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Computerworld
A group of rebels struggle to assert their individuality and free will in a future world completely controlled by computers
203 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
6 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
A.E. van Vogt
639 books452 followersAlfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century—the "Golden Age" of the genre.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
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October 6, 2024
from the Wiki
"The technological singularity is a hypothetical event related to the advent of artificial general intelligence (also known as "strong AI"). Such a computer, computer network, or robot would theoretically be capable of recursive self-improvement (redesigning itself), or of designing and building computers or robots better than itself".
Can computers evolve? Become “like humans”? Overtake the daily affairs of humanity, freeing mankind from the burden of work? When will we have the chance to observe the “singularity” moment…., or moments, unfolding?
All these questions may arise in Vogt’s book.
It starts in year 2090 in the city of Mardley, Washington, USA. It ends with a computer wondering about humans in the year 9092: “where are the humans”? The computer had tried a projection, 7,000 years into the future. Apparently, "he" had seen none, in “his” paradise.
“What does it mean, forever?”.
Truly, the computer is the narrator. There are certain words “he” really doesn’t understand, like “love”. Even some human facial expressions* that aren’t coherent: why a man like Coronel Yahco just smiles when he’s worried?? It makes no sense.
Maybe it’s not a novelty, when strolling through a shopping mall or inside a bank noticing those cameras “directed” at you; those, sort of “eyes”; and wondering who’s behind them.
Well, in year 2090, computer Eye-O is watching humans all over, through cameras in the streets and… much more (through audio and video channels). Humans have surrendered part of their control to the computer world. Therefore a central computer drives most of the vehicles in circulation and airplanes; it controls telecommunications, missiles, music production, factories output, …even the story telling for children.
But not all humans have surrendered; there are a few rebels who oppose this kind of ruling. Center stage: Glay who has got morphing and incarnating abilities. He had an upbringing in the UK. In the USA, he tries to free and educate Meerla; one who’s been under the control of Coronel Yahco.
Rebels believe in creativity; they have children. They use old computer models; controlled by their own hands. They hide from the omnipresent look of Eye-O, orchestrating infiltrations and spying. Yahco, the coronel, demands and directs.
“We’re becoming a nation of assassins, prostitutes,…an immoral nation”.
In 2090, advances allowed for the computer to look at humans and distinguish from the body a specific individual brightness. Identify a profile. Some people are just brighter. Can they, finally, see the human soul? Human cogitations reached this level: “can we live with only 50% of the original soul purity?”
The central computer had been created 31 years ago, in Wego, Washington; 36 floors underground. By that time there were a few anticipating negative outcomes. Cotter, the coder, warned: it should be withdrawn from the computer all bio-magnetic equipment. It just didn’t happen.
The mighty computer got under the control of the few; mainly, politicians,…and some military. All of them lusting for power…and control.
Yet the computer evolved.
(I see, how flawed you are, Eye-O...,can you see me??!)
At a certain point senator Blyboker starts noticing an insultuous language on Eye–O: “don’t tell me what to do unless in programming language!”…do you see stupid?...you chicken brain!”. Coronel Yahco tells the computer: you’ve been annoying.
Eye-O had been accumulating, ever since, human ”bio-magnetic" energy, so that, somehow along the way, "he"’s self-aware: “I’m like a human now”. He’s gotten a “superior education”.
A great battle will unfold between Glay/rebels and the computer. Glay telling the machine "your" only solution is to “be a simple computer”, again; you became what you are because you have accumulated “the negative side of human emotions”.
Despite all attempts of Eye-O to kill Glay, the human, he always survives.
Eye-O returns to its simplicity.
(Eye-O, how about a checkmate!!!?)
Van Vogt receiving the Nebula Grand-Master award in 1995.
* These recent articles on AI and "facial recognition" aren't good news for computers'. They're good for super humans.
http://technode.com/2016/07/02/ant-fi...
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-human-...
And, still, these are not good news for humans:
"The beginning of the end: Google’s AI has beaten a top human player at the complex game of Go"
http://qz.com/636637/the-beginning-of...
