Too Much Tech (OPEN)

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth didn't consider herself someone who was close minded. In fact, all things considered, she thought she handled being on a living ship with technology far beyond her own quite well. She had looked around the ship to get her bearings and even tried to find some obvious ways into other paths of the ship.

However, she'd been working, searching for a long time and she really just wanted to do something simple. Something to relax. Which is why she was at the media library. It was a library.

So it had to have books.

Or so she thought. Instead, it was pads where words appeared. It seemed easy to use and handy, but...

"I want a normal book," she muttered. Was it too much to ask for something to be familiar to her besides what she retrieved from the lockers? Those were only things of necessity.

She wanted a normal luxury, damn it.

Comments

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

Mei Ling has spent the majority of her time on this ship in the media library. In fact, majority was probably an understatement. She has left only a few times, and those were mostly for sleeping or eating. The media library has become sort of a sanctuary for her.

Which is of course why she popped up when the other girl had come in. "I share your sentiments, but you get used to these after awhile," Mei Ling offered with a smile. She really did miss the feel of a real book, but she had other reasons for liking the datapads, "They hold more information than any book ever could. Some of the things you can learn from these are quite fascinating, too."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"Even if they hold more data," Pirogoeth said, setting down the datapad, "I would like some sense of normalcy as this place has none," she commented and looked at Mei Ling. "Should I assume then trying to find a normal book is a fruitless effort?"

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"I'm afraid so," Mei Ling's smile falters into a slightly sadder on.

"There just doesn't seem to be any normal books here. At least, not that I've found." Which is saying a lot, considering that Mei Ling has thoroughly scoured through the library about three times so far looking for the exact same thing.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth sighed. "Of course," she murmured. "Though I suppose with this type of ship, it wouldn't last long. The air is hardly dry enough for them not to degrade."

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"If it's any consolation, these allow access to thousands of worlds' literature with no language barrier." That was the greatest plus for Mei Ling. She had spent years studying Earth's literature; now she could move onto other planets no problem.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth looked at the datapads thoughtfully. "I wonder if it is possible to find the books from mine world," she commented. She hadn't been able to finish a few before her personal library was, well, destroyed in an attack of dark magic. It's kind of hard to recover stuff then. And any books she obtained while traveling Largo usually used to get a fire going. Either by using it as kindling or ticking her off by wrecking it.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure there's some in here," this place has everything, "You just have to look. I'd be willing to help you."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"Have thou seen any books from a world called The Endgames?" Pirogoeth asked.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"Hmm," Mei Ling ponders this, "Not that I can remember, but I may have accidentally skipped over them. That doesn't mean they're not here."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"Does this place organize by worlds, or by titles and authors?" Pirogoeth asked.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"Authors and titles as far as I can tell."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"Then hopefully I can find what I am looking for," Pirogoeth said. "Can thee show me how to find specific books?"

At least she could READ something familiar.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

Mei Ling nods, "Sure! Follow me." Mei leads her to a terminal, "You can browse various genres and topics or search for an author and title specifically with these."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirgoeth follows her to the terminal and stares. "How...does one work these?" She asked.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"This?" Mei gestures to the terminal, "Well, I'm not sure how complicated Stacy's computer systems are, but this is fairly basic cataloging software that sorts data according to specific information. This allows you to search through according to genre, title, or author."

Mei Ling likes technology.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth's knowledge of technology is limited to wood and stone basic machines.

"I am not familiar with this sort of device," she said. "Whatsoever. We do not even have guns in my world." Maybe that would show how far behind the times her world was? The concept of a gun seemed simpler than this.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Well, that made things much harder to explain, "I guess the simplest way to put it is that it works the same way any other thing does. It's made up of different components that all perform separate tasks but still work together to complete a common goal like data processing."

She's trying to explain, she really is.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"It processes data? So it is a machine that thinks, like Stacy?" Pirogoeth asked.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"These aren't capable of thinking like Stacy. They don't possess that kind of advanced artificial intelligence..."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"Then...how does it process data? Data is information, correct? Mustn't one think to process it?" Pirogoeth asked, frowning. She didn't like appearing an idiot, but she hadn't a clue about this sort of thing.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"It's... complicated to explain," at least to a person who has no understanding of a computer whatsoever. "I guess it's better to say that it sorts information, but it doesn't need to think to do this.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth thought for a few moments. "Like...a librarian sorts books without knowing what they're about?" She asked.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

Mei Ling smiles and nods, "Yes, that's a very good way of putting it."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"And in such a small space....how does one access the information?" She asked, leaning closer to study the terminal.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"At the terminal, you define the search parameters like author, title, genre, or keywords and enter them into these boxes," Mei Ling points at the screen, "And then it will search for datapads that match these and make a list of the ones in the library and list where to find them."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"And...I put them in on this?" Pirogoeth asked, pointing at the keyboard curiously.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

She nods, "That's correct."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth looked between the terminal and the keys for a few moments before typing in a title, taking a minute to figure out the space bar made the break. "Is that it?"

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

Mei Ling looks over what she's typed before nodding again, "That's it."

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

"And then...I just press this?" She asked, tapping the search button on the screen.

[savin-ur-data.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Oh she's so proud that you're learning, Pirogoeth.

[lastofkuith.livejournal.com]

Pirogoeth looked at the screen as it changed, smiling just a bit. "They have it," she said. "Can thee point me to this section?" She asked, pointing to the location the computer gave on the book.