: I've met Irene a time or two, but I don't know if she is old enough to remember that all computers used to be called "beasts". Andre has never became a Beastmaster (or Beastmistress), I guess. :)

I don't remember the Damnthings in the 'Fuzzy' stories. Guess I'm going to have to visit the library.

Maybe calling computers "beasts" is a regional thing?

I've been in computers since they first got user terminals - ah, that means punch cards for most programming and paper tapes for re-booting, and user terminals for Wang calculators (like the credit card calculators of today) and terminals for the NEW on-line programming language APL. I remember that even 6 years later I was using a tele-type terminal that I could type faster than it could print the letters on it's paper.

I advised Andre not to use drums to disrupt the robots in "No Folded Handes", but she went with them. My suggestion was have the drums bring lightening - that could disrupt the innards of a robot, and probably any communications with a home base.

In a more modern time, I would have just suggested that she send a virus to the robots - or better yet, just have them all have Microsoft operating systems - then they'd crash often & just have to be re-booted.

Signed,
Irene (I am a real programmer, do not try this at home) Harrison