A Rose By Any Other Name
I've been sitting on Yay's name for over a year now muahahahahaha
Comments (75)
ok can we just recognize that roko appears to have a framed photo of herself on the wall with some 2000s-era fashion. Damn roko have some chill
How do you come to yay? What was the other possibility ? When do you decide to have melon name them?
Is no one surprised by Melon's prescience?
I'm thinking that we'll discover that Spookybot will find Melon to be WEIRD...weirder than Spookybot, and that's saying something.
Welllll... considering all those rats anc centipedes...
consider Jacques ...
Jeph, you are d*** lucky I wasn't taking a drink of my coffee when I read this.
Please draw an ancient IBM microcomputer with 'Hallelujah Newfriend' on a sign over it.
seconded !
I'm reminded of Something Positive. Melon's even the same color as Fluffmodeus. "Hello, New Friend!!!"
I voted for SpookyMcSpookface.
I suppose outing him as Gary straight away would have been letting the cat out of the bag a bit soon.
I would have guessed at a DiscWorld dwarf reference, with Cheery LittleBottom, Jolly LittleBottom, etc.
Hmm. Yay and May, both acquired their names from the Martenvolk. — Also, watching the MV accumulate friends of unimaginable power is like watching a nascent black hole building itself from drifting ostrich plumes. Or something.
You always know the right answer
I love the faces in panel three!
I'm just going to keep calling them Spookybot
Did Melon walk downstairs and come in through the door, or did she just jump down through the hole?
In my head, of course she jumped down. And will jump back up later when she leaves, Superman style.
I assumed it was a Top Cat reference, to that episode where he and the other cats make modern art.
Iain M. Banks, my all time favourite sci-fi writer! May he rest in peace.
Was somehow expecting this to be a fluttershy reference....
Has the reason Spoo... Yah is speaking with a circular speech bubble and not the AI square speech bubble been explained? Is one of the spooky nodes (i.e. this one) an actual human?
Their voice just has a more human cadence, one supposes.
They are really fast and adaptable. Taking name from Melon, certified weapon-grade ditz, is a perfect way to promote obscurity through audacity. No one would suspect an eldritch distributed AI in a person with such a ridiculous name. Somewhat like a method Doctor Strange uses in the comics.
Spookybot is practically a Skittermander at this point.
This is Gold+, Jeph. You're a legend!
It's probably for the best that they not use their real name. I don't think Melon can keep a secret. Speaking of real name have they ever disclosed it to anyone?
I don’t think they have one
From the Island of Newfriendland ... a mythical place reported to be a rock sticking out of the ocean, and 30 minutes out of time sync with everywhere else.
Yay! It's Spookybot!
No, it's Yay Newfriend.
...Jeph I am utterly terrified, because between Spookybot being an enigma of a personality, and you being a creator on the level of Andrew Hussie with your self-awareness, I'm not sure whether Yay is joking or not.
This is an AI that just gave away 2 billion dollars on a whim. Also, being named Yay Newfriend is much funnier if they take on the name seriously. Logical conclusion: There's no way they're going to do this halfway and only be joking here.
Oh Sweet Cthulu, It's been far too long since I've read or reread any Ian M. Banks. I'll have to fix that. Player of Games was my first, and it's still one of my favorites.
The complete works of Banks is on my list of things to read, so I was wondering if there's a fan accepted order for the best introduction, or if just chronological is fine.
I'm dying, this is gold
Every time I see this comment, it takes a real physical struggle not to write "Hi, dying, I'm dad!" in response. Oh, wait...
They mention that they had no name, which was presumably by choice. It's not hard to come by a name. This looks like poor improvisation but I think this is actually a super important and thought out step for them. They have adopted this new identity as Yay Newfriend. As soon as they heard Melon say "Yay! New Friend!" they realized they wished to define themselves by this reaction. To be the New Friend who elicits Yays.
"I also have a cousin Archy. Short for Architeuthis."
Logically, I know that Yay is an eldritch hivemind that could do terrible things to torture me and everyone I love. Emotionally, I want to squeeze them and protect them from all harm.
Just as they planned...
Yay -.- >3
Sitting on two Y's for a year must have been a pain in the ass.
I dunno. One could support each cheek
Maybe an attempt to assimilate with perceived human norms?
Some things are worth keeping, Jeph. :)
I think Randall Milholland already has a 'Newfriend' character in Something*Positive. At least, that's what Fluffmodeous calls her.
Jim, I have no real clue. But based on the skin and hair color, that is definitely Roko.
There's also a photo of Roko with Melon - I believe it's hanging by the door.
QC Fact: In the QC universe. a slap drone is an AI that follows you around, occasionally slapping you on the ass. (Available by request only.)
How can one obtain a slap drone? Asking for a friend....
How Cultured.
MELON!! <3 <3 <3
They've got half a dozen human-comparable brains to think with and that's what they come up with in a time crunch?...absolutely brilliant
I don’t get the reference mentioned in the corner but appreciate the comic all the same. Yay Newfriend!
Iain M. Banks book “Player of Games”. Character named Yay Meristinoux. (Superb intro to his Culture books, btw)
Still gonna call em Spookybot
And the picture on the wall? Did Roko go to Disneyland?
Why would AI's need snapshots on the wall?
Although, I can imagine the reaction when they rejoin. Super secret AIs doing a simultaneous facepalm.
They are a distributed intelligence. They all know what any one of them knows.
Please let this be Spookybots permanent name. I would be sooo happy
it 100% is
Oh this is going to be fun.
Hey, Spooky was caught off guard and was the best they could up with on a moment's notice.
Enough processing power to break modern encryption instantly, but not so good at thinking on their feet.
melon is also a distributed consciousness but doesn't know it
It's just that the other things Melon's consciousness is distributed into is the furniture around her apartment.
Jeph I swear to fucking god if that is actually their name..
Then there’s Awwh Newfriend, our cousin that nobody likes
No, no... that's Ugh Newfriend. Awwh Newfriend is the cute little baby.
Omg Are you kidding me? You're going to call them that for serious? You're a mad man, Jeph.
All one can do is embrace the insanity, hold on for dear life and watch the pretty colours.
Meristinoux!