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"Everything starts as somebody's daydream. And, when you're daydreaming, it is science fiction. It's when you start work out how you put it together, true science fiction becomes real science."
- Larry Niven
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| Adam Selene | ||
| A computer generates a human avatar for itself. |
In the novel, the computer called Mike takes the part of the leader in a lunar revolution - Adam Selene. As a computer, Mike can handle innumerable phone calls about the revolution without danger to the human participants. Eventually, it becomes necessary for Mike to show himself.
| "...what's to keep me from showing face, Man? I'm showing a voice this instant... I can show a face the same way."
Was so taken aback I didn't answer... I said, "No, Mike." "Why not, Man?" "Because you can't!. Voice you handle beautifully. Involves only a few thousand decisions a second, a slow crawl to you. But to build up a video picture would require, say, ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even think about it. But you aren't that fast." Mike said softly, "Want to bet, Man?" ...We waited in silence. Then screen showed neutral gray with a hint of scan lines. Went black again, then a faint light filled middle and congealed into cloudy areas light and dark, ellipsoid. Not a face, but suggestion of face that one sees in cloud patterns... It cleared a little and reminded me of pictures alleged to be ectoplasm. A ghost of a face. Suddenly firmed and we saw "Adam Selene." Was a still picture of a mature man. No background, just a face as if trimmed out of a print... Then he smiled, moving lips and jaw and touching tongue to lips, a quick gesture... |
| From The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,
by Robert Heinlein. Published by GP Putnam in 1966 Additional resources -
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Gerry was dubious. She had seen abortive attempts at paralysis rays before.
Let your fingers - uh - your robot do the walking. And hopping.
