Below are two short excerpts from my current work in progress, FIANCHETTO. As the manuscript grew very long, I was advised to split it into at least two books. So I have. Book 1, finished, is making it rounds. Book 2 is about 75% finished.
The first excerpt explains the naming conventions for EMs in 2065. The second excerpt is a sample news item from the ubiquitous show "Your/World Live!"
"Your/World" is my name for the all-encompassing world network of data, entertainment, and communications that exists in the novel.
(The ms. formatting has been modified to fit the blog page.)
From
the international agreement on the regulation of énamyalic
devices, first ratified at the 2040 Your/World Conference in
Mexico City (modified 2049, 2054, and 2062):
Article
5: All énamyalic intelligences classified as Generation 2 and later
will be identified by a singular name, in the form of a noun or
adjective. This name will be used in all communication by and
concerning the device. Each name will be registered with the
Your/World Conference, and no two intelligences may have the same
name. The device designation may be in any recognized language,
including extinct ones (e.g., Latin). Owners and operators of
named intelligences are encouraged to use their local language when
naming a device. As an orthographic convention, intelligence names
must be rendered in ALL CAPITAL letters. This provision does not
apply to languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, et. al.) in which the
Capital/Lower Case convention does not exist. In those languages a
special character should be developed to indicate a designation is
for an artificial intelligence.
[In
Japan, "énamyalic intelligence" is 人工知能
(Jinkō
chinō),
and common usage has created the contraction じん
の (Jin
no).
Thus the Tokyo Metro EM known as KAGAMI is formally known as JIN NO
KAGAMI in Japan.]
The
use of actual proper names is discouraged, as is the use of
propagandistic names.
APPROVED
STYLE: NAAG (India, "Snake"), XING (China, "Capable"),
FROST (U.S. Weather Service),
ÁBACO
(Brazil, "Abacus"), KAGAMI (Japan, "Mirror"),
UPEPO (Tanzania, "Wind"), BULU (Indonesia, "Feather"),
MOLNIYA (Russia, "Lightning").
Older
device names in styles no longer sanctioned: MEFISTO (Germany, a
demon), KILIÇ
(Turkey, "Sword"), CESARE (Italy, "Caesar"), BOB
(United Kingdom), ESCLAVO (Chile, "Slave"), Θεά
(Greece,
"Theá,"
"Goddess"), BETTY (United States).
Disregard
of proper nomenclature will result in the withholding of Your/World
certification of the énamyalic machine and its operators.
#
Your/World,
Thursday. April 1, 2065
It's
12 Noon Greenwich Mean Time, and this is Your/World Live! . . .
Votre/Monde en Direct! . . . Nǐ de shìjiè huózhe!. . . Aapki
duniya jee rahee hai! . . . Tu Mundo en vivo!
In
Your/World today, a new chess prodigy is preparing to challenge for
the world chess championship. A 25 year-old electrical engineer,
American Victor Leventon, has entered negotiations with Hortalez et
Cie and the Russian technical consortium Zhestkiye Nomera to play
their respective énamyalic machines for the world chess title.
One énamyalic machine or another has held the chess championship for the past thirty
years. The last human champion, Anatoly Sherschansky, lost the title
after a lengthy match against the early EM MEFISTO in 2035. Since
then, the world champion title has passed from EM to EM. The current
chess champion, the Swiss davice known as FORT, has held the title
since 2063. Rated second in the world is the Zhestkiye Nomera device,
ARAKHNA.
Mr.
Leventon, who was unknown to the world of chess three years ago,
shocked the cybernetic community last year by beating three powerful
EMs: China's XING, the Indian university champion NAAG, and most
spectacularly, the Turkish government's machine KILIÇ. KILIÇ was
built for the Turkish military to analyze defense arrangements and
create battle strategy. As part of its training, KILIÇ was
instructed in chess, and quickly established itself as a bold and
dangerous opponent. It was the first EM to defeat Mr. Leventon,
winning the third game of their match. Leventon won the nine game
challenge 6-1, with four wins, four draws, and single defeat. To
date, no one, human or EM, has managed to defeat Leventon more than
once.
Currently,
talks are under way to settle the arrangements for the great double
match. FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs, has refused
to recognize the games, citing the fact that Leventon is not a member
of any affiliated chess organization and has no official chess
rating. Some insiders have claimed that if calculated using the
standard Elo system, Leventon might have a rating as high as 4000.
Current champion FORT is rated at 3633. ARAKHNA is listed at 3490.
Sources
in Russia report the match against ARAKHNA may occur as soon as the
summer, with a possible championship meeting with FORT by autumn.
#
Referring to my earlier posted sample from FIANCHETTO, Victor is the boy who went wading in the stream and was so excited to see an airplane.
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