QUOTE (Draco18s @ Feb 6 2013, 07:56 AM) 
I cast magic spells program computers for a living. 
Sorry to hear that...
Sorry to hear that...
QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Feb 6 2013, 12:44 PM)
Sorry to hear that...
You've heard my explanation that computers operate on magic, yes?
QUOTE (Draco18s @ Feb 6 2013, 10:56 AM)
You've heard my explanation that computers operate on magic, yes?
Indeed...
Clarke's Law, in action.
...
So, Draco ... ComStar, or Blakist?
...
So, Draco ... ComStar, or Blakist?
QUOTE (_Pax._ @ Feb 6 2013, 01:33 PM)
So, Draco ... ComStar, or Blakist?
I'm afraid I don't understand the question.
Battletech.
Early on, after the collapse of the Star League and in the early stages of the First War of succession, the head of the interstellar communication corporation comStar (a fellow by the name of Blake) realised where things were headed. In order to preserve interstellar communications via the FTL Hyperpulse Generator network, they transformed themselves from a Corporation, to a Religion; they mysticised the operation of HPG stations, along with a lot of basic technical maintenance procedures.
And it worked. Perhaps too well, in fact, because centuries later - when the LEague was stabilising, and technology trends had reversed from a steady decline, back to actual GAINS, and ComStar tried to re-cult-ify itself?
The radical fundamentalist element within ComStar, who believed the religious stuff, staged a coup/rebellion, calling themselves "the Word of Blake", and launched a jihad of retribution on the rest of mankind for being uppity heretics.
...
So.
Comstar, or Word of Blake?
Early on, after the collapse of the Star League and in the early stages of the First War of succession, the head of the interstellar communication corporation comStar (a fellow by the name of Blake) realised where things were headed. In order to preserve interstellar communications via the FTL Hyperpulse Generator network, they transformed themselves from a Corporation, to a Religion; they mysticised the operation of HPG stations, along with a lot of basic technical maintenance procedures.
And it worked. Perhaps too well, in fact, because centuries later - when the LEague was stabilising, and technology trends had reversed from a steady decline, back to actual GAINS, and ComStar tried to re-cult-ify itself?
The radical fundamentalist element within ComStar, who believed the religious stuff, staged a coup/rebellion, calling themselves "the Word of Blake", and launched a jihad of retribution on the rest of mankind for being uppity heretics.
...
So.
Comstar, or Word of Blake?
QUOTE (_Pax._ @ Feb 6 2013, 02:11 PM)
Battletech.
[...]
Comstar, or Word of Blake?
[...]
Comstar, or Word of Blake?
Ahhh.
Somewhere in the middle. I know it's not actually magic. But it's easier for me to pretend that it is.
No, that'd be solidly Comstar. Even a lot of their Technicians found it easier to believe in the magic, BUT, they eren't so dogmatic they couldn't accept that it had all been a white lie to preserve a techbase for all of humanity. They looked at their own fondness for "it's magic", and said to themselves Huh, guess it worked extra-well with me; oh well.
Whereas the Blakists looked at it and said ... to suggest it isn't Holy Magic is HERESY and the blasphemers should BURN for speaking it!!! Just with more mouth-frothing and such.
Whereas the Blakists looked at it and said ... to suggest it isn't Holy Magic is HERESY and the blasphemers should BURN for speaking it!!! Just with more mouth-frothing and such.
Ah..ok.
And so ends the very stuck to topic of "Life imitates Game: the Wireless Matrix, fifty years early?" ?
Give it time, Im sure we haven't done all the derails... Yet.
Enhancing my perception that computers are magic:
I plugged in a flash drive just now, only to have my screen go black ("No Signal"). The tower was still on, but it just...crashed.
Was unable to replicate after rebooting.
I plugged in a flash drive just now, only to have my screen go black ("No Signal"). The tower was still on, but it just...crashed.
Was unable to replicate after rebooting.
