THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: BenRG on 02 Jun 2019, 14:15
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I can't see any other poll is excusable right now.
The way I see it, there are two issues to resolve this week:
- Will Momo learn that May had sex with Sven?
- If she does, how will she react?
I have to say that I have the feeling that Momo will have a hard time getting past the 'sex with a human' thing and probably will never get around to finding out who May's ONS was. I find myself wondering if Momo will take this as an indication that her attraction to Sven isn't doomed at all and May will wish her well, telling herself that it was a casual thing but not actually being totally sure that this is the case. This uncertainty on May's part will likely pop up again on several occasions further down the line.
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Comic.
Friendship!
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Keep it clean and make heavy use of double entendre.
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I'm really NOT surprised. *lol*
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I'll be surprised if anyone is surprised.
Edit: Now that we have the comic, we can still kind of do the poll by going through each reaction and note for each one whose character it actually suits a lot more than Momo (in some cases, if they were actually AIs). For example:
"That's why you smell of watermelon, isn't it?" - Bubbles
I immediately thought of a character for all but one of them, but I'll leave the rest as an exercise for the reader.
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For some reason the first poll answer I immediately remodelled mentally to be "That's so awful / and divergent", to the tune of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Dunno, it kinda sounds like the lyrics of a missing verse of the song.
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Considering how embarassed May was about who she boned it's possible Momo won't know it was Sven for the time being.
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May's smug smirk in panel 4. "I have transgressed, AND I LIKE IT. In fact, I'm itching to brag about it." Will May do a version of Marigold's "I got some booty" dance (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2651)?
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Well, it is somewhat of a tradition, with our main cast. So, perhaps?
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Various posters have already pointed out that Momo and May are very much like late-teenage girls and this strip really confirms that in my mind. Momo's desperation for details (but not too many details - she's a virtuous girl!) and May's smug smile but little blush of embarrassment really do fit ito that framework. Naturally, she couldn't hold it in! She's too excited about this and she wants to tell someone! Not to 'brag' but because this was such a strong experience for her that she needs to share her thoughts and feelings with someone!
FWIW, I'm really worried about Momo. There is an awful lot of pressure built up inside her (psychological and emotional, I mean). I'm really concerned that she may feel impelled by these events to do something... silly.
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Various posters have already pointed out that Momo and May are very much like late-teenage girls and this strip really confirms that in my mind. Momo's desperation for details (but not too many details - she's a virtuous girl!) and May's smug smile but little blush of embarrassment really do fit ito that framework. Naturally, she couldn't hold it in! She's too excited about this and she wants to tell someone! Not to 'brag' but because this was such a strong experience for her that she needs to share her thoughts and feelings with someone!
FWIW, I'm really worried about Momo. There is an awful lot of pressure built up inside her (psychological and emotional, I mean). I'm really concerned that she may feel impelled by these events to do something... silly.
Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
Let's see - Momo and Punkbot. Socially about the same age and, in spite of his radical appearance, he's intelligent, well mannered, and thoughtful. If they meet they'll probably end up fast friends even if not boning partners.
Roko, don't get drunk and have a one night stand with Barry. Don't do it.
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May is blushing. That's so cute! Who would have thought that could be possible?
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May is blushing. That's so cute! Who would have thought that could be possible?
She's done it before, I'm like 95% sure (I saw a comic with her blushing when I was recently rereading QC). I don't remember the exact strip, but I *think* it may have been when she was embarrassed to admit she cares about Dale and considers him a friend? At least I think that's when it was.
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Poor Pintsize...
Missing out on all this Anthro-PC action...
(Hang on... what does the C stand for in Anthro-PC?? Doesn;t that answer another little debate going on elsewhere?)
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I was thinking about that again recently. Given what we know of people like Bubbles and Momo now, a precise term would be "person with a silicon brain". Something shorter or with a better abbreviation is, I hope, possible.
Of course that only comes up when we're trying to figure out something related to their different implementation. For almost all purposes they're simply people.
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This might be one of those "ask them" situations. May is offended by the r-word, and prefers 'android'. Momo seems to be fine with both 'robot' and 'ai'. I'm still under caffeinated, so I can't recall the views of other robo-sapiens in the comic.
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Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
A Big 01001111?
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Sometimes I think May irritates me so much because she reminds me of myself :psyduck:
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May looks so proud of herself in the last panel.
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(Hang on... what does the C stand for in Anthro-PC?? Doesn;t that answer another little debate going on elsewhere?)
No, I don't think the name granted them at the very beginning of QC answers that debate. They may have originally been conceived as merely intelligent computers, but the comic has evolved since then, AIs arguably more than any other aspect of the strip.
Of course that only comes up when we're trying to figure out something related to their different implementation. For almost all purposes they're simply people.
Yes, I can't recall a single instance of behaviour that cannot be explained by the simple observation that they are people, an emergent intelligence like us. Even referring to them as "artificial intelligence" does not sit particularly well with me. AIs in QC would, I daresay, bear about as much resemblance to AI in our universe as a drink from a Nutrimatic Drinks Dispenser does to tea.
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
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Let's see - Momo and Punkbot. Socially about the same age and, in spite of his radical appearance, he's intelligent, well mannered, and thoughtful. If they meet they'll probably end up fast friends even if not boning partners.
https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3854
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Yes, I can't recall a single instance of behaviour that cannot be explained by the simple observation that they are people, an emergent intelligence like us.
Same here. I consider it a missed opportunity, though. If synthetics had behavior difficult to explain in our terms, that would be good science fiction.
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Yes, I agree. This is definitely not a scifi strip. Maybe having AIs fundamentally the same us as suits Jeph's social commentary purposes better. When you look at it that way, every artistic choice represents a missed opportunity to do something different.
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What do you mean? It seems quite obvious to me that Jeph has had his main influences from three or four certain authors that have already had cameos on the comic. And yes, Alice Grove was SF but so is QC. If not as explicitly.
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Can you outline which aspects of QC make it obviously a science fiction strip? It's a lot more obvious in Alice Grove.
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Now, I've always thought that the AIs were representative of various human characteristics. Which raises the question; was that deliberate, or is that a natural phenomenon of emergent consciousness? We've seen them with very human conditions, from Bubble's PTSD, to Roko's body dysphoria. In May, I think she's becoming more socialized as time progresses. Still has issues with impulse control, doesnt she? Momo seems to have conflicts concerning intimacy, whether Dale/ Marigold or her curiosity/modesty that we see here.
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Tova: I'm sorry, I can not at the moment. Excuse me.
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No problem. I personally see the fact that AIs are not differentiated from us as evidence that the strip is not science fiction, really. Star Wars is probably more strongly science fiction, and that's long been a matter for some debate.
I'm happy to come back to this discussion another time (in another thread probably).
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Differentiated or not, the AIs are still science fiction. The singularity happened. Dr. Ellicott-Chatham exists, as does his space station its holographic avatar, along with the cyborg-esque level artificial prosthetics he invented (such as Clinton's hand, which can act autonomously). Spookybot exists.
The science fiction isn't a major theme of this comic, but that doesn't mean it doesn't qualify as science fiction.
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I miss the good ol' days when it was all in-jokes about indie rock, and the one AI character was effectively comedy relief...
*shakes fist at cloud*
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They do exist, but not as major plot elements that drive the themes of the comic in the way that, for example, Black Mirror does. AIs exist but they are just people. The space station exists, but it's just another workplace. Holographic avatars exist, but just for flavour. Autonomous prosthetics exist, but just for one-off laughs.
If there was a story arc that explored a misunderstanding between AIs and humans due to some fundamental difference between the two intelligences, then that would be science fiction. If there were more exploration of how some of the technology works beyond clever sounding technobabble, that would be science fiction. If the comic explored how society would be different with all this technology (it appears to be much the same as ours, really), then it would be science fiction. I don't think it's any of those things.
I would say it's a slice of life/social commentary comic with science fiction elements.
