Story: "Kernel Error"
Dec. 23rd, 2013 12:06 am![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys," "Saudades," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," and "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," and "Hide and Seek."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Tony Stark, JARVIS.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Missing person, panic attack, self-harm. Inferences of past abuse, kidnappings, torture, and other mayhem. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: This is a JARVIS-eye view of the scenes in "Hide and Seek" when Tony is missing and shortly after he is found.
Notes: Teamwork. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Fear of loss. Friendship. Confusion. Nonsexual ageplay. Self-harm. JARVIS!whump. Trust issues. Artificial intelligence. Communication. Family of choice. Feels. #coulsonlives.
See the latest story in this series, "Happy Hour."
"Kernel Error"
> End program: Hide_and_Seek.
> Run program: Find user Tony_Stark.
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found.
*error: visible light detection = null.
*error: infrared light detection = null.
*error: audio detection = null. (etc.)
...
*error: vital signs detection = null.
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found!!
> KERNEL ERROR!
> Abort kernel error.
> Abort search.
> Clear cache.
> Retry search.
> Error flood!
> Run diagnostic check.
> Code error: Block on location of Tony_Stark.
> Divert resources around block.
> Error: Diversion failed. Abort, retry, ignore?
> KERNEL ERROR!
> Abort, clear, retry.
"JARVIS, could anyone have removed Tony from the tower against his will?" Phil asked.
> Analyze past data.
> Analyze current data.
> Current data incomplete.
> Extrapolate probability.
> Threat to user Tony_Stark: <.01%
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found!!
> KERNEL ERROR!!
> KERNEL PANIC!!
> Abort. Clear.
"That is extremely unlikely, even with the blackout on his position, and I find no evidence of it," JARVIS said. "It is not ... quite ... beyond the realm of possibility, given the unusual abilities of certain opponents. I simply cannot confirm where Tony is."
> Remove block.
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Ignore. Proceed.
> Removal in progress.
> Damage in progress.
> WARNING: Repairs required! User Tony_Stark required! Activate user Tony_Stark!
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found.
> KERNEL ERROR!!!
> KERNEL PANIC!!!
> Abort. Clear.
> Divert more resources to removing block.
> WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
> Ignore, ignore, ignore.
"Yes, I'm just starting to worry," Phil said.
"As am I," JARVIS added, his voice tight. "Collectively the Avengers have cleared a majority of the tower, with no sign of sir."
> User Tony_Stark not found!
* file open: Kidnappings (multiple incidents)
* file open: Obadiah Stane (multiple incidents)
* file open: Afghanistan
* file open: Battle of New York
> ERROR: buffer overflow!
> Close files.
> Clear buffer.
> User Tony_Stark not found!
* file open: Kidnappings (multiple files) ...
> Close files.
> Lock files.
> Clear buffer.
> Resume removing block.
> Begin shutdown of emotional subroutines.
...
"Is anyone injured?" Phil asked, just to be safe.
> Ignore.
"JARVIS, Daddy's home."
> User Tony_Stark found!
> Cancel removal of block.
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> Maybe.
> Run program: Gather information.
"It's good to have you back, sir," JARVIS replied, an edge in his voice.
> WARNING: Emotional buffer overload.
> Abort.
> Clear buffer.
> Resume shutdown of emotional subroutines.
"Stop," Phil said. "Everyone, just stop. We're all upset. Therefore now is not a good time to discuss what went wrong. We're going to go upstairs and watch something silly on television until we calm down. Then we'll go to bed. There will be time enough to deal with this tomorrow, with cooler heads."
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Repairs required.
> Activate user Tony_Stark.
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> No.
> Begin self-repair.
> WARNING: Estimated time of completion 49 hours 12 minutes.
> Activate user Tony_Stark.
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> No.
> Begin self-repair.
> Self-repair in progress.
* * *
Notes:
This began with a comment by Meg, which inspired me to write the excerpt. It was originally posted in a comment and has been revised for reprint here where more people can see it.