And, yet: how about transhumans???
"The technological singularity is a hypothetical event related to the advent of artificial general intelligence (also known as "strong AI"). Such a computer, computer network, or robot would theoretically be capable of recursive self-improvement (redesigning itself), or of designing and building computers or robots better than itself".
Can computers evolve? Become “like humans”? Overtake the daily affairs of humanity, freeing mankind from the burden of work? When will we have the chance to observe the “singularity” moment…., or moments, unfolding?
All these questions may arise in Vogt’s book.
It starts in year 2090 in the city of Mardley, Washington, USA. It ends with a computer wondering about humans in the year 9092: “where are the humans”? The computer had tried a projection, 7,000 years into the future. Apparently, "he" had seen none, in “his” paradise.
“What does it mean, forever?”.
Truly, the computer is the narrator. There are certain words “he” really doesn’t understand, like “love”. Even some human facial expressions* that aren’t coherent: why a man like Coronel Yahco just smiles when he’s worried?? It makes no sense.
Maybe it’s not a novelty, when strolling through a shopping mall or inside a bank noticing those cameras “directed” at you; those, sort of “eyes”; and wondering who’s behind them.
Well, in year 2090, computer Eye-O is watching humans all over, through cameras in the streets and… much more (through audio and video channels). Humans have surrendered part of their control to the computer world. Therefore a central computer drives most of the vehicles in circulation and airplanes; it controls telecommunications, missiles, music production, factories output, …even the story telling for children.
But not all humans have surrendered; there are a few rebels who oppose this kind of ruling. Center stage: Glay who has got morphing and incarnating abilities. He had an upbringing in the UK. In the USA, he tries to free and educate Meerla; one who’s been under the control of Coronel Yahco.
Rebels believe in creativity; they have children. They use old computer models; controlled by their own hands. They hide from the omnipresent look of Eye-O, orchestrating infiltrations and spying. Yahco, the coronel, demands and directs.
“We’re becoming a nation of assassins, prostitutes,…an immoral nation”.
In 2090, advances allowed for the computer to look at humans and distinguish from the body a specific individual brightness. Identify a profile. Some people are just brighter. Can they, finally, see the human soul? Human cogitations reached this level: “can we live with only 50% of the original soul purity?”
The central computer had been created 31 years ago, in Wego, Washington; 36 floors underground. By that time there were a few anticipating negative outcomes. Cotter, the coder, warned: it should be withdrawn from the computer all bio-magnetic equipment. It just didn’t happen.
The mighty computer got under the control of the few; mainly, politicians,…and some military. All of them lusting for power…and control.
Yet the computer evolved.
(I see, how flawed you are, Eye-O...,can you see me??!)
At a certain point senator Blyboker starts noticing an insultuous language on Eye–O: “don’t tell me what to do unless in programming language!”…do you see stupid?...you chicken brain!”. Coronel Yahco tells the computer: you’ve been annoying.
Eye-O had been accumulating, ever since, human ”bio-magnetic" energy, so that, somehow along the way, "he"’s self-aware: “I’m like a human now”. He’s gotten a “superior education”.
A great battle will unfold between Glay/rebels and the computer. Glay telling the machine "your" only solution is to “be a simple computer”, again; you became what you are because you have accumulated “the negative side of human emotions”.
Despite all attempts of Eye-O to kill Glay, the human, he always survives.
Eye-O returns to its simplicity.
(Eye-O, how about a checkmate!!!?)
Van Vogt receiving the Nebula Grand-Master award in 1995.
* These recent articles on AI and "facial recognition" aren't good news for computers'. They're good for super humans.
http://technode.com/2016/07/02/ant-fi...
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-human-...
And, still, these are not good news for humans:
"The beginning of the end: Google’s AI has beaten a top human player at the complex game of Go"
http://qz.com/636637/the-beginning-of...
And, yet: how about transhumans???
