A Rose By Any Other Name

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?

Sarah Buisson

Is no one surprised by Melon's prescience?

Welllll... considering all those rats anc centipedes...

Holly Nelson

I'm thinking that we'll discover that Spookybot will find Melon to be WEIRD...weirder than Spookybot, and that's saying something.

z

consider Jacques ...

Joe

Jeph, you are d*** lucky I wasn't taking a drink of my coffee when I read this.

Alex Borders

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.

Peter Jensen

Every time I see this comment, it takes a real physical struggle not to write "Hi, dying, I'm dad!" in response. Oh, wait...

Evgeniy Semyonov

No, it's Yay Newfriend.

Aleks

seconded !

Please draw an ancient IBM microcomputer with 'Hallelujah Newfriend' on a sign over it.

Randall Norman Pick

I'm reminded of Something Positive. Melon's even the same color as Fluffmodeus. "Hello, New Friend!!!"

Jeremy Westerfield

All one can do is embrace the insanity, hold on for dear life and watch the pretty colours.

Thomas Boys

I voted for SpookyMcSpookface.

Captain Button

I suppose outing him as Gary straight away would have been letting the cat out of the bag a bit soon.

Lucanid Landman

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.

Holly Nelson

You always know the right answer

Leona

I love the faces in panel three!

Joseph McGrath

In my head, of course she jumped down. And will jump back up later when she leaves, Superman style.

Jax

I'm just going to keep calling them Spookybot

Matthew Harris

Did Melon walk downstairs and come in through the door, or did she just jump down through the hole?

Dean Reilly

I assumed it was a Top Cat reference, to that episode where he and the other cats make modern art.

Rob McBobson

Iain M. Banks, my all time favourite sci-fi writer! May he rest in peace.

Niels Roosen

Was somehow expecting this to be a fluttershy reference....

David Howe

Their voice just has a more human cadence, one supposes.

Seth Aaron Hershman has they she pronouns

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?

Gerry

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.

Evgeniy Semyonov

Spookybot is practically a Skittermander at this point.

Bradford

This is Gold+, Jeph. You're a legend!

I don’t think they have one

Daniel Burnett

it 100% is

Jeph Jacques

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.

Brooks Moses

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?

Brent Catherman

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.

Jamie Ellen

Just as they planned...

JT

Yay! It's Spookybot!

John Fiala

...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.

Aqua Allison

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.

It's just that the other things Melon's consciousness is distributed into is the furniture around her apartment.

Czarzhan

I'm dying, this is gold

Anton

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.

Mitchell Sealy

"I also have a cousin Archy. Short for Architeuthis."

Noise

He was waiting for a special circumstance.

Summer Sudbrink

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.

Dylan T

I dunno. One could support each cheek

Hedgie

Yay -.- >3

Daryl Sawyer

There's also a photo of Roko with Melon - I believe it's hanging by the door.

awgiedawgie

Iain M. Banks book “Player of Games”. Character named Yay Meristinoux. (Superb intro to his Culture books, btw)

Matt Grayson

No, no... that's Ugh Newfriend. Awwh Newfriend is the cute little baby.

awgiedawgie

Sitting on two Y's for a year must have been a pain in the ass.

BobC

They are a distributed intelligence. They all know what any one of them knows.

awgiedawgie

Enough processing power to break modern encryption instantly, but not so good at thinking on their feet.

Peter Jensen

How can one obtain a slap drone? Asking for a friend....

Wolfger

Maybe an attempt to assimilate with perceived human norms?

Michael Boettger

Some things are worth keeping, Jeph. :)

Joseph Bonnar

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.

Michael Boettger

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.)

Adam Friedlander

How Cultured.

5099 5618

MELON!! <3 <3 <3

Shawn K. Younkin

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

Why would AI's need snapshots on the wall?

Jim Feldman

I don’t get the reference mentioned in the corner but appreciate the comic all the same. Yay Newfriend!

Bonnie Fiddis

Still gonna call em Spookybot

Joel Bateman

And the picture on the wall? Did Roko go to Disneyland?

Michael Boettger

Although, I can imagine the reaction when they rejoin. Super secret AIs doing a simultaneous facepalm.

Michael Boettger

Please let this be Spookybots permanent name. I would be sooo happy

Jon

Oh this is going to be fun.

R L

Hey, Spooky was caught off guard and was the best they could up with on a moment's notice.

Michael Boettger

melon is also a distributed consciousness but doesn't know it

Smazzie

Jeph I swear to fucking god if that is actually their name..

Samantha Yeaman

Then there’s Awwh Newfriend, our cousin that nobody likes

Daniel Burnett

Omg Are you kidding me? You're going to call them that for serious? You're a mad man, Jeph.

Alcaria Swain

Meristinoux!

Matt Grayson

YAY NEWFRIEND