What is Underground Propaganda


Computer Underground





poetry and fiction




The Suit

I've been tossing apart this idea in my head for over a year. My excitement was intense as I realized that my dream could be reality with only off-the shelf components.

I never made the thing though, not enough money to do it. The only possible commercial market I could think of were rich William Gibson fans.

I implore you to make this thing, set up an assembly line, and let me test them all. Or better, use the finished ones.

Anyway, enough about the idea, let me explain what I just now have titled "the suit".

On the inside of the large overcoat jacket (which wouldn't work in tropical climates) is sewn a powerful subnotebook. The subnotebook has several filled PCMCIA slots. A GPS locater to be used in conjunction with mapping software. A cellular phone modem adapter.

In one of the pockets is a "chord" keyboard, designed for one hand. The hand can rest comfortably inside the pocket, barely moving. This is the input.

The output lies in a product similar to Virtual Vision. These glasses allowed one to see the outside world or concentrate on the screen. Very dangerous to use while driving.

I estimate that the pieces (including the best subnotebook one could find) should cost under $20,000, including custom sewing.

World inside the Suit

One could walk the streets and be on the net. A map could overlay your position in the real world, orienting you through bus routes, mountain contours, or Tokyo city streets.

Communication, if one wished, could be realtime with the entire outside world. One to many live communication could be possible.

No one would know you were in this world of your own.

Not at first anyway.

Not until others joined, making their computers as portable as they.

One would have a home server. Having the full resources of your main computer with you at any time, anywhere.

I can't claim this idea is original. I am surprised at how off-the-shelf the solutions can be, however.

We are slowly being sucked into a surrealistic science-fiction novel.


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