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What software?

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Sunchaser Sunchaser's picture
What software?
Is there a list of which software is standard for beginning characters?
fellowhoodlum fellowhoodlum's picture
Re: What software?
Really it depends on the GM's call. Autonomists may have every piece of open source software they care to download while Inner System serfs only can access basic functions and productivity software. Not to mention Firewall agents can get more... experimental stuff.
Arenamontanus Arenamontanus's picture
Re: What software?
No. But I assume this is something one can use common sense for. Overall, as long as you are in a civilized habitat you can likely get most standard software instantly anyway - there is an endless number of apps for doing statistics, sculpting AR objects or searching rep networks or decoding common pre-Fall file formats. Even your ectos likely come prepackaged with terabytes of useful code. And most devices of course "know" how to work. There is likely plenty of for-pay software too. Running meterware over the mesh seems easy. I would assume that the cost (in credits or as services) depends on the rarity, complexity and professional specialization of the software. It is likely safe to assume that people with a professional background in (say) psychosurgery, astronomy or politics will have the necessary software tool-kits even if they are expensive. But if you need to get it, I would assume the prices could range from [moderate] to [expensive] for professional packages (think current prices for Photoshop over CAD/CAM suites all the way to professional studio software). This is true in the new economy too: just getting an advanced software suite doesn't help you configuring it for your systems, your muse and the latest online databases - you need help from people in the know. "OK, does anybody know how to run the healing vat? The 'heal' button is broken." "Let's ask it... oh spam, the AI has curdled." "I'll get a new one. Let's see, this one seems good - installing." "UNAUTHORIZED TELESCOPE USE. ARRAY NOT CONFIGURED." "Oops..."
Extropian
Axel the Chimeric Axel the Chimeric's picture
Re: What software?
I don't think any software is standard to start with. It's up to GM's to decide if you get anything like that. That said, if you need to find it once you start play, it doesn't seem too hard; there's open-source variants for most anything there, I'd imagine.
Sunchaser Sunchaser's picture
Re: What software?
Thanks all! I instituted a houserule covering it. Another note...where the heck are the programming rules? I have a player with a AGI hacker who wants to do plenty o' that but I'm not finding anything definitive.
Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture
Re: What software?
Sidebar on p246 lets you use Programming to get better programs (it's not clear if you can start from nothing, but I figure you can, in most cases). Certainly the GM could allow you to start from scratch… don't forget the degradation rules, though. It's also used to crack copy protection (p248), address compatibility penalties, crafting backdoors, and make scripts, but you probably knew that. :)