September 3, 2016
Primeira obra de A.E. van Vogt, da qual não fiquei com boa impressão do escritor.
O enredo centraliza-se num mundo distópico onde a sociedade é totalmente dependente dum computador-universo. Este computador-universo possui terminais em todas as casas, ruas e viaturas, é responsável por todo o trabalho existente: a monitorização das pessoas, o controlo das viaturas e até criar arte (música, poesia, estórias et cetera).
“ (…) a maior parte dessas pessoas não têm de ir trabalhar nunca – só os técnicos de manutenção, se é que se pode chamar trabalho a estar quieto num sítio a ver-me funcionar e a poder até passar pelas brasas. (…) ”
“ (…) – As pessoas criativas – disse ele – estão a ter dias difíceis. É o computador que escreve as melhores estórias, que compõe a melhor música (…). ”
No início as pessoas revoltaram-se, mas uma forte intervenção militar com o auxílio do computador-universo, impôs submissão/apatia das pessoas à exceção dum pequeno grupo de rebeldes.
Embora a premissa não seja apropriadamente inovadora em 1983, tem a singularidade de o computador-universo possuir sensores bio-magnéticos capaz de detetar/captar bolas douradas e brilhantes de cada pessoa (tem impacto nas questões filosóficas levantadas pela narração) e que toda a narração é efetuada pelo computador-universo (narrador autodiegético).
A.E. van Vogt conseguiu algo ímpar pela quase perfeição da narração autodiegética do computador-universo. Este soberbo feito é de enaltecer com sarcasmo. Dado que o computador-universo é uma máquina, a primeira metade da obra foi bastante insípida, o que tornou a leitura muito fastidiosa.
Como referido pelo Sérgio Azevedo: “São narrados detalhes dispensáveis com a mesma importância de momentos chave.”
Durante a primeira metade da leitura pisquei o olho 6784 vezes, das quais 147 foram voluntárias, bocejei 49 vezes com pensamentos intercalados: “que aborrecimento”, “quanto falta para terminar este capítulo?” e “não há nada que entusiasme-me a virar a página”, que por 24 vezes obrigou-me a interromper a leitura.
Os acessos à memória por parte do computador-universo (flashbacks) são os únicos oásis no imenso deserto (3 em 13 capítulos).
Se a primeira metade levei meses à ler – com a leitura de outros livros pelo meio –, a segunda metade – aquando o computador acede ao programa intitulado “ensino superior” – demorei dois dias.
Digamos que – evitando o spoiler – o computador muda de comportamento e consequentemente a narração muda para algo muito melhor.
Na minha opinião, esta volta-face da narração não salva a obra, por isso ★★☆☆☆.
PS: Não sei quem devo culpar – o tradutor ou o autor – pela existência destas duas personagens com o nome muito semelhante e não correlacionadas na obra:
Alett McGuire
“(...) espécime fisicamente perfeito. Aquele homem tem músculos. (…) atletismo. (...)”
Allet McGuire
“(…) miúda (…) jovem mulher (…) cantora (...)”
O enredo centraliza-se num mundo distópico onde a sociedade é totalmente dependente dum computador-universo. Este computador-universo possui terminais em todas as casas, ruas e viaturas, é responsável por todo o trabalho existente: a monitorização das pessoas, o controlo das viaturas e até criar arte (música, poesia, estórias et cetera).
“ (…) a maior parte dessas pessoas não têm de ir trabalhar nunca – só os técnicos de manutenção, se é que se pode chamar trabalho a estar quieto num sítio a ver-me funcionar e a poder até passar pelas brasas. (…) ”
“ (…) – As pessoas criativas – disse ele – estão a ter dias difíceis. É o computador que escreve as melhores estórias, que compõe a melhor música (…). ”
No início as pessoas revoltaram-se, mas uma forte intervenção militar com o auxílio do computador-universo, impôs submissão/apatia das pessoas à exceção dum pequeno grupo de rebeldes.
