compnetwork | [Voice]

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[Voice]

[Well, Shelly has had quite enough of interrogating the locals. It would have been splendid if they had managed to answer all of his questions, but that wasn't the case. Not to mention, there are other questions he cannot pose to them. He can't pose them to the network, either - not directly. But it's time to seek more information, regardless. He just has to be careful about it.]

Greetings. I am new here, and I was told that I could use this device to communicate with other... "Visitors", was it? Other people like me, at any rate. I have already asked a fair number of questions to the inhabitants of this city, but I must admit, some of what they've said is difficult for me to understand, and I feel quite lost. Any further help would be much appreciated.

Speaking of this device... The "COMP"? [He pronounces each letter separately - Cee Ohh Emm Pee.] Something worries me. How secure is it? I think I saw some privacy settings while I was attempting to begin recording this message, but are they reliable? I assume the device's functions are powered by the internet, and the problems that may arise from such a thing are well known... or so I hope. In fact, how easy is it to determine the identity of a given person on this network? You never know who you may be speaking to, after all.

[There. Subtle. ~~Boy just wait until he figures out the government has his name on record.~~]

That should be all for now, I believe. Thank you kindly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's not completely reliable. This one time, there was a virus we got to fight.

[...yes]

I... am going to presume that you are not alluding to anti-virus software.

Actual punches in the face of viruses.

I see.

[This truly must be another world, rather than simply another country. Hell if he can explain how that's happening. though.]

Aside from that, however, have there been problems of a more... traditional nature?

Well, most of the time it works well. We've got super-great geniuses running the network.

But those super-great geniuses can see your private conversations too. It's annoying.

Is that something they are supposed to do?

I don't think so.

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Nothing is totally secure. There's basically caller ID on here, too, though it shows up with your most commonly used name. Magic seems to be involved.

[His own caller ID never comes up with his actual name.]

And most people don't pronounce each letter separately. Think of it as a shortened version of 'computer'.

Depending on your skill level with computers, you can make conversations more private... though of course hacking is always a concern. Still, we try to make the network as secure as possible. Or at least I do, while I'm waiting for the other network administrators to at least attempt to stop being idiots.

Edited 2014-01-21 15:44 (UTC)

Magic? Does that mean the user does not get to set it directly? [Is it based on the name he gave the masked man, then...? Oh dear. He wouldn't want just anyone to identify him as Shelly de Killer.]

Is- Is that really what it is? What a terribly pointless abbreviation, then.

[... Well. He has tinkered with machines, on the odd occasion, and, of course, built his own web page, but he wonders if that's really the same thing. Especially considering how unusual this place is.]

Ah, then I presume you're quite familiar with how this works. I do hope your efforts pay off.

As far as I've been able to tell, no. Though if it's really an issue I can probably look into changing your name on the network.

Technically it's an abbreviation for "Communication Player". Or it was in my world, though the COMP here is... somewhat different than the one I'm used to.

Ah, I see no need to go to such extremes, but I do thank you for the offer. [He may very well resort to that, actually.]

Then... you're saying there were Communication Players of some sort in your "world"?

[He's never going to call it a COMP like a normal person again. LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE.]

There were. My last major job involved programming for them. Their primary use was as a handheld gaming console, though it also had email capabilities. The programs themselves were fairly easy to customize, and they ended up being used as devices to summon demons.

[To summon-- okay.] Is this related to that supposed "power" we have been given?

[He laughs a little bit.]

In some ways. They seem to have some similarities in terms of elemental affiliations and abilities. Though the demons were summoned from an adjacent world, rather than from our own psyches.

Magic is not uncommon here, and in some worlds it's more common than technology.

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Aside from you. You, at least, aren't an idiot.

I appreciate the qualifier.

Hey, welcome to Hinoto-Ri! I'm afraid I can't give you any more information on the COMP and its network, I don't really know how it works either... [There may not be a video image to go with this, but Bobby's tone of voice makes it all too clear he's embarrassed about that.]

But if you have any other questions, I'll be happy to try and answer them for you! We're all in this together, after all.

In justice we trust!

[That... is a familiar voice. And a familiar motto. Although thankfully, he never got to hear too much of whatever this detective had to say.

Could it be he doesn't recognise Shelly's voice, though? Well, he supposes it might not be that memorable.]

... Justice? Are you an officer of the law?

[The Phantom, as he is, has no desire to be helpful to anyone. Bobby Fulbright, however, would jump through hoops to lend a hand to newcomers who need some additional guidance. He made his decision of whose identity to stick to the moment he first met Philemon, so jumping through hoops it is.]

Why yes, I am! Detective Bobby Fulbright, at your service.

[Well, then. Now he knows the name of the man who nearly caught him red-handed. It wasn't that long ago, either. He's really glad he didn't accidentally make this a video message now.]

Ah. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Detective. My name is John Doe.

Perhaps you could tell me, then... what is the state of the law in this city?

["John Doe"? He'd question that if he weren't from a world where Dick Gumshoe is a perfectly subtle name for a detective.]

The state of the law is impeccable! There's virtually no crime and from what I can tell, most Visitors are on the side of righteousness. [Though, this is Bobby being hopelessly optimistic and not seeing what he doesn't want to see. It doesn't quite match up with the harsh reality.]

[In a world where murder victims can be called "Deid Mann", how can anyone question anything?]

Is that so? Quite impressive.

... I have heard less flattering reports, however. A young lady told me that the very same people in charge of ensuring the privacy of this network may spy on private messages... and I very much doubt that is legal.

Haaah?! They do that? That's terrible!

I haven't read about any specific laws that protect the privacy of COMP users, but that's just not right! If I ever see them, I'll give them a piece of my mind!

[Evidently, he's outraged by this notion.]