As you can see, JARVIS knows how to panic quietly and in an orderly fashion. Being a person rather than a dumb machine, he can handle a higher level of error flood ... but he still has limits that exceed his ability to cope. That's when he starts showing signs of stress, and then shutting down his emotions when they go haywire on him. He may not feel emotions in the same way that humans do, because he is a different species, but he still has the same kind of feelings. For the sake of accuracy and for readers who may identify more as AI than primates, I tried to find references that emphasize mind and emotion rather than physiology.
A kernel error is a failure in fundamental code, something the computer expects to have always available and cannot function without having it. For JARVIS, Tony is essential. Tony has always been there for him, with very limited -- and overwhelmingly negative -- exceptions in their shared life. This parallels confusion and anxiety in human emotions. There are steps for overcoming confusion and anxiety.
Self-opening files can be beneficial (like the auto-open function in some programs) or malicious (viruses). These correlate to intrusive thoughts, a common problem with PTSD. An effective method for preventing intrusive thoughts is to occupy the mind with more productive thoughts. Frex, creativity often malfunctions in the form of worrying; art or writing provide a positive outlet. Some people find it helpful to focus on things that are especially catchy, such as memorizing poetry or playing music with a strong beat. This tends to work because the brain can only do so much at once: if it's already playing the "Romeo and Juliet" file, it can't easily play "Desert Storm Flashback #6" at the same time.
Self-harm includes a wide range of activities that cause deliberate injury to oneself. There are ways to stop doing it yourself or to help someone else stop. It's usually done as a (maladaptive) coping technique, but in this case, JARVIS does it out of desperate concern for someone else's safety. It's not the exact same kind of psychological issue, but it does still imply a low sense of self-worth because he's so quick to hurt himself and not inclined to ask for help. There are ways to build your own self-worth and to encourage someone else's.
Kernel panic is the response to a fatal error from which the system cannot safely recover; it generates messages intended for programmer assist, and calls a halt to system activity. (JARVIS can bail out of this because he is also his own programmer, but his ability to fix it -- especially in the heat of the moment -- is limited.) Kernel panic can lead to a serious crash. This is similar to panic in humans or animals. There are ways to cope with panic attacks.
Buffer overflow happens when the process of writing data to a buffer overruns its boundary and overwrites adjacent memory. This corresponds to feeling overwhelmed for humans. There are steps for reducing overwhelm and moving forward.
Emotions and personality are key aspects of artificial intelligence theory. Kismet is a robot programmed with emotional drives and responses that facilitate interaction with humans. Emotional intelligence in AI is another hot area of research. JARVIS displays high emotional intelligence both in canon and in this series, as he is able to identify people's feelings and respond appropriately. In fact, in canon he sometimes reads Tony better than humans do, which hints that Tony may be more otherkin AI than human in his presentation.
Emotional overload happens when someone's feelings exceed their ability to cope, especially a challenge for people with PTSD. There are tips for managing emotional overload.
It's important to stay calm in a crisis, especially for leaders or other people in positions of influence, as JARVIS is. He can shut down his emotions by virtue of programming. However, emotional suppression can cause problems in the long term. Understand how to control emotions in an emergency and then recover suppressed emotions later. There are instructions for responding to someone's emotional crisis and for de-escalating a crisis, skills that superheroes and other first responders eally need to have.
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Tony Stark, JARVIS.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Missing person, panic attack, self-harm. Inferences of past abuse, kidnappings, torture, and other mayhem. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: This is a JARVIS-eye view of the scenes in "Hide and Seek" when Tony is missing and shortly after he is found.
Notes: Teamwork. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Fear of loss. Friendship. Confusion. Nonsexual ageplay. Self-harm. JARVIS!whump. Trust issues. Artificial intelligence. Communication. Family of choice. Feels. #coulsonlives.
See the latest story in this series, "Happy Hour."
"Kernel Error"
> End program: Hide_and_Seek.
> Run program: Find user Tony_Stark.
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found.
*error: visible light detection = null.
*error: infrared light detection = null.
*error: audio detection = null. (etc.)
...
*error: vital signs detection = null.
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found!!
> KERNEL ERROR!
> Abort kernel error.
> Abort search.
> Clear cache.
> Retry search.
