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The Cyberspace Concept Cyberpunk: the Idea William Gibson Computer Cyberpunk: The Idea Term coined in by Bruce Bethke The Cyberspace Concept punk part reflects streetwise attitude Tone tends to be dark, cynical Immersion in computer generated, shared worlds is a key theme I202: Fall 2003 Other themes Alteration of human bodies, genes Thomas Haigh Popular culture, music, media power Session 19 Critical of corporate power Often romantic, rebellious i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 1 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 2 William Gibson Computer Technology in SF Creates idea of cyberspace Common by mid-1950s Best known in novel Necromancer, 1984 Futuristic technology lags history Early appearance in short story “Burning Chrome” Big, expensive, central computers Science fiction writer then living in Used mostly for mathematics Canada Nobody much predicts No particular knowledge of computers Personal computer Writes Neuromancer & earlier stories on manual typewriter Microchips, miniaturization Imagines technology in very visual, Interactive graphics impressionistic kind of way Main extrapolation is artificial intelligence Vivid, spatial, seedy (film noir influence) Often arrives spontaneously i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 3 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 4 Networking: Fiction Gibson’s Cyberspace Famously defined as “consensual hallucination” for Little realistic treatment pre-1980 exchange of data Very much like real space Much more focus on AI than networks Big mainframes are like skyscrapers John Brunner, Shockwave Rider, 1975 invents Valuable data is protected idea of computer “worm” “Walls”, “gates” “mazes” of “ice” Need speed, reflexes to fly through Vernor Vinge, “True Names” (1981) Illicit programs are like illegal weapons “I felt like a punk who'd gone out to buy a switch. Hackers adventures in virtual environment blade and come home with a small neutron bomb.” Comic-book story; anti-government ideas Death in cyberspace can be real death Works well for story Influential on libertarian new activists of 90s Actual function, purpose is not totally clear i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 5 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 6 1 Cybernetics Cyborg Coined by Norbert Weiner, Cyborg = CYBernetic ORGanism 1947 Combination of human and artificial parts in a single Popular 1948 book, “Cybernetics” system From Greek – “steersman” Popular science fiction idea from 1970s Idea tied to automation Intimate connection to technology High tech in 1980s is becoming much more domestic Generalization of feedback, as control principle & personal CD player or Nintendo rather than nuclear power Animals, machines – both seek A “cyberman” from the TV goals Gibson imagines symbolic extensions series Dr. Who “jacking into the matrix” Idea gets tied to Artificial Implants such as blades, communicatons, retinal displays Intelligence Hands and arm in Burning Chrome Also “cyber” is popular prefix i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 7 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 8 Virtual Reality Cyberpunk: The Movement Virtual Reality (new term circa 1982) Immersion in simulated world First self-conscious movement since “New Much interest in driven by cyberpunk Wave” fiction Idea spreads rapidly into mainstream Neuromancer (1984) is defining statement culture Gibson & Bruce Sterling are key proponents Typical components are Push to shake-up science fiction Stereo, head-mounted display Sterling publishes “Cheap Truth” magazine Powerful, real-time 3D graphics Fame soon spreads beyond genre hardware Sensor to detect head motion Largely faded as movement by late-80s Data gloves to sense hand motion Influence remains strong on later work Computer industry saw as next big Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash (1994) is popular thing around 1990 Lots of researchers want to work on i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 9 Flurry of VR startupsi202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 10 Hackers VR Disappoints in Real Life 3D graphics make amazing progress Term originally has positive Specialist 3D hardware becomes commonplaces in late 1990s association Used almost entirely for games geeky pranksters at MIT Nobody really figures out applications in spreadsheets, presentations, etc. By mid-1980s means Some real applications for immersive 3D electronic vandals Architectural walkthroughs Sometimes credited with Astronaut training, etc. superhuman powers Mainstream applications lacking Immersion makes people sick Media fascination continues 3D user interfaces are harder to use into 1990s Nobody figures out a new interface paradigm Problem for science fiction Actual hacking very boring i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 11 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 12 2 Cyberspace in the 1990s Network as a Place Gradually loses association with VR If we consider “cyberspace” as a place, it is Becomes a description of shared social space on the natural for it to have its own Internet Laws and government Key idea: a network is a place of its own Citizens Different from prevalent idea of earlier technologies Cultural norms, language and customs Postal systems Businesses Telephone network These bring two or more real places into contact The Electronic Freedom Frontier is one group But nobody much talks about “postalspace” as being where pushing idea of net as cyberspace catalog companies are based They think its natural state is freedom and or “telephoneworld” as where psychic hotlines operate governments should keep out of the way i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 13 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 14 Idea Pops Up Everywhere Journals are published in cyberspace Companies do business in cyberspace Experts specialize in “cyberspace” law Politicians campaign in cyberspace Bush calls for “A National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace” i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 15 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 16 Dual Realities Very Powerful Metaphor The Internet does allow real social processes Guides ideas about regulation Of kinds previous carried out primarily in real places E.g. Congress bans states from taxing Conversation transactions that happen in “cyberspace” Buying and selling Guides expectations of users Development of shared culture, etc Though these were sometimes done by mail, in print, E.g. things are usually free in cyberspace on telephone, etc. Ties in with “virtual community idea” But everyone “in cyberspace” is also in some Various manifestos written for “netizens”, etc. kind of real space Idea that move to net is like founding a new This creates some fundamental tensions country i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 17 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 18 3 One Example: Censorship Another Example: Piracy Legal status of obscenity in US depends China and Russia have weak piracy enforcement explicitly on standards of local community Pirated CDs and DVDs freely sold When material is viewed on web, what is jurisdiction But importation to USA is relatively limited State/nation of view State/nation of producer Electronic swapping is increasing threat State/nation of web hosting firm Cyberspace crosses national borders Or some new universal law of cyberspace? Books, games readily available from Russian web Similar issues in many areas servers Gambling services File swapping networks like Kazza bring together hundreds of thousands of people Taxation of e-commerce Libel But music industry is fighting back Laws vary greatly between US, Britain, etc. Subpoena identities of file swappers If something is published on web, where can you sue? Prosecute under US law i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 19 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 20 Many things hard to regulate More on these issues later… For example, spam Next 2 sessions: virtual communities Current laws are state by state Idea of real societies forming online National US law is in progress Early text based systems, modern games Some offer stiff penalties Jail or large fines Later sessions Problem is enforcement Issues of hacking and spam Spam is hard to trace Intellectual property in cyberspace International enforcement is currently impossible Privacy Geographical location of spammer may never even be Do rights to privacy exist in cyberspace known International Issues i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 21 i202, Thomas Haigh, Session 19 22 4.
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