opening personal folder
opening file folder: kojima-chan
play video file 2/22/08 0:00
It had been slightly over a week since her 'birthday', as she'd begun to call the day her master had activated her, after researching human customs, and Kotoko was progressing quite rapidly. Her programming was quite intricate, as she was beginning to understand, a twisted network of miniature blocks of coding denoting 'normal' functions that would increase to define her higher functionality as her intelligence increased by way of the self-teaching program...which was almost like a human brain, she decided. It gave her the freedom to determine which course of action to take when faced with a problem based on what she'd learned and filed away; as well as the intuition to research anything she didn't understand.
It also made her master very happy that she was developing in such a manner- -she had image and video file after file stored away of his exhilarated expressions when she analyzed and completed a task or developed a solution to a problem not covered within her basic coding. Kotoko liked seeing her master smile. It meant, she'd learned, that she was fulfilling whatever purpose he'd had in creating her, and after a study of the emotions experienced by human beings Kotoko had determined that the 'feeling' she got when Kojima smiled was 'happiness', a strange yet interesting concept that she didn't quite understand, yet. Happiness was smiling, was experienced when things went correctly. Happiness was being useful, for a persocom, because it meant that you had a reason to exist, a reason to be. Persocoms were created to be useful and to bring joy to their masters, she'd read somewhere, and therefore determined that she was happy when Kojima was happy. She wasn't sure what part of her programming dictated how she experienced happiness or sadness.
She especially wasn't sure whether she could feel at all after a rather disturbing conversation with her master, in which she began to question just how advanced she was.
The day started off normally--her master awakened early (he allowed Kotoko to go into sleep mode at the top of his pillow, a position she viewed as being indicative of her place in the household--the master's favorite persocom) and left for the educational facility he called 'hell on Earth' (Kotoko had done research and discovered that the REAL name of his daily destination was school.) During the day, Kotoko either read the myriads of books lining the walls, or did research on events she'd witnessed. Occasionally she explored the huge mansion, and in the course of a week had discovered and made the acquaintance of somewhere over 15 different persocoms; however, she tended to avoid them as their height made her uncomfortable, as well as the empty looks in some of their eyes...and the contrasting looks of hatred she couldn't decipher. She'd seen Yukino, once, and Yukino had brushed past her without looking, her head held high, as if she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge the existence of the smaller persocom. Kotoko was acutely confused.
Her days took on a much brighter tone when her master returned late in the afternoons, almost immediately scooping her up and going off into a ramble concerning whatever irked him about his experiences in the human world; it was during these rambling complaints that Kotoko learned a great deal of words consisting of four and five letters, sometimes seven, that caused Kojima to leap in surprise when she repeated them. She found she didn't mind the useless information--the sound of his voice caused her mechanical heart to race, to spark with energy, for some reason, as well as being lifted into his arms.
It was during one of these one-sided conversations that Kotoko posed the question that had been on her mind for some time. "Master, do I make you happy?"
Kojima paused, looking at her curiously. "Why?"
"It is my purpose to make you happy, is it not?"
"I guess..." Kojima trailed off, realizing that he had not programmed a set goal in existence for the laptop. "Why do you ask?"
Kotoko smiled. "Because when you're happy, I feel happy."
Kojima shook his head, chuckling. "Oh, really?" He placed the small persocom on the floor, causing Kotoko to frown slightly. "Kotoko, what is happiness?"
"Smiling."
"A smile is an expression of happiness, true, but what exactly is happiness?"
Kotoko was silent, wondering how she could define the emotion. "The state of being glad or pleased," she offered, using the dictionary definition.
"But what is happiness?" Kojima pressed.
Kotoko didn't answer. How could she possibly put the trembling of what she believed was her heart in words?
"Happiness is a human emotion, Kotoko." Kojima explained. "Humans have the capacity to experience happiness, among other emotions because their minds are unlimited. Persocoms are fenced in by their programming—they don't have the ability to experience emotions."