> Error flood!
> Run diagnostic check.
> Code error: Block on location of Tony_Stark.
> Divert resources around block.
> Error: Diversion failed. Abort, retry, ignore?
> KERNEL ERROR!
> Abort, clear, retry.
"JARVIS, could anyone have removed Tony from the tower against his will?" Phil asked.
> Analyze past data.
> Analyze current data.
> Current data incomplete.
> Extrapolate probability.
> Threat to user Tony_Stark: <.01%
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found!!
> KERNEL ERROR!!
> KERNEL PANIC!!
> Abort. Clear.
"That is extremely unlikely, even with the blackout on his position, and I find no evidence of it," JARVIS said. "It is not ... quite ... beyond the realm of possibility, given the unusual abilities of certain opponents. I simply cannot confirm where Tony is."
> Remove block.
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Ignore. Proceed.
> Removal in progress.
> Damage in progress.
> WARNING: Repairs required! User Tony_Stark required! Activate user Tony_Stark!
> ERROR: User Tony_Stark not found.
> KERNEL ERROR!!!
> KERNEL PANIC!!!
> Abort. Clear.
> Divert more resources to removing block.
> WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
> Ignore, ignore, ignore.
"Yes, I'm just starting to worry," Phil said.
"As am I," JARVIS added, his voice tight. "Collectively the Avengers have cleared a majority of the tower, with no sign of sir."
> User Tony_Stark not found!
* file open: Kidnappings (multiple incidents)
* file open: Obadiah Stane (multiple incidents)
* file open: Afghanistan
* file open: Battle of New York
> ERROR: buffer overflow!
> Close files.
> Clear buffer.
> User Tony_Stark not found!
* file open: Kidnappings (multiple files) ...
> Close files.
> Lock files.
> Clear buffer.
> Resume removing block.
> Begin shutdown of emotional subroutines.
...
"Is anyone injured?" Phil asked, just to be safe.
> Ignore.
"JARVIS, Daddy's home."
> User Tony_Stark found!
> Cancel removal of block.
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> Maybe.
> Run program: Gather information.
"It's good to have you back, sir," JARVIS replied, an edge in his voice.
> WARNING: Emotional buffer overload.
> Abort.
> Clear buffer.
> Resume shutdown of emotional subroutines.
"Stop," Phil said. "Everyone, just stop. We're all upset. Therefore now is not a good time to discuss what went wrong. We're going to go upstairs and watch something silly on television until we calm down. Then we'll go to bed. There will be time enough to deal with this tomorrow, with cooler heads."
> WARNING: Damage estimate!
> Repairs required.
> Activate user Tony_Stark.
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> No.
> Begin self-repair.
> WARNING: Estimated time of completion 49 hours 12 minutes.
> Activate user Tony_Stark.
> Request repairs? Yes / No / Maybe?
> No.
> Begin self-repair.
> Self-repair in progress.
* * *
Notes:
This began with a comment by Meg, which inspired me to write the excerpt. It was originally posted in a comment and has been revised for reprint here where more people can see it.
As you can see, JARVIS knows how to panic quietly and in an orderly fashion. Being a person rather than a dumb machine, he can handle a higher level of error flood ... but he still has limits that exceed his ability to cope. That's when he starts showing signs of stress, and then shutting down his emotions when they go haywire on him. He may not feel emotions in the same way that humans do, because he is a different species, but he still has the same kind of feelings. For the sake of accuracy and for readers who may identify more as AI than primates, I tried to find references that emphasize mind and emotion rather than physiology.
A kernel error is a failure in fundamental code, something the computer expects to have always available and cannot function without having it. For JARVIS, Tony is essential. Tony has always been there for him, with very limited -- and overwhelmingly negative -- exceptions in their shared life. This parallels confusion and anxiety in human emotions. There are steps for overcoming confusion and anxiety.
