Alien Stones, the charts

Michael Andre-Driussi · 11 Feb 2003, 16:28 · from urth-v0302.mbox · original

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From: Michael Andre-Driussi <mantis at siriusfiction.com>
Subject: (urth) Alien Stones, the charts
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 08:28:11 -0800
Message-ID: <urth-v0302-2928 at digest.urth.net>
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Fernando Q. Gouvea wrote:
>On re-reading "Alien Stones", I did find myself wondering about one thing:
>if the aliens are some form of artificial intelligence, why do they have
>star charts that the captain can inspect? Wouldn't any such charts simply
>be kept as software? Is this just a slip of Wolfe's imagination (Homer nods
>again?) or is there something I'm missing?

Hey, that book seminar sounds like a lot of fun!

As for the charts.  IIRC, the aliens are kinda sorta robotic rather than
"pure thought" A.I. entities.

Possible reasons for physical charts:

1) It is good to have hardcopy!

2) They might not be real tools, they might just be art objects recalling
earlier times.

3) They might just be toys for soft lifes to play with when they come
visiting, like the amusements in the waiting/screening room at a doctor's
office (magazines, toys).

=3Dmantis=3D

--=20

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