QUOTE (Lionhearted @ Feb 4 2013, 11:43 AM)
*Smirk*
Technology, it's moving faster then people are willing to admit. I tell people that in 5 to 10 years you'll have fully integrated AR displays in your contacts or glasses, in 10 you're going to have tactile feedback AR control over these devices and I'll be sitting in a park playing AR chess with some guy on the other side of the planet.
For some reason that always blows peoples mind, make them think Im crazy or they simply don't believe it...
Technology, it's moving faster then people are willing to admit. I tell people that in 5 to 10 years you'll have fully integrated AR displays in your contacts or glasses, in 10 you're going to have tactile feedback AR control over these devices and I'll be sitting in a park playing AR chess with some guy on the other side of the planet.
For some reason that always blows peoples mind, make them think Im crazy or they simply don't believe it...
Relevant XKCD, because... well, XKCD.
QUOTE (Draco18s @ Feb 8 2013, 12:01 PM)
Enhancing my perception that computers are magic:
I plugged in a flash drive just now, only to have my screen go black ("No Signal"). The tower was still on, but it just...crashed.
Was unable to replicate after rebooting.
I plugged in a flash drive just now, only to have my screen go black ("No Signal"). The tower was still on, but it just...crashed.
Was unable to replicate after rebooting.
I have had that happen before... the USB port creates a short and viola, no images on screen. Not sure WHY it happened, and only for that particular USB port, but a new PC fixed it several years later.
QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Feb 8 2013, 04:08 PM)
I have had that happen before... the USB port creates a short and viola, no images on screen. Not sure WHY it happened, and only for that particular USB port, but a new PC fixed it several years later.
More Magic?
QUOTE (Lionhearted @ Feb 4 2013, 11:43 AM)
*Smirk*
Technology, it's moving faster then people are willing to admit. I tell people that in 5 to 10 years you'll have fully integrated AR displays in your contacts or glasses, in 10 you're going to have tactile feedback AR control over these devices and I'll be sitting in a park playing AR chess with some guy on the other side of the planet.
For some reason that always blows peoples mind, make them think Im crazy or they simply don't believe it...
Technology, it's moving faster then people are willing to admit. I tell people that in 5 to 10 years you'll have fully integrated AR displays in your contacts or glasses, in 10 you're going to have tactile feedback AR control over these devices and I'll be sitting in a park playing AR chess with some guy on the other side of the planet.
For some reason that always blows peoples mind, make them think Im crazy or they simply don't believe it...
And we'll all be driving jet cars ... and jet packs ...
There are plenty of bits of technology that we used to think were right around the corner. What fails and what flourishes isn't really all that predictable.
Like if you asked me a few decades ago what I thought we would have by now in the future? I would have thought we would have had mass produced, decent, affordable electric cars and the infrastructure to support it by now.
It's easier for technology to move forwards when there's not parties invested in products that are mutually exclusive and in direct competition in your own...
But that's just my personal conspiracy thinking on why electric cars haven't made a bigger impact yet. They solved the throughput issue and the battery life is... Feasible, just needs infrastructure.
But that's just my personal conspiracy thinking on why electric cars haven't made a bigger impact yet. They solved the throughput issue and the battery life is... Feasible, just needs infrastructure.
QUOTE (Lionhearted @ Feb 8 2013, 03:21 PM)
It's easier for technology to move forwards when there's not parties invested in products that are mutually exclusive and in direct competition in your own...
But that's just my personal conspiracy thinking on why electric cars haven't made a bigger impact yet. They solved the throughput issue and the battery life is... Feasible, just needs infrastructure.
But that's just my personal conspiracy thinking on why electric cars haven't made a bigger impact yet. They solved the throughput issue and the battery life is... Feasible, just needs infrastructure.
Competition with Fossil Fuels is what is killing the Electrical Car Industry. We are finally making inroads here, but it is still going to be a long, hard road.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.