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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Carsten Gehling carsten@**********.dk
Subject: SR program languages (was: Re: [ADMIN] Re: Not the Crash of '29 but '00 :-) )
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 07:46:09 +0200
From: NaCl(aq) <jed7466@******.isc.rit.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 12:44 AM


> No problem. .. what language are programs written in in SR? So if I wanted
to
> make something like this for my decker to upload to an LTG somewhere, I
would
> know what it could and couldn't do. On a more general note, I've heard a
rumor
> or two about matrix book(s) coming out. Will these go into more detail on
> programming electronics, programs, and chips? Or would telling me give
away too
> much cool information? :)

A long time ago I read in one of the books that programs were written in
some sort of symbolic code language. IMHO looking at the recent development
of quantum computing, I believe the next-generation computer used in the
Shadowrun universe must be the Quantum Computer. Given the nature of this
type of computing could explain why storage is measured in pulses. You would
also need a f*cking fast processor to simulate the neural impulses that
create the Matrix.

The languages? Well certainly not VBScript! :-) Ranging from high-level
common user prog-lang (drag/drop symbolic components and setting up rules
and actions) to low-level hardcore decker tools:

"copy con >neural_interface"

An interesting real-life notion: If you really want to create a virus that
could hit all platforms, shouldn't it be written in Java?

- Carsten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GC 3.12: GCS/M/P d- s+: a- C+++$>++++ UL++ P+>++ L+ !E W+++$
N+ o K- w+++$ O- M-- V-- PGP t++@ 5+@ X++ R++ tv+(++) b+(++)
DI++ D++ G++ e++ h-- r+++ y+++
Message no. 2
From: Marc Renouf renouf@********.com
Subject: SR program languages (was: Re: [ADMIN] Re: Not the Crash of '29 but '00 :-) )
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 10:24:49 -0400 (EDT)
On Fri, 5 May 2000, Carsten Gehling wrote:

> An interesting real-life notion: If you really want to create a virus that
> could hit all platforms, shouldn't it be written in Java?

It should, but Sun Microsystems was *extremely* careful when they
wrote Java, as well as its platform-dependent byte-code interpreters.
There are a lot of things that Applets generally can't do (like access the
local filesystem). Java uses the "sandbox" approach. The applet is
allowed to play in the sandbox all it wants, but the sandbox doesn't
interface with the stuff that actually matters (operating system, file
system, etc). Further, Java loads class information locally first, so you
can't even use the classic "standard class overwrite" trick.

Marc
Message no. 3
From: Steven Spiroff sspiroff@*****.com
Subject: SR program languages (was: Re: [ADMIN] Re: Not the Crash of '29 but '00 :-) )
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 10:25:28 -0700 (PDT)
> > An interesting real-life notion: If you really want to create a virus that
> > could hit all platforms, shouldn't it be written in Java?
>
> Nope, not a virus. You have to have the Java Runtime Environment installed
> to use most Java apps, and a Java-based virus would only be able to
> propagate through other Java programs (I think). Maybe a trojan horse.

It depends on the intended target. I think this "love virus" was written in
some visual basic scripting language (sorry if that is wrong, I'm not a windows
guy) which will only affect windows machines, and even at that only a subset of
all windows machines. I do not use any apps on my win95 machines at home that
use that scripting language, so I was not affected.

Most Unix machines, and especially those that are web servers, do have java
installed. Some even have it as part of the default installation, for instance
Sun has been including java at least at last 2-3 years. On the other hand, it
would be infinitely harder to introduce a virus to a Unix system since you
can't just mail a virus laden message to a Unix box that will be automatically
executed - one of the pitfalls of windows.

ObShadowrun: I have never seen any mention of operating systems in the
Shadowrun manuals that I've read, then again I have not read much beyond the
core rule book. Is there anything in VR2.0 (or any other books) about different
OSes that might be available for your cyberdeck, and if there are any benefits
or penatlies for using different ones? It would be nice if in 60 years Linux
has taken over the market and squashed windows like the bug it is.. :)

Cheers,
Steven

====Steven S. Spiroff - Richmond, Virginia, USA

"Heroes get pushed off buildings, exposed to vacuum,
electrocuted, infected, burned, drowned, poisoned,
and irradiated." - page 57, Alternity Gamemaster Guide

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Further Reading

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