| From: | "Michael R. Goldberg" <mrgoldbe@**.NETCOM.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Heh! Another round of funnies... |
| Date: | Fri, 27 Mar 1998 00:39:04 -0600 |
lists for the past couple of days.
I just caught up reading it all.
A few of comments:
1) The Astral Quest interpretation would have been nice to been run by
plot-d beforehand. It actually does impact two of my characters
because -- well they should probably be dead from the knowledge that
would have been gained from quests like that. Now I have to make a
judgement call as to whether or not the other people involved would
have tried it and if so, how am I going to explain the "still breathing
factor."
2) The FAQ clearly states that you have to get the characters' owners
permission before breaking encryption. If they don't want it break, it
doesn't matter how hot your decker is, it just isn't going to happen.
2a) If you can run a virus without using even a _bit_ of memory [yes,
even 1 bit], please tell me how. AFAIK, it just isn't possible in the
way computer's work today. I don't really see that changing in 60
years, although I am well aware that the technology continue to improve
on a very fast growth curve.
It is reasonable to say that a virus could piggyback encrypted messages
for later decryption, but it is my understanding that the SysAdmins for
the node would look out for viruses that compromise its ability to keep
its data safe.
3) I find everyone's inflated view of the Wanderer, pretty damn funny.
Yes, he is a unique individual in the crowd of wetworkers. Yes, there
are a lot of things about him that are still a mystery to the general
list. But let's face the facts. Haze and the Wanderer would have
erradicated one town, killing each other in the process, if it hadn't
been for Death's interference in the whole matter.
He is not a God. He has paid a serious price for his cyberware.
Actually, in a lot of ways, there are some serious similarities between
Haze and the Wanderer. Which is why they rub each other so hideously
wrong, in my mind.
I think Frank has done an amazing job with Haze and the story he is
working on.
4) The black ops corp from Fuchi. I want to offer up a possible
alternative which doesn't do away with your concept, Erik, just alters
it slightly.
My idea (based on what Erik has said) is that the black ops team would
be from a deniable asset, like a shell corporation. That way, one
couldn't tie it all the way back to the parent company and prove it.
Sure Samantha could still be the one ultimately ordering what is done,
but there are enough layers involved that no one could actually pin
their actions as a means to bring her down.
I offer it up to be accepted or rejected by Erik, but I personally,
have a little trouble believing that someone that high up would be
sloppy with a detail like that. You don't rise to the top by being
sloppy and careless, and you especially don't do that when you know
that someone(s) is (are) gunning for your job and your life.
(Of course that is purely my own opinion on the matter.)
5) FYI on my stories. I'm hoping that this weekend, there will be
developments in both Denver and then in a day or two after, in Boston.
In an ideal world, they would have already happened, but the author
sort of ran out of time due to work. *shrug helplessly*
Later,
Mike