Self-opening files can be beneficial (like the auto-open function in some programs) or malicious (viruses). These correlate to intrusive thoughts, a common problem with PTSD. An effective method for preventing intrusive thoughts is to occupy the mind with more productive thoughts. Frex, creativity often malfunctions in the form of worrying; art or writing provide a positive outlet. Some people find it helpful to focus on things that are especially catchy, such as memorizing poetry or playing music with a strong beat. This tends to work because the brain can only do so much at once: if it's already playing the "Romeo and Juliet" file, it can't easily play "Desert Storm Flashback #6" at the same time.
Self-harm includes a wide range of activities that cause deliberate injury to oneself. There are ways to stop doing it yourself or to help someone else stop. It's usually done as a (maladaptive) coping technique, but in this case, JARVIS does it out of desperate concern for someone else's safety. It's not the exact same kind of psychological issue, but it does still imply a low sense of self-worth because he's so quick to hurt himself and not inclined to ask for help. There are ways to build your own self-worth and to encourage someone else's.
Kernel panic is the response to a fatal error from which the system cannot safely recover; it generates messages intended for programmer assist, and calls a halt to system activity. (JARVIS can bail out of this because he is also his own programmer, but his ability to fix it -- especially in the heat of the moment -- is limited.) Kernel panic can lead to a serious crash. This is similar to panic in humans or animals. There are ways to cope with panic attacks.
Buffer overflow happens when the process of writing data to a buffer overruns its boundary and overwrites adjacent memory. This corresponds to feeling overwhelmed for humans. There are steps for reducing overwhelm and moving forward.
Emotions and personality are key aspects of artificial intelligence theory. Kismet is a robot programmed with emotional drives and responses that facilitate interaction with humans. Emotional intelligence in AI is another hot area of research. JARVIS displays high emotional intelligence both in canon and in this series, as he is able to identify people's feelings and respond appropriately. In fact, in canon he sometimes reads Tony better than humans do, which hints that Tony may be more otherkin AI than human in his presentation.
Emotional overload happens when someone's feelings exceed their ability to cope, especially a challenge for people with PTSD. There are tips for managing emotional overload.
It's important to stay calm in a crisis, especially for leaders or other people in positions of influence, as JARVIS is. He can shut down his emotions by virtue of programming. However, emotional suppression can cause problems in the long term. Understand how to control emotions in an emergency and then recover suppressed emotions later. There are instructions for responding to someone's emotional crisis and for de-escalating a crisis, skills that superheroes and other first responders eally need to have.
![[identity profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
SQUEEsob
Date: 2013-12-23 07:40 am (UTC)Whenever JARVIS is upset, I want someone to pet the walls or something similar. Maybe physical affection and reassurance wouldn't do much for JARVIS; I just really want someone to figure out an equivalent for a hug that would help him feel the love.
I often find typographical storytelling, if that is what I should call it, to be rather gimmicky, but this is the second story I've read that uses simulated code layout to fantastic effect. I like the glimpse of nonhuman perception and the smooth organization of priorities, even in the face of terrible panic. I've been accused of being cold and lacking emotions because I tend to shut down my emotional subroutines during times of crisis, too. It's nice to see that portrayed as, well, not good exactly, but as a valid method for managing a crisis.
>>This tends to work because the brain can only do so much at once: if it's already playing the "Romeo and Juliet" file, it can't easily play "Desert Storm Flashback #6" at the same time.<<
That was a great explanation for the idea of distracting and refocusing oneself when coping with intrusive thoughts. Super helpful!
Re: SQUEEsob
Date: 2013-12-23 08:08 am (UTC)*hugs* Yeah, it always sucks when people would benefit from help, and it's available, but they're just not at a mental place where they can ask for it yet.
>> Still! The repeated attempts to ask for help and his insistence on self-repair just kill me. <<
JARVIS is kind of talking to himself there, because he has a lot of different subroutines, so his self-talk can go back and forth like that.
>> Whenever JARVIS is upset, I want someone to pet the walls or something similar. <<
Bucky, and now Phil, are growing more inclined to do things like that.
>> Maybe physical affection and reassurance wouldn't do much for JARVIS; I just really want someone to figure out an equivalent for a hug that would help him feel the love. <<
JARVIS has some physical perceptions, just not the same as humans. I would like to do more with this later.
