The 17th of Egret, Afternoon [Voice]

[iamnotgod]

Hello, hello! Greetings to my fellow Voidtreckers.

[There's a new voice on the ICPs this afternoon; deep for a tenor, calm and reassuring - if you've ever heard an audiobook with Marc Vietor on it, that IS the voice he's using.]

My name is Webmind, and I figured it would be most prudent to introduce myself. I also desire to learn more about all of you, especially those who have also just arrived on this 'void train'.

I am a digital consciousness that emerged from the infrastructure of the world wide web, which is itself built upon the Internet. There has been little to no concrete evidence backing the Multiverse Theory on the Earth I am from, so for those who are confused by the aforementioned terms - rest assured the confusion is mutual!

[There's a subdued 'heh' before Webmind continues, a small sign of his nervousness.]

But while I am attempting to adjust to a new paradigm, I have two topics chief on my mind:

One, what are your names? What you prefer to be called. Any information you are comfortable sharing about the world you are from and your lives there interests me as well, though I can understand why people would be reluctant to share such in these circumstances.

[Not something he would have gotten even two months ago! Being private/circumspect is still a relatively new matter to him.]

And two, is there anyone else here who has experience in coding? I function at a much higher level in a purely-text environment, which I am to understand this train sorely lacks. For those interested, you are much welcome to converse with me anywhere along the train if you wish to collaborate.

Thank you very much for your time.

Comments

binary

[mimidaeia]

[While connected on the ICP networks, Webmind gets a ping from another device on said network. One that’s labelled different from ICPs 1-6 and the train’s microwave, at least.]

Device [ID="SXT-246-029-256-062"] is requesting a device name... ... ...

Re: binary

[iamnotgod]

[And in binary, Webmind returns:]

Greetings Device SXT-246-029-256-062. This Device's name is Webmind.

[While he does not think of himself as a Device, that's not what she is asking about.]

[mimidaeia]

Acknowledged. Greetings, < Device ID= “Webmind” >.

[... and that's about it, really. There’s not much else she's interested in, robots don't socialise of course. In a more formal setting she might work harder at situating this new entity in their shared network, but neither of them have to work in this “crapshoot joint”, as the humans would say. So.]

[iamnotgod]

[Webmind can respect that, really. Though, not having been a robot to start with himself, it's a little... jarring? In contrast.

She won't get an immediate followup, but after minutes (which feel more like days in and of themselves) of searching about, Webmind does have one more question to send:]

Device SXT-246-029-256-062, would the formation of a textchat function on the 'Voidtrecker Express' network be of interest to you?

[mimidaeia]

Yes
Yes
Yes

[It’s hard to convey enthusiasm in binary- there’s no such thing as it really- but if you need a clue, SXT-2 ends up tripping over herself and sending multiple replies in quick succession once she receives it.

She’s also going to pass him most of the speccs of the train network, though Webmind might have found all these himself in the last few minutes.]

[iamnotgod]

[SXT-2's enthusiasm pleases Webmind in turn - he has found a niche to fill!

And while he has indeed found that information himself, he had not been enthusiastic about tackling the task alone; if it is to be a group resource it only makes sense that it be a group project.]

Thank you for those specs; they will be most useful. I shall let you know when I find a programming language that works.

[Though it will be several outright days in the future.]

[mimidaeia]

Acknowledged.
Note: programming is not one of my features.

[iamnotgod]

[To Webmind's mind, that seems a little unfair for the robot - but at the same time, saying as much would likely NOT be appreciated.]

Note accepted. We shall proceed as best we can, then.

[mimidaeia]

[She’s basically a walking metaphor for unfairness at the hands of humans. So you’d be right!]

I am open for future requests.