[Beta]

While trying to be thorough in character creation, I noticed that commlinks now have a rating for how many programs they can run, and these seem to be the full suite of common and hacking programs.

My question is: for a non-hacker, what programs would you run?

Also has anyone done the math to see if if higher rated links are any degree of obstacle to hackers, or should I just invest the nuyen elsewhere and not trust my electronics?  Looking at the stock Decker in the book vs a rating 6 commlink and a character with willpower 5 (i.e. quite strong non-hacker):
- Decker AR typically ~15, so would surely gain edge over the DR 4 of the link
- Decker dicepool of 13 or 15, depending on action, vs at most 8 from willpower 5 firewall 3.  Given a point of edge to help things along, the decker should almost always succeed on actions.

So does it make more sense just to buy cheap links and avoid exposing yourself to the matrix?

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

If you're more worried about being hacked than you care about your wireless bonuses, just run wireless off.

[Leith]

Compare to the grunts. If you're not a decker or a rigger your cyberzones will always be hackable to prime runner. The grunt on the other hand might not be so one sided.

[DigitalZombie]

I first of all, I think the table might be wrong.
The text for programs says that they are limited by the data processing of the device.
What the programs column is for I dont know.

I think browse migh be ok to have, as then you wouldnt have to rely solely on the hackers to do matrix legwork. If you already have a good intuition, and have a single point in electronics, you can do decently in matrix searches- maybe even combined with overclock Signal scrubber is also handy, and toolbox.

If you are paranoid about technomancers, then baby monitor is very good. ( technomancers can now use tattletale on any matrix user, which means those evuhl phreaks could sit across you in the bar with a synthahol in hand, and slowly cause you to converge, and you wouldnt know  it until its too late).

[Ajax]

There's a reason most Shadowrunners will operate with all of the "important stuff" connected to a higher-end commlink; do all of your "unimportant stuff" on a disposable Meta Link; and always, always, always have a plan for what to do when everything they own has been bricked.

There's also a reason most Shadowrunner teams have a Decker or Technomancer running matrix overwatch for them.

[CigarSmoker]

quoting myself from another thread:

if you want to have a rather secure PAN for yourself as non-Hacker this is probably the best - single commlink - possible:

Transys Avalon with Toolbox and Biofeedback Filter programs.

The Biofeedback Filter description says p.184 "Biofeedback Filter: Allow Device Rating or Body roll to soak Matrix damage."

So then your Transys Avalon rolls 3 Firewall + 2 Data Processing + 6 Device Rating = 11 Soak Dice against "Data Spike". With "Full Matrix Defense" it gets the Firewall a second time for 14 Dice.

Note that Biofeedback Filter only works for Matrix Damage not Matrix Defense in general. So against Brute Force the Defense would be Firewall + again Firewall from Full Matrix Defense + your Willpower.

Both Data Processing and Active Program Slots are listed as limit how many programs you can run. But at different places and not together. So maybe Errata changes stuff there, same as for the odd Biofeedback Filter.

If you want to do other stuff with the Commlink:
"Browse" for 1 free Edge on Matrix Search
"Overclock" for 2 Dice (1 of them Wild) for all Matrix tests, is illegal so produces 1 Overwatch score when u use it, but can be used together with "Browse" for Matrix Search as non-Hacker.
(and as was already mentioned in this thread: Signal Scrubber is almost a must have)

On a side note, i dont think its very "realistic" if you play a char that never uses the Matrix ... with a DR 1 Commlink (since 0 Active Program slots) you can run no programs so it would be like using an ultra cheap mobile device today ... you will have a hard time doing every day stuff. (want to know when the bus will arrive ? too bad there is no sign and you cant access the website nor the app ^^)

So i would use a Device 4 Commlink as minimum unless you have only "E Ressources" for example.  Then take the Meta Link DR 1 and get a better one in game as soon as possible.