[ Harold's eyes are practically lighting up as Gorgug keeps talking. He can see the possibilities here, too, and he's been in Etraya long enough to be far past skepticism over magic. Gorgug himself was a big influence in his acceptance of that, and he spares a thought to consider later if they should bring Jayce Tallis in on this as well. Harold isn't totally sure he's trustworthy yet, in that naïveté can be just as dangerous as malice, but he seemed very assured of his capabilities in melding technology and magic. ]
We'll have to proceed cautiously, [ he says out loud, partly as a reminder to himself against his burgeoning enthusiasm; Harold is always advising caution. He definitely wouldn't recommend hooking up any of Gorgug's semi-sentient bots to a surveillance network right away for a whole host of reasons. ] This is uncharted territory -- but it does have enormous potential.
I strongly advise we keep the network intelligence wholly separate from your bots, for security reasons if nothing else. They should communicate, of course, but we want to expose the network intelligence to as little outside access as possible.
[ Is he getting suckered into setting up another Machine...? The thought is highly uncomfortable. But no -- Harold knows how much that entails, and he isn't going to go that far. Even if he has to damper some of Gorgug's own enthusiasm to ensure it. He just can't explain his reservations without getting personal, so he hopes he can come across as older, wiser, and more risk averse from simple experience. ]
I'd love to learn how your crystals work, [ he adds with utter sincerity. ] Perhaps experimenting there is a good first step.
[ Gorgug nods first to the idea of keeping the network separate. He's not even sure how any of his past or current constructions would handle access to so much information, except for Cloaca--taking the opportunity to express itself to anyone and everyone both its faults and Gorgug's own achievements by repeatedly sharing about how much it sucks, and how much Gorgug rules.
We don't think about how it came to be programmed that way, and why it still comes out even now.
But what they have here is a potential: for both a means of communicating away and off Aurora's network, but also for guarding, security. Gorgug is far more comfortable with the latter, even if the project itself has been overwhelming in his head from the get go (and still, he's wanted to do it anyway--he hates the idea of being fucked with without a chance to defend himself). But while he's the one to put forward this idea, to explain mixing their two strengths together, he does duck his head, his voice becoming-- shy. ]
Okay. [ ... ] I don't show people the way I work a lot, so-- but if we know the kind we want... something that can watch outside, and detect things, and stay hidden, I can make one and-- I'll show you, I guess, when I activate it? But its shell... [ He brings out his hands, a loose cupping shape. ] Its body-- it's kind of, uh, the work on the body... helps calibrate the crystal when I fix it up, too. I'm putting my magic into something when I make it.
I know that's different from-- other AI. But-- but I think the two can mix, [ he adds hurriedly, not wanting to damper their good mood here.
But this is also--personal, and it feels exposing in a way that's different from showing his workings to his teacher, or discussing them with Riz. Harold doesn't even know magic, but he knows technology, and it's the worry of showing the inside and having the flaws potentially be perceived, the parts that Gorgug decides is good enough for now, that he'll work on later. It's showing a part of his mind, too: how for every bot he makes and their function, he needs to still understand everything he wants for them, on top of giving them a body that can fulfil those needs. A bird that knows how to fly, and has the wings to properly do so.
It's nerve-wrecking! H-he's gotta make his best bot yet here! ]
I don't share my work very often either, [ Harold admits, smiling slightly to soften the exchange.
He's experienced enough that he doesn't balk at doing it when it makes sense, like now, but he certainly doesn't seek out collaborators. Acting as a mentor or teacher, though... that he's done quite a few times. And he well understands how deeply personal someone's work can be, so he treads gently. ]
We'll both have to figure it out as we go. I'm not intending to make a traditional A.I., so coming up with something new would be my preference in any case.
[ He nods, not entirely sure what a traditional A.I. would be for Harold (not what he's got watching the library, probably?), but if he's not going for tradition, Gorgug can't argue regardless. But there is a thought, an idea as he glances at the screen of the laptop, and that he has a server already somewhere... ]
Do you... want to do a test run, with-- in here? [ Gorgug points, first at the laptop, and then pointing upward. ] If you have a set up, we could-- I could make your library a defender. An observer? Something small-- a bird?
[ It's Harold. Of course Gorgug's going to suggest a bird! ]
If we hook it up to your cameras, then it can-- it can check the area. Have its own camera in its eyes. Something simple to begin with, but we can.. upgrade it, later. If you wanted to.
[ If he'd even want to keep it? ...but making a tiny bird would be kinda cute. And um. Cool! ]
[ There's a kneejerk reflex in him to refuse, Harold's innate enthusiasm dampened over time by loss, but he pushes past it. It just scares him to think that he's here doing this again. He'll have to decide on some very clear bright lines for himself before he gets too deep into it, lines he won't go past... observing and not defending, indeed. He can't bear to put any kind of weapon into a computer's hands.
