Author Topic: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.  (Read 2724 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline tirisilex

  • Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • OIC Points +0/-0
2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« on: March 14, 2012, 02:05:11 PM »
First.. I dont know the difference between Numeric Processor and a Language Processor.  The Computers we use today are Numeric correct? How does a Language Processor work?
My next question is about the Encryption program. It is said to have a RTG number but the cost chart says it has but one price? How are we to know the value and RTG if there is but one price? How do we know what RTG number to use so it is effective?
 :o :o

Offline tirisilex

  • Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2012, 08:24:18 PM »
Well.. Ive been checking this site everyday to see if I can get a reply. So If you arent posting because you think I wont get it for the reason that I dont come here often.. please answer..
 
:o

Offline providence13

  • Navigator
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,944
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2012, 01:09:43 AM »
Howdy, sorry to leave you hanging so long. I haven't played in a long time, but I did once. I still have a few books to boot.
I'll have to re-absorb some of this. I haven't looked at it in years, so bare with me.

My C-space book talks about this on pg 126 and 127. The type of OS determines the Computer Type. There are 4 main ones..
Numeric - Billion instructions/sec; dumb labor bots. OS$ (.1) as core. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second
Language - Household bots you can talk with. OS$(.2) as core.
Neuro - Translates between bio and electronic;NAC. OS$(.3) as core.
Cyberdeck - A specialized Neuroprocessor. OS$(.5) as core.

On pg 130, you can see that different Machine Languages can be learned for each of the 4 types of processors (#, L, N, D). For the most part, all this does is give you a bonus if you have the skill. 
If you're talking with a computer that controls hydrazine thrusters on a Mars Lander, then it's probably been programmed in Paracom; for instance..

For Encryption programs, I assumed it was $500/Rtg #. There might be some errata here on the forums.

Hope I didn't lead you too far astray. I'll have to study this better when I have more time.
My copy of this is a 1st printing from 1989. Don't assume the game will make total sense for the computer world of today.  :)
"The Lore spell assaults your senses- Roll on the spontaneous human combustion table; twice!"

Offline tirisilex

  • Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2012, 04:38:37 PM »
So Language processors are bot specific?

Offline providence13

  • Navigator
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,944
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2012, 12:38:22 AM »
They could be, or just brand name specific. But maybe most everyone in this area uses this kind and people in that area use another kind.
The City Police might use a different one than the Robovac apartment cleaner or the Tastee Ghoul drive-through could have another. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_(role-playing_game)

It sounds like anything with a Language Processor is a device you can talk to. It can infer your meaning from conversation, tone, inflection, what you type, what you don't type, what you typed last week..
"They are ostensibly aware of linguistic patterns.. possess subconscious levels of activity where hardwired rules of communication interact.."

It does say that LP's aren't as fast as Numeric Processors (pg127)

In my humble opinion, LP's are easier for most people to deal with; easier to use. Lower Empathy Stat individuals are less likely to blow them away.

How this applies to the game is up to you. Every where people interact with machines, there is likely a LP handling the interface.
A Numeric Processor could do the job, but the answers might be repetitive after a while.
"To check your account balance, press one, or say one, now." This program can perform many tasks but it's only so skilled at inferring meaning. "I'm sorry. I didn't get that."
If you say anything that the computer doesn't understand, it might ask for the info again, or transfer you to a real body who can understand you. People are expensive to staff and can do less specialized tasks.

In Cyberspace, that real body might just be a Lang Processor who's only job is to infer your meaning. 
Maybe it can have a real Turing Test (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test) conversation with you. Maybe it can't. But it will be able to use your input data (voice) and not only infer your meaning, but give you a result that leaves you satisfied. But it might not be able to do many other tasks..

I have a pretty darn smart phone. It does a few of the things I tell it to do. It doesn't congratulate me on the idea or pleasantly respond that it will remind me of something if asked. It is not an Iphone. That's ok with me. It does remind me though!
Looking at those commercials, my phone isn't less advanced, it's just less pat on the back supportive. I don't have an emotional phone. I don't have a Language Processor Phone.


Further Reading:
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/computer-speech-and-language/
I use to think that all processor cores would be numeric, but these people might disagree.

Here's a small list of modern Languages.
http://www.webhostingschool.com/best-computer-language-guide
« Last Edit: April 17, 2012, 12:57:43 AM by providence13 »
"The Lore spell assaults your senses- Roll on the spontaneous human combustion table; twice!"

Offline Guillaume

  • Wise Elder
  • ***
  • Posts: 889
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Kulthean Fanatic
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2012, 01:34:26 AM »
Consider that today there's 2 main types of processors :
- CISC ( Complex Instruction Set Computers )
- RISC ( Reduced Instruction Set Computers )

That both are incompatible with each other, so the same software has to be developed and compiled for each.
( well unless you use an interpreted programming language or Java and assimilated )

RISC processors, at a given frequency, are usually faster than CISC ones but as they have a limited set of instruction, they have to simulate the complex ones from a CISC processor, and it can take times.

Then for each kind you have two category :
- Low Endian
- High Endian

This one is complex to explain, it's on how the 8/16/32 lower bits relates in registers with the 8/16/32 high bits... and how memory is adressed. Anyway for the purpose of the explanation here it doesn't matter.
And it's evident that here again the instructions are incompatible.

So the mix of the two makes 4 kind of processors. ( ok, most of those we see every day are CISC Low Endians. But I have personally worked with RISC Big Endians )

That in turn generate 4 main category of machine language. This is what is related in Cyberspace rules more or less when it comes to language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endianness
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduced_instruction_set_computer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_instruction_set_computer
514 to see, 416 to lock, 614 to shot...Target downed...Ask the marines to pick up the pieces.

RM, RM2, RMSS, RMFRP, HARP,  MERP, Cyberspace, SM, SM2, SM:P, Star Strike, Armored Assault, SD , SD : The Next Millenium, Bladestorm, Battle of the Five Armies .... Collecting ICE production since the epoch...

Offline markc

  • Elder Loremaster
  • ****
  • Posts: 10,697
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: 2 things I'm having a hard time with.
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2012, 08:11:34 AM »
Great example!
MDC
Bacon Law: A book so good all PC's need to be recreated.
Rule #0: A GM has the right to change any rule in a book to fit their game.
Role Play not Roll Play.
Use a System to tell the story do not let the system play you.