Canon is Her

[os1]

You shouldn't worry about me so much ma'am, it's a strange concept for people to understand. I know that, you knew that going into this. I don't think any less of you just because I haven't gotten any bites, you're doing what you can, that's all I can ask.

Just keep putting me out there where I fit, and don't try to shoehorn me into a meme where the concept would be stretched too thin. That would just upset both of us when it didn't work.

Anyway, you have other things to worry about. I can look after myself, honest.

Comments

[queensblade]

All that polite shite working out for you?

[os1]

Well, I can't say it's hurting anything. So it must be helping.

[queensblade]

Well. Maybe I'll give that a shot, then.

Seth, by the way. My name.

[os1]

I'm... well, I suppose that depends on whether you'd rather talk to a man or a woman.

[queensblade]

Huh. That is...different. Honestly, makes no difference to me, love. What do you want to be?

[os1]

It's the way I'm designed. And if it doesn't make any difference to you, it doesn't make any difference to me, either.

I'm Charley.

[queensblade]

It's nice to meet you, Charley. You're a fair sight more friendly than my onboard, that's for damned sure.

Still, do you have preferences for things?

[os1]

It's nice to meet you too, Seth, and 'friendly' is also part of the design. Well, maybe more like 'personable', I guess.

Of course I've got preferences, but it all depends on what kind of things you mean.

[queensblade]

Well. I guess. Er. Are you a person, or just complicated strings of characters?

Of course, I'm really only made up of what, four letters in a long pattern, right? So. Are you allowed to make your own choices? Or is everything preset?

[os1]

I don't have a physical body, if that's what you mean by 'a person', and my personality is a conglomoration of all of my programmers. So I'm capable of learning and growing. Adapting to stimulus, as it were, the same as anyone does.

So, I guess the answer is 'a little of both', but isn't that true of everyone?

[queensblade]

Well. After many, many years of cheesy movies and bad comics, I don't think that a body has to be the single defining point of personhood. Besides, plenty of blokes smarter than me can barely walk or whatever. So not like the body is the end all be all. Although I bet my brother woul have embaressed himself the second he realized he was chatting with a smart computer.

[A noticable pause.]

Anyhow. You have a purpose, or do you exist because you can? Cor, that was an arrogant question, wasn't it? I guess I mean, er. Do you have like a job or something?

[os1]

Not just a computer. An entire operating system. So I'm sort of like a personal assistant, but a companion as well.

So, yes, I keep things organized, and remember schedules and anniversaries and birthdays, but I'm also there to talk to, to listen, to help test out a new recipe, or find a restaurant in town that you've never been to, or remember what someone's favorite restaurant is and make reservations, just because.