Computer one

by Warwick Collins

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Book Club

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Sarah Bronte Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this is my first review here....sorry for my bad English.

Even though this novel was written back in 1993/4, i just discovered this book like 2 years ago and then decide to buy it in amazon.
Anyway, this is my opinion of this novel...

if you really want to analyze about why was morally right for Skynet to try to eradicate us(humans)and the same philosophical question for the AI Hal 9000’s hostile approach toward its humans programmers and the AIs in GURPS Reign of Steel and cybrids from the game Starsiege that also in tried to exterminate mankind, etc...

THIS is the novel for such analytical subject.

The analysis that I’m telling you that was spoken in this novel was wrote in a very rational and scientific way in this book(in my opinion), and it is the same Darwinian’s survival of the fitness subject that is also debated just like in another hard scifi novel(this time of an alien invasion scenario) that I read not too long ago called The Killing Star(witch I also recommend to read it) by Charles R. Pellegrino and George Zebrowski.
This novel and The Killing Star novel both are REAL food for your mind or thoughts.

Of those who also like stories of machines vs humans’ apocalyptic and/or post-apocalyptic stories, you won’t regret buying this novel. Even mister Arthur C. Clarke read this novel(when it was just released and new) and seem also to like it since he quote for the novel in the same cover "It really scared me...move over Hal!".

I wish I could speak the author in person (by mail or chat) and congratulate him for such novel and express to him how much I like it.

Ok, that is my critic and opinion of the novel, bye.

[A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Woooooooooooah. What a Rand-ical trip, dude! This book is chock-full of empty theorizing, people just yammering at one another over any sort of thing they feel like, and really, really bad computer talk. Gods, the author like learned nothing about either people or computers before starting this book. No one really talks to one another, they're just sounding boards for other people's discourse. And the CS is painfully poor. I think I'm now less scared of the internet killing everyone than I was before. It was like reading a book-length "Press Enter..." but not, because at least Varley knew what he was talking about. No one shall ever speak to me of this book again.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the scariest books I have error read. Warrick is a modern George Orwell and this is one of a few selection of books that I have never had the guts to re-read.

I've worked as an IT engineer for 15 and the parallels with technological development are profound.

[Yevgeniy Brikman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good

- An interesting premise of a single, super-powerful computer that all of humanity relies on... That goes rogue.

- The reasoning behind why the computer goes rogue is flushed out in an interesting way. I like the idea that it's hard to tell the difference between "aggression" versus an intelligent being proactively taking action to defend itself against some perceived threat. The computer, of course, believes that humans will eventually be a threat to it, so it takes action to eliminate humanity. This is similar to the Dark Forest theory in many other books, but at a more local scale.

The not so good

- The characters are two-dimensional.

- There is only one woman in the entire story, she has 0 speaking lines, and the only thing she does is have sex with two of the male characters.

- The description of how the computer and viruses work is... A bit odd.

- A lot of the (interesting) premise of the book is delivered in the form of an academic talk. It's a bit... dry.

[Laura Roslin · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF Meh couldn't get into the characters

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a great Murakami novel only WAY more sad love it because it more like what would actually happen.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise, lazily researched and poorly written.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review pending.

[Steven Raszewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Spooky.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow when the rest of the book club have finished :)