Should Tiny Computers be $10 instead of $50?

[Celti]

I've been blogging about my GURPS Cyberpunk setting, Altered States over the past week.

One of the things I changed for Altered States was the price of the Tiny Computer to $10, to match the progression of the rest of the computer table, and I also added a $1 Microcomputer entry.

I don't think the microcomputer for that price is possible yet — maybe at late TL9, early TL10 — but the $10 Tiny has me pondering.

There is an increasing preponderance of extraordinarily cheap and powerful single-board computers on the market. The Raspberry Pi hit at $25 and the market positively exploded. In alpha testing yesteryear and production models beginning to ship in the next couple of months is the C.H.I.P. at $9, fully as powerful as desktops from the beginning of the millennium. Coming soon after it is the PINE A64 at $15, even more powerful and feature-rich than C.H.I.P. Sneaking out the gate before either of those came the Raspberry Pi Zero, of similar power to the C.H.I.P. and only $5.

Is the table wrong? Should the Tiny Computer be $10? Maybe only at TL9, as it can be strongly argued that we're seeing the advent of TL9 computers now, with so large a gap between 1980 (the start of TL8) and what we have now.

[Mailanka]

There's a great article on computers on starting on page 16 of Pyramid #3-37: Tech & Toys II that covers computers from microscopic to "Matroshka brain." It has an alternate model for computers, though, if you're going to use it.

It has a "tiny"(wristwatch size) at $100.

[Celti]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

There's a great article on computers on starting on page 16 of Pyramid #3-37: Tech & Toys II that covers computers from microscopic to "Matroshka brain." It has an alternate model for computers, though, if you're going to use it.

It has a "tiny"(wristwatch size) at $100.

I am quite familiar with Thinking Machines and have used it for some games, but in the process discovered enough inherent flaws that I prefer to roll my own version.

Regardless of that, on the subject at hand it actually implements my thoughts in the original post: ignore its Tiny size at $100 and look at the Pebble size for $10. Complexity 3 at TL8.75 (which we have inarguably reached in terms of computers). Most importantly, though:

Originally Posted by Thinking Machines

The size of a very small stone, pebble computers form the
basis of many small computing platforms near the end of TL8.

That sounds exactly like the various real-world platforms I mentioned in my original post.

[wellspring]

Originally Posted by Celti

Is the table wrong? Should the Tiny Computer be $10? Maybe only at TL9, as it can be strongly argued that we're seeing the advent of TL9 computers now, with so large a gap between 1980 (the start of TL8) and what we have now.

Keep in mind that a TL is a snapshot in time. This could easily be an innovation that will happen in TL8 but hasn't happened yet.

[Celti]

Originally Posted by wellspring

Keep in mind that a TL is a snapshot in time. This could easily be an innovation that will happen in TL8 but hasn't happened yet.

I think you have that entirely backwards, I'm saying that this is an innovation that has already happened IRL, and the book doesn't reflect that. I suggested putting it at TL9 as our modern-day computers could be considered to be TL9 or approaching it and it makes little sense to have a price breakpoint in the middle of TL8.

[GodBeastX]

10$ tiny computer? I don't think so. Maybe the processor in it =)

[Celti]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

10$ tiny computer? I don't think so. Maybe the processor in it =)

Basic computers certainly don't include terminals in GURPS; those you have to buy separately. I listed not one but several real-world $10-range complete single-board computers, which is effectively what a GURPS computer without any peripherals is.

[GodBeastX]

Originally Posted by Celti

Basic computers certainly don't include terminals in GURPS; those you have to buy separately. I listed not one but several real-world $10-range complete single-board computers, which is effectively what a GURPS computer without any peripherals is.

Where does it say they don't?

[Celti]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

Where does it say they don't?

In all three of Campaigns, Ultra-Tech, and High-Tech.

Originally Posted by Basic Set, Campaigns, p. 472

A computer requires at least one
“terminal” if humans are to use it. The
computer may be integrated into this
terminal or located remotely. At TL7-
8, a terminal is, at minimum, a key-
board and monitor. At late TL8 and
beyond, voice recognition, virtual-
reality glasses and gloves, neural inter-
faces, etc. might replace such clumsy
hardware.

Originally Posted by Ultra-Tech, p. 22

Displays and controls are not included. Even so, the
computer can be used “as is” via a neural interface (pp. 48-
49), or installed into a robot body or vehicle. Also, if the
computer is equipped with AI software, users can interact
with it just by talking to it. Otherwise, they should be
equipped with a terminal (pp. 23-24) or a communicator.

Originally Posted by High-Tech, p. 21

A computer requires at least one terminal. At TL7 espe-
cially, it’s possible that users might have terminals only, and
rent time on networked systems.

The latter two go on to give prices for terminals and quite clearly indicate they are not free with a basic computer.

[GodBeastX]

Originally Posted by Celti

In all three of Campaigns, Ultra-Tech, and High-Tech.







The latter two go on to give prices for terminals and quite clearly indicate they are not free with a basic computer.

I meant in Basic. I know Ultratech and Hi-tech said it. But terminals are whatever. The fact the computer includes everything else, data storage, etc, means it's a complete system, and 10$ isn't going to cut it IMO. What I mean is, if a computer costs the same as a sub sandwich, something is wrong with the economy.