Bryan, if you see fit, please forward this to GDW.
Hey folx,
I just read through the bit in Challenge 64, on the new computer
stuff they put in there, and I thought I'd give ya'll my reaction
as one of the TML's leading rabid and emotional technophiles.
Well, as I read it, the Imperials developed what essentually
amounts to a CPU which is far superior to all previous ones. It
makes the synaptic units from book 8 look like low grade morons.
These things are put up as true artificial intelligence (greater
than human), which was previously only possible with massive
synaptic and parallel brains. Sounds pretty damn neat. I would
imagine that all the Imperial Roboticists would be screaming for a
chance to look at em. (I can think of one in particular with a
*very* loud voice... :-)
After all, it's been well established that artificial intelligence
is really only possible at Tech Level 17. (Remember Book 3: Worlds
and Adventures? Kinunir? 101 Robots? Book 8: Robots? etc. etc.)
So, given this little beastie's applications to artificial
intelligence, you'd think it's first applications would be toward
robots or ship computers right?
Ok, now how Does the Imperium go ahead and use this beastie? For
super-intelligent robots? No... Hyper-intelligent starship
computers for the vast hugely expensive Imperial Naval Fleets?
No... Ok, where *DO* they get used?
Starship Transponders? Well, Ok. I can see they would be useful
there, but they would be VITAL elsewhere.
To paraphrase Colin: (Re: neutrino detectors) If I were an
Imperial Admiral, that was handed a computer chip that can do all
the advertized, the last thing I would think of would be ship
transponders.
On top of that, these chips were sold to Imperial *ENEMIES*. The
article mentions that the Sword Worlds got 'em, the Solomani? the
Zhodani? GEEZ! The Imperials must be insane to sell something
THIS hot to their enemies. Especially their competetors. Now, Ok,
I admit the system has some fail safe devices in it to prevent
tampering, but there is NO way you could prevent the groups like
the Hivers, Solomani, Zhodani, et al from getting inside and
figuring them out. It's just not possible that they could get past
everybodies science research teams. And when the Hivers get their
tentacles on these babies... AI Bruiser warbots? Watch out!
I see some heavy duty changes in robotics steming from this. Now,
Dumbots will be the exception rather than the rule. And since the
chips are self reproducing, I expect the price of robot brains and
computers to plummet.
Now as Metlay said, this is what is called a 'retcon', and I don't
particularly care for it. It changes the whole picture of robotics
delvelopment and stuff. Now, an AI brain ought to be of basically
negligible cost, after all, these transponders were never assigned
any price or weight or volume in a system which is so detailed we
include the price of HEADLIGHTS for heaven's sake.
Scott 2G Kellogg