More Matrix/Hacking Woes, I hate the matrix, I really do. Options

[Degausser]

It's that time again, time for "I hate the matrix."

Okay, so on page 224 of the BBB, under "Things about Hacking all runners should know." It confuses me.

It says that anything with a wireless transceiver can be hacked. So, if someone is RIGHT next to you (Because your Gun's signal rating is 0), they can hack your gun even if you don't have a comlink (unless your gun's transceiver is turned off or removed.) Same with your cyber-leg (if wirelessly enabled) and whatnot. Not a big deal because if someone is right next to you and hacking you can whollop them or shoot them with little trouble.

Okay, got that.

But then it says that PANs are stupid to have on a run. It mentions that anyone with a PAN can be hacked. So runners who have their comlink set to HIDDEN, and only allow their teammates' devices to connect (for subvocal chatting) along with their gun and shades, are still super-vulerable to hackers unless they have a super mac-daddy pimped out comlink like the hacker. Really? Does the street shaman need the top of the link super-wiz comlink equipped with black IC to go on runs? It's enough to make one go out and buy some cables to direct-connect one's comlink to one's datajack and gun, then turn off their wireless . . . but that STILL doesn't let you talk to your teammates!


Another question I have regards interacting with AR if you don't have a datajack. Now, I may be wrong, but I assumed that a Datajack and a comlink will let you mentally manipulate AR and will also let you slip into VR (but not run hotsim mode unless you paid to mod your comlink.) But what about Mages and Adepts and the few others who don't have datajacks? What are they stuck doing? Do they have to go out, buy AR gloves, Image Link glasses, and electronic paper (for a keyboard) in order to interact? Seems somewhat expensive and very limiting. I was under the impression that trodes and the paint-on-trodes would function like a poor-man's datajack, but according to the book, all they let you do is experience simsense. Seems to me that, for a world that is very heavily dependent on the matrix, there should be some way for non-datajack equipped people to talk to their comlinks outside of waving (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) 250 AR Gloves around like a dufus.