New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 9 of 50 FirstFirst 1234567891011121314151617181934 ... LastLast
Results 241 to 270 of 1474
  1. - Top - End - #241
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    John Cribati's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    NYC

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Gez View Post
    Anyway, most AI are dumb and wacky because that's what amuses Jeph Jacques. Even Roko, who is the adult in charge in the current arc, has a "bread fetish" that makes her act like a embarrassed child. A robot that can't use a printer or remember a password when she's literally a computer? Hahaha, how funny! Of course it's all jokes that Jeph already did with Melon before.
    You can say Roko's bread fetish has to do with how her robot body processes sensory stimuli. That's common. It's soemthing else entirely for a robot to not know how to use a computer.

    Formerly known as "Herpestidae."
    Most of my posts are done by mobile. Expect typos.
    Quote Originally Posted by Frozen_Feet View Post
    Things don't magically stop being fun when you reach a certain age.

  2. - Top - End - #242
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2013

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Why would being a robot give automatic insights into using tech? Now anyone who has reason to use them should be able to do something simple like that, but being a computer based intelligence doesn't automatically come with more skills/knowledge than an organic one.

  3. - Top - End - #243
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Morquard View Post
    I also don't think it's the first time one of the AIs did something like that.
    A while back, after bumping into Clinton in the street, Roko went home and immediately had an erotic fantasy about him and a loaf of sourdough. In her mind, he was shirtless and had a "THUG LYFE"-style tattoo across his stomach that read "Human Abs". Possibly that is what you're thinking of?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ibrinar View Post
    Why would being a robot give automatic insights into using tech? Now anyone who has reason to use them should be able to do something simple like that, but being a computer based intelligence doesn't automatically come with more skills/knowledge than an organic one.
    Right. I'm a human being, but I don't know how to perform brain surgery. Surely I should, because humans all have brains and both are made of meat, aren't they?

    To be less silly about it, Momo and May discussed this a while ago, when May preferred to watch porn on her laptop rather than in her brain-browser. It's a very different experience regardless of superficial similarities - I suppose a reasonable equivalent would be asking why I can use a PC with Windows 10, and yet don't know how to use DOS prompts?
    Last edited by Wraith; 2019-06-27 at 06:20 AM.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  4. - Top - End - #244
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    John Cribati's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    NYC

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    I feel like changing ink in a printer is more like putting a bandage over a cut than brain surgery.

    And we're not even getting into forgetting her password.

    Formerly known as "Herpestidae."
    Most of my posts are done by mobile. Expect typos.
    Quote Originally Posted by Frozen_Feet View Post
    Things don't magically stop being fun when you reach a certain age.

  5. - Top - End - #245
    Colossus in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    right behind you

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Yeah, nobody is expecting her to BUILD a computer, but a computer based intelligence not even knowing how to use a computer like that is along the lines of this
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

  6. - Top - End - #246
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    A while back, after bumping into Clinton in the street, Roko went home and immediately had an erotic fantasy about him and a load of sourdough. In her mind, he was shirtless and had a "THUG LYFE"-style tattoo across his stomach that read "Human Abs". Possibly that is what you're thinking of?
    Oh yes, I think that might be it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    To be less silly about it, Momo and May discussed this a while ago, when May preferred to watch porn on her laptop rather than in her brain-browser. It's a very different experience regardless of superficial similarities - I suppose a reasonable equivalent would be asking why I can use a PC with Windows 10, and yet don't know how to use DOS prompts?
    Well there has been some speculation that at least on May's part that might be that she's covering up that she only has the most rudimentry internet access with her body and can only do things like IM. Basicly the equivalent of a landline phone opposed to broadband internet. Could be because the body's modem is non functioning/really old or because it was deliberately locked out because of her probation.

  7. - Top - End - #247
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    mucat's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Traab View Post
    Yeah, nobody is expecting her to BUILD a computer, but a computer based intelligence not even knowing how to use a computer like that is along the lines of this
    Awesome clip, but I'm still not convinced.

    Beep's mind runs on a computer, but she's rock-stick-stone dumb when it comes to operating computers. How odd.

    Human minds run on neurons. So it would be equally odd if a human knew nothing about how neurons... Damn. This parallel is falling apart rapidly.