If it is science fiction, it's not particularly good science fiction, because it fails to take the opportunity that IICIH? described.
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Differentiated or not, the AIs are still science fiction. The singularity happened. Dr. Ellicott-Chatham exists, as does his space station its holographic avatar, along with the cyborg-esque level artificial prosthetics he invented (such as Clinton's hand, which can act autonomously). Spookybot exists.
The science fiction isn't a major theme of this comic, but that doesn't mean it doesn't qualify as science fiction.
Its not science fiction. Its become science fact in universe and in ours.
In fact, much of what has been in place in the QC universe already exists. We have cybernetic prosthetics, we've had done for years, its just about perfecting it for human use and to reduce the price. We have artificial intelligence, granted its not walking around in specially designed chassis, but you need only look as far as mobile banking and Google's various upgrades to see that we are creating artificial intelligence.
The only difference between the real world and the QC-verse is that the technology is better implemented in the QC-verse than it is in ours.
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I would say it's a slice of life/social commentary comic with science fiction elements.
Tova wrapped that up pretty well.
To me, the science fiction elements are prominent in my favorite story lines. Bubbles's struggles with her memories and their loss, and Station's comfort of little Hannelore, touched me deeply. Both, come to think of it, challenge my assessment because both involve characteristics that meatsacks don't have. Station could be there instantly 24/7 for Hannelore. AFAIK there is no such thing as holding a meatsack's memories hostage.
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And the shoe dropped.
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Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
I don’t see how a giant mech will improve their lives especially when they’re friends with Bubbles.
It would appear brasca from yesterday was incorrect. I thought May would be too embarrassed, but apparently she likes sex talk too much to care.
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Comic up!
Yeah, this is when it hit the fan between these two. I can quite see there being a period where Momo isn't talking to May and tells everyone that she's not talking to her and that they should tell May that!
Panel 1 was kind of sweet though; it's clear that her little romp with Sven has been an entirely positive experience for May to the point where I think she may start thinking seriously about relationships. I also think that we've got it confirmed that Momo is definitely anthroposexual - attracted to humans and the human form rather than her own species (Pintsize being a good example of the opposite).
I think that it makes sense both in terms of Sven and May that they didn't bother to get as far as 'names'. They clearly found each other interesting enough from their brief conversation without getting to that point!
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
It's not "AnthroPC"! (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1105)
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OK, I understand the distinction "why QC is not sci-fi, just slice of life with sci-fi elements", but I strongly disagree with that assessment.
I don't think "how prominently does sci-fi feature?" is a good metric for whether something is sci-fi, or whether it is good sci-fi.
QC is sci-fi to me. Yes, it's true it's not JUST sci-fi, but it does explore situations that couldn't be explored quite the same way without the sci-fi elements. Those are often minor or played for laughs, but there's plenty of them. I don't think that's just for flavour, either. Roko's feelings about her new body are an example. Human-AI relationships are an example. Heck, the fact that AI use "QWERTY" as a swear word is an example. There are a *lot* of things that are very peculiar to the comic's setting, in my view.
If you can't *quite* write something the same way without at least some retooling, you enter sci-fi territory. I don't wanna kinkshame anyone, but I think a bread fetish is less common among humans than it would be among AI (and the story has gone into how AI perceive smell differently than humans on multiple occasions - from how AI buy stuff in coffee shops to Bubbles talking to Faye about how she shees the world).
I don't think sci-fi needs to be the exclusive, or even main, focus for a story to count as sci-fi. Don't many great sci-fi stories parallel real-life anxieties and questions anyway?
Yes, you could technically adapt the stories to a setting that doesn't include AIs and robots. But by that metric, Dresden Files is not actual fantasy because with a bit of tweaking, it could be rewritten as a straight noir story. Witcher is not actual fantasy because elves and dwarves are very clear stand-ins for real-life minorities in more than one way, and could be replaced with ethnic groups with no trouble.
Here's another way to look at this. Stanisław Lem is pretty much universally considered the greatest science fiction writer in Poland. And he wasn't shy about exploring issues of technology in-depth. But he also wrote "Dzienniki Gwiazdowe" ("Star Diaries", I think? Not sure what the English edition's title, if any, was), which is a series of absurdist short stories about obstructive bureaucrats and narrow-minded academics, framed through the misadventures of a space pilot. He wrote "Fairy Tales for Robots", which is exactly that. It's a bunch of fairy tales, but the knights and princesses are robots and also there's a metal dragon that lives on the moon. And engineers are basically wizards or scholars - not cool techno-wizards like in some stories, they functionally *are* wizards, with arcane knowledge and funny quirks and magical powers. All stories are framed using the typical fairy-tale conceits (a hero performing three tasks, a journey, saving a princess from a dragon). It could be argued that all those fairy tales could be written without robots with little trouble. That's... kind of the point of the stories. They are reframed as robot stories and that's part of the humour, the weirdness and "these are robots but they behave nothing like robots, but sometimes also they kinda do" IS the exploration of sci-fi themes.
I don't think I've ever heard "Fairy Tales for Robots" described as anything but science fiction. Same with "Dresden Files" and fantasy. In the same vein, I think QC is sci-fi slice-of-life. It's not just decoration, the sci-fi elements lead to unique characters and plot points that wouldn't *quite* be the same with a different coat of paint.
I don't think sci-fi needs to be hard sci-fi and be *all* about technology to count as legitimate, even in-depth sci-fi.
I understand the comparison to Star Wars, but I think SW is different in that it doesn't use the "spaceships and lasers" elements to explore plot points even in minor ways. The first movie *is* essentially a samurai story. I don't mind if someone calls it sci-fi (and thinking about it as compared to QC *has* made me reevaluate WHY I'm so adamant it's "space fantasy" and whether I'm just saying that because I've been conditioned to do so), even if I'm personally on the fence.
For QC, it's much clearer to me that I'm looking at sci-fi. I guess it depends on your personal definition. Then again, I don't think Firefly is "just western in spaaaaace" and Cowboy Bebop is "just a story about a former mob hitman, in spaaaaaace", even though they could be fairly called such.
YMMV.
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(Hang on... what does the C stand for in Anthro-PC?? Doesn;t that answer another little debate going on elsewhere?)
No, I don't think the name granted them at the very beginning of QC answers that debate. They may have originally been conceived as merely intelligent computers, but the comic has evolved since then, AIs arguably more than any other aspect of the strip.
If it helps, Pintsize calls himself a "sentient computer" as late as 2217 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2217). I think there's a more recent strip where someone expresses disbelief at an AI having forgotten something by saying words along the lines of "you're a computer!", but I haven't found the strip so, importantly, I don't know if it was an AI or a human saying it; Emily has, for instance, called Momo a computer (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2285), but it's been established (in the postscript text a couple of strips earlier) that some of the things Emily says are super rude.
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Yeah, this is when it hit the fan between these two. I can quite see there being a period where Momo isn't talking to May and tells everyone that she's not talking to her and that they should tell May that!
But May didn't know Momo even knows Sven right?
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Not right. I can’t dearch the comic right now but Sven did visit CoD and talked to Momo. Then May went through the usual insults and notice Momo became more and more embarrassed. May even made a comment of Momos lady parts before getting properly tazed by Momo for being an Dickbat.
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Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
I don’t see how a giant mech will improve their lives especially when they’re friends with Bubbles.
[Pssst! Brasca! "The Big O" means an orgasm. (Or at least it did when I was young and always alert for someone interested in us mutually inflicting some upon each other.)]
Regular orgasms will generally improve pretty much anyone's outlook on life.
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Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
I don’t see how a giant mech will improve their lives especially when they’re friends with Bubbles.
[Pssst! Brasca! "The Big O" means an orgasm. (Or at least it did when I was young and always alert for someone interested in us mutually inflicting some upon each other.)]
Regular orgasms will generally improve pretty much anyone's outlook on life.
