selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

Carlos looked at Hancock in curiosity. He sort of wanted to hear that story. But to answer his question…

“Well, they’re usually programmed to detect errors and tell you about it,” Carlos told him. “But machines do what they’re told to do despite everything. It’s really only their physical capacity that might stop them, like shutting down when it gets overheated.”

He glanced over at him when he noticed the look, only offering a wink in response, more to watch Carlos’ confusion at trying to decipher that than as any actual explanation. “So….. if they can still run as long as the shit that needs to be there to make ‘em turn on and shit is there….. is that why so many’a those robots try to attack anythin’ that moves? I assume they weren’t programmed to do that in the first place, yeah?”

Carlos glanced at Hancock. “Uh, well I suppose it depends on the robot,” he said. “There’s the military robots, of course, that are filled with all sorts of prewar-time programming. They probably understand only that the states were under attack, and without anyone to declare peacetime they remain active.”

Carlos extracted another part from the terminal and looked over it. It would need new wires, but other than that it would be fine.

“Though I’ve also heard about public service robots that attack,” Carlos said. “Sometimes, in that case, the robot will have a program in place for self-preservation. Again, it’s just a case of nobody being able to turn it off.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

“Well, it’s not like when someone gets a broken leg,” Carlos started to explain. “A machine doesn’t usually have the capacity to think ‘hey, I’m broken, I should probably not be running’. If you turn it on, it will try to work. If the connections aren’t there, then there will be an error message, but it will still try to execute commands.”

“Heh, can’t say I’ve never run on a broken leg, actually.” He shrugged, a small smile on his face as he sat back to lean against the couch and watch more comfortably. “So these things know something’s up but don’t quit despite that? I had no idea.”

Carlos looked at Hancock in curiosity. He sort of wanted to hear that story. But to answer his question…

“Well, they’re usually programmed to detect errors and tell you about it,” Carlos told him. “But machines do what they’re told to do despite everything. It’s really only their physical capacity that might stop them, like shutting down when it gets overheated.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

“Yeah, sort of,” Carlos said. “But a lot of these things are built into the terminal, so it’s kind of like removing your appendix and gallbladder too. And one kidney.” Come to think of it, there was a lot of things that the human body could live without. Toes, hair… Okay, he forgot for a bit who he was hanging out with. Carlos decided to get off of that train of thought and turned his attention back to the terminal, making mental notes of which wires needed replacing and how he could do that.

“That…. makes a lot more sense when ya put it that way.” He nodded as he sat back again, giving Carlos a bit more space to work without crowding him. “I never really thought of a terminal as like a body, always figured technology and shit had to have all its bits and pieces in order to work.”

“Well, it’s not like when someone gets a broken leg,” Carlos started to explain. “A machine doesn’t usually have the capacity to think ‘hey, I’m broken, I should probably not be running’. If you turn it on, it will try to work. If the connections aren’t there, then there will be an error message, but it will still try to execute commands.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos just smiled at him. “Don’t be sorry – it’s great to ask questions! Otherwise people wouldn’t learn anything new. There are a couple things that can be ignored and not affect the rest of the terminal’s main function. The ports for additional hardware, like for headsets or turrets aren’t strictly needed. Neither are the in-terminal speakers. It can even work without fans for a while, though it’d overheat and shut off without proper air flow.”

“Really? That’s so weird.” The ghoul hummed as he leaned in closer to check the terminal out. It was obvious he didn’t understand much about what the other was talking about, he didn’t have any experience with technology beyond writing or playing games on his terminal, not many did. “So…. why is that? What is it about those things that make ‘em…. optional, I guess?”

“Yeah, sort of,” Carlos said. “But a lot of these things are built into the terminal, so it’s kind of like removing your appendix and gallbladder too. And one kidney.” Come to think of it, there was a lot of things that the human body could live without. Toes, hair… Okay, he forgot for a bit who he was hanging out with. Carlos decided to get off of that train of thought and turned his attention back to the terminal, making mental notes of which wires needed replacing and how he could do that.

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

“No, actually, a holotape driver isn’t necessary,” Carlos explained. “A lot of models come with them, but you don‘t necessarily need one for every-day function. It’ll just give you an error message that you can dismiss and continue on with the memory that’s already on the terminal.”

“That’s…… huh.” He furrowed his brows as he stared at the terminal, trying to figure out exactly how that worked. “So…. are there other things you can take out without the whole thing goin’ whacky? Is it safe to do that? I’m sorry, I just don’t get how you can take parts outta somethin’ and have it still work right.”

Carlos just smiled at him. “Don’t be sorry – it’s great to ask questions! Otherwise people wouldn’t learn anything new. There are a couple things that can be ignored and not affect the rest of the terminal’s main function. The ports for additional hardware, like for headsets or turrets aren’t strictly needed. Neither are the in-terminal speakers. It can even work without fans for a while, though it’d overheat and shut off without proper air flow.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

“I can take it out now,” Carlos said. “The rest of the terminal will work – it’ll just give you a warning letting you know that the drive isn’t attached. But if you just don’t put any holotapes in then it won’t run.”