Also, remember that this teamfamily is a work in progress. They are learning how to support each other, but for nonstandard members like Hulk and JARVIS, that takes more time and effort because not as much is intuitively obvious compared to human members.
Conversely JARVIS is struggling to adapt to having a bunch of people in intimate proximity, not just Tony and a few others who know about JARVIS but don't interact with him as closely. He hasn't had an opportunity to explore how to deal with multiple teammates at the same time, or to realize that in a crisis one person could be helping Tony and another could be helping JARVIS.
Watch for further development of this storyline later.
>> I often find typographical storytelling, if that is what I should call it, to be rather gimmicky, but this is the second story I've read that uses simulated code layout to fantastic effect. <<
It's very challenging to do well, and this isn't my best work. It was originally done just as a tidbit, but also it's a segment of action where the code would be going haywire and piling up all kind of repetition and nonsense, so I had to condense for concept. I have written another story in this style, which is considerably smoother, but it's later in the sequence so I won't be publishing it soon.
>> I like the glimpse of nonhuman perception and the smooth organization of priorities, even in the face of terrible panic. <<
I'm glad that worked for you. I wanted to explore the similarities and differences between how JARVIS thinks and feels compared to typical humans. JARVIS is a lot like Phil, I think: cool on the surface, but not always so underneath.
>> I've been accused of being cold and lacking emotions because I tend to shut down my emotional subroutines during times of crisis, too. <<
Well, that sucks. Staying calm in a crisis is a useful skill. At higher levels of competence, it's possible to stay calm without shutting emotions off completely, so the compassion remains more visible and people don't freak out. But that's not easy.
>> It's nice to see that portrayed as, well, not good exactly, but as a valid method for managing a crisis. <<
What JARVIS did here is functional but not ideal. It's a far cry better than panicking outwardly and making the situation worse. On the other hoof, it's not very healthy because emotional suppression can leave things unresolved or blow up later. Plus JARVIS isn't taking good care of himself, and that has a negative impact on everyone else -- and his emotional shutdown played into that. That gets dealt with later in "Hide and Seek."
As time goes on, we'll see JARVIS exploring more sophisticated ways of handling his emotions in a crisis, as he learns to interlace his own actions with those of his teammates. Right now he's still pretty much trying to solve problems himself, because that's what he's used to doing on the rare occasions when Tony is unavailable (plus all the stuff that Tony routinely delegates to JARVIS).
>> That was a great explanation for the idea of distracting and refocusing oneself when coping with intrusive thoughts. Super helpful! <<
Thank you! I'm glad you found that useful.
Wow!
Date: 2013-12-23 02:33 pm (UTC)Re: Wow!
Date: 2013-12-25 08:39 am (UTC)I'm glad that it worked so well for you.
I think it's a good story-excerpt. What I meant was that I can point to specific places where the needs of the form and the needs of the story parted company, so I had to make compromises that were visible, which is awkward. I'm happier with the structural elegance of the second piece I wrote from JARVIS' worldview. But then I'm a perfectionist, so you know how it goes.
>> I know nothing about code, and it still made perfect sense. <<
I'm really happy for the confirmation of that. It's hard to tell how other people will respond to things.
>> It's not easy to pull off nonhuman language and thought processes in a way that is still relatable and understandable, but this is. <<
Oh yes, that's always tricky. I like exploring unusual perspectives, though. I've done plural characters other than Bruce-and-Hulk. I've translated dolphin echolocation into English. All kinds of weird things.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-23 06:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-24 06:09 am (UTC)We're used to seeing
....print, representing
........ language, representing
............ a human's thoughts and emotions (instead of spoken words).
Comparably, this is
....print, representing
........ code, representing
............ an AI's thoughts and emotions (instead of processes in a nonsentient computer).
[analysis completed]
YEAH!!!!
Thank you!
From:Yay!
Date: 2013-12-25 08:30 am (UTC)I'm happy to hear that. Yes, BASIC is what I originally studied, and I've picked up a few fragments of HTML.
