Difference between revisions of "Jipi and the Paranoid Chip"
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− | '''''Jipi and the Paranoid Chip''''' is a short story written by [[Neal Stephenson]] initially published in ''Forbes'' magazine on 1997-07-07. Although it was the first story written in [[The Baroque Cycle (universe)|The Baroque Cycle]] | + | '''''Jipi and the Paranoid Chip''''' is a [[techno-thriller]] short story written by [[Neal Stephenson]] initially published in ''Forbes'' magazine on 1997-07-07. Although it was the first story written in ''[[The Baroque Cycle (universe)|The Baroque Cycle]]'', according to the in-universe chronology, it is the last story to take place. The story is about a microchip that has been purposely designed to exhibit characteristics of a paranoid schizophrenic and a lack of foresight which puts it in control of something dangerous. |
==Personal== | ==Personal== | ||
− | After having read all of the books in The Baroque Cycle, I was a bit annoyed that I didn't have access to this work. Luckily, I was able to find it online. | + | After having read all of the books in ''The Baroque Cycle'', I was a bit annoyed that I didn't have access to this work. Luckily, I was able to find it online. However, after reading it, I discovered that it had practically nothing to do with the ''The Baroque Cycle'' other than a location and the mention of a character that would later be included in ''[[Cryptonomicon]]''. I finished the story on 2021-09-21 and enjoyed it. |
==Status== | ==Status== | ||
− | I don't own this story, but I' | + | I don't own this story, but I've read it. |
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
+ | {{Spoilers}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Good=== | ||
+ | * Stephenson creates a lot of tension near the end of the story. The fact that a huge bomb might go off in a residential area if Jipi can't figure out a way to trick the chip into divulging it's location is really clever. | ||
+ | * The idea of [[machine learning|evolving an AI]] to accurately [[CAPTCHA|identify humans]], while, at the same time avoid identification, was way ahead of its time in 1997. | ||
+ | * The idea of using a paranoid AI to serve as a car alarm rather than a top-down designed system is a sure sign of things to come. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Bad=== | ||
+ | * The first half of the story, where Jipi is being taught how to trick hotel patrons into not noticing unpleasant aspects of their stay, is a little interesting, but ultimately has nothing to do with the story's later half. It's so disparate, it makes me think Stephenson merged two story ideas together. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Ugly=== | ||
+ | * Nothing. | ||
==Media== | ==Media== | ||
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jipi_and_the_Paranoid_Chip}} | {{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jipi_and_the_Paranoid_Chip}} | ||
{{Link|GoodReads|https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18299396-jipi-and-the-paranoid-chip}} | {{Link|GoodReads|https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18299396-jipi-and-the-paranoid-chip}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category: Books]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Short Stories]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Fiction]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Media Theme - Science Fiction]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Media Theme - Techno-Thriller]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Trope - Strong Female Character]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Books That Fail the Bechdel Test]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Books I've Read]] |
Revision as of 13:31, 21 September 2021
Jipi and the Paranoid Chip is a techno-thriller short story written by Neal Stephenson initially published in Forbes magazine on 1997-07-07. Although it was the first story written in The Baroque Cycle, according to the in-universe chronology, it is the last story to take place. The story is about a microchip that has been purposely designed to exhibit characteristics of a paranoid schizophrenic and a lack of foresight which puts it in control of something dangerous.
Personal
After having read all of the books in The Baroque Cycle, I was a bit annoyed that I didn't have access to this work. Luckily, I was able to find it online. However, after reading it, I discovered that it had practically nothing to do with the The Baroque Cycle other than a location and the mention of a character that would later be included in Cryptonomicon. I finished the story on 2021-09-21 and enjoyed it.
Status
I don't own this story, but I've read it.
Review
— This section contains spoilers! —
Good
- Stephenson creates a lot of tension near the end of the story. The fact that a huge bomb might go off in a residential area if Jipi can't figure out a way to trick the chip into divulging it's location is really clever.
- The idea of evolving an AI to accurately identify humans, while, at the same time avoid identification, was way ahead of its time in 1997.
- The idea of using a paranoid AI to serve as a car alarm rather than a top-down designed system is a sure sign of things to come.
Bad
- The first half of the story, where Jipi is being taught how to trick hotel patrons into not noticing unpleasant aspects of their stay, is a little interesting, but ultimately has nothing to do with the story's later half. It's so disparate, it makes me think Stephenson merged two story ideas together.
Ugly
- Nothing.