Thorn
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World: Eclipse
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Post by Thorn on May 6, 2015 17:23:23 GMT
So, I mentioned something in another thread that.. the name of is going to get redacted again if I use it, so let's skip that...
Essentially, it is a virus with a multitude of transmission vectors (generally, bio-, nano-, digital, and brain-stimulus hijacks). Those transformed by it generally attempt to kill and/or convert those who have not, and may have other generally inexplicable goals, though those sometimes turn out to be endeavors to spread the infection. (Most cases of experiments being run seem to have involved the Titans themselves).
We have developed a variety of defenses against it, but it is an ever-present problem.
I have seen several references by other posters to things that, while likely not our particular problem, seem to be the same kind of existential risk. Should you wish to discuss those, and your security allow (I do not particularly wish to advise other users to circumvent security measures and classification unless you know what you're doing; most of ours, at least, are there for good reasons) -- what are they, and how do they cause problems?
(Note: While this thread is about discussing things like memetic threats, please do not post them directly. While I am running this through several layers of security, including a beta fork, other users may not have that level of protection. Also, I believe it is against forum rules.)
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Post by Leaf on May 6, 2015 17:33:50 GMT
Well, that's moderately terrifying.
Is the name of this thing hazardous in itself, or is there some other reason it would end up redacted if you tried to communicate it to us?
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Thorn
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Posts: 44
World: Eclipse
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Post by Thorn on May 6, 2015 19:43:47 GMT
The name is not hazardous in and of itself, it's merely that it is not commonly known or used outside of a certain set of people, and thus attracts attention. With time-dilated communications the security AI usually stops the message and suggests that you use a different term, but, ah, it seems to be interacting oddly with this board.
And yes. It is. It's a little like living in a tiny tin can habitat, knowing that hard vacuum is just a few handspans away. You get used to it, some, after a while.
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Post by Leaf on May 6, 2015 19:53:20 GMT
I'm not sure I would've drawn that analogy. I've spent plenty of time transiting vacuum in cans of varying size and composition,* and vacuum loses its terror pretty fast. It's a known factor. Its behaviour is utterly predictable. As long as you remember your safety lectures and don't do anything stupid, you'll almost certainly be fine.
If vacuum were alive and actively wanted to kill me, and was capable of taking steps towards that goal, then I would be terrified of it.
*Note to those not familiar with my universe: This is a metaphor. Spaceworthy vehicles are not made of cans.
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Thorn
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Posts: 44
World: Eclipse
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Post by Thorn on May 6, 2015 20:59:05 GMT
It's not a perfect analogy, yes. And I wouldn't have said that about many kinds of space habitats, but -- I suppose tin can habs, specifically, may be specific to my world; the reason I brought them up is that they tend to have very little in the way of safeties. (And I have hardly ever lived in any -- and that mostly during the Fall -- which may also be factoring into my assessment)
But yes, the vacuum has (fairly) constant traits. That is it's advantage over Earth, or the other quarantine zones.
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Post by Leaf on May 6, 2015 21:03:46 GMT
Quarantine zones?
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Post by Andrew on May 6, 2015 22:29:08 GMT
Wait, I assumed it was just a figure of speech the first time, but are your tin-can habitats literal tin cans of some sort? Can you give more details about them?
What was the Fall? Who or what are the Titans?
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Post by Archangel on May 6, 2015 22:52:01 GMT
Thorn, is this a single virus such that someone infected solely through a memetic vector can then infect people physically? What effects does it have other than making the infectees try to infect others?
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Thorn
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Post by Thorn on May 6, 2015 22:56:53 GMT
You would think by now I would have stopped making assumptions about shared background knowledge, especially since those of you with Earths seem to have them perfectly fine.
About 10 years ago, what was by most accounts a military netwar experiment involving seed AIs went... nasty. Hostilities flared up all across the planet, and quickly escalated into open war. It took us far too long to see the real culprits, even as they became more and more blatant in their tactics. And by the time it started to become clear...
