Firewall > System, Checking up on a rule... Options

[BlackHat]

I remember hearing or reading somewhere that the Firewall program isn't limited by the OS's System rating (and may or may not be by the Commlink's Response rating, I don't recall)... but my intuition says that Firewall is a program, so programs are limited by System which is, in turn, limited by Response.

I was wondering if anyone could confirm or deny this - and maybe point me to a page reference if it is possible to have a better Firewall than your System.

[DireRadiant]

I haven't found any explicit limit on Firewall. It's all implied that Response limits OS which limits software, which would limit Firewall, since it is software as well. But no line that says "Firewall rating is capped by X".

All the examples and other rules would seem to support Firewall rating is limited to system rating. There are no examples of gear which have a higher firewall then system, and most of the standard commlink shave a lower firewall rating then system.

[BlackHat]

okay, thanks, that's pretty much the response I expected - Figured if anyone would know, someone on Dumpshock would.... I went back and tried to find somethign about "Firewall" being special,also, and had no luck, so I think you're right.

[Aku]

I would agree. The problem comes from the fact that system limits the number of PROGRAMS and their rating. However, firewall isnt listed as a "program" (which i read to mean a matrix skill, basically) but rather as "software"

I would say that system functions similar to the old MPCP rating, but since signal can be higher than 6, it doesnt seem like that is true, either.

[mdynna]

But "Signal" is not software. It is a reflection of how powerful the device's wireless antenna is. Again, as system's Firewall (speaking from a Software Engineer perspective) is not often (especially in high-end business servers) actually "software". It is an independent piece of Hardware and not affected by the functional OS of the computer.

I could hook up the biggest, toughest, firewall in existance to a 286 if I wanted. Now, that's the real world. Does it work for balance in the game of Shadowrun? I guess that's up to the GM.

[Aku]

Thats true of real life. Yes, but not in the world of Shadowrun.

but my signal comment was to compare it to the MPCP from sr3, however, after i thought about it, the MPCP limited your matrix attributes, but not the software you could run on it (iirc, you could use ay rating program on any MPCP deck, the major limiting factor, being space)

If you notice on page 213 however, System and Firewall are considered "(software)" but the question is, what does this mean, as i havent seen any "definition" for it. Does that mean they're programs? (if so, they should be limited by the same thing, and also affect the system rating for being running) I don think thats the case. so, that leaves them being limited, but not counting towards system degradation, since they're "native" to the OS.

[The Jopp]

Software & System is integrated in the rating of your Operatins System= OS

The OS is limited by response and each of it’s two ratings (Firewall or System) may not be higher than your Response.

It’s quite simple really. Both system and firewall are basically two ratings of the same program, very much like the two ratings of a commlink. You MUST have a system in order to run a program, and system therefore isn’t a “program” except in name only, it doesn’t take up any response.

[mdynna]

Yeah, I would play it the same way as well. It's good for play balance to limit Firewall to your System/Responce.