Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mcvax!ukc!cheviot!lindsay From: lindsay@cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk (Lindsay F. Marshall) Newsgroups: comp.ai,net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Canonical list of sentient computer novels Message-ID: <1203@cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk> Date: Fri, 14-Nov-86 03:56:29 EST Article-I.D.: cheviot.1203 Posted: Fri Nov 14 03:56:29 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 18-Nov-86 03:38:15 EST References: <4261@ut-ngp.UUCP> <405@lewey.UUCP> <47@uw-atm.UUCP> <1685@ncoast.UUCP> Reply-To: lindsay@cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk (Lindsay F. Marshall) Organization: U. of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Lines: 24 Xref: mnetor comp.ai:35 net.sf-lovers:9781 I recently read a book called "ariel" which concerned a sentient machine. I cant remember the name of the author, but it was truely one of the most awful loads of trash I have ever had the misfortune to come across. The author knew NOTHING about computers and the book is full of attempts to describe machine rooms and such like - all information seeming to be garnered from movies. The book is about some wonderful westerner (US I think) who is doggedly attemtping to build an intelligent machine whilst the wily and evil Japanese are trying to steal his ideas (because their's dont work) and to detroy everything he has already built. The day is saved by the computer man's plucky son who has been hacking into the Intelligent Machine (Ariel) and has taught it (like a child of course, the adults hadnt thought of this) thus making it intelligent. The son has also been snarfing copies of everything he could lay his hands on and when it's all destroyed he has a copy...... Ring the bells and hang out the flags!! Basically this book is total crap and should be avoided at any cost. Lindsay ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lindsay F. Marshall, Computing Lab., U of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK ARPA : lindsay%cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk@ucl-cs.arpa JANET : lindsay@uk.ac.newcastle.cheviot UUCP : !ukc!cheviot!lindsay -------------------------------------------------------------------------------