[extropy-chat] IQ vs Uploads (was: what to do)

Adrian Tymes wingcat at pacbell.net
Tue Jun 14 17:23:33 UTC 2005


--- Emlyn <emlynoregan at gmail.com> wrote:
> If I were a dastardly SI (or just one who was concerned with
> achieving
> autonomy), trapped in a desktop or two, with internet access and
> access to my own source, I'd first get myself out onto as many
> machines as possible, looking for the same machines that spammers and
> DDOSers turn into zombies; you know, all those lovely fast brand new
> machines out there in consumer homes with broadband but no firewall.

Assuming, of course, that desktop machines would be capable of running
you - either alone or networked (taking communication errors and, more
importantly, latency into effect).  Which is not beyond all
possibility, but it seems likely that the first several SIs will only
be able to run on specialized hardware - standard supercomputers, if
not even more specialized - which tends to have at least adequate
security.  (E.g., for supercomputers, the mere CPU power itself is a
viable asset they want to protect; regular consumer desktops, OTOH, use
little enough of their CPU power that they have many of their cycles to
spare.)



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