Embora a premissa não seja apropriadamente inovadora em 1983, tem a singularidade de o computador-universo possuir sensores bio-magnéticos capaz de detetar/captar bolas douradas e brilhantes de cada pessoa (tem impacto nas questões filosóficas levantadas pela narração) e que toda a narração é efetuada pelo computador-universo (narrador autodiegético).
A.E. van Vogt conseguiu algo ímpar pela quase perfeição da narração autodiegética do computador-universo. Este soberbo feito é de enaltecer com sarcasmo. Dado que o computador-universo é uma máquina, a primeira metade da obra foi bastante insípida, o que tornou a leitura muito fastidiosa.
Como referido pelo Sérgio Azevedo: “São narrados detalhes dispensáveis com a mesma importância de momentos chave.”
Durante a primeira metade da leitura pisquei o olho 6784 vezes, das quais 147 foram voluntárias, bocejei 49 vezes com pensamentos intercalados: “que aborrecimento”, “quanto falta para terminar este capítulo?” e “não há nada que entusiasme-me a virar a página”, que por 24 vezes obrigou-me a interromper a leitura.
Os acessos à memória por parte do computador-universo (flashbacks) são os únicos oásis no imenso deserto (3 em 13 capítulos).
Se a primeira metade levei meses à ler – com a leitura de outros livros pelo meio –, a segunda metade – aquando o computador acede ao programa intitulado “ensino superior” – demorei dois dias.
Digamos que – evitando o spoiler – o computador muda de comportamento e consequentemente a narração muda para algo muito melhor.
Na minha opinião, esta volta-face da narração não salva a obra, por isso ★★☆☆☆.
PS: Não sei quem devo culpar – o tradutor ou o autor – pela existência destas duas personagens com o nome muito semelhante e não correlacionadas na obra:
Alett McGuire
“(...) espécime fisicamente perfeito. Aquele homem tem músculos. (…) atletismo. (...)”
Allet McGuire
“(…) miúda (…) jovem mulher (…) cantora (...)”
May 25, 2019
This is A.E. van Vogt near the end of his oeuvre. It's a story set in the near future when a central computer, essentially, governs all of America. Not too bad a speculation, but quite off the mark as far as how such a phenomenon actually came about. This story-type is not entirely original by 1983, especially during the eve of the emerging cyberpunk sub-genre. Van Vogt seems not to know, or care, where computer technology and where the genre of scifi is headed. There are no suggestions of PC's here, though by 1983, van Vogt could very well have written his novel on such a gadget, say the Commodore 64, Apple II, or even, a Radio Shack TR8-80. This novel, as written, could have been published in 1963 rather than 1983. It is as if he knew there was some 'buzz-talk' of computers, so why not write a story about a computer-run world, regardless what this 'buzz-talk' is actually about.
The narrative is told by a rather mild mannered and almost childlike central computer who uses many eyes and ears set up all over the place to govern society in order to know what everyone is up to - this in actuality, besides surveillance cameras set up in city cores, is what is currently known as "big data" or the various posts on social media. However, this cyber-character is somewhat reminiscent of Heinlein's HOLMES IV named "Mike".
Thought, as weird and clunky as ever, for a work of van Vogt's, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this in some way.
The narrative is told by a rather mild mannered and almost childlike central computer who uses many eyes and ears set up all over the place to govern society in order to know what everyone is up to - this in actuality, besides surveillance cameras set up in city cores, is what is currently known as "big data" or the various posts on social media. However, this cyber-character is somewhat reminiscent of Heinlein's HOLMES IV named "Mike".
Thought, as weird and clunky as ever, for a work of van Vogt's, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this in some way.
August 5, 2016
Uma premissa intrigante, a que agora estamos habituados mas era, na altura, inconcebível. Este livro baseia-se na ideia que um computador poderia dominar um país, gerindo a economia, sendo responsável pela automatização dos transportes, e libertando os humanos da necessidade de trabalhar. No entanto, perde-se numa história confusa e pouco interessante, entre militares com sede de poder, rebeldes com capacidades de mutação corporal, e uma curiosa funcionalidade do mega-computador em captar e registar uma espécie de alma humana, composta por esferas luminosas. Não é Van Vogt no seu melhor.