    ("...and that, as much as anything else, led to my thinking problem." Like I said, awesome clip. :-)
    Last edited by mucat; 2019-06-26 at 10:45 PM.

  8. - Top - End - #248
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Honest Tiefling's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2011

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    I think anyone who has owned a non-jailbroken phone is going to agree that a computer might not be all that smart, and certainly not smart enough to understand itself.

    Or that robot that killed itself, if you happen to like your phone.
    Quote Originally Posted by Oko and Qailee View Post
    Man, I like this tiefling.
    For all of your completely and utterly honest needs. Zaydos made, Tiefling approved.

  9. - Top - End - #249
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    John Cribati's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    NYC

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by mucat View Post
    Awesome clip, but I'm still not convinced.

    Beep's mind runs on a computer, but she's rock-stick-stone dumb when it comes to operating computers. How odd.

    Human minds run on neurons. So it would be equally odd if a human knew nothing about how neurons... Damn. This parallel is falling apart rapidly.

    ("...and that, as much as anything else, led to my thinking problem." Like I said, awesome clip. :-)
    I'd agree with you, if we were talking about actually programming a computer and not. Swapping out an ink cartridge. Or remembering her password.

    Formerly known as "Herpestidae."
    Most of my posts are done by mobile. Expect typos.
    Quote Originally Posted by Frozen_Feet View Post
    Things don't magically stop being fun when you reach a certain age.

  10. - Top - End - #250
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Kato's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Morquard View Post
    So nobody is commenting on the fact she has "ABS" written on her belly? No? Ok.
    Oh, wow, I missed that. That's pretty hilarious. And kind of cute.

    Also, that applies to all goody two shoes, May
    "What's done is done."

    Pony Avatar thanks to Elemental

  11. - Top - End - #251
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2013

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by John Cribati View Post
    I'd agree with you, if we were talking about actually programming a computer and not. Swapping out an ink cartridge. Or remembering her password.
    She should be able to handle those things because they are trivial tasks that she should have come across before if she isn't entirely new in her job. Not because she is a robot. (Though since the AIs in this setting can go online in their heads (and probably more?) That should lead to some computer familiarity. Although computer familiarity doesn't help with the mechanical task of replacing a cartridge.)

  12. - Top - End - #252
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Ibrinar View Post
    She should be able to handle those things because they are trivial tasks that she should have come across before if she isn't entirely new in her job.
    We'd all like to think this would be true, but I'm sure anyone here who has ever worked as part of a team or group will be able to regale the rest of the thread with stories of That Guy who had been around for years, but was just hopeless. Mine involve cashiers at a supermarket who had been there for 10 years but couldn't change the paper receipt-roll by themselves, and an office worker who spends 8 hours per day at a keyboard who types with one finger on either hand, "hunt and peck" style.

    Beeps is an AI. In QC, that just means she is a machine that has human-like sentience, not that she is constantly accessing the entire sum of human knowledge at all times. She still has to research, and to learn, before she can be proficient in something, and given that she is a part-time manager at a greatly underfunded charity organisation there's probably not a lot of time and funding available to upskill.
    Last edited by Wraith; 2019-06-27 at 06:46 AM.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  13. - Top - End - #253
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    georgie_leech's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Calgary, AB
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    We'd all like to think this would be true, but I'm sure anyone here who has ever worked as part of a team or group will be able to regale the rest of the thread with stories of That Guy who had been around for years, but was just hopeless. Mine involve cashiers at a supermarket who had been there for 10 years but couldn't change the paper receipt-roll by themselves, and an office worker who spends 8 hours per day at a keyboard who types with one finger on either hand, "hunt and peck" style.

    Beeps is an AI. In QC, that just means she is a machine that has human-like sentience, not that she is constantly accessing the entire sum of human knowledge at all times. She still has to research, and to learn, before she can be proficient in something, and given that she is a part-time manager at a greatly underfunded charity organisation there's probably not a lot of time and funding available to upskill.
    Mind you, "good at their job" is probably not the description you'd jump to for That Guy.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    We should try to make that a thing; I think it might help civility. Hey, GitP, let's try to make this a thing: when you're arguing optimization strategies, RAW-logic, and similar such things that you'd never actually use in a game, tag your post [THEORETICAL] and/or use green text

  14. - Top - End - #254
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2013

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Simultaneously, I've worked in offices for over 15 years (5 years in a small office, 4 at a university (as student), 4 at a large office, 2 and a half at my current university (as PhD)) and I wouldn't know how to off-hand replace a toner cartridge, despite knowing how to clear paper jams and use "complex" things like bypass trays and overriding page orientation across all of them.