Kotoko started to reply, but was cut off by Kojima continuing, "Granted, you're extremely advanced, but it's just not possible that you can experience happiness, or any other emotion. You may have learned what denotes happiness, however, your 'emotions' are just the result of reaching a conclusion you've set as being the requirements for being either happy, or sad, or angry. Get it?"
Kotoko shook her head. Kojima smiled, patting her on the head gently. "You'll learn the limits of a persocom eventually. No matter how advanced it is, a machine can never act outside it's programming. Or cross the line between persocoms and humanity."
He walked away, leaving Kotoko staring at his retreating form.
"But I don't...have any programming." She said to no one in particular.
video file stopped 15:12
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They watched what Kotoko believed to be possibly the most pointless television programming in existence for several hours--of course, it was full of people running around in an insane manner and screaming and making unnecessary noise, which she dealt with on a daily basis, so it was really nothing new, and there was nothing of any value to learn except some cultural information on Doraemon, and that in itself frightened her.
The only real advantage was that Sumomo more or less remained relatively quiet, except for childish laughter and random comments on certain aspects of the cartoons (and commercials) that were either nonsensical or so extremely accurate that Kotoko nearly crashed again.
She wondered what type of programming Sumomo had. It appeared to be rudimentary, a simple personality program defining the strange manner in which she behaved, however, she did find it interesting that, in the few months she'd been residing with the Motosuwa household, both Sumomo and Chi had changed slightly in their mannerisms. Chi was certainly becoming much more mature and intelligent, but that was no real surprise to Kotoko, given her advanced programming. Sumomo, on the other hand, had become much more expressive...like a child. She laughed, she sang, she smiled constantly and ran at loud noises.
It was almost as if the laptop were developing a personality of her own, beyond whatever programming she had. It wasn't impossible, Kotoko mused, as Sumomo cheerfully sang "Ai no Senshi" without missing a beat. Persocoms could very easily develop beyond their basic programming, especially placed within new situations. That was one of their advantages over antiquitated computers of the last millennium--when they ran into an unfamiliar situation they crashed, unable to function. However, most persocoms were able to analyze the situation and choose a manner in which to react; and normally, in the event of the situation being recurring, they set their initial reaction or solution to the problem as a norm. In this manner, a persocom's personality could become altered without interference from their owner. She knew Chi had changed somewhat, as well as a persocom owned by an acquaintance of her former master, Yuzuki. Could Sumomo?
A slight snoring sound got her attention, and Kotoko discovered that Sumomo had slipped into sleep mode, probably as a result of energy expenditure. Persocoms did get tired, especially when they cavorted and spent more time in motion that any sane human being. At least with her 'napping', Kotoko could get some work done without worrying about Sumomo doing anything potentially dangerous.
She paused, then smiled in spite of herself at the 'sleeping' laptop, who'd curled up like a kitten, her tiny mouth slightly open as she 'snored'. She had to admit that Sumomo was 'cuter', in her mannerisms, than many persocoms she'd met and interacted with.
It was also not such a bad way to spend the day. It was definitely a 360- degree turnaround from Kojima's household...but that didn't necessarily mean it was bad.
She noted that now would be the perfect time to research her earlier question--how was Sumomo programmed?
Quietly opening one of her outfit's bells situated within her hair, Kotoko removed her connection cable used to link to another unit, somewhat worried that Sumomo would become active again at the intrusion; however, as she connected the cable to the reception port on Sumomo's hat, she decided that recharging would take more than 45 minutes, at least, and Sumomo would 'sleep' until she was fully recharged. Useful.
As expected, Sumomo's security program protested the forced link; it was amazingly easy to disable. Kotoko smiled grimly--not all Kojima's gifts with which he'd imbued her were exactly legal, but they served their purposes.
link to unit : 'Sumomo
access source coding for 'Sumomo'
translate into pseudocode? Y N?