I figured the "a giant mech?" to be fake confusion for the sake of a joke? EDIT: Unless your response was playing into the joke, it's hard for me to tell.
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Now, the cat is out of the bag. Momo seems pissed, but doesn't seem to want to tase May right away...
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Echoing the earlier comparison of May & Momo to teenagers, this seems like another immature reaction from Momo. May can hardly be considered at fault here - and hopefully she'll realise this and be rational about it.
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Did she have a crush on sven at some point?
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I'm pretty sure that Momo still is crushing on Sven, given that it wasn't that long ago in-universe that May got Momo to overheat by suggesting (in front of Sven) that Momo should hook up with him.
Edit
It was in strips 3097 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3097) and 3098 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3098). Overall, pretty damning for any "Oh, I forgot about that!" excuse on May's part.
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
It's not "AnthroPC"! (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1105)
But it is, though.
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Momo and Roko are both in desperate need of a Big O (or whatever it is that robots have).
I don’t see how a giant mech will improve their lives especially when they’re friends with Bubbles.
[Pssst! Brasca! "The Big O" means an orgasm. (Or at least it did when I was young and always alert for someone interested in us mutually inflicting some upon each other.)]
Regular orgasms will generally improve pretty much anyone's outlook on life.
Bloody Hell!!!
I thought they were talking about Roy Orbison!!!
(https://img.discogs.com/IubTrcJU17_sZ0S4NU03PL7f2dE=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-5277828-1389414935-4403.jpeg.jpg)
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Now the KY and watermelon stained shoe drops... Was kinda hoping it wouldn't go this way. But I also hope they can resolve it quickly and the two still be friends.
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Calling it now, the rest of the week Momo and May have an argument about May having sex with Sven, which they resolve by Thursday. Friday's comic, Momo goes home, goes to a crawlspace in the walls which reveals a shrine to Sven. And thus we see Momo go into full stalker mode!
And if that does happen, I'll eat my hat!
I do not have a hat.
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Let's just remember - for a long time #1658 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1658) was the most-linked strip in these threads. And May has just taken that away... (It doesn't matter whether Momo could ever have made the move.Just that the possibility is gone...)
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
It's not "AnthroPC"! (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1105)
I miss PT410x...
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Poor Momo.
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
It's not "AnthroPC"! (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1105)
But it is, though.
Does it matter though? indeed, it does.
To oversimplify and adding hyperbole: it's probably, to an extent, being able to call a certain ethnic group a certain N word.
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Although you'll also notice in that particular comic, Pintsize and Winslow aren't taking PT410x the slightest bit seriously. I mean, they all but mock him at the end with the neckbeard comment.
Pintsize and Winslow and Momo have all referred to themselves as AnthroPC. But they aren't computers, they're companions. That's the word that matters.
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I... can't help but notice that the joke in the strip linked, in the context of more serious issues related to AI being explored recently, has become considerably less funny.
I mean, the fact that a sapient creature has a large problem with being owned is played for laughs. It made sense when AnthroPCs were treated by the story as something between faithful pets and house appliances. Now that the comic treats them as independent beings, and there have been comics noting that AI companions generally enjoy and want to be companions... an AI that does *not* enjoy that, or at least feels the need to protest, is somewhat disturbing.
Or is it just me?
EDIT: that wasn't the case, obviously, when the comic was first published. It's only unsettling to me retroactively - the comic world's "rules" have evolved, there have been retoolings and retcons and some things got quietly ignored. Which is normal for a long-evolving story. But still.
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Obviously the C in Anthro-PC stands for Companion.
Anthro Personal Companions.
Yes, that works. That works fine!
It's not "AnthroPC"! (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1105)
But it is, though.
Does it matter though? indeed, it does.
To oversimplify and adding hyperbole: it's probably, to an extent, being able to call a certain ethnic group a certain N word.
Oh, please....
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Calling it now, the rest of the week Momo and May have an argument about May having sex with Sven, which they resolve by Thursday. Friday's comic, Momo goes home, goes to a crawlspace in the walls which reveals a shrine to Sven. And thus we see Momo go into full stalker mode!
And if that does happen, I'll eat my hat!
I do not have a hat.
If that happens... I'll BUY you a hat!
(But, that will have been such an ENORMOUS display of insight, it would have to be a Nacho Hat! - Fair's, fair!))
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I... can't help but notice that the joke in the strip linked, in the context of more serious issues related to AI being explored recently, has become considerably less funny.
I mean, the fact that a sapient creature has a large problem with being owned is played for laughs. It made sense when AnthroPCs were treated by the story as something between faithful pets and house appliances. Now that the comic treats them as independent beings, and there have been comics noting that AI companions generally enjoy and want to be companions... an AI that does *not* enjoy that, or at least feels the need to protest, is somewhat disturbing.
Or is it just me?
EDIT: that wasn't the case, obviously, when the comic was first published. It's only unsettling to me retroactively - the comic world's "rules" have evolved, there have been retoolings and retcons and some things got quietly ignored. Which is normal for a long-evolving story. But still.
YES!!!
I mean, we could, should we wish, go down the route of "But we're ALL computers! Our's is just organic in nature!"
And, as has been correctly noted by many above, (or below) the term AnthroPC has been used liberally (in it's on-political sense) thorughout the strips histoery, indeed, even calling the AI/Metal People/InsertCurrentIndicatorHere 'computers' has also happened often, and fairly recently...
I'm actually down with Castlerook's stance that the PC in AnthroPC should more be viewed as Personal Companion, nowadays.
In fact, I had to go and look up "AnthroPC" before I made my first post on this matter to see if it WAS defined as "Companion"... which, unfortunately, it's not...
In context of the characters in the strip - maybe it should!
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it would have to be a Nacho Hat!
I do like nachos...
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I'm confused as to how May is that unfamiliar with Sven. I mean, she knows Momo has a crush on him, and May has met him before, where she told him to admire his own balls if I'm not mistaken.
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I'm confused as to how May is that unfamiliar with Sven. I mean, she knows Momo has a crush on him, and May has met him before, where she told him to admire his own balls if I'm not mistaken.
Could it be that May simply forgot that it was the same person(he's wearing his hair long now), or forgot about the entire event? For us it's 4 years ago, but I'm not sure how much time has passed since then.
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Or it could be May's misanthropic tendencies coming to the fore again.
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Let's just remember - for a long time #1658 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1658) was the most-linked strip in these threads. And May has just taken that away... (It doesn't matter whether Momo could ever have made the move.Just that the possibility is gone...)
Momo's daydreaming of herself with no neck seam. Interesting.
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Let's just remember - for a long time #1658 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1658) was the most-linked strip in these threads. And May has just taken that away... (It doesn't matter whether Momo could ever have made the move.Just that the possibility is gone...)
Momo's daydreaming of herself with no neck seam. Interesting.
But beside that, what she imagines is remarkably close to the body she chooses (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2000) later...
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I'm pretty sure that the neck and shoulder seams were retconned in shortly thereafter.
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I'm pretty sure that the neck and shoulder seams were retconned in shortly thereafter.
Looks like the shoulder seams were always there (#2028 is the first time we can see them, before that her clothes cover them), but up until #2237, Momo was always drawn without a neck seam.
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it would have to be a Nacho Hat!
I do like nachos...
But you said you're going to eat your hat. If it's nacho hat, it doesn't qualify.
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What if I wore it on my head as I ate it?
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What if I wore it on my head as I ate it?
Wearing your hat and eating it?
Your first name isn't Boris by any chance?
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Let's just remember - for a long time #1658 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1658) was the most-linked strip in these threads. And May has just taken that away... (It doesn't matter whether Momo could ever have made the move.Just that the possibility is gone...)
1658 was the Rickroll of QC strips...
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I'm pretty sure that the neck and shoulder seams were retconned in shortly thereafter.
