also dont forget theres a peice of Datachasers art on Ebay you can buy it for just 20.00 :D go check it out.. Art auction I get part of the moneys collected .this is a good thing!
So, we know where those two groups are at this one point in time. Can we get a short note on where everyone else is at this moment? (i.e. is this before or after Acantha introduces Lynn to Aeneas, etc.)
I'm sure Rose is snug as a bug in a rug over in Shinedo, but where is everyone else, timeline-wise?
What was Robert Heinlein's famous line? "A well-armed society may not be a safe society, but it certainly is a polite one." ?
Remember that Mr. Black, at least, grew up in a *very* well-armed society that was far, far outside what any of the inhabitants of "New" would consider civilized. There's a reason that "Ma'am" and "Sir" are liberally sprinkled through his vocabulary.
As a side note, bear in mind that both "Sir" and "Ma'am" can be pronounced at least twenty different ways. I'll let Major Ramsey explain that part.
Of the 20 at least 15 are a deadly insult in several cultures. Yes that is a very close quotation from Heinlein I believe it was in "The Notebook of Lazarus Long."
They are a long way from Nova Roman airspace. If their security was compromised and they were being tracked that closely, someone would have taken a shot at them already.
It's a given that they're being tracked. Air traffic control, even in relatively trusting societies tends to watch areas hundreds of miles across. The problem isn't that a high-bandwidth, encrypted, etc transmission will get them *detected*. The problem is that a slightly shabby free-trader vessel isn't likely to have that kind of high-bandwidth, high security communications gear...which might compromise their cover story. As with most covert operations (and sleight-of-hand magic tricks), it's not what the other guy *sees*, it's what you make him *think* he sees.
Actually I prefer to have Fire Control through a Cray 5000 no fuss no muss no over or under kill. Use toasters and coffeepots you get too much collateral damage, and the toaster burns the English Muffins.
You can't triangulate a point of reception, because that's a passive thing that doesn't put out any signals to measure and compare. A receiver can be located anywhere that the transmitter can be detected from, and is untraceable. Now, with two-way communications, both ends have both transmitters and receivers, so either can be traced *while transmitting*.
Now, it should (hopefully) be obvious that for Dr. Silver to see Ceci and connect to her, that Ceci *is* transmitting (otherwise Dr. Silver wouldn't be able to see/"hear" her at all, or receive any data about the chihuahua's poor restriction and directive addled condition to be able to know what to do to fix it, much less know there's anything wrong with it).
So it is feasible that Ceci's location can be traced, but not necessarily identified as the recipient of Dr. Silver's transmission unless both sets of signals are analyzed and compared. Identification would then be a matter of logic based on comparing the transmitted signals and figuring out that one transmission is a response to the other.
A simple example: someone talking through a megaphone or loudspeaker. You can figure out where the person talking through it is, but not where exactly the person they're speaking *to* is, because they could be anywhere that they could hear the speaker from. Unless they're saying things back to the speaker, and you can also hear them.
You can't triangulate the reception, but almost any transfer protocol requires some kind of "ok" signal from the target. THAT can be triangulated. But considering the relative required bandwidth, the latter is far less obvious.
Velvet - That is supposing that the communications is omni-directional, like radio waves. If they are using something else, like microwaves or lasers it, might be directional. That cuts down on who COULD intercept it. If someone was in position to intercept it though they would have a much better chance to determine the reception point.
Actually, it *could* be HF, VHF, or UHF using a tight-beam directional antenna. Laser requires direct, uninterrupted line of sight, and Ceci's indoors. Microwave....I'm not as familiar with microwave. As for securing the connection, let's not forget frequency hopping techniques.
True, I was just using those as examples not a conclusive list of all possible methods. And I'm not sure if frequency hopping would keep someone from detecting you. READING it, absolutely. Detecting it and tracking it... I wouldn't think frequency hopping would impact that with proper radio tracking equipment.
Oh and can you tell me one of the pioneers of frequency hopping technology? :-)
And another question; Was Connie able to effect the data transmission in any way? Would an incomplete version be corrupted, or would it just fail to download?
That's a good question, Catt. Tech-wise, I *do* know IT and radio communications (and the two types of technology merge/crossover with wireless networking). I *don't*, however, have any way to know how communications systems will have advanced in 2000 years.
It really depends on how the interfaces are designed to function. If it works similar to current software updating, where it downloads the update, then installs it (which is probably what it does, for safety and reliability reasons) it will just fail. If it updates on-the-fly (meaning, installing each bit of data at the same time as it downloads, it will be corrupted and will be at best completely unusable by Ceci, at worst giving bad/wrong/partial/conflicting/confusing advice that leads to her death and likely Dolly's.
