[Mallacht]

I played a little 1st edition and a LOT of 2nd and I recall there being some background about wireless comminications not being secure due to some technological advancement so everyone used fiberoptics. I can't recall what book it was in. Maybe an adventure. There was something about an even newer tech to allow the breaking of fiberoptic lines as well which was I think one of the plot elements of the adventure. All my old books are in deep storage so I cant go check unfortunately.

Another consideration is all the new political boundaries that would make even creating a widespread cell network difficult. Think of the difficulties in using cell phones in other countries and then multiply that by a dozen.

I imagine a satelite network would eventually be created that would surpass our current cell networks. I have not played 3rd or 4th edition so I dont know what if anything they may have added to the background regarding all this.

[Crimsondude]

Breaking fiber optics was a long-running storyline Nigel Findley had created that directly played out in one of his novels and then was repeatedly referenced in his books, most notably being Corporate Shadowfiles.

[CanRay]

Not that my group ever asked, but my answer for them as to why it took so long to build back up a Wireless Networking system was two-fold.

First:  During Crash 1.0, commercial Cell Phone Networks suffered the most, with power surges slamming and destroy expensive equipment, and a lot of the infrastructure for the Cell Phone Network that didn't have redundant systems in place (Like the Police Cell Phone System, which is where the technology originated in...  The 1930s, I think?) was totally wrecked.  As well, there was massive riots against Communications Corporations, with the Mob blaming them for the Crash, which took out even more equipment and, more importantly, trained personnel needed to run the system.

Second:  Fiber Optics, while expensive to lay down, didn't suffer from the "Burn Out" that POTS and Wireless systems did during Crash 1.0, and Governments/Corporations heavily invested in them as they were "Safe" from the points of view of the people in charge (Remember, these people are not completely tech savvy, and it was a very scary time.).

Were I ever to run a game in 2050, cell phones would be just coming back into popularity again as small companies are able to be built networks and finally moving away from the hysteria of Crash 1.0.  Say, Early- Mid-2000s in popularity.  Payphones are still available (And have video or even holo capability!), but the size of the phones are about the size of a flip phone, or even wrist-mounted models for higher-end models.  Pocket Computers are basically Smartphones, but aren't called that due to marketing trying to stay away from the hysteria that might still abound.  The Megas will buy them up around the late-'50s, early-'60s, and start the move to the Wireless Matrix Initiative.

But, well, that's me.

[hobgoblin]

Keep in mind the original Crash Virus as well.  That didn't just "destroy" the modern day BBS/WWW system, but it actively set back technological advances by destroying all knowledge of things.  Yes, it's a bit silly and strange to say "A computer virus made us forget how to make and operate cell phones", but really it's no stranger than pretty much anything involving the NAN.  Or saying that magic came back to the world and dragons appeared.

It was a storyline element put into place by the early developers to explain why a lot of tech hadn't really progressed much beyond late 80's and early 90's tech levels, and it worked well.  Unfortunately, at some point, people forgot about this and started ramming in new toys as fast as possible to not only match the real world, but to try and get all high tech and stuff.

<shrug>  I like the retro-dystopia of Shadowruns original design and implementation.  Complaining about it is a lot like complaining about Fallout 3's Retro-50's-future setting and how it doesn't "Make sense" in light of modern technology.  But that's the point.  It's a divergent reality, diverging in 1950.  Shadowrun Diverges in 1990.  (Earlier, really, but '90 is a good break point).

Bull

Supposedly, Fallout is set to some future with a retro design fetish where they developed cold fusion but not the transistor or microchip.

There was something about Fuchi or Renraku getting big because they sat on a new kind of storage system that was incompatible with existing systems. Worthless until the virus did its thing, and the big corporations wanted to rebuild the net in their own image. So in SR1 to SR3 one have storage chips with actually working DRM, and the matrix for most is a push medium not unlike cable tv (works better on the balance sheet for the corporations i suspect, just watch them try to squeeze payments out of Google and such IRL recently).

The WMI seems to have released a very angry bobcat from its bag tho, with the new crackability of programs and such.

[CanRay]

Supposedly, Fallout is set to some future with a retro design fetish where they developed cold fusion but not the transistor or microchip.

No supposedly about it.  Watch the intro to the original Fallout.  The "Water Chip" you're hunting has a vacuum tube or two in it.

Basically, history didn't have the Anti-Nuclear Technology issue that RL had, and research money was dumped into nuclear energy technologies rather than information processing.  But I digress...

[Bull]

Exactly my point.  As has been explained away earlier...  What happens if in the 90's, companies and the government funnel money into something other than wireless and cell-phone technology?  What if the Crash Virus proves that those systems are especially vulnerable?  Whatever.  The point is, there's a split...  And Shadowrun's developmental tech goes in a different direction.  Which is why the "But we have iPhones NOW!" arguments irritate me.  We have iPhones.  Shadowrun had Pocket Secretaries.  Which were loads cooler as a name than "Commlink" (Which is the ultimate in generic sci-fi names...  But this is a digression

Bull

[Bull]

Supposedly, Fallout is set to some future with a retro design fetish where they developed cold fusion but not the transistor or microchip.