But working with Gorgug makes it a little easier, because it's so wholly different from anything he's done before. Harold said non-traditional but what he meant was new. He needs to do something new.
A robot bird is, well, entirely new. And so despite himself, he's deeply intrigued. ]
I've never done something that has its intelligence in a physical body, but it's a good idea. I wonder how convincingly birdlike we could make it? [ Harold muses. ] Having some that are obvious and some that are hard to spot would be the preferred arrangement... [ People might notice the obvious ones and miss the subtler ones. ]
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We'll have to proceed cautiously, [ he says out loud, partly as a reminder to himself against his burgeoning enthusiasm; Harold is always advising caution. He definitely wouldn't recommend hooking up any of Gorgug's semi-sentient bots to a surveillance network right away for a whole host of reasons. ] This is uncharted territory -- but it does have enormous potential.
I strongly advise we keep the network intelligence wholly separate from your bots, for security reasons if nothing else. They should communicate, of course, but we want to expose the network intelligence to as little outside access as possible.
[ Is he getting suckered into setting up another Machine...? The thought is highly uncomfortable. But no -- Harold knows how much that entails, and he isn't going to go that far. Even if he has to damper some of Gorgug's own enthusiasm to ensure it. He just can't explain his reservations without getting personal, so he hopes he can come across as older, wiser, and more risk averse from simple experience. ]
I'd love to learn how your crystals work, [ he adds with utter sincerity. ] Perhaps experimenting there is a good first step.
no subject
We don't think about how it came to be programmed that way, and why it still comes out even now.
But what they have here is a potential: for both a means of communicating away and off Aurora's network, but also for guarding, security. Gorgug is far more comfortable with the latter, even if the project itself has been overwhelming in his head from the get go (and still, he's wanted to do it anyway--he hates the idea of being fucked with without a chance to defend himself). But while he's the one to put forward this idea, to explain mixing their two strengths together, he does duck his head, his voice becoming-- shy. ]
Okay. [ ... ] I don't show people the way I work a lot, so-- but if we know the kind we want... something that can watch outside, and detect things, and stay hidden, I can make one and-- I'll show you, I guess, when I activate it? But its shell... [ He brings out his hands, a loose cupping shape. ] Its body-- it's kind of, uh, the work on the body... helps calibrate the crystal when I fix it up, too. I'm putting my magic into something when I make it.
I know that's different from-- other AI. But-- but I think the two can mix, [ he adds hurriedly, not wanting to damper their good mood here.
But this is also--personal, and it feels exposing in a way that's different from showing his workings to his teacher, or discussing them with Riz. Harold doesn't even know magic, but he knows technology, and it's the worry of showing the inside and having the flaws potentially be perceived, the parts that Gorgug decides is good enough for now, that he'll work on later. It's showing a part of his mind, too: how for every bot he makes and their function, he needs to still understand everything he wants for them, on top of giving them a body that can fulfil those needs. A bird that knows how to fly, and has the wings to properly do so.
It's nerve-wrecking! H-he's gotta make his best bot yet here! ]
no subject
He's experienced enough that he doesn't balk at doing it when it makes sense, like now, but he certainly doesn't seek out collaborators. Acting as a mentor or teacher, though... that he's done quite a few times. And he well understands how deeply personal someone's work can be, so he treads gently. ]
We'll both have to figure it out as we go. I'm not intending to make a traditional A.I., so coming up with something new would be my preference in any case.
no subject
Do you... want to do a test run, with-- in here? [ Gorgug points, first at the laptop, and then pointing upward. ] If you have a set up, we could-- I could make your library a defender. An observer? Something small-- a bird?
[ It's Harold. Of course Gorgug's going to suggest a bird! ]
If we hook it up to your cameras, then it can-- it can check the area. Have its own camera in its eyes. Something simple to begin with, but we can.. upgrade it, later. If you wanted to.
[ If he'd even want to keep it? ...but making a tiny bird would be kinda cute. And um. Cool! ]
no subject
But working with Gorgug makes it a little easier, because it's so wholly different from anything he's done before. Harold said non-traditional but what he meant was new. He needs to do something new.
A robot bird is, well, entirely new. And so despite himself, he's deeply intrigued. ]
I've never done something that has its intelligence in a physical body, but it's a good idea. I wonder how convincingly birdlike we could make it? [ Harold muses. ] Having some that are obvious and some that are hard to spot would be the preferred arrangement... [ People might notice the obvious ones and miss the subtler ones. ]
Yes-- let's start with that.