Not exactly retconned. I've been going clicking through and the first mention of AnthroPCs apparently doing human type tasks is a couple strips before Marty and Hanners discover the Secret Bakery. (I think that's when the Northampton Fairy first appears, too.) I'm up to #1920 and no eyes on of a really humanoid robot.
(I always thought of "android" as meaning human-like, but Star Wars changed all that. C3PO is humanoid while R2D2 is only by a huge stretch of the imagination, yet he's now forever considered a 'droid too. Pintsize is only slightly more human-like than R2D2 with a clear head and four bilaterally symmetrical limbs.)
I'm gonna go do other stuff. If anyone else feels like looking up the first QC appearance of a human-size humanoid android, have at it.
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QC is sci-fi to me. Yes, it's true it's not JUST sci-fi, but it does explore situations that couldn't be explored quite the same way without the sci-fi elements. Those are often minor or played for laughs, but there's plenty of them. I don't think that's just for flavour, either. Roko's feelings about her new body are an example. Human-AI relationships are an example. Heck, the fact that AI use "QWERTY" as a swear word is an example. There are a *lot* of things that are very peculiar to the comic's setting, in my view.
You made a well-considered and strong argument, and I can't argue. You changed my view.
I'm also now more aligned with IICIH?'s view that the lack of stronger differentiation between AIs and humans is a missed opportunity. In fact, I'm also wondering why we don't see more non-humanoid AIs interacting with the cast. Winslow represented, perhaps, a move in the wrong direction, viewed from that point of view.
I wish we could see a story arc based on Momo's fight for AI rights as well.
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Comic's up.
Momo's mad.
The penny just dropped for May, and she does look a little abashed. It'll be interesting to see how she reacts to the realization.
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Well. I guess May really didn't know it was Svarn! Huh.
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I'd say "raise your hands if you saw this coming", but I think so many hands would shoot up that someone would get injured...
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Le sigh. I'm just rather annoyed that Patreon is down right now.
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Yup, not unexpected. It does raise issues on how android memories work... she literally didn't recognize Sven without bun? Or is May just a bit ditzy? ;)
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Maybe she didn't care enough to remember him. I wouldn't be surprised.
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Yup, not unexpected. It does raise issues on how android memories work... she literally didn't recognize Sven without bun? Or is May just a bit ditzy? ;)
Some people do have a lot of trouble with faces, and a change of hairstyle can be very confusing for a while. So it makes sense to me that some AIs could have similar issues. In a world that contains Melon, this seems well within the normal range of variation.
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Yup, not unexpected. It does raise issues on how android memories work... she literally didn't recognize Sven without bun? Or is May just a bit ditzy? ;)
Well, computers are historically bad at being able to tell when images are similar but not the same. Maybe May's confusion is because of an undiscovered weakness in whatever algorithm controls facial recognition for AI? Honestly though, seems more likely that it's part of her personality. Everything we've seen about the sentient experience for AI's suggests it's comparable to a human's, so we don't have reason to believe they access memory in a radically different way.
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Momo, we all know you were never going to act on your attraction. And it was just attraction. If my friends weren't allowed to date or bang anyone I found attractive, there would be no women available to date anywhere.
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Momo, we all know you were never going to act on your attraction. And it was just attraction. If my friends weren't allowed to date or bang anyone I found attractive, there would be no women available to date anywhere.
In the name of gynophiles everywhere: Thank you for your generosity.
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So apparently even though most AI's have built in facial recognition software they selectively use it. That explains it and actually takes May off the hook. As obnoxious and abrasive as she is this wasn't malicious. She genuinely didn't recognize Sven was the same man Momo was attracted to.
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So apparently even though most AI's have built in facial recognition software they selectively use it. That explains it and actually takes May off the hook. As obnoxious and abrasive as she is this wasn't malicious. She genuinely didn't recognize Sven was the same man Momo was attracted to.
And her visual sensors were probably from a lowest bid supplier, just like the rest of her chassis components. C'mon Jeph, write a way for the poor girl to get a new body.
And I THINK I've found the first instance (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1996) of an adult human sized AI appearing in the strip.
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Here's a theory that I've put together from the whole of this arc so far. I think that May did remember who Sven was and Momo's reaction to him. However, May herself found Sven attractive, not physically but rather because of his witty banter. So, I'm going to posit that she looked for reasons for believing that she wasn't 'poaching' from Momo. So, it was a case of: "No, this can't be the guy Momo's crushing on because he doesn't have a man-bun! So, let's do this!" Panel 5 is May just realising what a thin layer of justification and sophistry this was.
Ultimately, this will go into May's list of: "How my lack of impulse control has and continues to screw up my life." At that point, she'll also recognise that she actually likes Clownboy and things may go forwards from there.
Yup, not unexpected. It does raise issues on how android memories work... she literally didn't recognize Sven without bun? Or is May just a bit ditzy? ;)
As I say, I've got a feeling that May at least suspected that Sven was the same person that Momo was crushing on. However, she wanted him now and so told herself that it couldn't be the same guy. Well May, congratulations on joining the human race with our tendency to tie objective reality into knots so it matches our desires and beliefs.
Finally, yes, people do change hairstyles. For example, I've suddenly realised that Momo is wearing her hair in a Weiss Schnee-style sideways ponytail.
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Yup, not unexpected. It does raise issues on how android memories work... she literally didn't recognize Sven without bun? Or is May just a bit ditzy? ;)
Some people do have a lot of trouble with faces, and a change of hairstyle can be very confusing for a while. So it makes sense to me that some AIs could have similar issues. In a world that contains Melon, this seems well within the normal range of variation.
I usually don't have issues with faces, but there is that one instance when I heard someone talk, I knew it was them, but couldn't see them. Reason? Long hair with dreads had turned into roughly chin to shoulder length "normal" hair, and glasses. She said even her dad only recognized her by voice at first.
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So May actually didn't recognize Sven. And also, Sven didn't recognize May, or so it seems...
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As I've already posted, I think that May didn't want to recognise Sven and, quite honestly, if Sven did recognise May, why should that be significant for him? We know that he likes strong-willed and witty ladies! I certainly can't see any reason why he should think that Momo's very obvious crush is anything important; he must have dozens of young fans who look at him worshipfully like that!
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I’m not sure Sven did recognize Momo’s crush on him. He seemed to categorize Momo as “underage girl” based on her appearance and therefore had zero sexual interest in her. And therefore had zero interest in her.
It’s one of the few good things I can say about Sven: he is not a predator.
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The man bun issue aside, I don't think May really recognized him because she didn't really care about him. She's always been flippant and dismissive and generally uninterested in things and people who aren't of importance to her. I mean, most times she explains anything it's more to do with the actions she got into or want's to get into with a person as opposed to physical characteristics of the person themselves. As far as Momo's anger goes... Well I'm really hoping this is going to be a quick thing. Momo feels hurt by it then realizes she had no claim on Svern and didn't do anything up to now to pursue him. May realizes that impulsive actions, even though impulsive, can cause drama or hurt the few people she does care about. Then cut to Hanners coming back and offering May an upgrade so she doesn't have to worry about her AI Body falling apart anymore :-D
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I opt to disagree with you on the Hanners part. Although she probably could afford it, I consider it completely out of character. But who knows.
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Personally, the end state I'd like for May is one similar to that in Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda or, for the more sci-fi literature-focussed, Anne McCaffery's The Ship That Searched. Basically, May is uploaded into a body... Say a super-advanced single-stage Earth-to-Lunar transport that Dr Ellicott-Chatham designed for a moon base project. May routinely uses a holographic avatar but also buys (from her work credits) a high-fidelity anthropomorphic chassis that she remotely controls through the ship's drone control link.
So, she gets both the high-performance aerospace chassis and the opportunity to enjoy the occasional suitable human.
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Can people try to stop making excuses as to why May didn't recognise Sven.