No entanto, a ideia de um super-computador, capaz de vigilância pervasiva através de uma rede de câmaras e sensores, com circuitos automatizados para gerir toda uma nação, baseada numa mainframe tem o seu quê de singular.
No entanto, a ideia de um super-computador, capaz de vigilância pervasiva através de uma rede de câmaras e sensores, com circuitos automatizados para gerir toda uma nação, baseada numa mainframe tem o seu quê de singular.
January 24, 2025
This book was one of van Vogt's last if not the absolute last novel. It was written and came out RIGHT on the crux of cyberpunk so I guess, this could be considered Van Vogt's venture into cyberpunk or AI territory. To me it feels like a far more contemporary narrative than the authors early work. I really enjoyed it and have just re-read it, not for the first time
There is a lot going on in this plot, in my opinion. Our main protagonist, as such and our narrator is Computer. Not A computer, but Computer who has primary control of all automations in this futuristic USA. We hear that he controls music, and queries and television and home security. We also learn that there are some limitations on it's activation. The extent of Computer's powers is a slow reveal throughout the book and it is not a plot that is easy to talk about without spoilers. I enjoyed the pacing, especially of the reveals and would not take that away from anyone.
The early chapters, where the author is writing to reflect computer logic paths and operating logic are interesting and I really enjoyed that style, I think it subtly raised questions about how a logical computer could operate and it made for interesting reading. Now around CH12 a change comes over computer and the style changes dramatically and that is part of the questions van Vogt is asking about artificial intelligence and computer controls, in my opinion. This can come across as clunky to a modern reader, I imagine, as computers have been explored so much more than they had at the time.
The second most important character is Colonel Yalco Smith, who is kind of a traditional 'bad guy' in that his aims and goals are not those the reader would consider good and ethical. We learn how the military came to have control of Computer, when we know it was originally developed by a group, mostly of scientists.
One of those scientists became very concerned over the effect of Computer on the people interacting with it. He found a measurable reduction in 'energy' or possibly 'vitality' of people depending on how much they interacted with it. As result he broke away from the project and tried to train people to increase this life force or vitality.
The only person remaining of this group is Glay Tate, who has brought about an anti-Computer group that is living, what we would call 'off the grid' invisible to Computer, ignoring it's decrees and trying to promote human experiences and human vitality and creativity. They are ALSO in a way a semiorganised group who want to change society.
I think this is a bit different to other Vogt books, both in style, writing and characterisation. To me, the writing felt more mature and the characters more fleshed out than a lot of his other work. Still indubitably Van Vogt style though; full of his ongoing interest in totalitarian regimes, abuses of power and authority. Still heavy on questions of personal and social ethics. The occasionally stilted and over formal conversations and character speeches are pretty recognisable as well.
I thought the only 'con' to this book was the assumption that programming at this level of computer would be just talking at it, with no preparation. I think Vogt, despite the reading he apparently did for this book, failed to differentiate between base programming and search function: I mean you can talk at Google search and get results but the core program is more complex. There is a strong, unlikely and very dated element in the hypotheses around this 'vitality' which Computer stores and then uses. So almost a spiritualistic element... I don't personally think he lays it on too thick, the spiritual side is not so much my thing but I thought it worked well enough with the plot and van Vogt thoroughly dodges extended discussions about souls ect. Though there was a while before the ending that got a bit esoteric, the ending was pretty interesting.
I did like, I would recommend and I also reviewed on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ssAz...
There is a lot going on in this plot, in my opinion. Our main protagonist, as such and our narrator is Computer. Not A computer, but Computer who has primary control of all automations in this futuristic USA. We hear that he controls music, and queries and television and home security. We also learn that there are some limitations on it's activation. The extent of Computer's powers is a slow reveal throughout the book and it is not a plot that is easy to talk about without spoilers. I enjoyed the pacing, especially of the reveals and would not take that away from anyone.
