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Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: Farideh on 25 Jul 2021, 22:03

Title: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 25 Jul 2021, 22:03
New week, new thread, no poll.


Clinton is still working on his brain-to-mouth filter, but in his defense he is tripping on endorphins.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 25 Jul 2021, 22:06
The closest analogy would be food, but we can go weeks without food and there's no reason to think AI batteries last longer than phone batteries.

I am relieved that Yay was not offended by what Clinton blurted.
I'm relieved that Clinton realized that miiiiight have been a weird [and possibly EXTREMELY personal] thing to say. There's hope for him yet.

I wonder how much of a faux pas it is to comment on an AI's chassis? Is it very personal, or more akin to complimenting an outfit, or some sort of body mod (tattoo, piercing, etc)?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: St.Clair on 25 Jul 2021, 22:10
Clin-Ton continues to demonstrate the Augustus Utter Lack Of Chill.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: BenRG on 25 Jul 2021, 23:37
Clinton hit the magic formula without knowing it: Yay will attempt to befriend anyone who admires them in any way.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Gyrre on 25 Jul 2021, 23:45
well, I guess now the question is which of Clinton's frequent hangout spots will Yay pop in at unexpectedly, and how will Aurelia respond to them?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Torlek on 26 Jul 2021, 06:54
And how grumpy will Yay get when Aurelia denies them Cosmo time?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 26 Jul 2021, 06:58
how will Aurelia respond to them?

It would be neat if she instinctively picked up how dangerous Yay is.

Most humans don't, it seems.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: John Allenson on 26 Jul 2021, 08:29
My first reaction to the comic was that Clinton was the pest they'd never get rid of.
While I'm sure it's just a visual gag (pun fully intended) Clinton's robotic hand seems to be muzzling Clinton on its own.  It makes me wonder whether there is some type of survival instinct/failsafe in the robotic hand.

It's also surprising to see Clinton make a good first impression - especially as opposed to the Bro-bot.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 26 Jul 2021, 18:22
New comic.

And Clinton is off like a runaway train :D
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 26 Jul 2021, 20:27
Poor Yay. "Less technical bits, more admiration."
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 26 Jul 2021, 20:49
Poor Yay. "Less technical bits, more admiration."

How much admiration is due to a physique that was manufactured to order? It's not like they have to work to maintain their figure (in the human sense; obviously some mechanical maintenance will be required from time to time). "Yep, you have a good eye for body design?"
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: baronvonfritz on 26 Jul 2021, 21:27
Yay just keeps getting shorter...  I mean, I know they have like no less than seven bodies, some with seams, some without, different noses, hair styles, clothing styles, and apparently different heights.

I wonder if Yay was more of an experimental AI given the freedom and ability to self edit and compile beyond the seemingly limited standard AI minds fostered in the civil creche's.  Or was the Dolphin AI joke actually serious and someone transferred the intelligence and sentience of dolphins into an AI substrate?  I dunno why I noodle on Yay so much, maybe Clin-ton is my spirit animal. I guess the choice of Jeph to represent a nonspecific entity as a true plurality is fascinating. 

What would that even be like? To truly enjoy your own company, self care seems to take on an interestingly social aspect, does the loss or damage of a body cause any particular stress to the psyche?  With that much power, and near omniscience, why would Yay even constrain themselves to interact with the group unless listening and observation just doesn't quite provide the understanding true experience conveys.

Bleh, Ima quit talking now.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Tova on 26 Jul 2021, 22:20
Why do I get the feeling that Clinton's speech was lifted from a burst of stream-of-consciousness that Jeph had about AIs one night.

How much admiration is due to a physique that was manufactured to order? It's not like they have to work to maintain their figure (in the human sense; obviously some mechanical maintenance will be required from time to time). "Yep, you have a good eye for body design?"

No different from admiring someone for their sartorial senses.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 26 Jul 2021, 22:27
Or tattoos. Basically you're just complimenting their taste.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: MrNumbers on 26 Jul 2021, 23:06
No please don't interrupt I'm extremely interested in where Clinton was going with this.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: DaiJB on 26 Jul 2021, 23:24
"Stop talking and pay attention to MEEEEE!!" is the essence of Yay's last comment.
Yay is just a Big Kid! 
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: BenRG on 26 Jul 2021, 23:54
Yay just keeps getting shorter...

