[Wakshaani]

Most importantly, I like that SR is SR.  I will shake my fist impotently and rock so hard on my porch when people try to make it DND or Ghost in the Shell, or any other fanboyish clone.  You can do it ironically, but stay off my lawn!

Amen.

Does ... does this mean that Kawaii no Ichiban! Shadowrun in NeoTokyo's crystaldome is a bust?

Because, you know, that pop singing bunnygirl you had with the glittery comet eyes was just amaz

...

choking...

James ...

my throat...

ggkkk

...

need that...

...

CACK

[Mirikon]

Well, actually, pretty much everyone at a Low lifestyle or better would have a commlink. And even some who don't might have a cheap one, thanks to people like Horizon giving them out. The exceptions would be places like Chicago, Bogota, Lagos, Geneva, or Antarctic research stations, where either it is a feral hellhole, or if you're there, you're in the ass end of nowhere, in a facility that firmly believes in not allowing leaks, period.

[Crimsondude]

Lagos

Ugh


Lagos is the perfect place to have a massive mesh network that probably works better than most major cities.

[Mirikon]

Except that most people are so drek poor they can't afford to eat, much less keep a commlink, or, y'know, pay the bills to keep it charged. There is a mesh network, but it is extremely unreliable as people move about.

[CitizenJoe]

I'd go for low end commlinks on the bread winners in middle income families.  The unemployed dependents would have either credsticks and/or RFID tags for identification.  In the low income bracket, credsticks would be the norm, usually password protected. If they need a commlink for their job, it would be provided at the job site and set off alarms and be disabled if it left the premises/server range.  Low income bread winners would likely be tagged by their employer for security reasons.  Also, they can be located on the matrix if the guy passes close enough to an RFID reader.  Squatters and lower typically run on a barter system and if they are tagged it is because they recently (last 5-10 years) got canned.  Older squatters that never had a job probably won't be tagged.

If you want commlinks to be common even in low income households, then they need to be given away free.  And the way that happens is advertising.  You can tell a free commlink by the way it constantly spams you with advertisements.  They will also be constantly gathering information in the area to build up a database.  And they will have helpful Clippies there to suggest purchases.

[Crimsondude]

Except that most people are so drek poor they can't afford to eat, much less keep a commlink, or, y'know, pay the bills to keep it charged. There is a mesh network, but it is extremely unreliable as people move about.

Considering how common cell phones are in Africa now, I don't buy that for a second.

[Wakshaani]

Cel phone commonality, since there wasn't the ability to create technological infrastructure, further lead to the push for low-end solar panels in small African communities. A single solar panel about as large as your hand is enough to charge several celphones, and has allowed them to start using tiny LED lights, so that they could have light after the sun set, which allowed kids to read, which is boosting education levels like never before.

The level of innovative use for tech in those areas that are well beyond poor is really dang cool to read about.

[CitizenJoe]

Cell phones in Africa are:
1) mostly the older phones that first world countries have traded in for the newer model
2) heavily subsidized

A commlink is not the same as a cell phone.  A commlink would be closer to a smart phone or tablet, which you're not seeing in Africa right now.  Also, the low income users would be getting second hand commlinks from trade ins and also be chipped by the new provider with extensive advertising packages to subsidize them.

[Mirikon]

Also, things in Africa are substantially worse in 2074 than they are now.

[CanRay]

Also, things in Africa are substantially worse in 2074 than they are now.

Also in the news, water is wet. 

[Crimsondude]

To paraphrase Adam Carolla, I've had an impacted ass full of this continued Dark Continent bullshit. It's 2012. We can stop perpetuating racism in cyberpunk and RPGs.

[Wakshaani]

Also, things in Africa are substantially worse in 2074 than they are now.

Also in the news, water is wet. 

[CanRay]

To paraphrase Adam Carolla, I've had an impacted ass full of this continued Dark Continent bullshit. It's 2012. We can stop perpetuating racism in cyberpunk and RPGs.

Exactly!

BRING ON THE CANADIAN DEATH SQUADS!!! 

[Sichr]

Except that most people are so drek poor they can't afford to eat, much less keep a commlink, or, y'know, pay the bills to keep it charged. There is a mesh network, but it is extremely unreliable as people move about.

In fact, When you go through Feral Cities: Lagos Chapter, you fiond out that Lagos was one of plaes where Horizon distributed used commlinks amongst people and children, so there is huge meshwork built on this. And Festac town is one of places where mattrix crime and bussines is really hot...

On opposite, I have to agree that Chicago is not a good place...they mostly lack coverage and that whole place would make every technomancer want to cry...
well
not just technomancers, actually...

[Angelone]

To paraphrase Adam Carolla, I've had an impacted ass full of this continued Dark Continent bullshit. It's 2012. We can stop perpetuating racism in cyberpunk and RPGs.

Exactly!

BRING ON THE CANADIAN DEATH SQUADS!!! 

What would they use hockey pucks? Or Canadian (Back) Bacon? Maybe attack moose? 

Edit- We have been using attack moose for a hundred years. http://www.history.com/photos/teddy-roosevelt/photo11