Most likely, any advanced system will have a correction/confirmation routine for it's compressed & encsrypted file transfer protocol, so that it can validate wether or not the data is in good shape, before applying them.
Thete's also the possibility of partial retrieval, where some of the data is not corrupted and can be used as is.
There's an entire science behind stuff like this. :)
Maybe they'll get lucky and receive an incoming from that way station Dolly and Ceci just left, Then the Cowboy can added Beauty to his Beast in the form of the recently disposed Gutter APC? Now as to Beast being fired upon I'm sure it would be the first time but he's got a thick skin.
dougwarner59: It's never too late to comment. CentComm and Rose are pretty awesome people and their fans make up the best commenting section I have encountered to date. Smart, funny and best of all...no trolls. I enjoy the comments almost as much as I enjoy Data Chasers.
Too bad others don't follow your example. I'm all for free speech, but have found that anonymity entitles some people to indulge in breathtakingly awful behavior. Why anyone would find it fun escapes me.
I "could" disable non CF comments but I dont want to block off people that may not want to or cant log in. ( although every subscription helps Datachasers get more popular on comic fury )
Just another example of a fantastic comic. A lively comment section shows that the readers are engaged and interested in knowing more about all aspects of the "world" and the characters. Having a two way conversation with the writer/artist is just icing on the cake!!
ive read lots of comics where the artist is stand offish or doesnt repsond - and others where the artist / creators do take part .. and I dont want my readers to ever think we dont care about them. we do. we might not always make you happy because the charcters have to do what they are slated for., but it doesnt mean we dont listen.. :D
Rose: Mostly, I find your cynicism funny. I don't find it hateful at all. It's good that you don't beat around the bush. I don't know if the character Tokyo Rose is based on your personality, but I find that she is by far the most interesting character in Data Chasers. You don't comment all that much, so it's kind of a treat for me when you do.
Rose doesn't seem to me as casually murderous as Tiny Tina, but I have to agree in general. Tina cracks me up as much as Rose does. I think it's the different outlook both have compared to everyone else.
I wonder if Major Ramsey and Dr Silver would get along better if they weren't always forced together but meet in a social setting? Mind you once both get over each others business induced hatred and relax more.
yes.. contrary to what it appears, we are very good friends.... I trust Dr. Silver with my life.. and that doesn't come lightly from me.. and Dr. Silver may not always approve of what I have to do.. or what I do.. but she knows how important things are.... in a social setting, lets just say that she is far more adept at rubbing elbows with the upper elite than I am.. and as centcom said.. we are from very very different circles..
Dolly "Why is CeCi acting so strange?"
Mira "Someone just uploaded all their porn to her .. there's a LOT."
*meanwhile, aboard the Beast*
Marcus "You did WHAT ?"
Dr. Silver "Hee he he he." :D
Marcus "WHY ?"
Dr. Silver "well, weren't we supposed to slow her down ?"
Marcus "Oh .. well ... I guess."
Dr. Silver "Oh dear, I seem to have added the stuff from the Noodle Incident."
Marcus "What? NO!!"
Dr. Silver >_<
Don't forget, she's got that pleasure doll programming with all that instructional porn too. I'm not sure that whoever she first tries all that stuff out on will survive the experience. What a way to go though.
o/` His Defiant, with its thrusters, will explode in your wormhole
and he'll rub his trusty spangler wrench on your warpcore manifold
his multiphasic torpedo, will penetrate your rift
and cause a quantum singularity in your transwarp conduit o/`
Umm...yeah...thanks for putting those images in my head. They're not unwelcome, mind you, it's just going to take a long time before they stop distracting me.
I have my suspicions about the Good Ranger. I think he was getting close in order to run a high level scan on CeCi. He patted Dolly's buns as well. (Much to his own risk.) What a smooth operator!
...What?...Oh, sorry. I was kinda distracted for a moment. Logrin may have been onto something Sheela, but his dynamic with Ceci seemed more like that of a friendly uncle. Her demeanor when not focused on the mission is rather childlike. As for the rest, she's not really had a chance to use that programming.
I'll admit, this stuff is rather funny. :D Said in good (perverted) humor, I know.
However, I also find it a bit disturbing. After all, Ceci insists on referring to Dolly as "Mommy". And she really looks up to Dolly as a role model and parental figure. So, to imply Ceci gets programmed with an urge to give Dolly pleasure...