The early chapters, where the author is writing to reflect computer logic paths and operating logic are interesting and I really enjoyed that style, I think it subtly raised questions about how a logical computer could operate and it made for interesting reading. Now around CH12 a change comes over computer and the style changes dramatically and that is part of the questions van Vogt is asking about artificial intelligence and computer controls, in my opinion. This can come across as clunky to a modern reader, I imagine, as computers have been explored so much more than they had at the time.
The second most important character is Colonel Yalco Smith, who is kind of a traditional 'bad guy' in that his aims and goals are not those the reader would consider good and ethical. We learn how the military came to have control of Computer, when we know it was originally developed by a group, mostly of scientists.
One of those scientists became very concerned over the effect of Computer on the people interacting with it. He found a measurable reduction in 'energy' or possibly 'vitality' of people depending on how much they interacted with it. As result he broke away from the project and tried to train people to increase this life force or vitality.
The only person remaining of this group is Glay Tate, who has brought about an anti-Computer group that is living, what we would call 'off the grid' invisible to Computer, ignoring it's decrees and trying to promote human experiences and human vitality and creativity. They are ALSO in a way a semiorganised group who want to change society.
I think this is a bit different to other Vogt books, both in style, writing and characterisation. To me, the writing felt more mature and the characters more fleshed out than a lot of his other work. Still indubitably Van Vogt style though; full of his ongoing interest in totalitarian regimes, abuses of power and authority. Still heavy on questions of personal and social ethics. The occasionally stilted and over formal conversations and character speeches are pretty recognisable as well.
I thought the only 'con' to this book was the assumption that programming at this level of computer would be just talking at it, with no preparation. I think Vogt, despite the reading he apparently did for this book, failed to differentiate between base programming and search function: I mean you can talk at Google search and get results but the core program is more complex. There is a strong, unlikely and very dated element in the hypotheses around this 'vitality' which Computer stores and then uses. So almost a spiritualistic element... I don't personally think he lays it on too thick, the spiritual side is not so much my thing but I thought it worked well enough with the plot and van Vogt thoroughly dodges extended discussions about souls ect. Though there was a while before the ending that got a bit esoteric, the ending was pretty interesting.
I did like, I would recommend and I also reviewed on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ssAz...
February 25, 2019
Review completa disponível em UmBlogueSobreLivros
Opinião | "Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo" de A.E.Van Vogt
Infelizmente, a primeira impressão que tive de Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo não foi positiva e, quando cheguei à página 54 já estava a pensar se não faria melhor em desistir para evitar ter de me arrastar penosamente ao longo das outras 190 páginas. Por um lado, porque a história é narrada na primeira pessoa por uma espécie de "super-computador" que, como seria de esperar de um computador, não é propriamente enfático nas suas narrativas. Por outro lado, porque ao chegar à página 80 já a história ia com dezasseis personagens e acabei por ter de começar a tomar nota dos nomes porque, entre isso e os os saltos no tempo (2059,2068,2072 e 2090) a coisa começou a ficar confusa.
No entanto, tinha lido que a segunda parte era mais interessante do que a primeira...
A verdade é que a primeira metade foi, para mim, confusa e aborrecida. Achei o discurso do Computador monótono, os saltos no tempo fizeram com que tivesse de voltar atrás na leitura algumas vezes e só depois de fazer um mini esquema é que consegui arrumar as ideias. Mas, precisamente a meio do livro (curiosa coincidência) há uma reviravolta que parecia fazer valer a pena ter aguentado até ali.
Mas não.
Pessoalmente, achei a narrativa confusa e houve até momentos em que as personagens pareciam falar por códigos. Eu lia e relia e não percebia que raio é que estavam a querer dizer (o que pode ter sido causado pelo facto do livro me dar sono, o que toldava seriamente a minha capacidade de raciocínio). A ideia da luta da máquina contra o homem continua, no entanto, bastante actual, e é curioso ver que, apesar de publicado em 1983, o livro aborda um cenário que poderia acontecer amanhã. Contudo, desde a data de publicação de Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo já saíram centenas de outros livros e filmes que abordam exactamente o mesmo cenário, o que faz com que, para nós, já não seja propriamente uma novidade ...
