[video] Hell hath no fury like an AI scorned (backdated to 4/30)

[a_shadow]

[ Tex is angry. Normally she'd send out a text blast, but this is an unusual circumstance, one that leads to her choosing to actually use the video feature on the MID. ]

I guess we've all gotten pretty used to taking matters into our own hands here. And why not? Even if you kill someone, all they're going to do is slap you on the wrist, right? So fine, indescriminate murder is obviously going to be a thing here. Fucking go for it. Life's cheap here.

But I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to talk about what just happened to Rinzler. People obviously think it's up for debate whether he's sentient or has rights of his own. That's what I saw at his trial. People bringing up the idea of recoding him to solve the problem of the way he acts or the way he thinks. Lucky him for having his creator here, right? We can just reprogram him and make everything better.

Let me tell you something: that's bullshit. You might not like him, you might even think he's dangerous, but he's his own, not yours. And Alan Bradley had no fucking right to go messing around in his coding. Do you hear me, Alan Bradley? You have me to answer to for what you've done.

Comments

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[ergon]

[ wait, what? ]

Tell me what's happened. Maybe I can help.

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[a_shadow]

Alan had a group of people trap Rinzler so he could mess around in Rinzler's code. Rinzler's a computer program, so as his creator Alan apparently thought the fact that Rinzer's sentient didn't matter.

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[squadgoals]

[what]

Stop me if I'm misunderstanding: you're saying someone tried to re-program Rinzler.

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[a_shadow]

That's exactly what happened. Bastard seems to think he is allowed because he created Rinzler.

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[meyneth]

What do you mean, "what just happened" to him? Did it work?

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[a_shadow]

I mean people jumping him and grabbing him to drag him off to be recoded. I don't know if it worked.

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[saveyourserpent]

Ah yes, because messing around with someone's head never goes wrong.

Is he alright?

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[a_shadow]

For relative values of 'alright'. He's still kicking.

[skatebird]

Why's killing him okay but reprogramming him isn't?

[a_shadow]

Would this be a question if we were talking about a human being? I haven't heard anyone suggest brainwashing as a treatment for any of the murderers on board.

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[devilofohara]

[Sup Tex. Guess who just got back from hellprison a few days ago? It's Robin, your favorite little fugitive.]

What do you mean by recoding? What did they do to him?

[She's from the 1500's, though, so she doesn't understand any of this tech talk.]

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[a_shadow]

Rinzler's a computer program, which means someone—this guy Alan—sat down and wrote him, like someone writes a book. The difference between him and a book is that he came to life at the end of the process. Alan tried to rewrite parts of Rinzler, to make him behave a different way.

[keelahselai]

[Sorry, Tex, you're going to end up repeating yourself a lot here. This time, to a purple-ish skinned, stricken-looking alien woman (with human icons because her player is lazy).]

So his creator reprogrammed him? [She hadn't even realised his maker was on board.] ...Do you know anything about he did? Or where Rinzler is now?

[a_shadow]

I'm not sure what he did, but Rinzler is in hiding because of it. The results are...kind of murky, right now.

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[takeitslow]

[He's angry too. Because every time he hears someone go on about what Rinzler deserves, he can only think about what J deserved. What his sister deserves.]

So we're just supposed to sit back and let him kill people? His life means more than the people he murdered, that's he's going to murder? Is that really the argument you want to go with?

[warandpeace]

Do you really want to set that precedent? You've attacked and entrapped people twice. There are people here capable of conditioning you to never do that again.

Probably not the best idea.

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[whoami]

[ Sam has to actually watch this twice before he manages anything. He's keeping text to keep his face hidden, but holy shit. ]

Look threatening isn't the way to go, okay? Besides, I'm really not seeing Alan Bradley changing anything about Rinzler's base code.

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[a_shadow]

It's not really a threat, per se. I'd sure like to hear his response to this, though. The fact of the matter is he acted with intent to do something about it.

[realitywarped]

Well, what do you expect? You can't expect people to have minds of their own, or the right to decide what to do with them, can you?

[Does Loki sound sarcastic and/or bitter? He should, because he very much intends to.]

[a_shadow]

No, we can't have that. Not when they're conveniently seen as lesser.

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[gainedlove]

[Okay, so Frisk doesn't...entirely grasp what's going on here just yet, but they know enough to be freakin' upset about it.]

They...they wanted to change his brain?

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[a_shadow]

That's exactly right. They wanted to take things that make him essentially who he is and change them.

[fight4theusers]

[Tron doesn't like people calling out his User like this, but he also doesn't know the truth of what's gone on. He needs to talk to Alan.]

Alan... you're right. He should not do things like this.

[a_shadow]

Thank you. Not everyone agreed with me so quickly.

[ersatzeverything]

Rinzler's been involuntarily reprogrammed? Shit.