    Replacing a toner cartridge is a fairly rare occurrence in the scheme of things. As an offhand, maybe once every 6 months? Once a year? Maybe more than that if you don't print much? I can't remember the last time I did it. I can quite happily build a computer because I do it often. I'll quite happily throw some Python or C++ around to estimate 3D human pose from 2D inputs because I do it often. I still know how to use a comb binder (as in, a machine to bind paper together on a plastic comb as a single document, not a hard document cover to keep papers protected in the same place), because I did it often enough in my first job and the knowledge has stuck. For me, it takes doing a task repeatedly for a non-trivial timescale to actually learn it, and a toner replacement simply isn't that often to make it into my mind, so I absolutely need to ask for/look up instructions to do it, and that to me is what "Do either of you know how to install a toner cartridge" is (shouldn't be asking a client that though). In the same way, I still need to look up LaTeX compliation instructions, because I don't write papers often enough (don't tell my supervisor I said that ). I still need to look up minimum legal tyre depth for my bike because I only check it once it starts looking bad. Besides that, some knowledge just never sticks. I've made hundreds of symlinks in Linux, but I still can't remember if it's "ln -s {actual file} {link}" or "ln -s {link} {actual file}", to the point it's on a post it note on my monitor.

  15. - Top - End - #255
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by qechua View Post
    *snip*
    Whereas I understood some of those words, but can generally ninja my way into the average office-sized printing deck in under 30 seconds, since I used to sell and trouble-shoot household electronics for a living and apparently have the knack.

    In any event, I'm slightly surprised that today's comic smash-cut to Momo and May. I was kind of expecting more of a reaction from Roko, given May's rather blunt confession.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  16. - Top - End - #256
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Chimera

    Join Date
    Dec 2015

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Ibrinar View Post
    She should be able to handle those things because they are trivial tasks that she should have come across before if she isn't entirely new in her job. Not because she is a robot. (Though since the AIs in this setting can go online in their heads (and probably more?) That should lead to some computer familiarity. Although computer familiarity doesn't help with the mechanical task of replacing a cartridge.)
    Quote Originally Posted by qechua View Post
    Simultaneously, I've worked in offices for over 15 years (5 years in a small office, 4 at a university (as student), 4 at a large office, 2 and a half at my current university (as PhD)) and I wouldn't know how to off-hand replace a toner cartridge, despite knowing how to clear paper jams and use "complex" things like bypass trays and overriding page orientation across all of them.
    There is nothing about the specific example of changing toner that is either particularly a sign of intelligence, nor something that a robot should automatically be able to do. That Beeps herself has indicated that she is familiar with doing her job 'analog' (by which I think we're to assume she means on paper) is where her comedic incompetence rises to the comedic level. She's the one saying that she does it all printed out, giving us the expectation that she is familiar with printers.

    Quote Originally Posted by georgie_leech View Post
    Mind you, "good at their job" is probably not the description you'd jump to for That Guy.
    I would have said that until I learned how many music greats never learned to read sheet music, and can only pick up a new song 'by ear.' Compartmentalization is a thing, and you learn what you are required to. Is it a good thing if only one person in the office learns how to change toner/remove paper jams/order more paper/balance the office supply budget/any-other-trivial-but-vital-knowledge? Absolutely not. Does it rule out someone from being good at their job? Only if it's an expected part of their job.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    In any event, I'm slightly surprised that today's comic smash-cut to Momo and May. I was kind of expecting more of a reaction from Roko, given May's rather blunt confession.
    I was expecting it, but in retrospect I can totally see Roko going, 'you know what, I don't even want to know. I'm here to help with your injustice, not witness, police, or advise you on your romantic entanglements.'
    Last edited by Willie the Duck; 2019-06-27 at 08:57 AM.