She has misanthropic tendencies, we know that. I wouldn't be surprised that she forgets the faces of most of the people she comes across. In fact, I'd be even less surprised if her memory had a specific file regarding Dale as "Okay guy, did me a solid, remember him." and Marigold as "Dale's girlfriend, Momo's friend. Try not to piss off."
And stop with the Svern misnaming. We've had this before with Tilly during their arc with Hanners and its a little galling that its happening again, just because Sven is something of an asshole. Look, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. He might not be likeable but there's no need for that.
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She has misanthropic tendencies, we know that. I wouldn't be surprised that she forgets the faces of most of the people she comes across. In fact, I'd be even less surprised if her memory had a specific file regarding Dale as "Okay guy, did me a solid, remember him." and Marigold as "Dale's girlfriend, Momo's friend. Try not to piss off."
Creating Nice_List.txt. Entering "Marigold". Saving and closing.
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Jesus Christ, Momo... You don't fucking have dibs on Sven. Please allow me to direct you toward Mount Everest; feel free to climb it and GET OVER YOURSELF.
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She has misanthropic tendencies, we know that. I wouldn't be surprised that she forgets the faces of most of the people she comes across. In fact, I'd be even less surprised if her memory had a specific file regarding Dale as "Okay guy, did me a solid, remember him." and Marigold as "Dale's girlfriend, Momo's friend. Try not to piss off."
Creating Nice_List.txt. Entering "Marigold". Saving and closing.
See, I told you I wouldn't be surprised.
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Momo is reacting emotionally.
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How long ago in continuity did Momo meet Sven?
Poor Momo. This crush is clearly quite unrefined. Are they even remotely compatible, even now that he appears to he attempting to be less dickish?
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I don't believe I've ever seen May contrite before. I didn't think she had enough empathy.
I'm with Castlerook; I assume that May didn't remember Sven because she doesn't think most people are worth remembering. You have to have a major impact on her life before she'll bother.
Momo's "I called dibs!" reaction is immature, but Momo's functionally a child in this area. Which feels a bit regressive since she often seemed like the adult in the Momo-Margiold Farmer relationship when she had the doll's body. I liked her better then. Perhaps Jeph's perception of Momo has made her more of a teenager now that he draws her with a teenager's body.
In any case I just see it as an area where she needs to mature, rather than some huge gaping character flaw.
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Remember that Momo has a social protocol database that... it's implied that she has to manually query it.
Not automatically.
Additionally, it's very common that people can handle situations for other people in a detached, rational manner, but their own situations are a pile of fuck. So, Marigold's situations aren't hers, she queries her social protocol database, and deftly navigates them. Her own, she gets flustered, fails to query her social protocol database, and her emotions override her rational responses.
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Momo is reacting emotionally.
Ah, you noticed that too?
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She's acting just like someone whose brain was made of carbon compounds.
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I think part of May's "change blindness" reaction to Sven's hairstyle is the fact that human(oid)s aren't her biggest attraction. I'd hazard a guess that if Sven were a military aircraft, she'd have noticed immediately if he'd added on some cosmetic pinstriping. ;-)
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I think part of May's "change blindness" reaction to Sven's hairstyle is the fact that human(oid)s aren't her biggest attraction. I'd hazard a guess that if Sven were a military aircraft, she'd have noticed immediately if he'd added on some cosmetic pinstriping. ;-)
We've been to a space station with QC. Why not take May on an errotic field trip to the National Air & Space Museum in DC? She'd swoon. Several times.
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Jesus Christ, Momo... You don't fucking have dibs on Sven. Please allow me to direct you toward Mount Everest; feel free to climb it and GET OVER YOURSELF.
Yeah, it's been hours since the comic went up and she's STILL NOT OVER IT WTF. :clairedoge:
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And I THINK I've found the first instance (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1996) of an adult human sized AI appearing in the strip.
Nope. (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1010) Off by about 1,000 strips.
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I was hoping I was wrong a few days ago when I guessed where the "friends try to guess what May was up to" page was leading to. But. NOPE, this storyline is ACTUALLY happening. Momo getting upset that May did things with someone Momo wasn't gonna do shit with(above looking at longingly, if they happened to randomly cross paths) in a billion years, playing the victim, and more than likely, shaming May into apologizing for doing....nothing wrong. Hoo-raaaay. :roll:
And, bonus, we have people actually saying, "Yea, May was totally wrong for not remembering that guy she saw Momo show attraction to, in ONE brief moment, long ago. And yes, Momo can DEFINITELY call forever-dibs on a person, because she fell in lust with them. That's definitely not a shitty thing to do, so there!"
Ugh. My "Momo is a borderline-garbage character" senses are tingling again. The plot device never living a life of her own just happy to stand on the sidelines, 'tut-tuting' at everyone's choices. (i.e. "What!?! Bubbles was in the military?! Time for me to march down there and demand answers from a veritable stranger, I met all of one time before, about how they lived their life.") >.>
Fuck it, let's just press through these next several pages and pray the self-righteous storm passes quickly.
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I wouldn't call Momo a trash character.
The thing is, she's never really had the emotional maturity that she projects. Each AnthroPC serves as a foil for their human companion and not always "other side of the coin" kind of a foil. Take Marten and Pintsize for example. For the most part, Marten is a decent guy who does have some trouble connecting to people, whereas Pintsize is an unapologetic little arsehole who prods and pushes the limit of what people will tolerate from him. But at the end of the day, Pintsize's intentions are good, he knows that Marten needed a push and in doing so, kickstarted his circle of friends. Its just in Pintsize's mind, you can more flies with crap than you do with honey.
If you look at Marigold and Momo, you can see the friendship between them, after all, Marigold valued Momo as a person enough to purchase a new chassis. The problem I imagine is that an AnthroPC is meant more to strengthen a person's weaknesses, to bouy them in the areas lacking in their lives and to be honest, I didn't really see Momo do that compared to the other AnthroPCs (I fully admit that I might be wrong here).
The thing is, the world according to Momo should be Black and White, following a set of rules that anyone can understand. So it's difficult for her to understand how or why someone can step out of that box (the initial phases of her friendship with May, her disagreement with Bubbles' having served in the military). And she's been repeatedly shown that its not.
I imagine that this storyline is less about May and Sven connecting the USB port and more about Momo having to undergo some form of emotional and mental maturity. I mean, right there in the comic, she said she was attracted to Sven, in essence calling dibs. And yet, she never acted on that attraction or even worked up the courage to speak to him. Momo might feel upset, but the fact is that you don't get anything sitting around twiddling your thumbs and you can't lay claim to people.
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And I THINK I've found the first instance (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1996) of an adult human sized AI appearing in the strip.
Nope. (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1010) Off by about 1,000 strips.
You're right, I'd forgotten all about the synthetic boyfriend. Still, he was clearly a beta phase project that drew stares (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1015) at that time. By the time of Momo's chassis upgrade AIs were well integrated into the retail workforce.
I wonder how long that represents in calendar time? It had to be at least long enough for Bubbles to do a few years active duty and for Punchbot to establish his CPS practice.
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Bubbles did see it at first as Momo demanding answers, but my read was that Momo had a sincere desire to understand.
I also don't like how she's interacting with May, but can cut her some slack as long as it's still short-term gut-reaction mode.
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Comic's up. And it looks like Momo has had her epiphany. Right after having the most evil looking eyes outside of Alice Grove! :psyduck:
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Ugh. My "Momo is a borderline-garbage character" senses are tingling again.
I'd rather we stay well clear of labeling sentients - real or fictional, artificial or natural - as garbage. In fact, I distinctly remember us all agreeing a while back not to use terms such as "garbage person" when the issue first came up.
And no, adding qualifiers or referring to "characters" rather than "persons" doesn't actually make a meaningful difference, I'm afraid.
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Hi, Clinton's-and-Claire's-Mom! 8-)
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Stupid head ...
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Hi, Clinton's-and-Claire's-Mom! 8-)
Good to see Cosmo has found a good forever home.
