are you that you will achieve this goal?


assessment of readiness to adapt: what is the biggest challenge you must ovecome in attaining your goals?

>>726
>You all know you secretly wish you could live to see the perfection of humanity to the point we would think ourselves gods.
>Secretly
I'd want to be the fucking catalyst.

I'd hesitate to sacrifice myself for a hundred people I don't know, but something like this I think would be worth dying for.

The industrial way of life leads to the industrial way of death. From Shiloh to Dachau, from Antietam to Stalingrad, from Hiroshima to Vietnam and Afghanistan, the great specialty of industry and technology has been the mass production of human corpses.”

— Edward Abbey

>>730
I think, in a practical sense, selfhood is retained if there's no noticeable interruption in one's sense of existing. By this, I mean a piecemeal replacement of neurons etc., rather than a whole-organ copy of the brain. It would have to be a very gradual process, with checks every step of the way.

So to answer OP's question: Assuming the nature of data is basically the same as it is today (never mind the mechanisms, e.g. quantum computing), I would never consider becoming an infomorph. The idea of a cyberbrain is much more palatable, though.

>>798
Yeah, the Ship of Theseus Paradox, which is a really interesting concept. We essentially already do this organically due to our body constantly growing and rebuilding itself, so in essence you literally are not the same person you were 10 or 20 years ago, but at the same time are.

This leads us to imagine that we're just a sum of our parts which evolves and changes as time progresses and they individually get replaced, and that theoretically you could introduce nanomachines and other technologies into the body as you mention and slowly change into something else.

But this too isn't without it's problems, long term change is still a change and in the end with all these technologies will you still be 'human', or even conscious by the end? Additionally there's the issue of the tons of matter in our brain which doesn't change or get replaced, what contribution does this matter have to our mental being? Would it be able to be replaced with tech or would we need a Ghost-in-the-Shell-like future where we encase this precious matter in artificial brain casings to preserve our core ghosts of consciousness.

It's a very interesting prospect that invites tons of science and philosophy.

>>713
There is a trailer around somewhere for the next GitS series. People are bitching about it though.

It's been a while since I've watched it and I can't remember how much "cyberpunk" there is but Metropolis is worth watching.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(anime)

The Animatrix anthology is a mixed bag but generally really good

Bubblegum Crisis is a must, especially if you like 80s sci fi movies.

paprika is a really good movie that's super weird but fits the genre
trigun is not quite in the cyberpunk category... it's more like cyberwestern. But It's really good -- one of the best.
Dennou Coil takes place in a world with pervasive augmented reality, and it's pretty interesting.
But, yeah, anyone who is reading this: ghost in the shell is the definitive cyberpunk anime experience. The first movie and tv run are just wonderful. The tv run takes 7-8 episodes establishing characters and the universe, and it peppers the continuity throughout the season. It's easy to get bored initially, but later you'll appreciate the work that went into constructing this universe when events within it take on appreciable depth.

rude

The evolution of all the Catty's.

rude

rude

rude

>>736
Oh, I guess I wasn't too clear on that part.
>I was NOT suggesting that you would pick Apple>Google, I was just naming other companies that are picking up the competition against the Big G.
I fucking hate Apple lol.
Linux and FREE Software > all.

>>733


They will never be Skynet. The name's taken. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_(satellite)

I will wait for the rivals to come up with something better like a glasses-mounted video camera that can be used for real time video which then you can upload to sites like Livestream or something like that.

I have so many qualms with carrying a cellphone around that the very last thing I want to do is wear it on my face and let it see everything I do all day. I don't care how useful it is.

One day though maybe the technology will be a little more mature and I can build one myself that sends all of that delicious spy data about me to my personal servers for analysis and storage by my own AI algorithms. Then I never have to worry about being too drunk or high to remember something again.

I have so many qualms with carrying a cellphone around that the very last thing I want to do is wear it on my face and let it see everything I do all day. I don't care how useful it is.

One day though maybe the technology will be a little more mature and I can build one myself that sends all of that delicious spy data about me to my personal servers for analysis and storage by my own AI algorithms. Then I never have to worry about being too drunk or high to remember something again.

>>724
God I hate that animation style. I don't get why indi-film makers have a hard on for motion comics lately. Its so half assed. It looks like someone made storyboard art for a film, ran out of money and made that the film.

good god, how did they get that kind of cast with that mediocre looking a story and art design?

atrocious animation

>>753
By "that kind of cast" do you mean a couple has-been actors and a voice actor who will do a voice over in literally anything?

>>670
someone who wants people to feel like their corporation is a close personal friend, at least until such a time as they notice they've started feeling that way. This is standard fucked-up mainstream-business shit. "drink coke and your shitty friends will finally show up when you ask, the sun will come out and bunnies will fly out of your ass, because coke loves you" This is the shocking truth.

SAGE has been used.

I'm a Brit and I've been a Doctor Who fan since Primary, but that's a load of shite.
Doctor who is better in so far as the quality is consistant, give or take for the odd episode or two per season that are let downs. However, Star Trek definetly has the superior high points across the board, worse lows too.

>>604
I'd argue about DS9 because that is overall my favourite Star Trek for the sheer consistancy in it's cast and story, but I'm completely with you on Enterprise. I think that it was just too different for the die hard fans to stomach.

Dan Dare is the best.

>>606
I see things differently and must disagree. Rather than write a page or two on it, I'll just say that 90% of the jokes are comprised of Lister's a slob/eats curry, Rimmer is delusional/cowardly, Cat is an asshole, everyone is stupid. Put those in a scifi situation and you can easily guess every joke. and I would have to add that they don't "explore" tropes as it's more like they just sort of poke at them with a stick from a few feet back (further limited by short episode time). Even if it was enjoyable for its time it was not for me, having started it up recently and gotten through 5 serieseseses so far.

But between Star Trek and Who, I'd have to go with Star Trek. Dr. Who's universe seems to be centered almost entirely around England and that bloody screwdriver doing everything and anything the writers want just to save effort/face. At least Star Trek has some rules to the universe that you don't have to watch a decade of TV to get. Although Voyager was terrible. Why did people keep talking to each other at kissing distance?
Anyway, I'm with >>601. I don't mean to insult and I'm sorry if it came across that way.

Also, I didn't mean to sound angry. It just seems that way because of text limitations

What? How's that work? What are the dots supposed to be?

>>467
Wow, that is one uptight, cunty post. The guy made a joke, no need to get your panties all wedged up into your bumcrack.

>>466

The bananas most Westerners are familiar with (the Cavendish) are a smaller variety than bananas fifty years ago. The previous banana-the Gros Michel- was twice as large and much creamier than the Cavendish. However the Gros Michel banana was wiped out by Panama disease mid-century. Fruit companies started harvesting Cavendish bananas due to their resilience to Panama disease. Cavendish crops are now beginning to show signs of Panama disease. That's all I know about that.

>>475
>>the gamestations of the future will be controlled by movements of the body

Can someone explain this to me? I've heard this prediction multiple times and I still fail to understand what people mean by this. Will I twitch my elbow to reload my assault rifle in Halo? Stretch my neck to change my clothes in GTA? Clap my hands to cast magic spells in Skyrim? Which leads to my next question-why the hell would I want to do any of that?

>>542
wii and kinect

>>540
>>542

A post seems to be missing from this thread. Does anyone have the article these two are replying to? Google isn't helping.

>>542
Sounds like the Irish problem with potato blight in, what, 1850ish? Homogeonized stock resulting in a disease spreading that an alternate stock had developed a resistance to from prior exposure, and because they failed to use this stock that had prior exposure and resistance the disease will hit hard.