Correct me where ever the following is incorrect:

Data bomb is a program and it is the program that "blows up" when activated. After "detonation" the program crashes. To set multiple bombs on multiple files you must run more versions of the Data Bomb program at once. Two files protected means two Data Bombs running. This affects Response, of course.

A technomancer can use as many Data Bombs as he wants. His "complex forms may be used without limitation; running too many at once does not affect Response." (pg. 233)

Now for a question or two:

What limitation does a Bomb happy techno have?
Do those bombs stay active when he is not present on the node?
How about when he severs his ties to the matrix?
Do the bombs ever expire?
Can they be cloaked with a Stealth program? (that is probably a no)
Can a techno Bomb his own access ID or Matrix location? You know, where ever the techno's Persona resides when it isn't...in the rest of the Matrix. His own head, I guess is what I'm trying to say.

I can see some pretty nasty things happening with treaded bombs, that's why I'm asking. Node Guantlets of Terror!

databomb and encryption are programs i would like to have some more clarification on. from a logical standpoint i would say that they are used to wrap their target in a bit of data that blows up (databomb) or make the content unreadable (encryption) without the right key.

but then im often left with the impression that files in SR (old and new) have small programs wrapped around them thats used to read/view them. makes perfect sense from a DRM standpoint atleast.

but thats just my take. given how vague the text covering them are, they are like mini AR discussions waiting to happen.

it was much simpler when a databomb was a IC running on a host with now program overload rules anywhere.

Running the Program isn't really necessary for a databombed/encrypted file being protected after setup.

But it is the program that crashes. If it wasn't active than there would be no reason to say anything about crashing. What crashes? What explodes?

It's not clear, but my interpretation is that if the bomb is not disarmed, it deals an attack as an attack program doing damage to the person disarming and probably to the data it protects. It only takes up response while encapsulating the data, after that it's part of the data file and is no longer a running process, untill it fails to be disarmed anyway.

I think that's a logical use, and it sounds to me like the intended spirit of the rules.

so what if one are to protect several files on the same node?

do each take up a seperate prosess?

and then we are more or less back at "program inserts a bit of attack code into the file". only thing left is this: does i have to have a copy of data bomb for each file i want to protect? if so it will be one of the most pirated programs in SR...

I seriously doubt that you'd need multiple copies, that would be like saying you need a new copy of notepad anytime you want to make a text file.

Data Bomb is an attack program that can be tied to a specific file or device and set to activate if someone acess the file/device without authorization.
(No mention that they can't be tied to multiple file or devices, I view this as a line in the file or device that links to the Data Bomb program.

When triggered , Data Bombs "explode" and attempt to crash teh ICON that illegally acessed the file/device.

Once triggered, the Data Bomb program crashes. (So, the same program can not "explode" on the same Icon without being rebooted.)

It apprears as though you can be running mutiple Data Bomb program copies as so long as only one Data Bomb Program is tied to any one file/device.

Do I need Multiple programs for multiple files or can one guard many at a time? How does the Techno's program "crash"?

I think you can run one or more than one copy of the Data Bomb program.

Running one copy, you can choose to either portect one, or multiple files. However, I'd say if you have several files linked to the bomb, and it goes off, all the linked data goes poof, not just the one that was being accessed. On the fkip side, it also means you only have to disarm one bomb to get at all the data.

Running multiple copies, you have to deal with it effecting Response, but it also means that each file is individually protected.

And you would only need to purchse the program once. To use Lagomorph's example, you only need one copy of Notepad. But if you want to work on multiple text files at once, you need to open multiple copies of Notepad.

Bull

bah, i wonder what i was thinking when i posted that post up there.

your all so very very right.

So a techno's Data bomb, how does that work? Complex Forms don't just crash like programs do.