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Comic's up. And it looks like Momo has had her epiphany. Right after having the most evil looking eyes outside of Alice Grove! :psyduck:
It's not that Mono doesn't have the capacity to be unreasonable and assholic. She just choses not to be. Even if that's hard.
She has the right to complain that it *is* hard sometimes though. As do we all.
I like Momo.
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QC is sci-fi to me. Yes, it's true it's not JUST sci-fi, but it does explore situations that couldn't be explored quite the same way without the sci-fi elements.
Remember our friend the Robotic Assembly Arm? How he found love and got himself a humaniform body? And how his devotion was reciprocated to the point of burning out several USB cables? I'm happy for him, but I think this represents a Missed Opportunity since it was making AIs human-like rather than exploring their otherness. I was thinking of him when I posted "Some things that weigh two tons and are bolted to the floor have more active social lives than Bubbles". ( very early Bubbles )
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If Bubbles was in a leadership position in the service she's used to people bringing her their problems.
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IIRC nobody knows how AIs actually work, code wise. At some point one just worked. Nonetheless, up to that point, it was developed by humans, and quite likely "in their own image", so humanlike traits are to be expected.
May lacks Impulse control, but is it possible Momo has an excess of impulse control? Mar-bear got a companion who wouldn't tease her, and would gently nudge her towards socially acceptable behavior. Couple that with a bit of Anime naive, and you get Momo.
I think that's how the Momo/May dynamic works - highly impulsive and rather crude May, and may too considerate for her own good and quite polite Momo.
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I can say I've never done what Momo's doing/feeling.
... but unless I qualified it with, say, "this week", I'd be lying.
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Comic's up. And it looks like Momo has had her epiphany. Right after having the most evil looking eyes outside of Alice Grove! :psyduck:
It's not that Mono doesn't have the capacity to be unreasonable and assholic. She just choses not to be. Even if that's hard.
She has the right to complain that it *is* hard sometimes though. As do we all.
I like Momo.
Exactly. It’s not wrong to feel bad and vent.
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Something I realized and mentioned over on Patreon yesterday.
...Momo just brought Sven-related drama into Faye's place of work.
As one shoe drops, another rises.
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I've already welcomed May to the human race this week and now it's Momo's turn. That said, I'm thinking that it is an aspect of the 'no real subconscious' aspect about which Momo has spoken to Emily about that both of them seem to have a foreground realisation of just how their personal desires and reality are not meshing right now!
Now, in panel 4, Momo has the same snake-eyes as Spookybot. Some religious folk say that, when you're having evil thoughts, the devil is in your head. I'm wondering if an AI being extremely angry lets Spookybot into their system?
Panel 6 is really sad though. It shows just how guilty Momo is feeling about her own emotional reactions and the impact it's likely to have on her friendship with May in the short term. As poor Bubbles has no context to why she's feeling that way probably means doesn't have the slightest idea on what to do or say!
Hi, Clinton's-and-Claire's-Mom! 8-)
Good to see Cosmo has found a good forever home.
Good job on spotting Cosmo on that brochure she's reading. I thought she was Claire because Jeph's redesigned the character to remove the laugh-lines around her mouth.
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A Borzoi book rather than the specific animal. But it certainly seems like foreshadowing for something russian sighthound related.
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Momo is smart and she's a good person. Really few people would realize self-related fundamental truths all for themselves like she just did. I like her.
It's ok to be sad...
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Mrs Augustus is reading books about dogs, and I would even dare to say about borzois. Maybe QC's current biggest cliffhanger (in my opinion) will be solved soon!
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Actually someone spotted it on Patreon first. Just passing that on. And we've never been given Mom's name, have we?
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Comic's up. And it looks like Momo has had her epiphany. Right after having the most evil looking eyes outside of Alice Grove! :psyduck:
I think she out-Aliced Alice. Our sweet Momo looks mean enough to eat her own young in that frame.
May trashers, lay the hell off. Jeph's given us a step-by-step glimpse into her though processes. Most meatfolk take days if not weeks to get past frame 3, and some never do at all. That she has the insight and honesty to come to the realizations in frame 4 that she herself is the problem and in frame 5 that May really has nothing to do with it makes her a most decent person.
I predict that Bubbles the Wise will prepare some aromatic tea. The script details and actors may differ, but the plot remains the same - Bubbles has seen this drama before, several times, no doubt. Whether she had any rank or not, she's a natural leader. Other soldiers would have come to her with The Drama.
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QC is sci-fi to me. Yes, it's true it's not JUST sci-fi, but it does explore situations that couldn't be explored quite the same way without the sci-fi elements.
Remember our friend the Robotic Assembly Arm? How he found love and got himself a humaniform body? And how his devotion was reciprocated to the point of burning out several USB cables? I'm happy for him, but I think this represents a Missed Opportunity since it was making AIs human-like rather than exploring their otherness. I was thinking of him when I posted "Some things that weigh two tons and are bolted to the floor have more active social lives than Bubbles". ( very early Bubbles )
I agree there are places the story *could* go that could be immensely interesting. No argument here.
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Good to see Cosmo has found a good forever home.
I never said that! 😮
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Now that's interesting! Are there therapeutic blends of tea that bring healing vision quests?
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I'd rather we stay well clear of labeling sentients - real or fictional, artificial or natural - as garbage.
What about Marjory the Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock? I don’t think she’d be offended.
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I'd rather we stay well clear of labeling sentients - real or fictional, artificial or natural - as garbage.
What about Marjory the Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock? I don’t think she’d be offended.
They'd better stay off the Garbage Roof over at Dumbing of Age. Up there they can be Garbage -- if they want.
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"If you could please pop my head off and kick it into the sewer, I would be greatly appreciative."
I feel like this needs to become my standard response to every mild inconvenience. :)
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A Borzoi book rather than the specific animal. But it certainly seems like foreshadowing for something russian sighthound related.
You could say that she's reading fast.
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Now that's interesting! Are there therapeutic blends of tea that bring healing vision quests?
Just allowing them to co-hallucinate that lovely clearing by the brook (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3792) while they talk would be helpful.
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Dear Momo and anyone else judging.
(http://elisegravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Untitled_Artwork.jpg) (http://elisegravel.com/en/blog/its-ok-to-make-mistakes/)
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In reference to #4020.
as if there were any doubt that Momo is Animé to the core.
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
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God.
DAMN IT.
Why Jojo? Why?!?!??!
[EXPLETIVE DELETED] [DATA EXPUNGED] [CENSORED] [EXPLETIVE DELETED]
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure reference, methinks.
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Plus it's sorta a martial arts anime thing in general. *lol*
That wasn't where I expected this to go. Ha.
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure reference, methinks.
Hard to argue given the text under the comic.
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It's not a surprise that this is Momo's favored form of stress relief. The only difference between today and her first day in a humanoid chassis is her preferred punching bag. (http://"https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2002")
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Never expected that Momo would be part of the Joestar bloodline.
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Dear Momo and anyone else judging.
YOINK
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
We are culturally illiterate, Case, left behind in a changing world. Let's go get a sasparilla and moan about kids these days.
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
I'm fairly sure I have seen Japanese soldiers/pilots cry "Ora ora ora" in comic booklets (from the 70s, Finnish edition/translation of Commando (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_(comics))) depicting events during WWII. I thought it was either a battle cry (like "Banzai") or an alarm call alerting peers of a sighted enemy, or a cry to taunt your opponent. I'm prepared to be wrong about this though. They would obviously use creative license, and my recollection is not what it once was.
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
We are culturally illiterate, Case, left behind in a changing world. Let's go get a sasparilla and moan about kids these days.
Question from a non-murrican: sarsaparilla is something similar to root beer, right?
One of the weirder things: personally, I think Anime got popular in my part of the world due to western adoption, not coming directly from JP
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Well, at least Momo isn't going around, telling her friends that May is a man-stealing [[expletive]] and that they shouldn't associate with her anymore. Yes, I think that she'd literally say 'expletive' in a different tone of voice because she's installed a profanity filter.