Well. Suffice to say that Earth is a ruin covered in bio- and nano-plagues, larger bots that will kill anything they see, and the various effects of dozens of nukes, mass drivers, and an antimatter bomb. The other sites of Titan activity -- New Mumbai, the TQZ, etc. are fairly similar.
We were able to evacuate a good fraction of the population via the space elevators and egocasting, but most of the estimates on the survival rates I've seen are around one in sixteen.
Edit: I appear to have missed some responses while I was composing that. I'll try to get a response together.
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Thorn
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Post by Thorn on May 6, 2015 23:32:00 GMT
Okay. First, the tin can habs are not literally tin cans. It's just that they might as well be. --Um. They're on the very far edge of habitable without extremely specialized morphs. Generally a holdover from very early space colonization or used by people who are trying to hide. Last time we found some hunting an infection vector, there were dozens of them full of the dead. Not all of them were even killed by the infected.
I think I answered the questions about the Fall and such above.
Archangel, there are many different strains of what is generally accepted the to be the same sort of thing. The vectors aren't really the main points of differentiation, though -- generally once infection has occurred, it results in the production of that strain along several vectors.
Sometimes there are gross physical changes. Sometimes they work on projects we still don't understand what were or are for. Various kinds of reprogramming and slow takeovers, though those are thankfully rare. Exhibition of abilities that don't mes with our current understanding of physics. Probably more things that aren't coming immediately to mind.
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Post by Archangel on May 8, 2015 19:49:26 GMT
What happens if they succeed in contaminating everyone? You have the ability to create and run copies of people's minds; have you tried simulating a closed universe of a handful of individuals to see what the infected do after they win?
On that subject, the creation of beta forks would be extremely useful to the Foundation. Would you be willing to send information on the technology?
I can most likely offer some technology in trade if you're reluctant to send it on general principles of safety, but I can't share any details without authorization. Your time is either one or two centuries ahead of mine, but you probably don't have all the same things we do.
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Thorn
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Posts: 44
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Post by Thorn on May 10, 2015 3:15:59 GMT
Would you or your organization wish to run such a simulation, given that the contents would inherently have unknown infosec abilities? And simply observing it could result in the transmission or a memetic hazard? (Yes, you could run it through forks as I am doing with this forum, but I would expect, should it be a problem, for them to be constantly bombarded such to make transmission of any actual data nigh-impossible. And even that isn't an assurance of safety.)
Based on the data we do have (Earth, a few extrasolar worlds), I would hypothesize that the result, should they not either manage to break out and wreck havoc or realize they are in a simulation and throw the results, it would be the same incomprehensible patterns and bizarre experiments.
As for the forking technology, I would have to consult with some other people. Sending information over a probably-secure channel to a specific individual is less hazardous than posting it publicly, for obvious reasons, but still presents... difficulties. Compounding that problem is that that technology was developed around the time of the Fall and thus presents a small-but-not-neglible chance of transmitting the virus to your world.
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Post by Archangel on May 13, 2015 2:23:23 GMT
We might; it wouldn't be our first dangerous meme. More likely with the addition of forks, which would also assist with containment of the others. If the forking technology itself contains the virus then that would be too dangerous, and I for one don't want to rely on the rainbow protection. But if you're using forking without being infected now, it is most likely uninfected as well, correct?
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Thorn
Poster
Posts: 44
World: Eclipse
Pronoun: she/her/hers
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Post by Thorn on May 19, 2015 1:14:07 GMT
It cannot be ruled out; the virus has appeared in places with no explanation we could ever find before. If it was a large chance, we would simply refuse straight out. But even a tiny one is significant.
In any case. There is currently a raging debate in progress about this forum in general, including, sharing or trading technology, and your offer. If you are able to provide more information about why specifically it would be useful and the technology you suggested trading in return (by private message, if you would prefer), that might help conclude the relevant portion of the debate in a more timely manner.
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Post by gabriael on May 20, 2015 22:57:06 GMT
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