Kotoko paused momentarily. Pseudocode, a mixture of coding and English defining the purpose of the code, was much faster than interpreting unfamiliar code, and she needed to work as swiftly as possible--she didn't want to think how Sumomo would react to having been hacked into. Part of her was worried that the laptop would not only alert Hideki but would cease the affection she exhibited towards Kotoko, and as annoying as it was, she was accepting it as part of her new life.
She might have even liked it, to a degree.
Y N?
Y
translating source coding for unit 'Sumomo' into pseudocode...processing..
"Come on," Kotoko muttered. Sumomo's coding couldn't possibly be so complex that it took this freaking long to download and translate. Could it?
source code translation complete
Kotoko's eyes glazed over as she viewed the lines and lines of code, it's definition highlighted in red pseudocode beside each block. She'd never expected Sumomo's programming to be this organized. Pseudocode defining each of her dances, in detail, as well as that allowing her to improvise upon the preprogrammed coding after viewing and recording dance movements...personality programming...
Kotoko paused. Sumomo's personality coding was, as she'd expected, malleable...with only one defined characteristic: cuteness. Based on what she could understand of this program, or lack of thereof, was that it mirrored her own self-teaching program, allowing Sumomo to research behavioral characteristics within the defined boundary and exhibit them at her discretion.
Well, that explained a lot. So she wasn't crazy. She was cute.
"The two are interchangeable in some language, no doubt," Kotoko sighed. Having answered her original question, and wanting to consider the answer more fully at her leisure, she started to disconnect...then had second thoughts. There was one more question about the laptop eating at her, and it would be an invasion of privacy to answer it.
so? she's just a persocom.
"So am I," Kotoko thought decisively. "I'm beginning to sound like Kojima." She remained motionless for a second, then, whispering, "I'm sorry, Sumomo," sought out the laptop's source coding once more.
locating active programs: predefined
Predefined programs were like her self-teaching program: the general basis allowing for improvision upon the manner in which the program played itself out.
currently active predefined programs: 6
Kotoko sighed inwardly in relief. Even though the small amount of predefined programs didn't necessarily mean that she would have any less work, it did make searching through them for what she was looking for a bit easier. "Dictionary software....navigation interface....personality self- teaching program...." Kotoko trailed off, having found something strange. The program was embedded, hidden within another, and strangely, it was unmarked as well, as if one of Sumomo's improvisions upon her coding.
It was also self-written.
separate block of coding from base code
translate into pseudocode
personality programming parameters: cute
cute: causing pleasure or happiness to another through one's mannerisms
if my function is to behave in a cute manner, then is bringing happiness considered cute?
the causing of positive emotion in another being is not directly a cause of being considered cute by such an individual
happiness increases chances of behavior being viewed as such
determine unhappiness, sadness, anger in individual
attempt to alleviate emotion
bring happiness to individual lacking such emotion
select block of coding
copy
save as text file in personal folder
And, as if somehow aware of the occurrence, Sumomo smiled in her 'sleep.'
And Kotoko felt as if she would cease functioning correctly, as she accessed Sumomo's personal folder blindly and discovered that Sumomo had a great deal of images and video files of herself and Kotoko, just as she herself did.
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That was a long one! Is my direction any clearer now? Come on, people, Papi needs to know if she sucks or not! Although I'm not exactly disappointed with my work so far...oh, by the way, the computer terms regarding Sumomo's programming is a mixture of my Visual Basic programming knowledge, so even though it looks as if the above is saying a lot for our insane little Plum, remember, everything is defined within the code. The indicates Sumumo's pseudocode, a single being Kotoko analyzing it. (Crap, I sound like a nerd...) And I know I'm probably writing Kotoko's functions incorrectly, so if anyone's aware of correct computer jargon can you please drop me a line so that I cease making an ass of myself? Oh, by the way, Doraemon is a Japanese children's cultural icon (a robotic cat that grants wishes, to my knowledge), and 'Ai no Senshi' is a group song from the Japanese version of Sailor Moon R. I figured 'Moonlight Densetsu' was abused to the point of mass hatred in the series...Sumomo sure is up to date on her pop culture, isn't she?