No supposedly about it.  Watch the intro to the original Fallout.  The "Water Chip" you're hunting has a vacuum tube or two in it.

Basically, history didn't have the Anti-Nuclear Technology issue that RL had, and research money was dumped into nuclear energy technologies rather than information processing.  But I digress...

Also, this.  I love Fallout because it just embraces it's idiosyncrasies.  It's a completely absurd premise.  It KNOWS it's an absurd premise.  Yet, it embraces it, runs with it, and we love it for that. 

Shadowrun fans and writers needs to stop being afraid of Shadowrun's absurdities, and needs to embrace them once again.

[CanRay]

Exactly my point.  As has been explained away earlier...  What happens if in the 90's, companies and the government funnel money into something other than wireless and cell-phone technology?  What if the Crash Virus proves that those systems are especially vulnerable?  Whatever.  The point is, there's a split...  And Shadowrun's developmental tech goes in a different direction.  Which is why the "But we have iPhones NOW!" arguments irritate me.  We have iPhones.  Shadowrun had Pocket Secretaries.  Which were loads cooler as a name than "Commlink" (Which is the ultimate in generic sci-fi names...  But this is a digression

Bull

Never underestimate the nature of human fear.  The concept of dealing with nuclear material was based on research funds that never developed due to a mass panic over radiation, partially caused by Government Miscommunication with the general public.

So, "Crash 1.0" happens, cell phone and Wi-Fi is blamed for the massive hacking that hit all computer systems.  "It iz da evulz!" go the public.  Corporations get away from it due to lack of demand.  Fiber Optic lines are run for secure and "Safe" networking.  Have a nice future.

Crash 2.0 happens, Wired communication is proven to be just as unreliable as Wireless, people are afraid period now, but more willing to accept Wireless as it's "Just as good as", which isn't much.  But it's convenient.  Which makes for great marketing, and wireless transactions make for great ways of...  Bah, you know all that.

So, yeah.  To finish:  People are stupid sheep.

This message brought to you by too many years working Tech Support.  Hug your Tech Support Veteran today.

[Loki]

My hypothesis: In the divergent time-line the fiber optic lobbies had more money than the wireless providers and thus wireless was squelched.

Secondary, crazysauce hypothesis: Edison's ghost manifested thru a mana spike and out of spite twords Tesla hexed the wireless industry causing their failure.

[CanRay]

Please, Tesla's ghost would have whupped Edison's spectral hoop from here to the Moon.

[Loki]

Please, Tesla's ghost would have whupped Edison's spectral hoop from here to the Moon.

Which is what happened, when he was freed by the second crash. See, Edison's lackeys were waiting for the awakening to trap Tesla. I'm betting there was some IE involvement. You know those elves and their meddling.

[FastJack]

On a side note, I wonder what will happen on Test Drive Day.

[LonePaladin]

[chuckle]

It'll be Crash 0.8 beta.

[hobgoblin]

Exactly my point.  As has been explained away earlier...  What happens if in the 90's, companies and the government funnel money into something other than wireless and cell-phone technology?  What if the Crash Virus proves that those systems are especially vulnerable?  Whatever.  The point is, there's a split...  And Shadowrun's developmental tech goes in a different direction.  Which is why the "But we have iPhones NOW!" arguments irritate me.  We have iPhones.  Shadowrun had Pocket Secretaries.  Which were loads cooler as a name than "Commlink" (Which is the ultimate in generic sci-fi names...  But this is a digression

Bull

Only that there was nothing "pocket" about those secretaries until a late SR3 printing changed the weight from several kilos to below 500 grams...

[hobgoblin]

So, "Crash 1.0" happens, cell phone and Wi-Fi is blamed for the massive hacking that hit all computer systems.  "It iz da evulz!" go the public.  Corporations get away from it due to lack of demand.  Fiber Optic lines are run for secure and "Safe" networking.  Have a nice future.

More like the wired, stars of stars layout was supposedly more capable of containing the spread of the virus (one took the connection for the next tier offline and the virus had nowhere to go).

but then more and more the net became not just a nice thing to have, but a requirement to do business at all and we get:

Crash 2.0 happens, Wired communication is proven to be just as unreliable as Wireless, people are afraid period now, but more willing to accept Wireless as it's "Just as good as", which isn't much.  But it's convenient.  Which makes for great marketing, and wireless transactions make for great ways of...  Bah, you know all that.

And 2.0 showed how the original plan was easy to cripple with attacks aimed at key points. Wireless however could be claimed "self healing" (at least at the local level). And it was quickly rolled out in the aftermath of 2.0, so that it found itself with a big install base by the time the powers that be had shrugged off the shell shock.