  17. - Top - End - #257
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie the Duck View Post
    I was expecting it, but in retrospect I can totally see Roko going, 'you know what, I don't even want to know. I'm here to help with your injustice, not witness, police, or advise you on your romantic entanglements.'
    Honestly, given Roko's own preferences, I was expecting that the punchline was going to be that she assumed it was specifically the watermelon in which May was interested.... Or at least mistake "Watermelon" for just "Melon"....
    Last edited by Wraith; 2019-06-27 at 09:04 AM.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  18. - Top - End - #258
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    WHile AIs are similar to humans in QC, they are not fully. Yes they can't remember everything (kinda like my computier doesn't automatically know where the file is I'm searching for and needs a while to find it (and maybe never will if I specify the search parametes wrong)). But they do have a browser in their head. She can literally go on youtube and watch a "how to change toner" tutorial there.

  19. - Top - End - #259
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Bristol, UK

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    In any event, I'm slightly surprised that today's comic smash-cut to Momo and May. I was kind of expecting more of a reaction from Roko, given May's rather blunt confession.
    There was a comic with Roko, Beeps and ?Nelson? in between May's confession and her homecoming.
    The end of what Son? The story? There is no end. There's just the point where the storytellers stop talking.

  20. - Top - End - #260
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Kato's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Ah, of course they had to show up. Well, I guess I am glad they've learned to respect boundaries, somewhat. And at this point I'm surprised Roko didn't ask them to just transfer the money May needs from wherever to get her a new body.
    "What's done is done."

    Pony Avatar thanks to Elemental

  21. - Top - End - #261
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    John Cribati's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    NYC

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    I mean. Technically she did, just in a more roundabout way.

    And frankly a lot of societal problems can literally be solved by throwing money at the people who are suffering. And throwing it directly at the people tends to ultimately cost less than throwing it at a charity that helps those people.

    Formerly known as "Herpestidae."
    Most of my posts are done by mobile. Expect typos.
    Quote Originally Posted by Frozen_Feet View Post
    Things don't magically stop being fun when you reach a certain age.

  22. - Top - End - #262
    Troll in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2015

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by John Cribati View Post
    And throwing it directly at the people tends to ultimately cost less than throwing it at a charity that helps those people.
    Depends on economies of scale, which actually matters here because Spookybot as an entity with night-unto-divine levels of information processing capability could purchase and distribute a suitable chassis to every single AI parolee with finger-snap levels of overhead effort involved. That's part of the problematic mature of nigh-unto-divine characters, they warp scale because their powers can trivialize the problems of those who lack their powers. Roko framing it as a loan makes this even more so. Because of their generally low maintenance requirements (when May's parole ends she can go live back inside a server again at some stupidly trivial cost-of-being) and their ability to earn money if what is effectively their sleep by loaning out processor cycles, every AI has a dedicated income source available. May's financial troubles only exist because her ability to access this has been blocked for quite reasonable security reasons. So the money will be paid back. A low-level AI chassis is not especially expensive, we know this because Marigold was able to afford one, so this is comparable to offering a series of zero-interest car loans. It should be trivial for Spookybot, who ought to have plenty of money (just hacking open Bitcoin wallets that have been lost or belong to the deceased would net tens of millions of untraceable funds, to mention a source within its known capabilities).
    Now publishing a webnovel travelogue.

    Resvier: a P6 homebrew setting

  23. - Top - End - #263
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by John Cribati View Post
    And frankly a lot of societal problems can literally be solved by throwing money at the people who are suffering. And throwing it directly at the people tends to ultimately cost less than throwing it at a charity that helps those people.
    I remember that there was a documentary about this subject on British TV not too long ago. They tried an experiment where several families, who by the national standard were considered to be "in poverty", were each given a significant sum of money to do with as they pleased. It was about Ł12,000 or something I think - not enough to pay off a mortgage but certainly enough to cover nearly every smaller loan they had taken on from cars and domestic appliances to short-term "pay day" loans and the likes.

    As far as I remember, that's what the vast majority of the families did and it changed their lives. Simply having only one debt (usually on renting or paying off their property) allowed them to change their lives for the better, just by having enough money to buy clothes that hadn't come from a thrift or charity store, or to buy food other than the cheapest supermarket ready meals.