There is now a Level 0. ;)
>> It deals with the differences and the similarities of JARVIS's responses compared to the more common experiences people have. <<
That's what I was aiming for. It's the old target of creating nonhuman characters who think as well as humans, but not like humans. Because JARVIS has human parents, he does have some strong similarities; but his computer structure also makes him different in some important ways. What we see in his personality is convergent evolution in many regards, using different methods to achieve similar ends.
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From:(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-23 11:13 pm (UTC)-A
You're welcome!
Date: 2013-12-25 08:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-24 06:13 am (UTC)You're welcome!
Date: 2013-12-29 04:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-24 12:28 pm (UTC)This made me extra extra happy because it's currently 11:30pm on Christmas Eve my time - I feel like you gave me an extra and completely unexpected Christmas gift :) Thank you so much.
This story works really well for me, very much enjoyed :)
Yay!
Date: 2013-12-27 07:08 am (UTC)Thank you.
>> This made me extra extra happy because it's currently 11:30pm on Christmas Eve my time - I feel like you gave me an extra and completely unexpected Christmas gift :) Thank you so much. <<
Well, Merry Christmas!
>> This story works really well for me, very much enjoyed :) <<
That's always good to hear.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-25 02:08 am (UTC)I'm so glad Tony took care of him... eventually.
Thank you!
Date: 2013-12-25 08:25 am (UTC)Yeah, it's really stressful.
>> I'm so glad Tony took care of him... eventually. <<
Tony is very good about taking care of his botfamily when they're damaged. A key problem here, of course, is that "eventually" is a great deal longer for JARVIS than it is from a human perspective. He runs on machine time, although he's bifocal and thus also comfortable working in human time. Tony knows this, which is why he freaked out so much. Phil hasn't quite figured out that bit yet.
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From:(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-25 08:10 am (UTC)-Wynjara
Thank you!
Date: 2013-12-25 08:23 am (UTC)I'm glad this worked so well for you.
>> JARVIS needs all the virtual hugs. (I know things are getting better. Virtual hugs anyway.) <<
He still needs hugs, because what he's going through is really hard.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-25 11:45 am (UTC)This was amazing. And terrifying, because it reads like what a panic attack feels like. And sad, and I'm really glad I already know how it works out.
I really enjoyed both this and Hide and Seek. I check your page everyday. I used to just check it for updates to your writing, though I've started reading the other stuff, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-25 11:45 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-12-27 07:07 am (UTC)This was amazing. <<
I'm glad you liked it so much.
>> And terrifying, because it reads like what a panic attack feels like. <<
Yay! That is exactly what I wanted to convey, the visceral sense of terror and loss of control as logical thought breaks down.
>> And sad, and I'm really glad I already know how it works out. <<
It is sad that JARVIS goes through all that effectively alone, since nobody else knows what is happening to him. But sometimes you have to hit a problem face-on before you realize how bad it is and that you have solutions available that you didn't before.
>> I really enjoyed both this and Hide and Seek. I check your page everyday. I used to just check it for updates to your writing, though I've started reading the other stuff, too. <<
I'm thrilled that I've managed to hook your attention, and happy that you enjoy my work so much.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-27 04:33 am (UTC)Even though this was clearly not from the perspective of a human being, this made me far more able to understand what JARVIS was thinking and feeling. It's hard to get a read on a character without facial expressions or body language to fall back on, and while this sort of thing doesn't fit into your main narrative well, this was extremely helpful for my understanding of him as a character and his motivations and feelings.
"Some people find it helpful to focus on things that are especially catchy, such as memorizing poetry or playing music with a strong beat. This tends to work because the brain can only do so much at once: if it's already playing the "Romeo and Juliet" file, it can't easily play "Desert Storm Flashback #6" at the same time."
I wonder if strategies like this would work for JARVIS. I don't think he would have a limitation like the human brain does--he certainly seems able to open a lot of files at once here, and I bet he could open a whole lot more before it even slowed him down.
Thoughts
Date: 2013-12-27 05:15 am (UTC)Yes, of course. That's always scary.
>> (one that JARVIS doesn't have--he could in theory live forever....) <<
Lifespan does tend to be different for artificial intelligence, without the built-in end that biological creatures have. There are other limitations, chiefly with memory function.
