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"[Science fiction is] an integration of the mood and attitude of science (the objective universe) with the fears and hopes that spring from the unconscious."
- Gregory Benford
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| House Voice | ||
| A house-based system that mediates technologies (like phone) with a verbal interface directed to the inhabitants of the house. |
Now here's a customizable interface; no tinkering with "preferences" files for Angela.
| "Angela," the House said, it's voice quiet but compelling, "I have a call from Hilton Swift." "Executive override?" She was eating baked beans and toast at the kitchen counter. "No," it said, confidingly. "Change your tone," she said, around a mouthful of beans. "Something with an edge of anxiety." "Mr. Swift is waiting," the House said nervously. "Better," she said, carrying bowl and played to the washer, "but I want something closer to genuine hysteria." "Will you take the call?" The voice was choked with tension. "No," she said, "but keep your voice that way, I like it." |
| From Mona Lisa Overdrive,
by William Gibson. Published by Bantam in 1988 Additional resources -
|
Clearly, this house voice is a long way from the uninflected artificial speech of today.
Note the differences between this scene in the interaction between the human character and the machine "servant" and a very similar exchange between Jorj X. McKie and the Daily Schedule in The Dosadi Experiment.
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'The world ... is drenched in unfamiliar information all the way to the horizon.'
'He saw one hiss by him as he rounded the corner, trailing a short whip antenna...'
'It may be organic damage. It may be permanent. Time'll tell, and only after you are off Substance D for a long while.'
It's the polite thing to do, and has been the polite thing to do for about four generations.
