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Marten & Claire

3 (2.5%)

Dora & Tai

6 (5%)

The Secret Bakery Crew (Jim, Elliot and Renee w. Sam, Roko and Brun guest-starring)

9 (7.4%)

Roko and her search for meaning (including Beepatrice, May, SpookyBot & others)

15 (12.4%)

Union Robotics (Faye & Bubbles w. Punchbot, Sam & other customers looking in)

16 (13.2%)

The Old Apartment (Marten, Faye, Bubbles, Claire & Pintsize)

9 (7.4%)

The Voyages of Hannelore

20 (16.5%)

Roko, Melon & Elliot's interactions in their apartment complex (with Arthur and SpookyBot looking in)

3 (2.5%)

Dale, Marigold, May & Momo's domesticity

5 (4.1%)

Back to the Library (Marten, Tai and Momo and possibly Claire, plus the students)

2 (1.7%)

Coffee of Doom (Dora, all the barristas and their significant others as well as random customers)

8 (6.6%)

Steve & Cossette

2 (1.7%)

Penny & Wil

4 (3.3%)

The Brun-Elliott-Clinton-Roko axis

16 (13.2%)

Other (please specify in comment)

3 (2.5%)

Total Members Voted: 41

[BenRG]

Okay, this one came to me in a flash. Basically, this is your chance to specify which three groups or arcs would you be most interested in following or seeing explored in the strip. My choices are:

• The Elliot-Brun-Clinton-Roko axis - There is so much potential in this one that I can't help but wonder where it could go;
• The Secret Bakery crew - There is the potential here to be the new Coffee of Doom, giving fresh life to what on the surface could be similar storylines but playing out with new characters;
• Dora and Tai - IMO, the engagement potentially changes a lot and it might be interesting to follow them and see how these changes work out, both between the and in their other associations and relationships.

However, these are just my opinions. What do you think?

[Theta9]

I think I'm waiting for tomorrow's strip.

[cybersmurf]

[mean sarcasm]Who cares about Hanners anyway?[/mean sarcasm]

[Tova]

I'm fine with the current story.

[TheEvilDog]

Well, given that Ben has stated their theory, we are 100% assured that none of them are going to happen. Ever. Throughout the multiverse.

[shanejayell]

I had kinda forgot how BIG the cast is.

 

[OldGoat]

Cosette's preggers.  She and Steve have been married for some time, they just never told anyone.  After all, he is a retired gubberrmint spook, and a good many of them can be inclined to play the personal life cards close to their chests.

[shanejayell]

If we could clone Jeph I wouldn't mind the Union Robotics and other robot focused stuff spun off into a seperate strip. With crossovers of course...

[Stoutfellow]

Okay, this one came to me in a flash.

For some reason, Arlo Guthrie's "Motorcycle Song (Significance of the Pickle)" leaped to mind at those words.

[shanejayell]

New comic up!

Poor Bee. Tho in her defense if Roko was running things they'd have a LOT more complaints....

[TheEvilDog]

Poor Bee. Tho in her defense if Roko was running things they'd have a LOT more complaints....

Actually I doubt that. Roko is getting things done and getting them done fast. People tend to overlook an abrasive attitude when that gets things done.

And today's comic confirms the idea that Beepatrice isn't ideally suited for helping other AI, or at least in a leadership position. This isn't to belittle Beepatrice, her heart is in the right place - she wants to help people, but she needs to know her limitations and she needs to know the reality of the situation she is in. If she can't even operate a printer, then how is she going to expect to help an AI with a real problem? Its best to learn something now and grow from that than screwing up hard down the line and affecting some AI's life even more.

[Sorflakne]

Organizations need ideas people, and they need muscle people.  No organization can survive on only one or the other.

[Mutant4Hire]

To be honest, Roko and Beeps probably should swap positions. Roko is more suited to being in charge than Beeps. I think Beeps can eventually be useful, but she needs good direction. She doesn't seem to have a lot of initiative.

[Somebody]

Organizations need ideas people, and they need muscle people.  No organization can survive on only one or the other.

But *is* she an ideas person? What ideas does she contribute, beyond people saying that to reassure her?

[traroth]

About the poll, I would say : Mrs Augustus and her quest of borzoi...

[BenRG]

Based on his reaction in panel 1, I'm starting to wonder how many times ParoleBot has heard May's story, just not necessarily from her. That might be something worth looking into because, if there is a systematic and widespread issue here, the threat of a class action suit based on sentient rights violations may inspire the state government to do something (even if only for appearances sake - Broad mistreatment of parolees you'd expect from Arkansas or Tennessee; Massachusetts less so).

I wonder specifically what Roko has asked ParoleBot to commit to paper? Possibly his opinion that May's ability to properly rehabilitate (which, at least in theory, is the objective here) is being undermined by the quality of the chassis. The next phase is, as I've said above, is to force the senior civil servants to admit that they don't care about this fact which is when the politicians get involved and start leading cavalry charges in exchange for easy votes.

