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	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?
	Posted By: Steve Levinson	Date: 7/29/02 1:08 a.m.
	In Response To: Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels? (Ernie) : (I will look into how Toth speaks for how to write them tho, thanks). Ernie, I think that that would be an excellet place to start. Although Durandal referred to Thoth as a S'pht AI, everything points to him being Jjaro in origin. When the Jjaro speak to us in our dreams, they speak in metaphore. It is never clear whether they are pulling events out of our pre-cybernetic life (God, I hope not!), or if the story is a fabrication. In any case, the use of metaphore may be in part because we are dreaming and in part because they are trying to bring themselves down to a level we can understand. After all, they disappeared from the galaxy thousands of years ago and their conversation, if you could call it that, is likely beyond our comprehension. Thoth is a good start - he is an ancient AI and probably was developed at a time when the Jjaro were simpler and easier to comprehend. He was also designed to work with the S'pht, who were much simpler in their pre-Pfhor days. In fact, it has been suggested and I would concur that the S'pht were not that technically advanced when they encountered the Pfhor. The S'pht we know should have been better able to defend themselves. One key element for you in designing your terminals is whether these terminals were meant for internal communication of the Jjaro with each other, or with outsiders like ourselves. If they were for communication with each other, expect them to be very direct and to the point, but to discuss things for which we have no comprehension. The fact that this is an ancient Jjaro outpost helps you in that they would not be expected to be so sophisticated then, but they would still use a terminology that is alien to us. Think in terms of an alien accessing an earth kiosk today and you'll get the picture. If the Jjaor terminals are designed to communicate with outsiders, then expect something more cryptic and simple. For example, when NASA wanted to design a means of communicating with an alien culture who might find our first space probe that was expected to leave our solor system (I think it was the first Voyager probe, which was sent to Jupitor), they recorded greetings from people on earth in dozens of languages. They used very elemental graphics to explain how to play the disc containing the messages, and included a host of other sounds from earth, including the sound of a humpback whale. For your Jjaro terminals, you might consider an amalgam of sights and sounds that don't convey a message so much as they attempt to convey who they are. In terms of symbolism - the S'pht terminals are, I think, pure S'pht. The symbols represent the evolution of S'ht symbols and their written language over thousands of years. There is nothing similar in Thoth's terminals which, to me, indicates that the Jjaro did not use these symbols. I would certainly use a login symbol similar to Thoth's, and consider symbols much less elaborate than those used by the S'pht. Good luck with your Scenario!

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Replies:

	Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Ernie	7/28/02 10:25 a.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Scifiteki	7/28/02 4:50 p.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Ernie	7/29/02 12:10 a.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Steve Levinson	7/29/02 1:08 a.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Ernie	7/29/02 4:32 p.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals in non-dream levels?	Steve Levinson	7/29/02 5:42 p.m.
	Re: Jjaro Terminals - one more thought	Steve Levinson	7/29/02 9:26 p.m.
	Very interesting stuff Steve...	Ernie	7/30/02 2:31 p.m.
	Re: Very interesting stuff Steve...	Steve Levinson	7/30/02 3:23 p.m.
	Re: Very interesting stuff Steve...	Mark Levin	7/30/02 8:18 p.m.
	Re: Very interesting stuff Steve...	Steve Levinson	7/30/02 8:32 p.m.

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