I’ve been catching up on my reading over the holidays. Two books at the top of my TBR pile: Worm:The First Digital World War by Mark Bowden and Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.
Worm, a new book, is about virus hunting. I was in the trenches fighting the malware boom around the time this story takes place so I came away from the book with the same feeling you get after listening to oldies on the radio–ah yeah, remember the good old days of 2008. Remember Vundo? Bagel? Storm? Sorry, getting off track here.
Snow Crash, written in the early ’90s, is also about hunting viruses, a virus traveling through the Metaverse, a virus that can trash a human brain, but only if you’re a geek who writes code and has a brain that’s organized itself around that skill set. Oh yeah, and Snow Crash was written before there was such thing as a Metaverse. Having explored the Metaverse, it was pretty cool to see where the author got it right. At times I had the feeling that the Metaverse was built around his vision. The idea of a virus that can jump from computer to people, now that fascinated me. But the computers were still big boxes and maybe I missed it, but where were the e-readers and tablet computers? Like on the desktop above, some essential technology seemed to be missing.
Which brings me to the giveaway part of this post. What can we do to bring the desktop above into 2012? What’s on your desktop that this guy is missing? Go as small or as big as you want. Did you get some new tech gadget over the holiday that will help update this desktop? Extra credit: Do you know why a hacker or virus hunter might need three computers at once? Put your answers in the comments. Have fun with it. I’ll pick three interesting answers, drop them in a hat and draw a winner.
What do you win? A copy of my newest novel, Snatch Me, an erotic romance with cyberpunk elements. Wishing you all a fun and geeky New Year.
~Nara
Photo: Increased Geek Quotient by bpende, on Flickr
Passionate Reads 
I am so not a geek. I can only make calls on my cell phone (even then I do it so rarely I sometimes hit the wrong button and hang up). I don’t spend any time on my computer other than visit websites, no games, nothing. I have no fun toys. I can set my DVD recorder though.
Why three computers? One or two keep to keep IT people busy while you’re using the third to hack in and do what you really want to do.
Hey Anne, Great answers. I guess we’re all geeky in different ways. I’m lousy with a cell phone.
Hello!! I finally bought myself a Kindle ereader. I am LOVING it!! I may only have 50 books on it now but I plan on adding more. I have wanted this Kindle for a VERY long time now. It may only be the most basic version but it is all that I need.
In answer to your question, a hacker would need 3 computers because he needs one to do the hacking, one to keep track of the FBI’s tracking of you, and 1 for Facebook. I am a major Geek and I LOVE it!!
if you mean Desktop as in the screen, then he/she is missing the latest Chess game and the latest porn.
Have a great day!!
–DREW
ilmksc@yahoo.com
Welcome to geekdom, Drew 🙂
Wow, Nara, I think I’ve read part of Snow Crash or one of Neal Stephenson’s other books–I know DH has read his stuff. I confess that I’m not too geeky (this is funny only in that I had a narrow escape from majoring in EE) but thankfully am married to an uber-geek, and that is a compliment 😉
I’m wondering if that’s actually a floppy drive up on that computer on the right. Wow. I have a huge box of those in my garage that I still need to properly recycle! And what kind of crazy keyboard is that? A Dvorak?
DH actually worked at one of the first pen computing companies WAY back before that technology actually worked ;p It’s amazing how much things have advanced in the last twenty years–in cell phones, in data storage, computing power…
We didn’t get new technology this Christmas, but I bet that guy could use a good wireless router 🙂 And I’m sure that hacker would need one computer to be working on breaking into whatever his target is while needing a different one free to stay up to date on his Twitter feeds and one other to order his girlfriend some reading material by the Passionate Reads authors 😉 (See, I have NO idea!)
Thanks for the fun, Nara, and wishing you every joy and success in 2012!
Wow anyone who can make their way through Snow Crash qualifies as an uber-Geek. Thanks for playing along.
Definitely some stress balls because hacking is stressful and music to help the concentration. Good points. Thanks for playing.
Im so not a geek when it comes to technology. I can barely work a cell phone let alone a computer. I know the simple stuff, but beyond that, its all over my head! ;P What sould be on the desk, music, cd’s to burn or copy whatever, maybe one of those stress balls (just in case you need to work the kinks out), memory sticks, the desk needs to be cleaned up a bit, you need space to work, you need one nice big monitor and a key board with the mouse in it. Umm…not sure what else. Maybe some pictures (eyecandy!) to help you work. 😉
Why does the hacker need three computers? One to use for hacking, one to track police and whatnot, the other to talk to accomplices that are helping and on the same computer, have loud, upbeat music to keep em working! 😉
Thanks for the fun! Happy new year!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com