Actually, that's a good point. Weren't they originally a similar height to Emilie (willowy) and even Bubbles (Amazonian)?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 27 Jul 2021, 00:06
Hmmm, looking at this older comic (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3395) (one of Yay's first appearances) they are shorter than both Bubbles and Emily.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Gyrre on 27 Jul 2021, 02:09
Hmmm, looking at this older comic (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3395) (one of Yay's first appearances) they are shorter than both Bubbles and Emily.
That's not a hard bar to pass. Emily is taller than Martin.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: baronvonfritz on 27 Jul 2021, 05:11
(one of Yay's first appearances) they are shorter than both Bubbles and Emily.

Yeah, but Bubbles also lost an inch or two after she took off her armor and after the first instance, Bubbles and Yay have yet to meet again; but we do have another height reference, her Royal Highn-ass Faye. Fay&Spooky (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3392) where SpookyBot's nose is at the top of Faye's forehead then Fay&Yay (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4273) where Yay's nose could poke Faye in the eye. But wait, lets get nerdy Clinton&Faye (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3527) where they appear almost identical in height to Clinton maybe just a bit shorter, whether you look at eye line, chin line, or nose line, and now today Clinton&Yay (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4577) It looks like Yay is just a bit taller but otherwise directly looking Clinton in the eyes. Plus in yesterdays comic, Yay's hairline comes up to Elliot's collar bone, and in #3392 as noted above, Yay's hairline came up to a then armored Bubble's collar line but we have a direct comparison with Bubbles&Elliot (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3521) with both of their collar lines thankfully framed together to show that without her armor, Bubbles is still a number of cm. taller than Elliot which proves that I'm a ridiculous nerd.

At least thats why I think Yay is getting shorter, that is to say, I think Yay is specifically modifying a number of their body forms to appear less spooky to the crew, while also trying to becoming less smug, more personable, helpful, and understanding social cues.
 As for round vs. square speechybubs, that may be a choice to sound more robotic like the other AI's in the cast, or could just be this particular body's cycle through the charging pod.  I don't think its a mistake to cycle between square and round speechybubs, neck seams and no neck seams, taller or shorter, as last week Jeph went back and corrected Roko's long hair to short, and has gone and made post edits before, so I think its deliberate to illustrate how many bodies Yay has at their disposal.

Sorry for the wall of text, been noodling too long on Yay and May.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 27 Jul 2021, 06:57
Yay could even be able to manipulate their height somewhat. Or different bodies are different heights...
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 27 Jul 2021, 09:59
A totally random thought.

AIs might prefer yet another pronoun instead of using they/them both for nonbinary identities and for plural entities.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Marco on 27 Jul 2021, 10:26
"Stop talking and pay attention to MEEEEE!!" is the essence of Yay's last comment.
Yay is just a Big Kid!

Or a big cat. Including, I fear, the "now it's enough, live me alone" reaction when they got the attention they wanted.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 27 Jul 2021, 15:02
"weird  spider" ... So Gordon is a stock model?

Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 27 Jul 2021, 15:06
That's not a hard bar to pass. Emily is taller than Martin.


Yeah, it was just a response to the 'wasn't Yay about as tall as Emily in the beginning?' question.


Or a big cat. Including, I fear, the "now it's enough, live me alone" reaction when they got the attention they wanted.


They're already hissing and lashing out, so... Not long to go before the claws come out :D
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 27 Jul 2021, 18:18
Oh look. They're bonding. *lol*
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: badbum61 on 27 Jul 2021, 19:47
When Roko says "THEY'RE enjoying themselves", is that a non-gender-specific 'they' (just Yay) or a plural 'they' (Yay AND Clinton)?

Pronounz am hard.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 27 Jul 2021, 19:57
I'd say that 'they' refers to 'Clinton and Yay', based on Elliot's 'should we step in?' comment.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: badbum61 on 27 Jul 2021, 20:32
How much admiration is due to a physique that was manufactured to order?
I wonder if Yay was more of an experimental AI

I do seem to be obsessing on this somewhat, but...

Wasn't it initially established, by virtue of their using rounded rather than squared speech bubbles, that Yay is/are NOT AI? That they were, in some sense at least, more organic?   

