A Rose By Any Other Name

ok can we just recognize that roko appears to have a framed photo of herself on the wall with some 2000s-era fashion. Damn roko have some chill

Sarah Buisson

How do you come to yay? What was the other possibility ? When do you decide to have melon name them?

Is no one surprised by Melon's prescience?

Holly Nelson

Welllll... considering all those rats anc centipedes...

z

I'm thinking that we'll discover that Spookybot will find Melon to be WEIRD...weirder than Spookybot, and that's saying something.

Joe

consider Jacques ...

Alex Borders

Jeph, you are d*** lucky I wasn't taking a drink of my coffee when I read this.

Peter Jensen

The complete works of Banks is on my list of things to read, so I was wondering if there's a fan accepted order for the best introduction, or if just chronological is fine.

Evgeniy Semyonov

Every time I see this comment, it takes a real physical struggle not to write "Hi, dying, I'm dad!" in response. Oh, wait...

Aleks

No, it's Yay Newfriend.

seconded !

Randall Norman Pick

Please draw an ancient IBM microcomputer with 'Hallelujah Newfriend' on a sign over it.

Jeremy Westerfield

I'm reminded of Something Positive. Melon's even the same color as Fluffmodeus. "Hello, New Friend!!!"

Thomas Boys

All one can do is embrace the insanity, hold on for dear life and watch the pretty colours.

Captain Button

I voted for SpookyMcSpookface.

Lucanid Landman

I suppose outing him as Gary straight away would have been letting the cat out of the bag a bit soon.

I would have guessed at a DiscWorld dwarf reference, with Cheery LittleBottom, Jolly LittleBottom, etc.

Holly Nelson

Hmm. Yay and May, both acquired their names from the Martenvolk. — Also, watching the MV accumulate friends of unimaginable power is like watching a nascent black hole building itself from drifting ostrich plumes. Or something.

Leona

You always know the right answer

Joseph McGrath

I love the faces in panel three!

Jax

In my head, of course she jumped down. And will jump back up later when she leaves, Superman style.

Matthew Harris

I'm just going to keep calling them Spookybot

Dean Reilly

Did Melon walk downstairs and come in through the door, or did she just jump down through the hole?

Rob McBobson

I assumed it was a Top Cat reference, to that episode where he and the other cats make modern art.

Niels Roosen

Iain M. Banks, my all time favourite sci-fi writer! May he rest in peace.

David Howe

Was somehow expecting this to be a fluttershy reference....

Seth Aaron Hershman has they she pronouns

Their voice just has a more human cadence, one supposes.

Gerry

Has the reason Spoo... Yah is speaking with a circular speech bubble and not the AI square speech bubble been explained? Is one of the spooky nodes (i.e. this one) an actual human?

Evgeniy Semyonov

They are really fast and adaptable. Taking name from Melon, certified weapon-grade ditz, is a perfect way to promote obscurity through audacity. No one would suspect an eldritch distributed AI in a person with such a ridiculous name. Somewhat like a method Doctor Strange uses in the comics.

Bradford

Spookybot is practically a Skittermander at this point.

This is Gold+, Jeph. You're a legend!

Daniel Burnett

I don’t think they have one

Jeph Jacques

it 100% is

Brooks Moses

This is an AI that just gave away 2 billion dollars on a whim. Also, being named Yay Newfriend is much funnier if they take on the name seriously. Logical conclusion: There's no way they're going to do this halfway and only be joking here.

Brent Catherman

It's probably for the best that they not use their real name. I don't think Melon can keep a secret. Speaking of real name have they ever disclosed it to anyone?

Jamie Ellen

From the Island of Newfriendland ... a mythical place reported to be a rock sticking out of the ocean, and 30 minutes out of time sync with everywhere else.

JT

Just as they planned...

John Fiala

Yay! It's Spookybot!

Aqua Allison

...Jeph I am utterly terrified, because between Spookybot being an enigma of a personality, and you being a creator on the level of Andrew Hussie with your self-awareness, I'm not sure whether Yay is joking or not.

Oh Sweet Cthulu, It's been far too long since I've read or reread any Ian M. Banks. I'll have to fix that. Player of Games was my first, and it's still one of my favorites.

Czarzhan

It's just that the other things Melon's consciousness is distributed into is the furniture around her apartment.

Anton

I'm dying, this is gold

Mitchell Sealy

They mention that they had no name, which was presumably by choice. It's not hard to come by a name. This looks like poor improvisation but I think this is actually a super important and thought out step for them. They have adopted this new identity as Yay Newfriend. As soon as they heard Melon say "Yay! New Friend!" they realized they wished to define themselves by this reaction. To be the New Friend who elicits Yays.

Noise

"I also have a cousin Archy. Short for Architeuthis."

Summer Sudbrink

He was waiting for a special circumstance.

Dylan T

Logically, I know that Yay is an eldritch hivemind that could do terrible things to torture me and everyone I love. Emotionally, I want to squeeze them and protect them from all harm.

Hedgie

I dunno. One could support each cheek

Daryl Sawyer

Yay -.- >3

awgiedawgie

There's also a photo of Roko with Melon - I believe it's hanging by the door.

Matt Grayson

Iain M. Banks book “Player of Games”. Character named Yay Meristinoux. (Superb intro to his Culture books, btw)

awgiedawgie

No, no... that's Ugh Newfriend. Awwh Newfriend is the cute little baby.

BobC

Sitting on two Y's for a year must have been a pain in the ass.

awgiedawgie

They are a distributed intelligence. They all know what any one of them knows.

Peter Jensen

Enough processing power to break modern encryption instantly, but not so good at thinking on their feet.

Wolfger

How can one obtain a slap drone? Asking for a friend....

Michael Boettger

Maybe an attempt to assimilate with perceived human norms?

Joseph Bonnar

Some things are worth keeping, Jeph. :)

I think Randall Milholland already has a 'Newfriend' character in Something*Positive. At least, that's what Fluffmodeous calls her.

Michael Boettger

Jim, I have no real clue. But based on the skin and hair color, that is definitely Roko.

Adam Friedlander

QC Fact: In the QC universe. a slap drone is an AI that follows you around, occasionally slapping you on the ass. (Available by request only.)

5099 5618

How Cultured.

Shawn K. Younkin

MELON!! <3 <3 <3

They've got half a dozen human-comparable brains to think with and that's what they come up with in a time crunch?...absolutely brilliant

Jim Feldman

Why would AI's need snapshots on the wall?

Bonnie Fiddis

I don’t get the reference mentioned in the corner but appreciate the comic all the same. Yay Newfriend!

Joel Bateman

Still gonna call em Spookybot

Michael Boettger

And the picture on the wall? Did Roko go to Disneyland?

Michael Boettger

Although, I can imagine the reaction when they rejoin. Super secret AIs doing a simultaneous facepalm.

Jon

Please let this be Spookybots permanent name. I would be sooo happy

R L

Oh this is going to be fun.

Michael Boettger

Hey, Spooky was caught off guard and was the best they could up with on a moment's notice.

Smazzie

melon is also a distributed consciousness but doesn't know it

Samantha Yeaman

Jeph I swear to fucking god if that is actually their name..

Daniel Burnett

Then there’s Awwh Newfriend, our cousin that nobody likes

Alcaria Swain

Omg Are you kidding me? You're going to call them that for serious? You're a mad man, Jeph.

Matt Grayson

Meristinoux!

YAY NEWFRIEND