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Who is Cutie?

Union Robotics must satisfy the state regulator's inspector as to their standards - That's her
- 2 (7.7%)
Marigold's old roomie from college is passing through and hopes to stay with Mar-bear
- 0 (0%)
Have you ever wondered who Claire's therapist was? We're about to learn!
- 0 (0%)
It turns out that we were all totally wrong about what Hannelore's clone-sister was like!
- 6 (23.1%)
So... Why did Jim break up with Sam's mom again?
- 1 (3.8%)
Only one other of Bubbles's unit survived, finally out of hospital, she's finally found her friend again
- 2 (7.7%)
The State Police's chief technician wants to find out what is the big deal about Union Robotics
- 0 (0%)
She may not look like it but she's Veronica Vance's replacement on the 'Net!
- 4 (15.4%)
Elliott's younger sister couldn't be more different than him!
- 7 (26.9%)
Brun wasn't the only one left destitute by the fire; meet her old boss's daughter!
- 2 (7.7%)
Other (Please specify in your comment)
- 2 (7.7%)

Total Members Voted: 25


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Author Topic: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)  (Read 42034 times)

Shjade

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #100 on: 07 Nov 2017, 22:16 »

I'm surprised Hanners hasn't developed a system (traps?) to keep strange people of her apartment yet, especially in that building.

Or maybe Tilly was just too badass for such - considering how many supporting characters apparently have been eaten by that Allosaur at this point, their replacements have to be extreme just to walk the mean streets of Northampton.

...I'm not sure what you're talking about here?

Tilly was invited in through the front door. She didn't sneak into the apartment. What traps would she have set off?

I'm just tryingg to imagine being in Tilly's shoes. You've been employed as a PA to her daughter by someone with a fearsome reputation.  It seems possible even probable the daughter has been described as a little eccentric. You turn up at the address to find your new employer still asleep, and on seeing you she immediately turns her back on you, without even inviting you to cross the threshold, starts a telephone shouting match with the person who emplyed you, which is concluded by her flinging the phone across the room and breaking it.

Have any of you ever had a even vaguely comparably bad first 5 minutes in a new job?

Trying to look at this from the perspective of someone accustomed to being an effective PA for some fairly high-level people: neither the shouting nor the phone-throwing were directed at Tilly, so...not a bad start at all, really. Maybe not good enough to be called "encouraging," but could be far worse!
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OldGoat

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #101 on: 07 Nov 2017, 23:09 »

Jeph brought Tilly on board because he's been reading my mind.  I've been thinking Winslow can sometimes be a little annoying and Tilly is his way of saying, "You think Winslow is annoying?  I'll show you annoying!"

Seriously,  every one of the 'droids in the cast displays more ability to think autonomously than she has some far.  I see an arc about freeing her mind from B E-C'so grip.  Maybe Spookybot can expel Beatrice from Tilly's head like Sauruman from Theoden's.  Imagine Beatrix landing on her arse and sliding backwards across her office floor.

Edited for unwelcome spelling autocorrect disaster.
« Last Edit: 08 Nov 2017, 13:13 by OldGoat »
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BenRG

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #102 on: 07 Nov 2017, 23:19 »

Today's conversation between Tilly and Hannelore was... terrifying. Basically, Hannelore has to deal with someone who has somehow internalised instructions to work for her no matter what she experiences to the contrary. Is that some kind of mental illness or is it the sort of cognitive dissonance you need to work for Beatrice without being driven mad by the amorality of her business style?

In any case, this promises to be a competition between Hannelore's good nature and her irritation. If the latter wins out, then Tilly will find herself ejected and, if she persists, arrested. Of course, that may be Beatrice's trap: To drive Hannelore into destroying someone who is at your mercy and has no flexibility to do anything other than what they are currently doing!

Tilly's clearly got an editic memory of some sort to be holding that level of information about Winslow for instant recall. Either that or she has some sort of data implant (some manner of cerebral augmentation being another obvious control mechanism for Beatrice).

Finally... I find myself wondering if Companion Contracts were outlawed (hence 'former') but that most Companion AIs stayed with their humans out of a sense of responsibility, concerned that they can't manage without them?
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Gyrre

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #103 on: 07 Nov 2017, 23:28 »

The ears are a telltale sign that she's human.
(Adding "Ear lobe development" to checklist.)
Please don't overdo the lobes because that's how you get Ferengi - nobody in their right mind wants Ferengi - Wall street 1%ers don't count since they are proto-Ferengi and a right mind hasn't existed there for at least a century or more.
*raises hand offering a high-five/high-touch*

Also, some humans have "attached" earlobes.
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Gyrre

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #104 on: 07 Nov 2017, 23:33 »

Have any of you ever had a even vaguely comparably bad first 5 minutes in a new job?

I had a temp job where I walked in the door and had to turn around due to the fire alarm going off. Okay, the fire wasn't that bad but not the best way to start/finish the job.
I worked part-time at a Sonic for two weekends. When the store manager introduced me to her assistant managers, I found out they were both her sons and that they had a rather dysfunctional family. Having grown up in a dysfunctional family, I knew that the job probably wouldn't be pleasant.
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BenRG

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #105 on: 08 Nov 2017, 00:25 »

I suspect that Hannelore, being quite a nice person, will at first try to work with Tilly, trying to deprogram her a little and make her both less Uncanny Valley and less intrusive in the hope that, eventually, she'll get the hint and tell Beatrice that Hannelore didn't want her services.

It's what happens if that doesn't work that might make things get a bit dark and fraught. I can see an annoyed Hannelore ejecting Tilly from the apartment and maybe even making a complaint to the police if Tilly keeps hanging around her without permission. That would be rather extreme but Hannelore does have a temper on her so it is possible if Tilly is sufficiently annoying or sufficiently clearly Beatrice's creature with little interest in doing as Hanners asks so long as she pleases her ultimate mistress.

So, there is a weeping Tilly sitting on a park bench, freshly fired by Beatrice on the grounds that 'you have failed me for the last time' and without even sufficient funds to afford a hotel room for the night, let alone find somewhere to live now that Beatrice has cancelled her company expense account. Then a shadow falls over her and a voice asks her what she wants. Tilly tells the shadowy figure (who is 'behind the camera') that wants to prove herself to 'Miss Ellicott-Chatham'; she will do anything to get back into favour (with Hanners or with Beatrice is deliberately left vague). The last panel in the comic is a demonically-smiling Spookybot. "We think that we can do business, Miss Birch," they say.

Yeah, I like the idea of Tilly becoming Spookybot's PA and 'front woman', eventually becoming more and more 'Mr Morden' as the access and protection Spookybot gives her starts playing with her head a little. She's already a Lawful-Neutral type who will do anything if she is instructed to do so by her superiors, no matter how bizarre and irrational-sounding. Potentially, it would take very little to knock her into being a True Neutral or a Lawful-Evil who has no moral compunctions of any kind.

Now, I'm not actually expecting something like that. It's much more likely that Tilly's going to wake up one day and report for work at Coffee of Doom or Union Robotics (or even Punchbot & Associates) and wonder how the hell this happened to her. That's Jeph's style, IMO. However, it would be a neat out-of-left-field if she turned out to be or developed into some kind of weird pseudo-antagonist.
« Last Edit: 08 Nov 2017, 00:37 by BenRG »
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gopher

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #106 on: 08 Nov 2017, 01:19 »

The week's story was brought to you by the sound Meh. Nothing can be all winners I guess.
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flondrix

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #107 on: 08 Nov 2017, 01:25 »

Tilly and Winslow.  I ship it!
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flondrix

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #108 on: 08 Nov 2017, 01:33 »

Trying to look at this from the perspective of someone accustomed to being an effective PA for some fairly high-level people: neither the shouting nor the phone-throwing were directed at Tilly, so...not a bad start at all, really. Maybe not good enough to be called "encouraging," but could be far worse!

I suspect that she was informed in advance exactly what would happen.  Her notebook probably says, "9:00 show up at door.  9:05-9:10 shouting match between HEC and BC..." 

Tilly's assignment is no more bizarre than some PA's of the rich and famous in real life.  For example, Robert Downey Jr. is followed everywhere he goes, 24/7, by somone whose job is to make sure that he doesn't drink or do drugs.  Downey cannot fire this guy, because he works for his wife.
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JoeCovenant

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #109 on: 08 Nov 2017, 02:28 »


Tilly: Nexus 9.
Discuss.

 :laugh:
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traroth

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #110 on: 08 Nov 2017, 02:29 »

Of course, that may be Beatrice's trap: To drive Hannelore into destroying someone who is at your mercy and has no flexibility to do anything other than what they are currently doing!

I'm not sure to understand what you mean. Do you think Tilly was somehow programmed to be Hannelore's PA? Because where I live, a working contract cannot ask someone to do illegal stuff, so you cannot hire somebody to basically harass someone else. So in fact, Tilly would in that case have other choices.
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BenRG

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #111 on: 08 Nov 2017, 02:42 »

Of course, that may be Beatrice's trap: To drive Hannelore into destroying someone who is at your mercy and has no flexibility to do anything other than what they are currently doing!

I'm not sure to understand what you mean. Do you think Tilly was somehow programmed to be Hannelore's PA? Because where I live, a working contract cannot ask someone to do illegal stuff, so you cannot hire somebody to basically harass someone else. So in fact, Tilly would in that case have other choices.

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure. People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'. Based on that, Tilly basically has been behaviourally programmed by positive and negative experiences to do precisely what Beatrice tells her to do so, even ignoring empirical fact if it stands in the way of carrying out her assignment. So, she may literally be psychologically incapable of stopping doing what Beatrice has told her to do. That could thus leave her with no choice but to aggravate and continue to aggravate Hannelore and be unable to stop even when it comes down to a choice between that and jail time for harassment.
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traroth

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #112 on: 08 Nov 2017, 02:59 »

Of course, that may be Beatrice's trap: To drive Hannelore into destroying someone who is at your mercy and has no flexibility to do anything other than what they are currently doing!

I'm not sure to understand what you mean. Do you think Tilly was somehow programmed to be Hannelore's PA? Because where I live, a working contract cannot ask someone to do illegal stuff, so you cannot hire somebody to basically harass someone else. So in fact, Tilly would in that case have other choices.

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure. People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'. Based on that, Tilly basically has been behaviourally programmed by positive and negative experiences to do precisely what Beatrice tells her to do so, even ignoring empirical fact if it stands in the way of carrying out her assignment. So, she may literally be psychologically incapable of stopping doing what Beatrice has told her to do. That could thus leave her with no choice but to aggravate and continue to aggravate Hannelore and be unable to stop even when it comes down to a choice between that and jail time for harassment.

It's really far fetched. I don't know anybody willing to go to jail for their employer. We will find out, I guess...
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Marco

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #113 on: 08 Nov 2017, 02:59 »

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure.

Considering that the Ellicott-Chathams were inspired by the Tessier-Ashpools, I think Beatrice is a fairly nice person...
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traroth

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #114 on: 08 Nov 2017, 03:06 »

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure.

Considering that the Ellicott-Chathams were inspired by the Tessier-Ashpools, I think Beatrice is a fairly nice person...

She fires accountants. With a cannon. Into a volcano.
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Marco

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #115 on: 08 Nov 2017, 03:26 »

It's an occupational risk.
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War Sparrow

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #116 on: 08 Nov 2017, 03:33 »

I see your arguments for " programming" and "fear", and raise you "Tilly has bills, and being the personal assistant to someone like Hannelore is probably the best paying, least effort job she could have gotten."
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DaiJB

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #117 on: 08 Nov 2017, 03:45 »

Well,  Tilly certainly has the potential to become rather annoying - that is, unless Hannelore can pull something out of her hat to enable Tilly to 'break her programming'...

Now I have this vision of Tilly confronting Beatrice and calling her "Smeg-for-brains"...   :-D
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Akima

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #118 on: 08 Nov 2017, 04:04 »

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure. People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'.
Perhaps Beatrice has a powerful magnet applied to their heads like the scientists on Thoth Station in The Expanse.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #119 on: 08 Nov 2017, 04:10 »

Let the record show that the most common and effective mind-control device ever invented is the paycheck.

And I know people who claim to honestly believe that once you have accepted a paycheck from someone, you are morally and legally bound to do whatever they order you to do.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #120 on: 08 Nov 2017, 04:33 »

The week's story was brought to you by the sound Meh. Nothing can be all winners I guess.

So far I'm with you, can't say the storyline has piqued my interest yet, but maybe that'll change!
Would probably have been more interested in exploring other existing characters' backgrounds/upbringings more (especially Renee/Brun/Emily/Dale or even Tai), but I am curious where JJ is going to take this nonetheless.
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TheEvilDog

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #121 on: 08 Nov 2017, 04:59 »

I think we're about to see the employee version of this trope.
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JimC

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #122 on: 08 Nov 2017, 05:29 »

I was intrigued by our creator's first (I think) character with a totally rounded chin, but I note its getting a point...
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traroth

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #123 on: 08 Nov 2017, 06:32 »

To the topic "is Tilly a human or a robot?", I note she's not actually eating any pancake...
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TheEvilDog

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #124 on: 08 Nov 2017, 06:34 »

Probably because she's handing the first batch to Hanners.
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Shjade

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #125 on: 08 Nov 2017, 08:13 »

Tilly's assignment is no more bizarre than some PA's of the rich and famous in real life.

Exactly what I was thinking.

You know, upon a bit of reflection, there might be a simple, non-combative solution to Hannelore's Tilly issue, assuming she doesn't discover there really are benefits to having a PA (particularly one you're not even paying for yourself) helping you out with things: there's someone else in Hannelore's immediate social circle who probably COULD benefit greatly from having a skilled PA's assistance. Someone who recently started a small business but has no real experience running one, and also couldn't afford someone like Tilly even if they thought of the potential usefulness of such a person in helping them get their startup off the ground. Someone who also has a history of stubbornly not asking for help until they're so deep they really need it to just scrape by.

"Tilly, this is my friend Faye. I don't know how to help her, but I really want to, and you could, right? That's the best way you could assist me right now."
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TheEvilDog

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #126 on: 08 Nov 2017, 08:21 »

I can’t really see Faye as hiring a third technician for the shop, let alone taking on a PA.

If Hanners were going to pass Tilly onto another person as a PA, I’d take a look at Sven. Dude’s life isn’t the best right now and he could use the structure a PA can provide.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #127 on: 08 Nov 2017, 09:18 »

Lydia was good for him.

Faye and Bubbles could use someone to specialize in the business details that don't involve fixing robots. Taxes, licenses, insurance, building maintenance, scheduling, managing suppliers -- a Tilly could be wonderful.

-------

I forget if it was Momo or Jeph or both who said that although either party can end a companionship contract at any time, the usual situation is that an actual friendship develops.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #128 on: 08 Nov 2017, 09:19 »

Tilly and Winslow.  I ship it!

Global Moderator Comment Ironically?
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #129 on: 08 Nov 2017, 09:20 »

I can’t really see Faye as hiring a third technician for the shop, let alone taking on a PA.
For sure, but I think the ideas was that if Hanners wanted Tilly out of her way she could perhaps send Tilly over there, still on Hannersmom payroll ...  But I wouldn't see Fay ever agreeing.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #130 on: 08 Nov 2017, 09:42 »

People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'.

"ECi: Where 'The Banality Of Evil' Is Our Corporate Standard!"

not the best slogan, but eh, the boss doesn't care.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #131 on: 08 Nov 2017, 09:51 »

To the topic "is Tilly a human or a robot?", I note she's not actually eating any pancake...

Until we know Tilly is NOT a robot...

I'm on the *is* a Robot side...
Highly advanced, newest model... (wouldn't Hanners always be getting the first of everything?)
Unusual, as to be almost unbelievable, mode of speech.

And a high collar so you cannot see the neck join...!

Circumstantial evidence? Supposition?
Guilty!

But, until we know for sure...

(I envisage Jeff dancing around his monitor singing "Rope-a-dope!" over and over right now...)  :)
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TheEvilDog

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #132 on: 08 Nov 2017, 10:02 »

People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'.

"ECi: Where 'The Banality Of Evil' Is Our Corporate Standard!"

"ECI; We're the Wayland-Yutani/ Umbrella Corporation/ Aztecnology/ OCP/ K.A.O.S (in Delaware for tax purposes)/ Wolfram & Hart of this dimension! Have a nice day."
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #133 on: 08 Nov 2017, 10:11 »

To the topic "is Tilly a human or a robot?", I note she's not actually eating any pancake...

Until we know Tilly is NOT a robot...

I'm on the *is* a Robot side...

((Lurker decloaking))
I've noticed that, for all the humans in the strip, Jeph "voices" them with roundish voice-bubbles. OTOH, for the "robot" voices, he draws squared-off voice-bubbles.

So far, Jeph has drawn Tilly's voice-bubbles "round", like the human characters. So, for my money, I'll vote "human" for Tilly.

((re-engage cloak))
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #134 on: 08 Nov 2017, 12:26 »

Welcome, de-lurking person!
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OldGoat

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #135 on: 08 Nov 2017, 13:30 »

I've noticed that, for all the humans in the strip, Jeph "voices" them with roundish voice-bubbles. OTOH, for the "robot" voices, he draws squared-off voice-bubbles.

So far, Jeph has drawn Tilly's voice-bubbles "round", like the human characters. So, for my money, I'll vote "human" for Tilly.
As noted earlier, Momo is the only regular exception.  She often uses a human fidelity voice (rounded speech bubble) when conversing with humans and an electronic voice [angular speech boxes] when speaking with other bots.  I may have missed other incidents, but, again, Momo is the only one I recall doing this with any regularity.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #136 on: 08 Nov 2017, 17:19 »

With all due respect to a fellow forum member, ain't NUTHIN' androgynous about Tilly's figure.  Butt like dat gonna drive Pintsize batshit.

Tilly is nicely pearshaped, exactly like my lovely wife. No man alive looks like that.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #137 on: 08 Nov 2017, 17:26 »

By the way, Beatrice is a Chatham. John is either an Ellicott or perhaps still an Ellicott-Chatham.  Hanners and John are the ONLY Ellicott-Chathams, and I'm not even sure about John.

So what is Beatrice talking about with ALL Ellicott-Chathams have a personal assistant?  How many sample points does she have?
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #138 on: 08 Nov 2017, 17:27 »

Cruelty to robo-horsies? I don't think Gary would like that.

----

Tilly is dangerous.
She is aware of her instructions and their implications.
If she can 'creatively interpret'  them, she is Extremely Dangerous.
I'm looking for this to backfire on Beatrice, who seems unaware of the possibility.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #139 on: 08 Nov 2017, 20:08 »

So far Tilly seems pretty literal.

Beatrice is just the sort to mess with the mind of a human subordinate. She physically mistreated the horse. Extrapolate, then -- would she violate the psychological integrity of an AI?

Which would be interesting because it would put her on a collision course with Eminence Grise. I do not think she would win.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #140 on: 08 Nov 2017, 20:21 »

I've noticed that, for all the humans in the strip, Jeph "voices" them with roundish voice-bubbles. OTOH, for the "robot" voices, he draws squared-off voice-bubbles.

So far, Jeph has drawn Tilly's voice-bubbles "round", like the human characters. So, for my money, I'll vote "human" for Tilly.
As noted earlier, Momo is the only regular exception.  She often uses a human fidelity voice (rounded speech bubble) when conversing with humans and an electronic voice [angular speech boxes] when speaking with other bots.  I may have missed other incidents, but, again, Momo is the only one I recall doing this with any regularity.

How about Spookybot? Or is the jury still out on what exactly they are?
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #141 on: 08 Nov 2017, 20:25 »

New strip up.

*lol*

Poor Hanners.

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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #142 on: 08 Nov 2017, 20:30 »

Yup. Tilly is exactly the kind of person I would be rapidly showing the door to. Tempted to not bother opening it first.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #143 on: 08 Nov 2017, 21:21 »

I fear Claire's brain might melt if she sees Tilly and Winslow being helpful in the same place.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #144 on: 08 Nov 2017, 22:28 »

When Hannelore cools down she may see that this is a logic problem.

"Tilly, you're here to assist, right?"
"So once I pick my goals, you have to help me achieve them?"
"OK, then. Your first assignment is to get rid of an annoying pest my mother inflicted on me. If you fail at that, I'll tell my mom that you were ineffective."
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #145 on: 08 Nov 2017, 22:40 »

Tilly would probably tell Hannelore that her mother anticipated that and granted one exception for that paradox. 
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #146 on: 08 Nov 2017, 23:18 »

RE: gender ratio

I'm reminded of a famous study on classroom participation that found that the dudes in the room thought they were getting drown out when like 30% of the hands called were women. So this comic is approaching a gender ratio that about 97% of all other media/games/stories/etc have, but on the opposite end. And there's some rumbling in the direction of wanting to "balance" the cast out.

It's one thing I got over very quickly becoming a fan of My Little Pony. I mean, back in 2011, when there wasn't a fanbase yet, before we get into that kettle of fish. I am purely talking about the show itself in isolation here.

I showed it to a very 'woke' friend of mine, to ironically non-ironically use the word, and he got a bit disgruntled; "Why are males presented so poorly?"

"Spike, Big Macintosh, the sea serpent in the first episode is spectacular, Mr Cake, Braeburn, the bison chief" in the first season was my reply. Later, Shining Armor.

And he went "... huh."

We both talked about how unusual it was as a property to see something that was both
1) Well written
2) So predominately female leading cast

That the brain's natural reaction, even when you go into it knowing that, is to revolt and buck against it. We analyzed why it feels so weird and out of place. It's fine. It's fine to dudes. There's more good male characters than bad ones. So why the hell does it feel, weirdly, misandrist, at first exposure? It's because it's such a stark contrast to how male-dominated we kind of take everything else, that in isolation it's fine, it just appears that way in comparison.

I wish it were less uncommon, and public perception hadn't turned so thoroughly against MLP that I could continue to use it as an example. Because it's honestly a huge experience to see the difference between believing gender represntation should be more of a thing in your media, and actually being exposed to it and seeing how subtle and different it really is. It's huge! It's amazingly huge.
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #147 on: 08 Nov 2017, 23:26 »

Yeah, Tilly is either neuro-atypical or has been seriously behaviourally conditioned. The fact that it is actually to the point where she doesn't react to a threat against her own safety and/or liberty other than to offer to help do it shifts her from a pest to a piteously-broken mess. I could see Hannelore deciding to keep her around just to keep her away from Beatrice to prevent her from suffering further abuse.

Seriously, I could see Tilly calmly sitting through arrest, interrogation, trial and imprisonment, serene in the assurance that, once this is over, she would return to her assignment or do whatever Beatrice told her to do. I'm pretty sure that Hannelore could get her to arrange anything, no matter how illegal and she would do it without a blink, even having the initiative to ensure that legal concerns were dealt with in advance!
« Last Edit: 08 Nov 2017, 23:36 by BenRG »
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #148 on: 09 Nov 2017, 01:54 »

Of course, that may be Beatrice's trap: To drive Hannelore into destroying someone who is at your mercy and has no flexibility to do anything other than what they are currently doing!

I'm not sure to understand what you mean. Do you think Tilly was somehow programmed to be Hannelore's PA? Because where I live, a working contract cannot ask someone to do illegal stuff, so you cannot hire somebody to basically harass someone else. So in fact, Tilly would in that case have other choices.

You have to remember the likely mindset of people working for Beatrice Chatham. She is a ruthless, amoral and possibly psychopathic figure. People working at ECI probably have to get used to rationalising away doing the most hideously amoral (although not strictly illegal) things on the grounds that 'my superiors told me to do it'. Based on that, Tilly basically has been behaviourally programmed by positive and negative experiences to do precisely what Beatrice tells her to do so, even ignoring empirical fact if it stands in the way of carrying out her assignment. So, she may literally be psychologically incapable of stopping doing what Beatrice has told her to do. That could thus leave her with no choice but to aggravate and continue to aggravate Hannelore and be unable to stop even when it comes down to a choice between that and jail time for harassment.

It's really far fetched. I don't know anybody willing to go to jail for their employer. We will find out, I guess...
To quote George Carlin, "You start with the small stuff...."
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Re: WCDT Strips 3606 to 3610 (6th - 10th November 2017)
« Reply #149 on: 09 Nov 2017, 02:24 »

Given the direction of discussion this week, I've been thinking about this preview panel that Jeph put on his twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/jephjacques/status/927525516327911424

I can't help but wonder what the ever-cheerful Tilly is saying there. Given her apparently complete lack of self preservation instincts, she might be cheerfully and mockingly assuring Bubbles of her total cooperation (after Hannelore tells her to go along quietly) before being frog-marched out of the building.
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