*Slips marcus A small Credit chip and Dr silvers home address and the web addy of a Descreet delivery service that will Wallpaper and put up 3d holograms of Calli All over DR silvers place in revenge for this*
I have no need to get my revenge... every time Dr. Silver opens her mouth and complains about something... is vengeance enough.. I beleive a eairly 21st century band had a song about this... "I Dont Care"
Imagine Silver getting home opens her door steps into the darkened home calls out lights...and her house AI answers in Callis voice....and then the lights come on and Calli wallpaper calli Pictures and hollos all over.....
I defy you to not Grin imagining silver's reaction
I'm sure Rose is snug as a bug in a rug over in Shinedo, but where is everyone else, timeline-wise?
Remember that Mr. Black, at least, grew up in a *very* well-armed society that was far, far outside what any of the inhabitants of "New" would consider civilized. There's a reason that "Ma'am" and "Sir" are liberally sprinkled through his vocabulary.
As a side note, bear in mind that both "Sir" and "Ma'am" can be pronounced at least twenty different ways. I'll let Major Ramsey explain that part.
That was a man well ahead of his time.
Datachasers reminds me of Friday by Heinlein. And Luna Star brings to mind The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress to me. :-)
[BTW: Summer is now on duty!]
( All these 'Secret Missions' are already starting starting assault each others toes!)
[There is also that unexplained matter of how it was known when and where Lynn Taylor could be kidnapped.]
*sage nod*
*(Comic 975, Panel 1)
Because that upload need a corresponding download on Ceci's part...
*worries about Ceci and Dolly*
Now, it should (hopefully) be obvious that for Dr. Silver to see Ceci and connect to her, that Ceci *is* transmitting (otherwise Dr. Silver wouldn't be able to see/"hear" her at all, or receive any data about the chihuahua's poor restriction and directive addled condition to be able to know what to do to fix it, much less know there's anything wrong with it).
So it is feasible that Ceci's location can be traced, but not necessarily identified as the recipient of Dr. Silver's transmission unless both sets of signals are analyzed and compared. Identification would then be a matter of logic based on comparing the transmitted signals and figuring out that one transmission is a response to the other.
A simple example: someone talking through a megaphone or loudspeaker. You can figure out where the person talking through it is, but not where exactly the person they're speaking *to* is, because they could be anywhere that they could hear the speaker from. Unless they're saying things back to the speaker, and you can also hear them.
Lets just hope their firewalls are up to date.
Oh and can you tell me one of the pioneers of frequency hopping technology? :-)
It really depends on how the interfaces are designed to function. If it works similar to current software updating, where it downloads the update, then installs it (which is probably what it does, for safety and reliability reasons) it will just fail. If it updates on-the-fly (meaning, installing each bit of data at the same time as it downloads, it will be corrupted and will be at best completely unusable by Ceci, at worst giving bad/wrong/partial/conflicting/confusing advice that leads to her death and likely Dolly's.
Thete's also the possibility of partial retrieval, where some of the data is not corrupted and can be used as is.
There's an entire science behind stuff like this. :)
Don't let the busyness of the comments section scare you away though - you are most welcome here. :)
[How about lightning discharges then?]
[Or termites building an arch?]
Balls of lightning .. yeah !
and its FREE!
["It's just a jump to the left.
And then step to the right..."]
Voted too!
Mira "Someone just uploaded all their porn to her .. there's a LOT."
*meanwhile, aboard the Beast*
Marcus "You did WHAT ?"
Dr. Silver "Hee he he he." :D
Marcus "WHY ?"
Dr. Silver "well, weren't we supposed to slow her down ?"
Marcus "Oh .. well ... I guess."
Dr. Silver "Oh dear, I seem to have added the stuff from the Noodle Incident."
Marcus "What? NO!!"
Dr. Silver >_<
[or the equivalent thereof]
and he'll rub his trusty spangler wrench on your warpcore manifold
his multiphasic torpedo, will penetrate your rift
and cause a quantum singularity in your transwarp conduit o/`
Enjoy! :D
And out your go!
Just what that was
We'll never know!
[Supermoon tomorrow night!]
I mean, Logrin was on to something there, but all that amounted to was a super ranger tickle attack.
He was information gathering on Dolly and CeCi .. though he did it in a rather unusual way. He learned a LOT about them, during their visit.
[In fact there seems to be a significant amount of 'movement' out there in 'the tall grass'!]
So did Dusty!
However, I also find it a bit disturbing. After all, Ceci insists on referring to Dolly as "Mommy". And she really looks up to Dolly as a role model and parental figure. So, to imply Ceci gets programmed with an urge to give Dolly pleasure...
Imagine Silver getting home opens her door steps into the darkened home calls out lights...and her house AI answers in Callis voice....and then the lights come on and Calli wallpaper calli Pictures and hollos all over.....
I defy you to not Grin imagining silver's reaction