[a_shadow]

Rinzler's been freaked out. He's actually not sure what they did to him.

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[pleasereset]

What's reprogramming? Is Rinzler okay? It sounded like he was hurt real bad.

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[a_shadow]

Rinzler is a computer program. He's made of code, like writing in a book. A book that came to life. Alan took him to rewrite him.

He's pretty freaked out right now. Whether there's been any damage from this, we're not sure.

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[hatesimprovising]

[ Okay, Wash takes a few issues with that kind of thought on murder, but he doesn't drop in to argue over it. Not right now, anyway. No way he wants to argue with Tex while she angry--and he's never seen her like this before.

Plus, the more she talks, the more his concern goes to the more important topic at hand. ]

Whoa, hang on-- Some people reprogramed Rinzler?

[ His shock probably gives away that he's been out of the loop this month. There's worry in his expression too, along with a more subtle touch of his own anger. Yeah, he takes issue with AI being treated unethically, and it's not just because he considers Rinzler to be something of a friend. ]

What the hell... What happened? Is he okay?

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[a_shadow]

Some volunteers took him to Alan to be reprogrammed. Rinzler's actually a bit unsure what happened in the end. Alan repaired some physical problems, so there's that. Doesn't excuse the fact that they had the idea of recoding him to change his behavior.

He's pretty freaked out, and in hiding.

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[aminerproblem]

So taking a scalpel to his mind is being seen as an acceptable solution.

[Even though Rinzler wasn't Cybertronian, the situation still rings a little too close to home. He can't help but feel disappointed and a little angry.]

Do Alan and the others realize the schism they are creating with this foolish stunt? Is it that impossibly difficult for someone to respect sentience that isn't their own?

[needsnoface]

The very fact that they believed that they had to 'take matters into their own hands' speaks highly of how little thought of everyone else they had in regards to their actions. After all, they likely believed they were doing this for the "greater good" of the ship and thus likely do not realize they are giving blanket permission to modify everyone and everything that does not fit their worldviews and moral compass.


Maybe we'll be given matching 'scars' when they decide to be proactive in keeping the ship safe.

[needsnoface]

Well, it seems nothing much changes in certain regards based on if you think in ones and zeros.

[Does BB sound a bit bitter underneath the normal 'voice' he usually has? Probably, all things considered.]

[a_shadow]

No, nothing much changes. I've been bringing up brainwashing with a lot of people who don't seem to understand what my problem is with this. That's not really making much difference, though.

[deal]

Do you know if he was successful?

[a_shadow]

No, I don't.

text; anon

[skelepun]

sounds like this is pretty personal for you.

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[a_shadow]

Should it need to be for me to notice this is wrong?

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[reseal]

[ Ever since Sakura was young she'd be the type of person who'd immediately believe others. Of course that's still true today. She's intently listening to Texas message while contemplating on those words. ]

I don't think killing people's the right thing to do...but um. Is it difficult to reprogram him?

[It doesn't sound like an easy task at the very least.]

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[a_shadow]

[ This is a child, so it's not getting the same raised eyebrow she'd be shooting an older person. ]

It doesn't particularly matter, does it? It's not right to do that to him.

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[alan_1]

[Alan has been watching this conversation grow for the last few hours without bothering to defend himself. What defense could he possibly give? That he had chosen the lesser of two evils? It wouldn’t matter to them. These people didn’t have to make that choice. They just see an evil, full stop.

But as he reads through the responses, he does pick up on something important: that the woman who made this post -- Tex -- seems to be in contact with Rinzler. Alan knows better to approach the program now, but perhaps he can pass on a message. And put at least one of the woman’s fears to rest.]

I didn’t recode him. All I did was repair the physical damage. [He doesn’t explain further. He’ll answer questions if asked, but he can’t muster the conviction to actually lay out a full defense.]

If you’re in contact with him, I’d appreciate if you would tell him that.

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[a_shadow]

Had a last-minute change of conscience, did you?

[ She doesn't sound as spiteful as she might—she's genuinely curious as to what has happened here. ]

[visionarie]

[His brows crease with dread as the implications of her post begin to fall into place leaving a heavy feeling behind.]

May I ask -- what happened to him?

[a_shadow]

Some people captured Rinzler to take him to be recoded. Thankfully it sounds like all his creator did was repair some problems and leave the rest.

[breakin_ur_lore]

[Med'an has tried to keep up with this matter, but having no clue how computers work has him at a distinct disadvantage. People have explained what Rinzler is, what a program is, but he has no frame of reference for it, and with everyone getting riled up (and his old roommate still in cryo from the attack that started everything)...]

I don't understand what recoding means.

[a_shadow]

A computer program is made of written code, just like a book is made of words. The difference is the code was activated and brought him to life. The code can't be changed without changing what kind of life he is.