That all seems to have fallen by the wayside now that Jeph has been giving them the standard AI speech bubbles of late. Where/when/how did this change come about? Did it just become too difficult of a concept to maintain? Deliberate retcon, or editorial lapse?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Tova on 27 Jul 2021, 20:38
Wasn't it initially established, by virtue of their using rounded rather than squared speech bubbles, that Yay is/are NOT AI? That they were, in some sense at least, more organic?   

That all seems to have fallen by the wayside now that Jeph has been giving them the standard AI speech bubbles of late. Where/when/how did this change come about? Did it just become too difficult of a concept to maintain? Deliberate retcon, or editorial lapse?

People assume that canon is a strict progression of event to established fact, but actually, from a Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content perspective, it's more like a big ball of...  wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff.

Also, I think this may be the first instance in QC of genuine pronoun ambiguity.

Edit: I also think that Clinton's response ought to have been, "If that were true, I doubt that you would even hint at the possibility out loud."
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Gyrre on 27 Jul 2021, 21:35
I hope one of the characters is recording their (Clinton and Yay) argument.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: baronvonfritz on 27 Jul 2021, 22:26
Well now after todays comic, my carefully crafted argument about shrinking height is promptly moot.

I still stand by my notion that square and round speechybubs, and neck seams are deliberate to illustrate the cycling of Yay's different bespoke shells through the group over time, for whatever reason that may be, like regular maintenance, new modifications, or just happen to be in an area when they sense (read: eavesdrop) that one of their chosen beings may be in need of assistance.  I mean, they went on a random fetch quest for Melon to get meal worms when they first met Elliot in the middle of the night. However, Roko is, insofar as I know, the only one that knows that Yay is actually a multi bodied distributed consciousness as fact.  Melon may know, Melon wouldn't care, Melon is best. The rest of the cast that Yay has interacted with may just not pick up on the details, nor care. Clinton may be the only one to notice and say something if he encounters a different shell.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: BenRG on 28 Jul 2021, 03:52
Note: Clinton frequently de-personalises synthetics and Yay is known to like humans far less than they like fellow synthetics. So, I'm wondering if Jeph is planning to turn this into a thread of them both learning their lesson about bigotry through interaction.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Dinaverg on 28 Jul 2021, 06:00
so but like hypothetically... If we were using the cave method, would yay know about it? It seems protected from most forms of remote sensing. I don't think it's a coincidence they mentioned the one realistic way of keeping a secret from them...
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 28 Jul 2021, 07:22
Well, I don't know how YOU do it...

( aims bolt of lightning at barrel of scrap metal )
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 28 Jul 2021, 19:48
New comic up!

Hashtag, horsemode!
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: St.Clair on 28 Jul 2021, 20:06
"(I am large, I contain idiots.)"
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: St.Clair on 28 Jul 2021, 20:09
Well, I don't know how YOU do it...

( aims bolt of lightning at barrel of scrap metal )

Number Five is alive!  and requires input.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: John Allenson on 28 Jul 2021, 21:01
Bro-bot, Melon, Pintsize, and Winslow are arguments that AIs can be as complex, screwed up, and neurotic as humans.  If Yay Newfriend were as representative as they're implying then why wouldn't more of they be better known?  It's seems as if Yay Newfriend is largely an urban legend to the AIs.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 28 Jul 2021, 21:07
Yay isn't well known because they don't want to be well known, and they have the means to thoroughly cover their tracks. It's like the saying that the most powerful people in the world are unknown - they operate in the shadows.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: BenRG on 28 Jul 2021, 23:11
Yeah... This is a 'dolphins know they're smarter because...' situation, isn't it? It's hard to imagine yourself as being the top of the intellectual food chain when you know members of your own species!
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Marco on 29 Jul 2021, 06:54
How much admiration is due to a physique that was manufactured to order?
I wonder if Yay was more of an experimental AI

I do seem to be obsessing on this somewhat, but...

Wasn't it initially established, by virtue of their using rounded rather than squared speech bubbles, that Yay is/are NOT AI? That they were, in some sense at least, more organic?   

That all seems to have fallen by the wayside now that Jeph has been giving them the standard AI speech bubbles of late. Where/when/how did this change come about? Did it just become too difficult of a concept to maintain? Deliberate retcon, or editorial lapse?