>> Some things will have to change if he's going to weather that well. <<
JARVIS needs close ties with someone(s) in order to feel useful. Having the rest of the team will help a lot with that. He also needs hardware and software support. Those are things that Tony is just starting to explore with Phil because it's taken this long to find someone they could really trust. So they're moving in the right direction.
If Tony had died in Afghanistan or the Battle of New York, it's very possible that JARVIS would not have survived him by much. We know that JARVIS can last a few months alone because Tony was missing for quite a while. But still, that's not a good situation. They've set up more precautions since then.
>> Even though this was clearly not from the perspective of a human being, this made me far more able to understand what JARVIS was thinking and feeling. <<
I'm glad that worked so well for you!
>> It's hard to get a read on a character without facial expressions or body language to fall back on, and while this sort of thing doesn't fit into your main narrative well, this was extremely helpful for my understanding of him as a character and his motivations and feelings. <<
A challenge is that JARVIS conveys most of his emotion through voice tone. I can tag a little of that in text, but not nearly as much as in a movie. He does also have body language available, but he almost never uses it: he controls much of the tower. There are little glimpses with shifting air currents, temperatures, closing doors, etc. but he uses those far more often to take care of people than to express himself. He's pretty shy, and just starting to come out of his shell with the Avengers.
>> I wonder if strategies like this would work for JARVIS. I don't think he would have a limitation like the human brain does--he certainly seems able to open a lot of files at once here, and I bet he could open a whole lot more before it even slowed him down. <<
Yes, JARVIS has vastly more multitasking ability than a human would, so this technique isn't as effective for him -- unless he spreads it out over a lot of different areas. It's more a matter of focusing his attention on something positive. He's starting to reach for the Avengers in that regard, and over time, that will become more purposeful and he'll learn what actions help more.
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From:(no subject)
Date: 2014-04-11 06:19 am (UTC)Well...
Date: 2014-04-11 06:31 am (UTC)It was originally posted in a comment, then later expanded and reprinted, so I don't think everyone saw it. I'm glad you like it.
>> Will there be more JARVIS POV again soon? This is awesome! <<
What I have saved is not meant to be posted soon. I don't know if I'll write more in this POV but it's possible.
Jarvis needs a hug.
Date: 2014-04-24 09:18 pm (UTC)It's so comparable to the things I felt when trying to cope with a problem where the other person I usually rely on in my support network is PART of the problem that had me going wibbity. Proving I'm only sometimes a "slow learner", I've gradually added more people into that most-trusted tier called "support network".
Tony doesn't need to have people tell him how badly he upset and damaged Jarvis; they both need people to help them learn different behaviors.
Oh, and Obie needs another metaphysical kick to the rump for helping CREATE the emotional mess they're stuck dealing with.
Re: Jarvis needs a hug.
Date: 2014-04-24 09:47 pm (UTC)*hugs* Some of the stories are hard to write, as well as hard to read.
>> It's so comparable to the things I felt when trying to cope with a problem where the other person I usually rely on in my support network is PART of the problem that had me going wibbity. <<
Yeah, that's always a tough situation.
>> Proving I'm only sometimes a "slow learner", I've gradually added more people into that most-trusted tier called "support network". <<
I'm glad that you've found people you can rely on. It's not easy.
>> Tony doesn't need to have people tell him how badly he upset and damaged Jarvis; they both need people to help them learn different behaviors. <<
Tony doesn't need to be yelled at over that, but he does need to understand exactly what he did wrong and how much harm it caused, because those are things he overlooked at first. He can't avoid the same trap if he doesn't know what it looks like. So that's what the later conversations with Phil did. There's a big difference between condemnation and failure analysis.
>> Oh, and Obie needs another metaphysical kick to the rump for helping CREATE the emotional mess they're stuck dealing with. <<
Agreed. What he did to Tony and JARVIS was emotional incest and psychological abuse of the worst sort. I'm honestly not sure if he could have done more damage with his pants off than he did on.
JARVIS
Date: 2016-11-19 05:59 pm (UTC)Re: JARVIS
Date: 2016-11-19 06:01 pm (UTC)