“Really? Taking it out ain’t gonna make the rest of it worse? How does that work? I’m sorry for all the questions, I just….. don’t really get any of this, y’know? I’m tryin’ to learn though.”

“No, actually, a holotape driver isn’t necessary,” Carlos explained. “A lot of models come with them, but you don‘t necessarily need one for every-day function. It’ll just give you an error message that you can dismiss and continue on with the memory that’s already on the terminal.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos looked at it. “Well… there’s two options,” he said. I can solder it back in place and the connections will work as good as new. But I’d have to be creative with how to apply that since I doubt you have a soldering gun lying around… or spare solder.” Carlos set the piece down. “The other option is to wait until we can get a replacement for it. It still has some use… but in the state, it is a little dangerous and risks burning out more of the parts inside and shorting out.”

His frown deepened as he stared down at the console, considering Carlos’ words. He didn’t really want to get rid of the part, but if it was putting the rest of the terminal in danger, what other option did he have? “Well……. I don’t want it fuckin’ everything else up, What can ya do for now to make sure everythin’ else works while we figure out how to fix that?”

“I can take it out now,” Carlos said. “The rest of the terminal will work – it’ll just give you a warning letting you know that the drive isn’t attached. But if you just don’t put any holotapes in then it won’t run.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos shook his head. “Not yet, but almost,” he said. He showed Hancock the drive. “Some of the soldering in the connections are eroded,” Carlos explained, pointing to a couple spots on the attached board. “If you hear a zapping or a sort of almost grinding, clicking noise when trying to run a holotape, then that means that the electricity is actually jumping to connect.”

“Oh…. hmm…. “ The ghoul frowned as he looked down at the piece in question, debating whether or not he wanted to get rid of the part. “Is there anything you can do to fix it? Or is it too far gone? I’d rather not have that shit set everything else on fire, y’know?”

Carlos looked at it. “Well… there’s two options,” he said. I can solder it back in place and the connections will work as good as new. But I’d have to be creative with how to apply that since I doubt you have a soldering gun lying around… or spare solder.” Carlos set the piece down. “The other option is to wait until we can get a replacement for it. It still has some use… but in the state, it is a little dangerous and risks burning out more of the parts inside and shorting out.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos just smiled at him. “Maybe another time,” he repeated. He then looked sheepish as he continued working. “Sorry, I just… It was gonna bug me for a while, not remembering the word. I’m just glad I remembered it now, and not in the middle of the night when I’m trying to sleep or something.”

Carlos removed another component from the terminal – the holotape drive. He looked it over, considering. “How often do you use holotapes?” he asked.

“It’s alright, heh, I understand.” He chuckled, dropping the subject of smutty literature as it seemed the other wasn’t interested in the topic at this point anyway. He turned his attention back to the terminal, watching as Carlos worked and letting out a soft hum at his question. “I don’t use ‘em too often but occasionally, why? Is that thing broken or somethin’?”

Carlos shook his head. “Not yet, but almost,” he said. He showed Hancock the drive. “Some of the soldering in the connections are eroded,” Carlos explained, pointing to a couple spots on the attached board. “If you hear a zapping or a sort of almost grinding, clicking noise when trying to run a holotape, then that means that the electricity is actually jumping to connect.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos chuckled, keeping his eyes on his project. “I dunno
if I’d take you up on that,” he said. “Just… I dunno. Maybe later. I’m really
not too curious about it.” Except he kinda was, but he wasn’t going to admit
that to another person. Nor did he really wanna be caught, dead or alive, with
Mayor Hancock’s erotica in his possession. That’d… that’d just be embarrassing.

Suddenly though, something came to him. “A simile! That’s what it is! When
comparing something with something like it in writing, it’s called a simile!
Damn, I feel dumb not remembering that; I apologize.”

“Really? Ya don’t ever wonder what it’s like when a good author attempts to write a smutty scene? I’m sure it ain’t as entertaining as when it’s done real shitty, but it’s a lot sexier, anyway.” Honestly, most wastelanders wouldn’t think twice about finding someone with dirty literature, shame wasn’t such an issue when people were just doing what they could to stay alive every day. Or maybe it was just Hancock that had no shame about such things, he couldn’t be sure.

Carlos’ sudden outburst nearly made him jump, a surprised look coming across the ghoul’s face as he looked up at him and blinked. “I uh…. you’re forgiven? I wasn’t really judgin’ ya for not remembering, I sure as hell didn’t remember it, anyway.”

Carlos just smiled at him. “Maybe another time,” he repeated. He then looked sheepish as he continued working. “Sorry, I just… It was gonna bug me for a while, not remembering the word. I’m just glad I remembered it now, and not in the middle of the night when I’m trying to sleep or something.”

Carlos removed another component from the terminal – the holotape drive. He looked it over, considering. “How often do you use holotapes?” he asked.