Datajack necessary? Options

[MITJA3000+]

It seems now that wi-fi around, commlinks are a must-have for every person. But does this lead to datajcks being must-haves too? I figure that if the use of commlinks and therefore AR almost requires datajack, since who in their right minds would want to use a keypad to control everything, if you can do it via your datajack with your mind alone? Or is there something I'm missing here, I understand that you can control your commlink with a datajack with no cables required? So why doesn't like 95% of the people have datajacks?

[Aaron]

The very first run in which I participated in SR4 was a simple datasteal into a facility with an internal, wired network. The outer locks were wireless, but once inside, everything was on fiber. I used my datajack to interface with a camera to hack into the security system and erase our presence.

[Thorn Black]

The way I see it, Datajacks are so cheap that 95% of the population would have them, the rest (magically active who want to preserve their essence) use the keypad, with shortcut hotkeys etc.

[Rooks]

Also isn't it faster to go it via datajack like speed of though rather than typing it all out?

[Jaid]

flavorwise, datajacks are faster, yes.

ruleswise, there is no specific difference. personally, i would rule you need to have a hand free to use your commlink if you have no DNI, but that's just me.

anyways, as far as other reasons why not everyone would have a datajack, consider trodes and nanopaste trodes... they now work every bit as well as the datajack does, so i don't see why *everyone* would go get a datajack (though i certainly agree it would be very common).

[Waltermandias]

Trodes! Why should I pay 500 Nuyen and get surgery for a datajack when I can pay 50 for a set of trodes and get the same thing? There will be plenty of people who have them from before the crash, and some people will probably insist that they are "better," but I suspect most average folks will be using trodes nowadays.

[Ophis]

Major reason I see for a Jack these days is the fact they come with a free infinite(well lots of) block of memory, perfect if you want to run knowsofts and lnguasofts with out having to run a commlink, which could be noticed, or hacked. Sure the Jack can be hacked but if your sensible it is fairly low risk.

[Moon-Hawk]

[Jaid]

[Azralon]

With the new Magic loss rules, it's thematically possible that people who just started developing their mystical abilities (i.e.: gained Magic:1 in their youth or whatever) immediately burned out when they got their first datajack or cybereyes.

[Xenith]

A datajack is useful when you have to do things quick: quick in, quick out. Its likely just a few seconds but it might make the difference. Trodes would take a minute or two to proper align and such, as well as probably half a minute taking them off with out damaging them. A jack is just a solid click away from being in or out. So while, rule wise, they are exactly the same, a "hardcore" shadowrunning hacker would defiantly get the datajack. As would the wannabes, security hackers, riggers of all kinds, and so on.
And wearing a trode net all the time is just asking for trouble, one way or another.

That said, most people probably wouldn't have jacks. Why bother with surgery and this weird thing in your head, when you can just get some paste or a net over your head? Takes more time, sure, but they would either have it on them all the time (they don't have the dangers runners do) or simply take the time needed.

Its all about lifestyle, and not the low to luxury kind.

[Teulisch]

the datajack now includes the chipjack, knowsoft link, router, and some headware memory.

I would say that that right there is VERY worth it. If this run needs me to read spitheriel, and have a working knowledge of arcitecture, engineering, and chemistry? thats just 4 chips. Its a great way to make your job easier- why learn all this extra crap, when you can just plug a chip and simply KNOW as much as a college degree, in just seconds?

beyond that... yeah, im plugging my remote control into DNI.

consider how long it takes to put trodes on. how easy they are to dislode if your, say, running around getting shot at. the implant jack is a must for anyone on the go.

[Butterblume]

Why not just install a commlink then? Costs are 1500 :nuyen: and 0,1 essence more than a datajack.

[MITJA3000+]

Yep I was thinking about implanted commlinks. It sounds nice, but what if you wanna upgrade it? You'd have at least have somekind of surgery, or if you'd want easy access it would be a bit obvious.

The main thing I'm having problems is, that ruleswise you can control your 'link with a keyboard or somekind of controller AS FAST as you can control it with your mind.

[James McMurray]

It's probably being controlled via voice activation, not a keypad. Not as fast as thought perhaps, but much faster than trying to fatfinger something out while running.

[Shrike30]

Who says it's a keypad? Human Interface Devices could have changed an awful lot by 2070. Voice-activated, gesture-based, even retinal-tracking interfaces are all in various stages of development and implimentation now...

[Azralon]

I've assumed that if you have a datajack, then you can DNI-control your devices all nice and handsfree.

Also, slapping a skinlink onto your datajack would theoretically let you DNI anything on your person that also had a skinlink.

[neko128]

[Butterblume]

Could even be real skin, such a small wound heals very fast in the SR universe ;).

[Shrike30]

Yeah, but then you have to make a willpower check to upgrade your 'link :P

I think i'd go with the cyberware "skin pouch" or whatever it's called for something like this.

[Ki Ryn]

Is there anything to keep you from just putting the knowsofts in your commlink and accessing them via trodes?

Also, where does it talk about trodes coming loose if you run? It seems that if they were integrated into a combat helmet (or even the strap of your goggles), they would be pretty secure...

I'd like a datajack to be better, but if it's all just flavor text then it's hard to justify the Essense loss.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[Ki Ryn]

[Rotbart van Dain...]

..because the rules for Knowsofts say so? :cyber:

[Ki Ryn]

Thanks, I got lost in the teknobabble. After some page flipping, I see that Knowsofts must be accessed via a direct neural interface (a sim module or datajack). Under sim module it then says a module must be accessed via trodes or a direct neural interface (datajack, etc.).

I was thinking trodes could tie directly into the Knowsoft as it isn't VR or anything. But since it needs a sim module I guess you actually do get the full body, 5 senses, knowledge from that chip. Personally, I think they're just trying to sell more sim modules... :D