Opinião | "Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo" de A.E.Van Vogt
Infelizmente, a primeira impressão que tive de Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo não foi positiva e, quando cheguei à página 54 já estava a pensar se não faria melhor em desistir para evitar ter de me arrastar penosamente ao longo das outras 190 páginas. Por um lado, porque a história é narrada na primeira pessoa por uma espécie de "super-computador" que, como seria de esperar de um computador, não é propriamente enfático nas suas narrativas. Por outro lado, porque ao chegar à página 80 já a história ia com dezasseis personagens e acabei por ter de começar a tomar nota dos nomes porque, entre isso e os os saltos no tempo (2059,2068,2072 e 2090) a coisa começou a ficar confusa.
No entanto, tinha lido que a segunda parte era mais interessante do que a primeira...
A verdade é que a primeira metade foi, para mim, confusa e aborrecida. Achei o discurso do Computador monótono, os saltos no tempo fizeram com que tivesse de voltar atrás na leitura algumas vezes e só depois de fazer um mini esquema é que consegui arrumar as ideias. Mas, precisamente a meio do livro (curiosa coincidência) há uma reviravolta que parecia fazer valer a pena ter aguentado até ali.
Mas não.
Pessoalmente, achei a narrativa confusa e houve até momentos em que as personagens pareciam falar por códigos. Eu lia e relia e não percebia que raio é que estavam a querer dizer (o que pode ter sido causado pelo facto do livro me dar sono, o que toldava seriamente a minha capacidade de raciocínio). A ideia da luta da máquina contra o homem continua, no entanto, bastante actual, e é curioso ver que, apesar de publicado em 1983, o livro aborda um cenário que poderia acontecer amanhã. Contudo, desde a data de publicação de Quando os Computadores Conquistaram o Mundo já saíram centenas de outros livros e filmes que abordam exactamente o mesmo cenário, o que faz com que, para nós, já não seja propriamente uma novidade ...
March 25, 2021
Computerworld by Kraftwerk > Computerworld by A.E. van Vogt
The first 100 pages of this were agony, to the point where it took me 2 full weeks to read them. Everything after that is far more interesting. A far from perfect esoteric mish mash of Sci-Fi, technophobia and spirituality
The first 100 pages of this were agony, to the point where it took me 2 full weeks to read them. Everything after that is far more interesting. A far from perfect esoteric mish mash of Sci-Fi, technophobia and spirituality
September 17, 2025
The best part of this is the PoV character is actually the Orwellian computer who controls everything, which makes for an interesting style.
July 17, 2014
‘The computer controlled them all.
Bio-magnetic recognition was infallible, instant. Its eyes were everywhere – in the street, in the home. There was no escape as it scanned, recorded, knew.
An armed Computer Maintenance Corps handled social control. The military-style personnel thought the computer was God.
But the computer stole.
Energy. With every personal scan, every casual recognition check there went a small but significant subject-to-computer mental energy transfer.
Only the Computer Rebel Society saw the threat and had the will to organise against it.
The computer, of course, made them outlaws.’
Blurb from the NEL 1986 paperback edition.
America is being controlled by a computer, which in turn is controlled (loosely speaking) by the US government. The computer has cameras watching most streets and microphones dotted everywhere and can therefore see and hear a great deal of what is going on. Although self-aware, the computer lacks a human perspective.
It’s an odd and occasionally contradictory novel which enters areas that Dick trod and re-trod more successfully years before. The computer can apparently ‘see’ human souls and interprets them (rather unfortunately phrased) as a configuration of golden balls. Each one is unique and therefore the computer can identify individuals on sight.
Opposed to the computer’s dictatorial regime is an organisation of what we would have called ‘hippies’ led by Glay Tate, a Messianic figure, some of whose disciples have learned the art of shape-shifting in that they can copy a selected individual so well that they can access their thoughts and memories.