    The problem is, some of the families instead just pissed it up the wall, buying themselves a big television and other indulgences. From the onset of the programme there was no way to know which family was going to do what, and also there was the question of bias - how many would have done what they did, if they weren't being filmed for national TV where their motives could be scrutinised by the nation?

    The show didn't resolve anything; it was mostly a lot of credit-crunch propaganda by the BBC about how "nice" poor people were if only they would be given a chance to not be poor. There's echoes of it in this conversation though, as the general consensus was that the "rude" poor people were spoiling it for the rest of them by making prospective donors cynical that their charity would be well spent.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  24. - Top - End - #264
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Chimera

    Join Date
    Dec 2015

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    The problem is, some of the families instead just pissed it up the wall, buying themselves a big television and other indulgences. From the onset of the programme there was no way to know which family was going to do what, and also there was the question of bias - how many would have done what they did, if they weren't being filmed for national TV where their motives could be scrutinised by the nation?
    This is why charities exist, instead of just giving to the poor. However, Spooky again eliminates this issue by being able to make individual decisions like this based on individual ex cons and/or how what the money can be spent upon.

  25. - Top - End - #265
    Colossus in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    right behind you

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    I wonder if a better use for spookybot would be a sounding board. They have a lot of knowledge of just about everything, or at least the capacity to get it. Think of it as a sentient search engine that knows exactly how to best find whatever they want. Roko could use that in a variety of nonsketchy ways from legislation information like who supports what to know if lobbying would be effective, or even if there are already laws on the books that would help here but just dont get enforced very well. Virtually every state/nation on earth has tons of these laws. Some very stupid, some absurdly regressive that are on the books but never enforced so nobody knows or cares about them, but some that just dont get a lot of effort put into using them. Or it could be there are laws meant for humans when written as AI didnt exist yet, but that could/should apply to them as well, with a few court cases to make it official. Or its possible spooky could put together a list of names of ais like may so they could approach about a class action suit to bring large scale attention to the issue. The problem with what roko tossed off about no interest loans is, its basically certain to cause a loss in funds for spooky because SOMEONE is going to default, the only question is, how many would and could/should spooky absorb that loss in an effort to help? There is no doubt that this WOULD help, and im sure spooky could utilize this program in any number of ways to spread its influence further, so its a risk/benefit scenario for them.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

  26. - Top - End - #266
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

    Join Date
    Nov 2013

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Traab View Post
    I wonder if a better use for spookybot would be a sounding board. They have a lot of knowledge of just about everything, or at least the capacity to get it. Think of it as a sentient search engine that knows exactly how to best find whatever they want. Roko could use that in a variety of nonsketchy ways from legislation information like who supports what to know if lobbying would be effective, or even if there are already laws on the books that would help here but just dont get enforced very well. Virtually every state/nation on earth has tons of these laws. Some very stupid, some absurdly regressive that are on the books but never enforced so nobody knows or cares about them, but some that just dont get a lot of effort put into using them. Or it could be there are laws meant for humans when written as AI didnt exist yet, but that could/should apply to them as well, with a few court cases to make it official. Or its possible spooky could put together a list of names of ais like may so they could approach about a class action suit to bring large scale attention to the issue. The problem with what roko tossed off about no interest loans is, its basically certain to cause a loss in funds for spooky because SOMEONE is going to default, the only question is, how many would and could/should spooky absorb that loss in an effort to help? There is no doubt that this WOULD help, and im sure spooky could utilize this program in any number of ways to spread its influence further, so its a risk/benefit scenario for them.
    Spooky is a near-omniscient AI which could easily make as much money as required by manipulating the stockmarket or any number of "I have godlike computer powers, pay me" means.

    Which is why I don't like them as a character in a webcomic focusing on a bunch of lower-to-middle income 20-somethings. Spookybot is far outside the scope of the characters in the comic, and shouldn't be present. It's like watching an episode of Friends where Joey is looking for a job, and Joey turns and asks "Any ideas, Q?"