May's been very quiet recently. I appreciate that Roko's probably told her to shut up and let her do the talking. However, I suspect that she's also learning something about strength, assertiveness and how to get results that she'd never suspected before.

Beepatrice really needs a hug, they really do. It's hard when someone seems more effective than you at your job. It's even harder when you're the one who thinks that they're more effective!

[JimC]

Beeps, if you're the manager your job is *not* to be better at their jobs than your staff. Your job is to facilitate them to do their jobs, at least one thread of which is to maximise the time they can spend doing the job and minimise disturbances.
I spent a lot of time in IT. When there's a crisis management's chief roles are to keep other managers from disturbing the staff unnecessarily and buy the pizzas.

[Cornelius]

May's silence, might actually be the amazement of someone actively at work to help her. Not to denigrate what Dale has done, in the least and it's probably still the most demanding kind of help, but there's still a difference between someone who lets you live with them, and someone who is actively confronting people on your behalf.

I do hope we'll see Beeps' ideas coming to the rescue when Roko eventually starts to run out of steam.

[jwhouk]

Yanno, I just now noticed that that is indeed her parole officer. I thought it was just someone Roko knew on the force.

[Theta9]

Okay, this one came to me in a flash.

For some reason, Arlo Guthrie's "Motorcycle Song (Significance of the Pickle)" leaped to mind at those words.

Which led to this coming back to my mind.
Pickle Rick is the best Rick.

[TheEvilDog]

Beeps, if you're the manager your job is *not* to be better at their jobs than your staff. Your job is to facilitate them to do their jobs, at least one thread of which is to maximise the time they can spend doing the job and minimise disturbances.
I spent a lot of time in IT. When there's a crisis management's chief roles are to keep other managers from disturbing the staff unnecessarily and buy the pizzas.

Yeah, but she isn't even doing that. The point of management is to guide people in their jobs and to aid them to work more efficiently. Beeps isn't doing that.
- When Roko comes to her with May and explains her problems, Beeps has no idea what to do. In fact, her only suggestion is that "they ask nicely".
- No manager I have ever worked with has allowed any vital forms to run out, precisely because there can be problems with printers or photocopiers when you need them right away. Not only does Beeps not have any forms on hand, but she has no idea how to install an ink cartridge.
- While anyone can forget their login, the fact that this isn't the first time Beepatrice has forgotten it is just a huge mark against her.
- Managers should be the spearpoint on setting appointments and meetings. The fact that she knows how bad May's situation is and she still asks "Does it have to be today?" - that's not an attitude any manager should have. If something needs to be done now, then it needs to be done now.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Beepatrice's heart is in the right place, but she is way out of her depth in actually dealing with any problem.

[Somebody]

And let's not forget the absolute terror of Roko's mild annoyance that she communicated to the body shop's receptionist.

(When did Nelson appear before, IIRC)

[OldGoat]

To be honest, Roko and Beeps probably should swap positions. Roko is more suited to being in charge than Beeps. I think Beeps can eventually be useful, but she needs good direction. She doesn't seem to have a lot of initiative.

But Roko likes doing field work and would hate being in an office all day.  She's getting her first taste of being able to do it with this new job too.

Yanno, I just now noticed that that is indeed her parole officer. I thought it was just someone Roko knew on the force.

Good catch.  I'd forgotten all about that exchange.

[BenRG]

(When did Nelson appear before, IIRC)

Nelson's first appearance was as the helpful AnthroPC who lent Roko a paper-clip so she could use Beepatrice's reset pin button when she went into a recursive apology loop and basically BSoDed. He can also be seen on the back wall of the office as the Employee of the Month for the last nine months in a row.

There are some who wonder if Nelson may also be the male-identifying pink AnthroPC with whom Pintsize had his one known homosexual experience.

[JimC]

. Beeps isn't doing that.

Not quite my point perhaps. Beeps doesn't need to be knocking herself out and falling into despair at her inability to keep up with Roko at Roko's job, she needs to be thinking about how to become better at *her* job.

[brasca]

I vote to revisit characters we haven’t seen in awhile including Hannelore since what we’ve glimpsed had been very interesting.  I like the new characters too, but would like a change of focus for a few strips.

Beepatrice is a conspiracy theory nut.  Maybe her position which she’s unqualified for is a part of that conspiracy.

[Stoutfellow]

I'm curious to see Nelson's next interaction with Roko. Will he be appreciative of her initiative, defensive on behalf of Beepatrice, or what?

[Rincewind]

The next phase is, as I've said above, is to force the senior civil servants to admit that they don't care about this fact which is when the politicians get involved and start leading cavalry charges in exchange for easy votes.

 This brought up something I hadn't thought of before. Do AI's have the right to vote here?

[OldGoat]

This brought up something I hadn't thought of before. Do AI's have the right to vote here?

I can't link to the strip without brute force scrolling through them, but it seems there was a reference to either legislation or a court case that granted them full civil rights which would include suffrage.  However, that brings up the question, hold old is old enough to vote for an AI?  Does their aging clock start when their consciousness is compiled and they boot up the first time?

