The mixture of knowsofts and activesofts in Skillwire Clusters (Unwired pg 128) has always led me to think that knowsofts and activesofts were part of the SkillWire/MoveByWire platform. Now I see that they're coming in via a sim module or datajack.

So. Do I run them on my commlink or on my skillwires or both? Do they count against my response on the commlink? Do they count against the amount of activesofts I can run on the skillwires? Do they not count as all as long as I can use them?

They don't run on skillwires at all. They run on anything (usually a commlink, or trodes alone) that has a sim module, or of course a datajack. They're not programs (AFAIK), so they don't take Processor Limit.

They're databases of pure information. Great for reference work, not so good for practical applications in new territories.

Liguisofts are often easy to spot, with the higher rating ones being updated and having a better network of slang and location-specific word choices.

I'm confused. In what way do the work differently than language or knowledge skill rolls? As far as I can see, you can even edge them.

Fluff not Crunch. And a bit of common sense, especially when you consider how fast language changes.

If technology, knowledge, and language are changing quickly, I think the software is more likely to be updated more frequently than my brain is. If I want current knowledge on a subject, I use the internet because my neurons are out of date.

Good luck to you. I'm hopelessly obsolete by now...

Honestly, language doesn't change *that* fast. At least, not in the ways you're worried about.

Linguasofts and knowsofts do not use skillwires, they exist on an external device (probably your comm-unit) and are accessed via DNI (usually through a SIM Module). For this purpose trode-nets and data jack are equal (in crunch).

Active softs require skill wires/MBW.

You can not use Edge on any skillsoft roll without the skillsoft expert system (I think that's what it was called), and even then the only edge use is the re-roll option.

Linguasofts are easy to spot in use (fluff) due to the language being locked-in for style. So if you have a formal language soft you speak formally and won't use much (if any) slang. If you have a more "streets" language then you'll use a lot of slang and have problems with more formal speach. Of course all of this is "fluff" and can be implimented into the game or not as the GM (and players) deem appropriate. I personally feel that a higher rating linguasoft will have less problems breeching the formality barrier. But as with everything ShadowRun YMMV.

Using skillsofts and using skills mechanically work the same, you roll skill + attribute. The only real differences are with edge use and the ability to increase the skill (you can't learn a skill from a skillsoft, nor can you increase it with karma).

I hope that helps.

-D