  27. - Top - End - #267
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Chimera

    Join Date
    Dec 2015

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodin View Post
    Which is why I don't like them as a character in a webcomic focusing on a bunch of lower-to-middle income 20-somethings. Spookybot is far outside the scope of the characters in the comic, and shouldn't be present. It's like watching an episode of Friends where Joey is looking for a job, and Joey turns and asks "Any ideas, Q?"
    Schlock Mercenary had this problem, both in that the cast of main characters have a neigh-omnipotent ally that the author has to keep finding ways why they can't/won't solve all the problems, and in that the actual idea of the main cast existing in that world seems unsupported --why are there meat-mercenaries in a world of teleporting computer-speed drones which can do anything they can, but better? /Why do people need to work (thus allowing for lower-to-middle income 20-somethings) in a world where Spookiebot exists?

  28. - Top - End - #268
    Titan in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie the Duck View Post
    Schlock Mercenary had this problem, both in that the cast of main characters have a neigh-omnipotent ally that the author has to keep finding ways why they can't/won't solve all the problems, and in that the actual idea of the main cast existing in that world seems unsupported --why are there meat-mercenaries in a world of teleporting computer-speed drones which can do anything they can, but better? /Why do people need to work (thus allowing for lower-to-middle income 20-somethings) in a world where Spookiebot exists?
    Spookiebot's purported ethics would at least suggest that they find the idea of massively disrupting society, either to take it over or to revolutionize it, to be extremely distasteful and would rather avoid that outcome.

    Which, frankly, makes it worse to me because then I have to wonder what they DO actually do and want? Are they just waiting for AI society to catch up to them and treating the world like a youtube video in the meanwhile?
    “Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”

  29. - Top - End - #269
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie the Duck View Post
    This is why charities exist, instead of just giving to the poor. However, Spooky again eliminates this issue by being able to make individual decisions like this based on individual ex cons and/or how what the money can be spent upon.
    Which creates yet more ethical issues. If we're not having charities or parole officers vetting people to make sure that they are intending on using their time and resources responsibly, having a nigh-omnipotent super-computer hive-mind surreptitiously observing them unaware (and they would have to be unaware, otherwise their behaviour could be biased) and then making judgements on them can't be the "better" alternative, surely?

    Similarly, who is Spookybot and why does it get to make morale judgements, but I don't? The very fact that it CAN do these things without agency or external approval borders on the tyrannical; actually attempting it would be grossly invasive and violate all sorts of civil rights.

    Quote Originally Posted by Keltest View Post
    Which, frankly, makes it worse to me because then I have to wonder what they DO actually do and want? Are they just waiting for AI society to catch up to them and treating the world like a youtube video in the meanwhile?
    The thing is, this is an incredibly interesting premise; a super-intelligent AI that is aware of it's own superiority and also that it's own attempts to uplift the world around it have a greater-than-average chance of causing huge societal upheaval is created and set free on the world. It's vaguely moral, so it has no intention of overturning society just to force people to catch up to it's level - so what DOES it do in the meantime?
    Subtly influence the world towards it's own level of consciousness? Sure, see you there in about 100 years or so. What does it DO for itself in that period of time? You could write an entire novel about that protagonist - squeezing it into the position of a bit-part in a webcomic about 25 year old indie music nerds feels frustratingly underwhelming.
    Last edited by Wraith; 2019-06-28 at 10:08 AM.
    ~ CAUTION: May Contain Weasels ~
    RPG Characters What I Done Played As (Explained Badly)
    17 Things I Learned About 40k By Playing Dark Heresy
    Tales of a Role-Play Gamer - Horrible Optimisation

  30. - Top - End - #270
    Colossus in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    right behind you

    Default Re: Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodin View Post
    Spooky is a near-omniscient AI which could easily make as much money as required by manipulating the stockmarket or any number of "I have godlike computer powers, pay me" means.

    Which is why I don't like them as a character in a webcomic focusing on a bunch of lower-to-middle income 20-somethings. Spookybot is far outside the scope of the characters in the comic, and shouldn't be present. It's like watching an episode of Friends where Joey is looking for a job, and Joey turns and asks "Any ideas, Q?"
    Q is basically god, he is just as far outside the scope of joey from friends as he is picard. That doesnt mean he cant show up, cause a little chaos, then vanish again. Which is what spookybot does generally.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •