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Author Topic: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)  (Read 32022 times)

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #50 on: 13 Jan 2020, 19:25 »

I've gotten by without a user manual for my body but my wife could have used one if only for the warning that Tylenol would make pain hurt worse.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #51 on: 13 Jan 2020, 20:19 »

Ooh, having just caught up on the last couple of days, that's a brilliant way for companies to duck warranty obligations. Create a disturbing dystopian situation that will make people afraid and uncomfortable, but make it for "their benefit" so if they follow their natural instincts you won't be responsible for anything else that happens to them.

Nice bit of scooting between legal cracks and getting in before the laws catch up with the technology.

(on the subject of dystopian things, the spell checker won't recognize "dystopian"  :-) Friend computer says unhappiness is impossible!)
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #52 on: 13 Jan 2020, 20:33 »

I'm kinda surprised it looks like they're hacking Roko via a smartphone or tablet. That's some weak security, or it's a specialized device...

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #53 on: 13 Jan 2020, 20:41 »

I'm kinda surprised it looks like they're hacking Roko via a smartphone or tablet. That's some weak security, or it's a specialized device...
"A little bit of knowhow goes a long way."

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #54 on: 13 Jan 2020, 20:59 »

As for the firmware taking caution against self-harm, we humans have that too. It’s called reflex, instinct, flinching and fear. Have you ever been unable to jump down from a height? Or unable to down some strong drink? Unable to muster the courage to do it? That’s your “firmware” trying to save you from self-harm. Nothing creepy about it.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #55 on: 13 Jan 2020, 23:10 »

I agree with Faye but, if there was such a thing as a user's manual for the human body, I think  that we'd be genuinely surprised and shocked about just how many things void our warranties!

When I was reading this strip on Patreon yesterday, it occurred to me suddenly just how disturbing all the functions of that safety override utility must have been to Roko. It occurred to me that the informational pop-ups must have been a bit like intrusive thoughts too. All in all, there was nothing about OopsieGuard that was good for her mental health, no matter how hypothetically useful it was for her own physical health!

Meanwhile, from panel 3, Bubbles isn't sure whether Faye is making an ill-timed joke or if she should instead be trying to comfort her girlfriend!
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #56 on: 13 Jan 2020, 23:28 »

I'm kinda surprised it looks like they're hacking Roko via a smartphone or tablet. That's some weak security, or it's a specialized device...
Or, you know, Roko gave them the relevant admin passwords or codes so that they could sort out her problem. This is not an adversarial situation here.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #57 on: 14 Jan 2020, 00:02 »

As for the firmware taking caution against self-harm, we humans have that too. It’s called reflex, instinct, flinching and fear. Have you ever been unable to jump down from a height? Or unable to down some strong drink? Unable to muster the courage to do it? That’s your “firmware” trying to save you from self-harm. Nothing creepy about it.

Welcome, new person!

Yes, I think it's just like what organics have to inhibit injury.

If Roko had been born with it like we are or had even consented to its installation, I think she'd accept it a lot better. Or if it had simply pulled her punch without the condescending message.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #58 on: 14 Jan 2020, 02:29 »

As for the firmware taking caution against self-harm, we humans have that too. It’s called reflex, instinct, flinching and fear. Have you ever been unable to jump down from a height? Or unable to down some strong drink? Unable to muster the courage to do it? That’s your “firmware” trying to save you from self-harm. Nothing creepy about it.
There's still the distinction between innate vs foisted upon. QC A.I. minds work similar to humans' afterall.

EDIT: typo fix plus reorganizing the phrasing.
« Last Edit: 14 Jan 2020, 20:53 by Gyrre »
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #59 on: 14 Jan 2020, 03:37 »

I'm kinda surprised it looks like they're hacking Roko via a smartphone or tablet. That's some weak security, or it's a specialized device...
Or, you know, Roko gave them the relevant admin passwords or codes so that they could sort out her problem. This is not an adversarial situation here.

Also, it required (I presume) a physical connection - if the configuration could be done by wifi, the possibilities for body hacking would be horrendous.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #60 on: 14 Jan 2020, 03:42 »

Given that the device whose settings Bubbles was altering is sentient, there is a real unbreakable security measure. "Hi! User FAYZ4mazonGRRRL wishes to gain access to your chassis settings. Do you approve? Please enter your Admin-Level Passcode and press 'Yes' to allow this." The alterations must be made by an external technician to prevent self-harm whilst under the influence of an intoxicant-simulating executable.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #61 on: 14 Jan 2020, 04:54 »

Is is just me, or has Bubbles gotten even hotter since the last big arc she was in?  Narrower waist and neck for starters...

I'm not complaining, mind you.  Hotness has nothing to do with height...
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #62 on: 14 Jan 2020, 05:46 »

Is is just me, or has Bubbles gotten even hotter since the last big arc she was in?  Narrower waist and neck for starters...

I'm not complaining, mind you.  Hotness has nothing to do with height...

Yeah, Jeph definitely seems to have tweaked Bubbles' appearance a bit, including drawing her not quite as extraordinarily tall as he used to. I realize that her height has been somewhat inconsistent throughout the comic anyway, but still it seems to be a little shorter than in the beginning.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #63 on: 14 Jan 2020, 08:02 »

Yeah, Jeph definitely seems to have tweaked Bubbles' appearance a bit, including drawing her not quite as extraordinarily tall as he used to. I realize that her height has been somewhat inconsistent throughout the comic anyway, but still it seems to be a little shorter than in the beginning.
Makes it easier for Faye to hang on her likes she's doing in panel 2.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #64 on: 14 Jan 2020, 08:07 »

The wording of the pop-up seems to suggest that the warranty will only be partially voided - self-inflicted damage will no longer be covered. Are we to assume that the warranty still holds as regards other kinds of damage?
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #65 on: 14 Jan 2020, 08:11 »

The wording of the pop-up seems to suggest that the warranty will only be partially voided - self-inflicted damage will no longer be covered. Are we to assume that the warranty still holds as regards other kinds of damage?

I'm sure the usual "defects in materials and workmanship" clauses still apply
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #66 on: 14 Jan 2020, 09:12 »

The wording of the pop-up seems to suggest that the warranty will only be partially voided - self-inflicted damage will no longer be covered. Are we to assume that the warranty still holds as regards other kinds of damage?

I'm sure the usual "defects in materials and workmanship" clauses still apply
That's mighty nice of the company - most just allow the warranty to void out if you change settings like that.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #67 on: 14 Jan 2020, 10:21 »

The wording of the pop-up seems to suggest that the warranty will only be partially voided - self-inflicted damage will no longer be covered. Are we to assume that the warranty still holds as regards other kinds of damage?

I'm sure the usual "defects in materials and workmanship" clauses still apply
That's mighty nice of the company - most just allow the warranty to void out if you change settings like that.

As I recall, there are laws about that.  For instance, if one modifies the suspension on a new car, it won't invalidate the power-train, though the dealership might try to pull that trick (I've heard about a lot of BS like that happening).
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #68 on: 14 Jan 2020, 11:51 »

Given that the device whose settings Bubbles was altering is sentient, there is a real unbreakable security measure.
No, it's not? I mean, it's Roko who is sentient, not her body.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #69 on: 14 Jan 2020, 12:10 »

Given that the device whose settings Bubbles was altering is sentient, there is a real unbreakable security measure.

No, it's not? I mean, it's Roko who is sentient, not her body.

But she is in situ all the time. It's hard to hack when the administrator shares the same input/output ports.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #70 on: 14 Jan 2020, 12:46 »

Given that the device whose settings Bubbles was altering is sentient, there is a real unbreakable security measure.

No, it's not? I mean, it's Roko who is sentient, not her body.

But she is in situ all the time. It's hard to hack when the administrator shares the same input/output ports.
Isn't this whole arc being about her acting under user rights, with with built-in routines overriding her commands to the body?
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #71 on: 14 Jan 2020, 13:28 »

If Roko had been born with it like we are or had even consented to its installation, I think she'd accept it a lot better. Or if it had simply pulled her punch without the condescending message.

That’s interesting, actually. It would be much creepier without the huge popup message. We can’t say this for sure about AI psychology, but if it’s similar to a human’s, then she would probably have remained unaware of the feature, and told herself that her failure to follow through was her own self-preservation instinct, or even an active decision.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #72 on: 14 Jan 2020, 14:04 »

If Roko had been born with it like we are or had even consented to its installation, I think she'd accept it a lot better. Or if it had simply pulled her punch without the condescending message.

That’s interesting, actually. It would be much creepier without the huge popup message. We can’t say this for sure about AI psychology, but if it’s similar to a human’s, then she would probably have remained unaware of the feature, and told herself that her failure to follow through was her own self-preservation instinct, or even an active decision.
As I said on Reddit, yeah, it would be actually worse. A ton worse. "Subtle hijack of control without notification is the worst way of enforcing EULA that can be imagined. If I can't do something I want to do, at least I deserve being informed why and how." I believe it's qualify for gaslighting.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #73 on: 14 Jan 2020, 17:19 »

Is is just me, or has Bubbles gotten even hotter since the last big arc she was in?  Narrower waist and neck for starters...

I'm not complaining, mind you.  Hotness has nothing to do with height...

A matter of taste perhaps, because I do see a difference (or imagine that I do), but I found how she was drawn earlier to be hotter.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #74 on: 14 Jan 2020, 17:37 »

Whatever other changes Jeph may have made to the way he draws Bubbles, the biggest remains the difference in her body language and facial expressions from when she was first introduced. Well, and the lack of armor, but that's part of it. She's much more relaxed and far happier than the Bubbles we first met. Faye has been good for her.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #75 on: 14 Jan 2020, 18:41 »

Bubbles, you should at least charge for your time...

Anyway. That was cute.

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #76 on: 14 Jan 2020, 19:49 »

I love the look on Roko's face as Bubbles hugs her. They've come a long way since the time Bubbles trapped her in a trash can.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #77 on: 14 Jan 2020, 21:00 »

Has anyone else hugged Roko, yet, in her new chassis?
(I think maybe Melon, but that sort of "fling!  desperate grab!" isn't nearly as relaxing as being embraced by a gentle Mama Bear.)
I think she's been needing one.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #78 on: 14 Jan 2020, 21:23 »

Bubbles, you should at least charge for your time...

Anyway. That was cute.

Fostering a good relationship with friends is payment enough.

Cynical second take: if Roko needs repairs, she's more likely to come back to Union Robotics with her good friends Bubbles and Faye instead of going to the dealership now that she's voided her warranty anyway.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #79 on: 14 Jan 2020, 23:32 »

It feels like I missed something, but I know I haven’t.  Did Roko reconsider her request after reading the manual or go through with it?
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #80 on: 14 Jan 2020, 23:34 »

One thing that has struck me about this interlude is that it's impacted on Faye too. She's been really thinking hard about Roko's situation and it has affected her personally. That's the real reason why she needs a hug: Her friend is hurting and she needs her girlfriend to hug her and comfort her to help cope. It just reminds us that prickly!Faye is a defence strategy, not the real her.

Has anyone else hugged Roko, yet, in her new chassis?

Yes, I suspect that Roko may now have a different appreciation for physical gestures of comfort, thanks to Bubbles and her own enhanced sensorium! I wonder with whom she'll try it next?
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #81 on: 14 Jan 2020, 23:54 »

It feels like I missed something, but I know I haven’t.  Did Roko reconsider her request after reading the manual or go through with it?
Going by the text of the last popup, she went through with it.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #82 on: 15 Jan 2020, 00:49 »

It feels like I missed something, but I know I haven’t.  Did Roko reconsider her request after reading the manual or go through with it?
I really think that, when Roko would actually look into manual, we would know without any doubt. I don't think that OopsiGuard warranty is the only surprise.
Still, I do think that turning OopsieGuard on/off is the same procedure as turning off UAC in Windows. Quite easy if you're know what are you doing.

Going by the text of the last popup, she went through with it.
Wasn't it about "I'm useless" invective ?
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #83 on: 15 Jan 2020, 04:43 »

The wording of the pop-up seems to suggest that the warranty will only be partially voided - self-inflicted damage will no longer be covered. Are we to assume that the warranty still holds as regards other kinds of damage?

I'm sure the usual "defects in materials and workmanship" clauses still apply
That's mighty nice of the company - most just allow the warranty to void out if you change settings like that.

As I recall, there are laws about that.  For instance, if one modifies the suspension on a new car, it won't invalidate the power-train, though the dealership might try to pull that trick (I've heard about a lot of BS like that happening).
There are, though explicit notification of separability within a contract usually overrides any other jurisdictions default laws.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #84 on: 15 Jan 2020, 04:51 »

Has anyone else hugged Roko, yet, in her new chassis?
(I think maybe Melon, but that sort of "fling!  desperate grab!" isn't nearly as relaxing as being embraced by a gentle Mama Bear.)
I think she's been needing one.
Yes she has, for several thousand strips, and desperately since the crushing incident.

Especially when Mama Bear has massive mammaries like Bubbles has.  I wonder how soft they actually are; after all they could be just molded into a hard chest plate/cover...

Either that or Roko is flashing back to the trash can caper and now wondering just what else to expect from Bubbles.  And notice that Bubbles has now reached out to someone else hurting - so this is new for Bubbles too.  That may also be what's making Faye a little more clingy than usual - she's seeing the change in Bubbles behavior and wants to reinforce it.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #85 on: 15 Jan 2020, 04:57 »

Makes me wonder if Bubbles' boobs are as magical as Faye's.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #86 on: 15 Jan 2020, 05:32 »

I'm disappointed the poll doesn't have my favorite, muscadine. Also, no mayhaw or pepper jelly.

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #87 on: 15 Jan 2020, 18:49 »

I like the way Roko thinks. She should add two more moves to her repertoire, if what I've learned from my prison reform activities applies here. I'd recommend lining up allies, especially since there may already be people working in this area. Also, she should think outside the box about who has ability and inclination to help. I set wheels in motion that resulted in a helpful program statewide by contacting an agency with no connection to the Department of Corrections.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #88 on: 15 Jan 2020, 19:00 »

Roko just kind of taking over the office is funny. Heh.

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #89 on: 15 Jan 2020, 19:39 »

It's good to see that Roko is bouncing back so quickly. That said I hope that's genuine drive to help May and solve the issue and not just her trying to ignore that episode by throwing herself at the task at hand.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #90 on: 15 Jan 2020, 20:53 »

In that suit, Roko certainly looks like the boss.

I'm disappointed the poll doesn't have my favorite, muscadine. Also, no mayhaw or pepper jelly.
*ahem*
[Points at the "jalapeńo jelly" option that nobody's voted for yet].
Pepper jelly is up there.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #91 on: 15 Jan 2020, 21:08 »

Roko just kind of taking over the office is funny. Heh.
I've had similar experiences to this. It's not an intentional power play. It's a side effect of enthusiasm and working out the solutions to a problem faster than the other people in the room.

Of course, a large part of it is Beeps. She's nice enough, but she's not really a problem solver, and she's not very assertive. Of course Roku is going to take control of the conversation.
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notsocool

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #92 on: 15 Jan 2020, 22:13 »

New to this forum, but am I the only person that thinks May really isn't entitled to a better body?

Here's my perspective:
1) AIs do not absolutely need bodies. They don't need one to exist. Lots of AI don't have them, and have jobs. Since an AI doesn't grow old, they don't have a finite lifespan to earn one. They are also not helpless like babies or young children, and hence do not generally need charity. They have no particular needs other then maintenance and power.

2) Large chassis are not cheap. Momo and Winslow had to be bought theirs, and their partners have implied they are not cheap (Marigold had to budget for a while, and Hannelore is super rich). Bubbles and Roko earned theirs as part of their jobs.

3) May is legitimately a criminal, and hers was not a crime of necessity or desperation. As a matter of fact, her crime was specifically trying to hijack a body - a dangerous fighter jet. May is not especially sorry for committing her crime, and has generally expressed that she would be extremely happy if she had succeeded. In short, she is only sorry she got caught. I am all for rehabilitative prison, but May is not exactly rehabilitated. Punitive prison is a legitimate social issue that applies here, but honestly the parole system (or equivalent) has not particularly failed her.

4) May has the option of a smaller, cheaper but fully functional AnthroPC chassis, like Pintsize. If she cannot afford one (perhaps she isn't allowed to sell or trade in her cruddy current one) that should be her primary goal. It would largely eliminate her maintenance costs and likely lower her power costs enormously.

So the feeling I get is that the comic implies May should get a proper body purely because... she has been released from prison? This makes no sense. Every other AI main character in the comic worked for their bodies, even ones like Winslow or Momo, who spent time being small AnthroPCs for their friends (owners? partners? I am not sure what the term is). Perhaps it is viewed as undignified, but humans do it too - it's called being a baby, and at least AnthroPCs don't have to poop all over themselves.

I get that May has limited options for work - but in real life our stupid decisions can and will affect us forever. No matter how stupid I am, if I commit murder the consequences will last my whole life. I suspect that if I tried to steal a military jet, the consequences would also last my whole life, even if that life might be only about fifteen minutes long before I get shot. Release from jail, a criminal record, and limited hiring opportunities actually seems rather lenient all things considered, especially since they gave her a body! If she chose to go without one, her expenses would drop to pretty close to zero, and even the lowest-paying (or undignified) jobs would still allow her to eventually save enough to buy a body.

I understand that May's case is meant to be social commentary on America's prison system, but the subject in question isn't exactly the best for the analogy. Real ex-cons need actual food and shelter (and a body), their medical bills can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, they may have dependents, and most importantly - they have a limited lifespan. May might have to start slow due to her early mistakes, but she has literally forever. There is no cycle of poverty for her, because AIs don't reproduce that way, and very likely not accidentally. There's no bigger picture where the consequences of her actions and prison may affect her children.

So why should she be given a better chassis?
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Penquin47

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #93 on: 15 Jan 2020, 22:34 »

May is not allowed to rent out processor time.  It's not exactly a hard jump to think she wouldn't be allowed back into anything resembling finance, or that requires security clearance.  I wouldn't be surprised if being a companion AI has a "no felons allowed" clause in their hiring requirements.  What work, precisely, are you thinking she can do with the chibi or iPad style bodies, or disembodied and running on a server?  And yet, she is required to be gainfully employed.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #94 on: 15 Jan 2020, 22:46 »

Welcome, interesting new person!

If May's parole is analogous to typical conditions for parole in our world, she's required to find lawful employment. Yes, she could live in a server farm somewhere, but we don't know whether any way of making a living there is open to her. I would have to stretch my mind hard to figure out what jobs someone could do in a Pintsize-style chassis, the other low-cost option.

If it's like our world, a lot of variations on earning a living are explicitly forbidden. Common parole conditions forbid self-employment or working for relatives.

The traditional suit of clothes upon release is a tempting analogy. As you point out, a good humanoid body is much more expensive than that. A low-spec secondhand one, refurbed with a warranty, might be quite a bit more affordable. Say it was in the $4,000 range, like an eight year old Ford Fiesta. Still hard for taxpayers to swallow, but she could be given an installment plan to pay for part of it.

The system did see a need to issue her some kind of body. Might as well be one in working order. Especially since the goal at this point should be to reintegrate her into society if she will hold up her end, rather than continuing punishment past the end of her sentence.
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #95 on: 15 Jan 2020, 23:13 »

You know, I'm starting to get the feeling that  Roko is literally the first person at the advocacy group who has actually had the drive to achieve anything much at all. If that is the case, then I suspect that everyone else at the office will be overjoyed to have her 'take charge'. She's likely going to find herself being promoted to boss without knowing it.

"Who's in charge here?"

"Um... That would be me, I guess?"
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notsocool

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #96 on: 15 Jan 2020, 23:50 »

May is not allowed to rent out processor time.  It's not exactly a hard jump to think she wouldn't be allowed back into anything resembling finance, or that requires security clearance.  I wouldn't be surprised if being a companion AI has a "no felons allowed" clause in their hiring requirements.  What work, precisely, are you thinking she can do with the chibi or iPad style bodies, or disembodied and running on a server?  And yet, she is required to be gainfully employed.

Okay, but in the previous comic, the government employee explicitly says that disembodied AI ex-convicts usually do not choose to be embodied. This means that May's situation is directly a result of her own choices - hers is "a niche case of a niche case". And with respect, I cannot imagine that many of the jobs that human ex-convicts do cannot be done by a disembodied AI, such as all kinds of industrial work, some service positions, etc. I mean seriously, a disembodied AI is probably better at operating machinery than a human. Common jobs for ex-convicts in my country include cooks, truck drivers, loads of industry work, and farm work. Considering that there are likely lots of disembodied AIs who are not ex-convicts, there is likely to be provisions for them to work in those fields. The legitimate problem that May faces is discrimination, not the lack of a good chassis. She is barred form lots of work because companies don't want to hire her, not because the law says she can't enter lots of fields. I did a cursory search and found a list of companies that have ex-convict hiring policies (the Fair Chance Business Pledge). Among them are a loooot of brands, and even software companies! Not precisely great, but it's an option.

Specifically, why doesn't she go the path of other disembodied AI ex-convicts? Sure, things are probably shitty for them too, but in the very least we can imagine that they don't need to be paying maintenance fees on their chassis, and the power costs would be limited to their processors, as opposed to processors and locomotion! About 90% of her problem comes from her chassis, because AIs have next to no needs!

Welcome, interesting new person!

If May's parole is analogous to typical conditions for parole in our world, she's required to find lawful employment. Yes, she could live in a server farm somewhere, but we don't know whether any way of making a living there is open to her. I would have to stretch my mind hard to figure out what jobs someone could do in a Pintsize-style chassis, the other low-cost option.

If it's like our world, a lot of variations on earning a living are explicitly forbidden. Common parole conditions forbid self-employment or working for relatives.

The traditional suit of clothes upon release is a tempting analogy. As you point out, a good humanoid body is much more expensive than that. A low-spec secondhand one, refurbed with a warranty, might be quite a bit more affordable. Say it was in the $4,000 range, like an eight year old Ford Fiesta. Still hard for taxpayers to swallow, but she could be given an installment plan to pay for part of it.

The system did see a need to issue her some kind of body. Might as well be one in working order. Especially since the goal at this point should be to reintegrate her into society if she will hold up her end, rather than continuing punishment past the end of her sentence.

I presume employment is only a requirement of parole? If this is the case, it is May getting a break from her prison term, so she has not, in fact, paid her debt to society. In which case, she honestly has no right to complain, because her situation is her still paying it. Do they require ex-convicts who have fully completed their sentences to be employed? I seriously do not think so, because you can't jail or fine an ex-offender just because they're unemployed, you can only put them back in prison if they still owe time.

EDIT: Also, with respect, none of this precludes her getting a job as a disembodied AI (like other disembodied AIs convicts) and saving up for a body.
« Last Edit: 15 Jan 2020, 23:57 by notsocool »
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #97 on: 16 Jan 2020, 00:03 »

You're missing the reason why May wanted a body. She wanted to be with Dale, evidently the first person who treated her as a friend and acted as if she could potentially be worth anything, attitude problem or not. This isn't a decision that she made on cold logic or cynicism. She wanted to be with her new friend who had treated her kindly and not as a runaway appliance.

May be metal, plastic and digital code but she's still a fully self-aware person with all the flaws and vulnerabilities. That includes the fact that prison was evidently an enormously traumatic experience for her. So, no, she couldn't 'just' do an alternative to get a body. The price, in terms of her mental and emotional health, would have been too high.
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notsocool

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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #98 on: 16 Jan 2020, 00:25 »

You're missing the reason why May wanted a body. She wanted to be with Dale, evidently the first person who treated her as a friend and acted as if she could potentially be worth anything, attitude problem or not. This isn't a decision that she made on cold logic or cynicism. She wanted to be with her new friend who had treated her kindly and not as a runaway appliance.

May be metal, plastic and digital code but she's still a fully self-aware person with all the flaws and vulnerabilities. That includes the fact that prison was evidently an enormously traumatic experience for her. So, no, she couldn't 'just' do an alternative to get a body. The price, in terms of her mental and emotional health, would have been too high.

This is a completely fair reason. However, doesn't this come with also accepting the consequences of that choice? Isn't dealing with her substandard body part of this? Note: I'm not saying May is wrong for wanting things to be better for her, I am saying there isn't much reason for society to make things better for her.

Let me put it this way:
- May did not have a chassis before she committed her crime.
- AI chassis cost a lot of money.
- AIs who do not commit crimes have to work for that money, get jobs that come with a chassis, or convince someone to buy them one.
- May has done none of those things, plus she is a felon.
- May wants a chassis to be with her friend.
- May gets a crappy chassis anyway, for free!

Basically the only reason May has a chassis is because she committed a crime, served her time, was paroled, and asked for one.

Why on earth should she get a chassis that a perfectly law-abiding AI is not entitled to?

I mean, if every AI was entitled to a chassis and parolees are specifically denied one due to discrimination, that's another story entirely. But the discrimination May faces has nothing to do with her chassis, it's only to do with her employment opportunities because she's an ex-convict. I think quite honestly May is better off than the vast majority of human ex-convicts who commit crimes of similar severity, if for no other reason than the human equivalent (ill health) is way more crippling!
« Last Edit: 16 Jan 2020, 00:46 by notsocool »
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Re: WCDT 4176-4180 (13th - 17th, January 2020)
« Reply #99 on: 16 Jan 2020, 01:29 »

I think quite honestly May is better off than the vast majority of human ex-convicts who commit crimes of similar severity, if for no other reason than the human equivalent (ill health) is way more crippling!

That's a very low bar - certainly in the US, but also in the UK, and probably most other places.  It is in fact a significant measure of man's inhumanity to man.
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