[Somebody]

However, that brings up the question, hold old is old enough to vote for an AI?  Does their aging clock start when their consciousness is compiled and they boot up the first time?

It's not age-based: https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2726

[cesium133]

That raises an interesting question: if the criteria for deciding whether an AI is an "adult" or not is based on the AI's mental capacity and voting rights are decided that way, then there could be ethical or legal issues there. There would likely be problems with a state trying to ban mentally disabled humans from voting (although I may be wrong, I've never looked into it). Could an AI that fails that test have a similar case?

[NemesisDancer]

I had a dream the other night that the next part of the current QC plot involved Roko and May swapping butts as a good-will gesture by Roko, who regretted it as May's kept malfunctioning (i.e. involuntarily farting in polite company).

Apparently my subconscious is good at coming up with scenarios that are as ridiculous as they are vaguely plausible.

(Apologies for significantly lowering the tone of the thread )

[shanejayell]

New comic!

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

[Mr Intrepid]

A really touching moment.  Roko seems to have broken through May's defensiveness and they had a real connection.

Then comes May's little confession.
Oh well.

It was fun while it lasted.

[badbum61]

Did we really need the sound effects, Jeph? I'm gonna have "squirp" in my head all day now

[jwhouk]

I'm waiting for a response from one of our semi-regular posters about this strip before I say anything.

[TheEvilDog]

There is something I really want to say, but I'm also fairly certain that if I did, people would hunt me because of that mental image and sound effect.

[zisraelsen]

1. Character development! You can tell it's hard for May to express her gratitude. Seeing her struggle past that difficulty is very satisfying to me.
2. May has an easier time talking about her fruit-sexcapades than she does saying thank you. This feels delightfully on-brand.

[BenRG]

Everything about panels 2 and 3 today are cute and heart-warming. It probably tells you how few people have really been friends to May that Roko's efforts for her have affected her so profoundly. You can also see the degree to which her prickly nature is her defence method, given how much she's fighting reluctance to risk emotional vulnerability. Then we go to panel 3 and there is a delightful little touch - Roko has a tell where she plays with her hair when she's nervous too; something tells me that May has managed to get under her skin by opening up to that degree!

I work at a company that provides support services for children whose relationship with their families has collapsed and they are thus in social services care (our main role is teaching personal & domestic hygiene, nutrition awareness and assisting in accessing healthcare, education, training and employment) . One of the senior support workers looked at this strip and confirmed to me that she's had almost identical experiences to Roko in this strip. So often, these girls have had so few (if any) people actually care for them in any way that they have these delightful little moments of affection. She also told me that panel 4 is also in-character for the girls she cares for; it seems that, once they've decided that they can trust you to honour emotional openness, they start telling you everything about their lives, including things you would normally not share with polite company!

I'm waiting for a response from one of our semi-regular posters about this strip before I say anything.

If this is what you're implying: Yes, Jeph has been clear enough now for me to know what Sven and May did.

[cybersmurf]

But Roko isn't polite company!

[Tova]

Aaand that counseling session with Winslow has paid off.

[ihaveavoice]

I had a dream the other night that the next part of the current QC plot involved Roko and May swapping butts as a good-will gesture by Roko, who regretted it as May's kept malfunctioning (i.e. involuntarily farting in polite company).

Apparently my subconscious is good at coming up with scenarios that are as ridiculous as they are vaguely plausible.

(Apologies for significantly lowering the tone of the thread )

The Butts Disease is spreading!

[ihaveavoice]

Forget the login, wasn't it weird for Beepatrice to need to go log into a separate computer at all? Connect to a printer, sure. Via a separate device when she is an AnthroPC?? I think that was when Roko and May put on their WUT faces.

Also: I am such a sucker for watching characters that were previously isolated and resistant to and/or suspicious of the idea of making emotional connections gradually let down their walls and make friends. May's moments of vulnerability and caring with Dale, Momo and now Roko are the frigging BEST. She's maybe not my fave character type overall, but she's still so enjoyable to read because of this. Bubbles had this in her early arc with Faye, too.

[BenRG]

Forget the login, wasn't it weird for Beepatrice to need to go log into a separate computer at all? Connect to a printer, sure. Via a separate device when she is an AnthroPC??

Beepatrice has already told Roko that they prefer to use analogue input rather than direct interface because she's afraid that SpookyBot (although they don't know that they really exist) would use the open port to hack into their brain.

[jwhouk]

I said semi-regular.

[cybersmurf]

That last panel feels like "you're horrible" - "i know, right?"

[andrybak]

First Previous May's hug: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3582

[traroth]

First May's hug: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3582

Nope. 

[BenRG]

May's journey to developing a group of friends has been a long and painful one, hasn't it? I now find myself wondering just when and under what circumstances she'll first say "I love you"?

[andrybak]

Will the circumstances be weird as hell?