Seriously, this doesn't surprise me. We know that Momo has a violent streak that she normally keeps on a tight leash, so we get this 'slow boil' problem with her. Beating up an innocent punchbag is probably a good thing and stops her from just reaching the point where she's tasering people at random for looking at her funny. That said, she does desperately need a boyfriend or some other way to regularly let off tension!
For the life of me, I can't tell if Bubbles' comments in panel 4 are sarcastic or serious. I have this problem a lot with her but not as much as I sometimes do with Brun!
What's with the "oraoraora!"?
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure reference, methinks.
And, having never even heard of the animé in question, the whole thing flies right over my head.
[EDIT]
Fixed a typo
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I'd rather we stay well clear of labeling sentients - real or fictional, artificial or natural - as garbage.
These people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_band) might beg to disagree. Being Garbage is how they make their living after all.
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You're right, I'd forgotten all about the synthetic boyfriend. Still, he was clearly a beta phase project that drew stares (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1015) at that time.
And in that arc, Faye explicitly says (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1011) "AnthroPCs are one thing, but you don't see fully humanoid robots running around everywhere."
Clearly, once the humanoid robots were produced, they became a big hit almost overnight. One supposes that many AnthroPCs may have upgraded to human-sized chassis once they could do so.
I'm fairly sure I have seen Japanese soldiers/pilots cry "Ora ora ora" in comic booklets (from the 70s, Finnish edition/translation of Commando (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_(comics))) depicting events during WWII. I thought it was either a battle cry (like "Banzai") or an alarm call alerting peers of a sighted enemy, or a cry to taunt your opponent. I'm prepared to be wrong about this though. They would obviously use creative license, and my recollection is not what it once was.
I suspect you may be thinking of "Tora tora tora (https://www.quora.com/What-does-Tora-Tora-Tora-mean-How-did-this-saying-originate)" instead.
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I'm fairly sure I have seen Japanese soldiers/pilots cry "Ora ora ora" in comic booklets (from the 70s, Finnish edition/translation of Commando (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_(comics))) depicting events during WWII. I thought it was either a battle cry (like "Banzai") or an alarm call alerting peers of a sighted enemy, or a cry to taunt your opponent. I'm prepared to be wrong about this though. They would obviously use creative license, and my recollection is not what it once was.
I suspect you may be thinking of "Tora tora tora (https://www.quora.com/What-does-Tora-Tora-Tora-mean-How-did-this-saying-originate)" instead.
That is very much a live possibility! <sheepish grin>
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For those confused by the Ora thing, it's basically a taunt and fighting cry.
See here:
And the first thing that went through my mind when I saw this whole strip:
Ha, Bubbles you were expecting interpretive dance....
(https://i.imgur.com/sPBgXHY.gif)
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I want to reply with Hokuto No Ken - ATATATATATATATATAT
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For the life of me, I can't tell if Bubbles' comments in panel 4 are sarcastic or serious. I have this problem a lot with her but not as much as I sometimes do with Brun!
Not sarcastic at all. Bubbles is clearly delighted by this turn of events.
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STANDO POWAH!
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You're right, I'd forgotten all about the synthetic boyfriend. Still, he was clearly a beta phase project that drew stares (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1015) at that time.
And in that arc, Faye explicitly says (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1011) "AnthroPCs are one thing, but you don't see fully humanoid robots running around everywhere."
Clearly, once the humanoid robots were produced, they became a big hit almost overnight. One supposes that many AnthroPCs may have upgraded to human-sized chassis once they could do so.
I'm fairly sure I have seen Japanese soldiers/pilots cry "Ora ora ora" in comic booklets (from the 70s, Finnish edition/translation of Commando (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_(comics))) depicting events during WWII. I thought it was either a battle cry (like "Banzai") or an alarm call alerting peers of a sighted enemy, or a cry to taunt your opponent. I'm prepared to be wrong about this though. They would obviously use creative license, and my recollection is not what it once was.
I suspect you may be thinking of "Tora tora tora (https://www.quora.com/What-does-Tora-Tora-Tora-mean-How-did-this-saying-originate)" instead.
IIRC, " Tora, Tora, tora" is associated with the attack on Pearl Harbor. it was the signal signifying that surprise had been achieved.
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IIRC, " Tora, Tora, tora" is associated with the attack on Pearl Harbor. it was the signal signifying that surprise had been achieved.
You do recall correctly! Back then promotional materials for the film said "Tora" meant, "Tiger." I'm now seeing "lightning strike" or "surprise." But I suppose getting lightning zapped or tiger pounced would be a surprise. A very rude surprise. I can see how "ora" could morph from "tora" or vice versa.
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
Quora is our friend. (https://www.quora.com/What-does-oraoraora-mean-in-Japanese)
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Quick question: Momo has become this very innocent individual, but doesn't anyone remember when she was first introduced and mentioned, quite enthusiastically, that she could shoot live eels out of her [DATA EXPUNGED]?
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IIRC, " Tora, Tora, tora" is associated with the attack on Pearl Harbor. it was the signal signifying that surprise had been achieved. So... surprise, surprise, surprise?
(Insert Gomer Pyle gif here)
You do recall correctly! Back then promotional materials for the film said "Tora" meant, "Tiger." I'm now seeing "lightning strike" or "surprise." But I suppose getting lightning zapped or tiger pounced would be a surprise. A very rude surprise. I can see how "ora" could morph from "tora" or vice versa.
[/quote]
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Question from a non-murrican: sarsaparilla is something similar to root beer, right?
That's what Wikipedia says. The only place I've ever seen it is here:
(https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/130/images/thumbnails/37601-1-1290205081.jpg)
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What's with the "oraoraora!"?
Never thought I'd get an excuse to post one of these here. CW: blood, body horror
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Question from a non-murrican: sarsaparilla is something similar to root beer, right?
That's what Wikipedia says. The only place I've ever seen it is here:
Correct. 50 years ago when I asked my Granny (who I think was a class ahead of Moses in grade school) what it was she said, "That's what they used to call root beer." Old timey thing. Very old timey.
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Question from a non-murrican: sarsaparilla is something similar to root beer, right?
That's what Wikipedia says. The only place I've ever seen it is here:
(https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/130/images/thumbnails/37601-1-1290205081.jpg)
Yeah, I encountered the name only in two places. Fallout: New Vegas and "The Big Lebowski". I don't think I've ever heard the name in any other context.
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Regarding Sarsaparilla; from the sassafras tree. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras
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It is originally made from sassafras, and some people still homebrew it that way. Commercial products labeled as sarsparilla in the U.S. these days are all artificially flavored, since it's illegal to use sassafras roots in a commercial product (they can cause liver damage in large doses).
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[snip] Faye explicitly says (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1011) "AnthroPCs are one thing, but you don't see fully humanoid robots running around everywhere."
Clearly, once the humanoid robots were produced, they became a big hit almost overnight. One supposes that many AnthroPCs may have upgraded to human-sized chassis once they could do so.
Presumably, Bubbles spent quite some time with her squad. Because of her military backstory it would seem that fully sized humanoid robots were retconned.
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Similarly when Marten was matched with Pintsize: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2334
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[snip] Faye explicitly says (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1011) "AnthroPCs are one thing, but you don't see fully humanoid robots running around everywhere."
Clearly, once the humanoid robots were produced, they became a big hit almost overnight. One supposes that many AnthroPCs may have upgraded to human-sized chassis once they could do so.
Presumably, Bubbles spent quite some time with her squad. Because of her military backstory it would seem that fully sized humanoid robots were retconned.
Not necessarily. We've seen military AI before - Deathbot, who had an ED-209 look to him. As efficient as a bipedal model is, that's still a ridiculously sized chassis to have in close settings. Probably part of the reason why he just sits in a warehouse now.
