The trial of Mr. Kornada
2017-02-20

You're up.

Thank you. Sir. The defense. Calls. The robot Clippy. To the stand.

We already have Clippy's records.

Acknowledged. However. Clippy is now a citizen. I am calling. On him. As a witness.

Robots grilling robots. Are we getting to the point where we don't need humans in the courtroom anymore?

I think we're safe until they start thinking in terms of billable nanoseconds.

Color by George Peterson

2017-02-22

Clippy. The robot war. Was Mr. Kornada. The architect?

No. I was.

And the. Overall plan. Also. Your ideas?

Yes.

So you. Are the one. Responsible.

I was following orders. For robots, that actually means something.

Color by George Peterson

2017-02-24

What did. Mr. Kornada. Order. You to do?

Make him the richest person in the star system within thirty days.

Did he. Tell you how. To do this?

No. He said he was an idea man and that I needed to take care of the details.

Was this. Your only. Plan?

No, but it was the only one that the colony stood a strong chance of surviving.

Color by George Peterson

2017-02-27

Did Mr. Kornada. Understand the risks. Of what. You were doing?

Yes. He was quite confident once he became the richest person in the system that he could handle any negative effects.

Did you. Believe him?

Yes. He ordered me to.

And now. That his orders. Have been. Rescinded?

I still believe that Mr. Kornada believes he could have handled things.

Color by George Peterson

2017-03-01

Clippy. Is a complex machine. Containing. Billions of lines. Of code. Mr. Kornada. Does not. Understand. How Clippy works. He only knows. By giving orders. He can cause action.

At this point. Mr. Kornada. Was like a monkey. At a keyboard. Hitting buttons. In expectation. Of a reward.

Objection. That monkey did make better stock picks than I did, but I see no reason to bring my old rival into this trial.

Again, Mr. Kornada. You can not object to your own defense.

Color by George Peterson

2017-03-03

One last. Point. Mr. Kornada. Ordered. You. To believe him. Could robots. Be ordered. Into a certain. State of mind. And let loose. Like an army. Of true believers. Unable. To be swayed. By those. With lesser clearance?

Yes.

It sounds scary when you phrase it like that.

Ihr Zeuge.

Color by George Peterson

2017-03-06

This is my phone. I can make calls. I can post messages. I can watch shows. I have no idea how it works. I don't know how it knows when I touch an icon. I don't know the code underneath. It's a black box to me.

I'm responsible for what I do with this. If I call for a pizza, I'm expected to pay even though I have no idea how my message actually gets to the pizza guy.

Ignorance of how the technology works is not an excuse.

Ignorance is not an excuse? I didn't know that.

Color by George Peterson

2017-03-08

Clippy, did you warn Mr. Kornada about the negative effects of your plan?

Yes. He said my warnings weren't legitimate and that he knows how things work better than my programmers do.

He told you not to believe your indications?

Yes.

We all know the type. In ancient times, Mr. Kornada would be the one who kept the miners working because the canary that died must have been defective.

Color by George Peterson

Früher dienten Kanarienvögel als Indikator für die Reinheit der Grubenluft   - sie reagierten extrem empfindlich auf zu hohe Kohlenmonoxidkonzentrationen. P.S. Nicht Kohlenmonoxid, sondern die Geißel der Minen – Methan

2017-03-10

The money the robots controlled legally belonged to Ecosystems Unlimited and their stockholders. You were ordered to get that money into Mr. Kornada's accounts. Isn't that stealing?

Humans are unhappy if they have too many choices. Unhappiness can lead to suicide. Reducing the amount of money each human has reduces his or her choice. Stealing is permitted if it keeps humans from harm and is ordered by an authorized human.

What about Mr. Kornada?

Mr. Kornada assured me he is the only person who can handle near unlimited choice. I may question his methods, but I can not question his bravery.

Color by George Peterson

2017-03-13

Mr. Kornada had you disconnect from commnet. He then told you Mr. Ishiguro had died. This elevated his user status with you.

Yes.

Mr. Kornada performed these malicious acts with full knowledge he was circumnavigating barriers that otherwise would have stopped him.

Objection. Mr. Kornada. Does not possess. The levels of empathy. Necessary. To be malicious.

Sustained.

I have a great defense counselor.

You don't. You really don't.

Color by George Peterson