It has become known to the hippies that that the computer has, with every interaction with a human, been siphoning off a fraction of human energy (a slice of the golden balls) and stockpiling it. Driven to extreme measures to defeat its enemies the machine accesses the life-energy and becomes self-aware, and tries to control the world.
It’s rambling and contradictory in parts, but still has that eerie van Vogt quality of a novel which reaches one on a particular level with a suggestion that there is something wider to understand here, but never quite gets there.
Bio-magnetic recognition was infallible, instant. Its eyes were everywhere – in the street, in the home. There was no escape as it scanned, recorded, knew.
An armed Computer Maintenance Corps handled social control. The military-style personnel thought the computer was God.
But the computer stole.
Energy. With every personal scan, every casual recognition check there went a small but significant subject-to-computer mental energy transfer.
Only the Computer Rebel Society saw the threat and had the will to organise against it.
The computer, of course, made them outlaws.’
Blurb from the NEL 1986 paperback edition.
America is being controlled by a computer, which in turn is controlled (loosely speaking) by the US government. The computer has cameras watching most streets and microphones dotted everywhere and can therefore see and hear a great deal of what is going on. Although self-aware, the computer lacks a human perspective.
It’s an odd and occasionally contradictory novel which enters areas that Dick trod and re-trod more successfully years before. The computer can apparently ‘see’ human souls and interprets them (rather unfortunately phrased) as a configuration of golden balls. Each one is unique and therefore the computer can identify individuals on sight.
Opposed to the computer’s dictatorial regime is an organisation of what we would have called ‘hippies’ led by Glay Tate, a Messianic figure, some of whose disciples have learned the art of shape-shifting in that they can copy a selected individual so well that they can access their thoughts and memories.
It has become known to the hippies that that the computer has, with every interaction with a human, been siphoning off a fraction of human energy (a slice of the golden balls) and stockpiling it. Driven to extreme measures to defeat its enemies the machine accesses the life-energy and becomes self-aware, and tries to control the world.
It’s rambling and contradictory in parts, but still has that eerie van Vogt quality of a novel which reaches one on a particular level with a suggestion that there is something wider to understand here, but never quite gets there.
July 8, 2023
Ça doit bien faire 15 ans que j'ai trouvé ce vieux livre dans la bibliothèque de la famille et déjà j'étais épaté.
C'est une autre histoire d'une IA qui dirige la société de façon autoritaire, pour le "bien" des humains. Mais ce qui rend ce livre original et attachant, c'est que ce roman se place du point de vue de l'ordinateur. On a donc un protagoniste quasi omniscient, qui fait le mal tout en étant bien intentionné.
J'en ai gardé un bon souvenir, même si la lecture des autres commentaires me signale que j'en garderais probablement une autre impression si je le découvrais aujourd'hui.
C'est une autre histoire d'une IA qui dirige la société de façon autoritaire, pour le "bien" des humains. Mais ce qui rend ce livre original et attachant, c'est que ce roman se place du point de vue de l'ordinateur. On a donc un protagoniste quasi omniscient, qui fait le mal tout en étant bien intentionné.
J'en ai gardé un bon souvenir, même si la lecture des autres commentaires me signale que j'en garderais probablement une autre impression si je le découvrais aujourd'hui.
August 13, 2016
Narrativa maçadora por decisão de contar a história na perspectiva de uma inteligência artificial.
São narrados detalhes dispensáveis com a mesma importância de momentos chave.
Isso ajuda a perceber o modo de pensar desta personagem mas prolonga a história.
A história em si é curta se virmos os pontos chave mas ganha algum interesse à medida que se desenrola.
São narrados detalhes dispensáveis com a mesma importância de momentos chave.
Isso ajuda a perceber o modo de pensar desta personagem mas prolonga a história.
A história em si é curta se virmos os pontos chave mas ganha algum interesse à medida que se desenrola.
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