Now, when Hanners' father down the prototype chassis that looked more human, there was probably a simultaneous development for the military. Because while AnthroPCs are great for companionship...their size (or rather lack thereof) makes them kinda useless for helping handicapped people. Likewise, AnthroPCs are useless in a combat situation. But if you can create a humanoid chassis, well now you have an AI that can tend to someone in a wheelchair or with some other injury, or you now have an AI that can support troops in closer confines than previous attempts.
Nothing needs to be retconned. Technology in the QCverse makes leaps and bounds in a relatively short time frame. Just like the real world. Compare the technology of 2018 with what was around in 2013. 3D printing with plastic was becoming more common in 2013, last year we've developed a way to 3D print metal. In 2013, we discovered prenatal engineering, last year it was artifical embryos. Technology makes leaps and it does so incredibly quickly. And the truth is that the one area that usually takes on the latest technology before anyone else is the military.
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Technology makes leaps and it does so incredibly quickly. And the truth is that the one area that usually takes on the latest technology before anyone else is the military.
Good point.
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Question from a non-murrican: sarsaparilla is something similar to root beer, right?
That's what Wikipedia says. The only place I've ever seen it is here:
(https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/130/images/thumbnails/37601-1-1290205081.jpg)
Interestingly enough, you're more likely to find sarsaparilla in hardware stores than in grocery stores in the 'States.
Home Depot, Atwoods, some True Value stores, and some Ace Hardwares are the places I know to find it.
Weirdly enough, those also tend to be the only places I've found Sprecher's brand pop.
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When I lived in Wisconsin, you could find Sprecher's root beer just about everywhere. Though that may be because it's made in Wisconsin.
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When I lived in Wisconsin, you could find Sprecher's root beer just about everywhere. Though that may be because it's made in Wisconsin.
Well, yeah, Sprecher's main brewery is in downtown Milwaukee.
Boy, now I've got a hankering for Sprechers - thanks, Cesium. :P ;)
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I had actually gotten confused when writing that post because I thought it was in Monroe, but yeah, it's actually in Milwaukee. I may have initially had it confused with another brewery that is in Monroe.
And I aim to please. :-D (In fact, I'm planning on going to Madison tomorrow, and will make a stop at the root beer store in Mt. Horeb.)
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last year we've developed a way to 3D print metal.
3d printing of metals has been around rather longer than that. I recall seeing 3d printed titanium components in 2013 (constructed in an Airbus factory). But yes, I agree, almost certainly the tech would have been developed in the military first.
But I think a certain branch of fandom gets far too excited about continuity. Which did you want, a precisely accurate pseudo historical construct or a good story... Also too much agonising over these things isn't a good thing. Like any vaguely science fictional creation QC has its inconsistencies and improbabilities, but if one highlights these things too much does one risk detracting from the enjoyment of other readers? And if we do that, especially if part of the motive is a degree of showing off how clever we are to spot these things, are we making the world a better place?
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But I think a certain branch of fandom gets far too excited about continuity. Which did you want, a precisely accurate pseudo historical construct or a good story...
Or a good puzzle.
(http://wondermark.com/c/2019-05-07-1476puzzle.png)
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Poll Results Post!
Just how will Momo react to the awful truth?
1. "That's awful... and divergent ... and I want you to give me a 'how to' guide!" - 17 (31.5%)
2. "You electronic witch! You knew he was my crush!" - 12 (22.2%)
3. "Details. Full. Details." - 8 (14.8%)
4. "That's why you smell of watermelon, isn't it?" - 7 (13%)
5. "You're saying it wasn't a petting zoo? DAMN! Now I owe Dale ten bucks!" - 6 (11.1%)
6. "So, are the rumours on the Internet about him true?" - 2 (3.7%)
=7. "You went with a human? Ewww! They have STICKY FLUIDS!" - 1 (1.9%)
=7. Other (please specify in comments) - 1 (1.9%)
x. "I'm kind of over Bianchi now, so go wild!" - 0 (0%)
x. "Are you in a relationship with a human? If so, can I arrange a time-share?" - 0 (0%)
Well, that's a pretty clear result for this one! Whilst I agree that Jeph probably was right that Momo's first reaction would have been anger, I also agree that it would have been funny if she was more focussed on how May did it before it suddenly occurred to her just what this meant for her treasured fantasies.
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last year we've developed a way to 3D print metal.
3d printing of metals has been around rather longer than that. I recall seeing 3d printed titanium components in 2013 (constructed in an Airbus factory).
Might I suggest you read this article from MIT from last year (https://www.technologyreview.com/lists/technologies/2018/). There they discuss how two startups in Boston have created means of small scale printing.
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And I THINK I've found the first instance (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1996) of an adult human sized AI appearing in the strip.
Nope. (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1010) Off by about 1,000 strips.
Does he count? He wasn't necessarily finished.
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Now, when Hanners' father down the prototype chassis that looked more human, there was probably a simultaneous development for the military. Because while AnthroPCs are great for companionship...their size (or rather lack thereof) makes them kinda useless for helping handicapped people. Likewise, AnthroPCs are useless in a combat situation. But if you can create a humanoid chassis, well now you have an AI that can tend to someone in a wheelchair or with some other injury, or you now have an AI that can support troops in closer confines than previous attempts.
Nothing needs to be retconned. Technology in the QCverse makes leaps and bounds in a relatively short time frame. Just like the real world.
True, but alc40 makes a very good point that there's a civilian humanoid AI appearing in the flashback scene where Marten was matched with Pintsize, which is definitely quite some time before Faye's remarks about how there aren't humanoid AIs around yet. Is she another ex-military type, perhaps? Just how many AIs tried the military lifestyle before the backlash, I wonder?
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Yeah, I really think we can honestly say that there was at least one retcon, and probably two (one for AI civil rights, one for form factors available).
Which means that I basically treat the old comics' stances on AIs to be unreliable.
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As I recall, the AI in the strip with matching up Marten and Pintsize had blue dermal and headphones with antennas for ears. So, human sized but different enough to stay out of uncanny valley. Hanners "boyfriend" was pretty human in appearance but still induced a creepy factor in alot of the cast.
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I think there's a more recent strip where someone expresses disbelief at an AI having forgotten something by saying words along the lines of "you're a computer!", but I haven't found the strip so, importantly, I don't know if it was an AI or a human saying it.
Hey, I stumbled across it this morning! Melon forgets where she lives (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3917) and Faye responds "YOU ARE A COMPUTER" (while Lemon realises that she also doesn't know where she lives). So that seems inconclusive, we know Faye's put her foot in her mouth plenty of times. But this was quite recently, so it's probably not a really offensive term in general.
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Probably not really offensive. Also probably not true, given the evidence in the panel.
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Yes, we have that information and it points in that direction.
The most recent strip I can think of showing people with silicon brains as having computer-like infrastructures was when Momo had corrupted registry files. I think it was during her chassis upgrade. That was long enough ago that it might not still be canon, but it's more recent than the strips that are clearly no longer describe the QC universe.
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I think the idea is more like the BIOS, drivers, and registry being akin to the subconscious, autonomic nervous system, and hypothalamus, not necessarily in that order. So while an AI might be able to run a self-diagnostic and tell you something like that, it’s closer to relating symptoms to the doctor than it is to reading text off the back of your eyelid.
Basically, I think the Terminator franchise and the Matrix have a lot to answer for regarding the common perception of what ‘being an AI’ is like.
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Late reply but from a Hardware, firmware, software viewpoint the registry more than likely holds all the definitions for command structure links between the core AI and the actual hardware drivers.
My guess is our esteemed author is falling back onto the idea of Reflex Technology [original Macross] where subsystems have their own built in command and control hardware looking after the specifics of a components functions.
This way the core Intelligence says move hand from point A to point B and the hand and associated subsystems take care of the rest.
This would also explain the facial contortions and spasms resulting from corrupted registry files.