c50p-at@ucbzooey.BERKELEY.EDU (Jonathan Dubman) (11/02/85)
A few years back I borrowed and read a book by Thomas P. Ryan entitled, "The Adolescence of P-1". It was about a computer program designed to "learn" based on its input; the main character feeds it versions of science textbooks, literature, etc. After a while it learns English and starts actually learning the knowledge of mankind, without the protagonist's knowledge. On its own, it gains access to a network (like the network file-transfer program) and spreads throughout college campuses and companies' computers. It starts twiddling things in the background, and so on. I tried to purchase my own copy at many new and used bookstores but either they had never heard of it or they said it was out of print as of several years ago. The copy I saw was an oversized paperback. A few months ago, a friend of mine said he had seen a new hardcover edition of "The Adolescence of P-1" copyright 1985, but I have not been able to find it anywhere. Is the book really in print? Has Ryan written anything else? The book was written well enough that I would want to read others by the same author. Please respond via email. Jonathan Dubman UUCP: ucbvax!ucbzooey!c50p-at or: ucbvax!ucbcad!ucbzooey!c50p-at
peter@graffiti.UUCP (Peter da Silva) (11/04/85)
> A few years back I borrowed and read a book by Thomas P. Ryan entitled, > "The Adolescence of P-1". It was about a computer program designed to > "learn" based on its input; the main character feeds it versions of science > textbooks, literature, etc. Actually, what it was designed to learn was how to break security systems. It got the science and literature on its own by looking at phototypesetter files, after it had escaped. -- Name: Peter da Silva Graphic: `-_-' UUCP: ...!shell!{graffiti,baylor}!peter IAEF: ...!kitty!baylor!peter
tom@utcsri.UUCP (Tom Nadas) (11/11/85)
That great Canadian SF novel (set in large part at the University of
Waterloo) *The Adolescence of P1* has recently been re-released as
a mass-market paperback. I think its under the Baen Books imprint.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation adapted the story for television
last year as part of its excellent *For The Record* anthology series.
I don't know what ever became of author Ryan. You don't suppose
that P1 got to him?
RJS in Toronto
c/o
--
Tom Nadas
UUCP: {decvax,linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,allegra,utzoo}!utcsri!tom
CSNET: tom@toronto