I always thought of speech bubbles as a way to express how the voice sounds, rather than if it's AI or not. Square bubbles sounding more synthetic, in speech pattern and/or timbre. The fact that most AIs get square bubbles may be a "Synth Pride" thing - I believe that, by now, technology should allow AIs to sound exactly as humans.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 29 Jul 2021, 07:50
I think I am starting to like Yay.

( what happened )
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Marco on 29 Jul 2021, 08:12
I think I am starting to like Yay.

( what happened )

That's their plan, I gess.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 29 Jul 2021, 18:19
Comic's up!

Approval feels good and dogs are best.

And now Roko is charging. Good thing she has that battery pack.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: shanejayell on 29 Jul 2021, 19:11
I do love how Yay likes animals. Its oddly endearing.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: badbum61 on 29 Jul 2021, 19:42
Dammit, now I want a free butt rub!

(They've been on offer since #4573, and I only just noticed? All those sweet, sweet butt rubs I could've been having! DAMN YOU JEPH)
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Gyrre on 29 Jul 2021, 20:49
If I didn't work overnights, I'd be with Roko on this. I'm with her in spirit as I've been dragged around places by relatives at my 2AM equivalent.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: St.Clair on 29 Jul 2021, 20:52
Yay cares not about your human time zones!
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: brasca on 29 Jul 2021, 21:21
I have a bad feeling about this.  Maybe Yay is just interested in meeting Cosmo or maybe he ran away from them and they are seeking to reclaim him.  There's nothing that can really stop Yay except the disapproval of Roko and possibly everyone else.  Would they bow to social pressure or do as they please?  We'll find out Monday. 
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: baronvonfritz on 29 Jul 2021, 22:50
Would they bow to social pressure or do as they please?

Nah, Yay has bent over backwards more than anyone else in the cast to help the crew. While they can do whatever they want, they don't express any sense of entitlement to that fact.  In every instance where they express that they could do whatever they want, they've always asked for permission, and constrain themselves heroically when literally pushed around, out the door.  Even went so far as to ask Elliot permission to play with Hercules sans Elliot, when they could easily just do it and leave without Elliot ever knowing due to their omniscience, Melon never even asked permission, she just violates personal space whenever.

I've experienced people making demands like this, and its just an over the top theatrical demand for a small thing, but would instantly accept a "no, maybe later" and not throw a fit about it.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: ihaveavoice on 30 Jul 2021, 00:07
I love how genuinely pleased Clinton is to have Yay call him acceptable.

speechybubs

SPEECHYBUBS :D
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: BenRG on 30 Jul 2021, 00:10
Yeah, Yay is going to find out about MommyMilkers and I don't even want to guess what happens after that.

Yay is secretive and I'm sure appreciates others' need for secrecy. They won't go around blowing anyone's cover but I can sure see them having their fun. Giving the MM avatar a very limited virtual intelligence and setting it loose on the Web?
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Boxer on 30 Jul 2021, 03:48
If only there was a secret all-night petting zoo!  :angel:

Surprised Yay! just doesn't find a job where she can hang around animals all day and just park one of themselves there 24/7.  Happy Place!
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Farideh on 30 Jul 2021, 03:53
Heck, Yay could delegate one of their chassis to volunteer at an animal shelter.
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: traroth on 30 Jul 2021, 04:32
I like Roko...
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: brasca on 30 Jul 2021, 10:21
Would they bow to social pressure or do as they please?

Nah, Yay has bent over backwards more than anyone else in the cast to help the crew. While they can do whatever they want, they don't express any sense of entitlement to that fact.  In every instance where they express that they could do whatever they want, they've always asked for permission, and constrain themselves heroically when literally pushed around, out the door.  Even went so far as to ask Elliot permission to play with Hercules sans Elliot, when they could easily just do it and leave without Elliot ever knowing due to their omniscience, Melon never even asked permission, she just violates personal space whenever.

I've experienced people making demands like this, and its just an over the top theatrical demand for a small thing, but would instantly accept a "no, maybe later" and not throw a fit about it.

If it’s about getting their dog back then all bets are off. 
Title: Re: WCDT July 26th - July 30th (4576-4580)
Post by: Gyrre on 30 Jul 2021, 21:52
Just clocked Elliot's shirt print. Nice.
[forgot what day it was]