Adventurer #07 31 января 1998

From the authors - What is cyberpunk?

     (C) Dan "Hyperion" Simmons

     (C) Vladimir "Chasm" Fedorov - translation

     (C) Music: Andrew Fer / PhF



          What is cyberpunk?



      1. What is Cyberpunk

              Literature?



     For the first time the term "cyberpunk" to determine the 
genre of literature, was used Dozoisom Gardner (Gardner 
Dozois), who in the early 80's was the editor

Journal of the science fiction of Isaac Asimov. " He 
podcherpnul word from the title of a short story of Bruce 
Bethke (Bruce Bethke) - "Cyberpunk" ("Cyberpunk").

By the way, since Bethke called himself only an anti-cyberpunk.

     Cyberpunk literature, as such, existed before, both for its
definitions were used, the term "Cyberpunk" - it all started 
with samizdat magazine Bruce Sterling (Bruce Sterling)

"Cheap is true" ("Cheap Truth"). There,
under psevdonimami, published by authors such as Sterling, 
Rucker (Rucker) and Shirley (Shirley). Their work, they 
countered the mainstream of science fiction of the years. By 
the way, those who have the desire to see the original, can 
download the "Cheap Truth "from the FTP server directory" etext.

archive.umich.edu: / pub / Zines / CheapTruth ".

     Cyberpunk literature is mainly focused on people, turning 
in a technocratic culture "system." In cyberpunk stories, the 
hero lives usually in a dark environment - it

"System" which suppresses the life of "ordinary" people. 
Usually this is a totalitarian government, powerful 
corporations or community of religious fanatics. "The system" 
has developed technologies (even now the situation in the real 
world scares some people), especially information technology 
development (Computers, mass media), which makes people believe

that they live well, though this is far from
true state of affairs. Very often
tehnologizirovannye these "systems" have resorted to the 
restructuring of the man himself, popularizing and making wide 
use of such "parts" of the human body, as brain implants, 
prosthetic limbs, cloned or genetically engineered organs and 
so on. People living in this society, have themselves become 
part of "Cars." This is the "cyber"

aspect of cyberpunk.

     Nevertheless, in every society there are always people who 
do not fit the "correct" the citizen is criminals, outcasts, 
people are not of this world or simply those who want to live 
in their own way. Cyberpunk literature focuses

on such people and their opposition to the "system", moreover, 
is often all ends are not happy ending. This

"Punk" aspect of cyberpunk.

     Best cyberpunk things stand out among other works with 
similar themes, their own special style. Their world is 
urbanized, is designed in dark colors and very pessimestichen. 
The reader immediately, without preparation, immersed in this 
other world with all the daily problems and scrapes. People 
living in this world, often there is a sense of moral 
ambiguity, and the confrontation with the ordinary "System" (to 
break it up or just to stay alive) does the main character 
"Hero" or "good" in the traditional sense of the word.



      2. What is Cyberpunk

             subculture?



     Under the influence of cyberpunk literature, about the 
middle 80's, some groups of people began to identify themselves 
as cyberpunk, because they correctly noticed that the above 
model of the fantastic "techno-system" has gradually become 
manifest itself in Western society, even then, and so they have 
to identify themselves with the heroes of cyberpunk stories. In 
Recently, the media seized on it and have been widely use the 
term cyberpunk. 

     So among cyberpunk distinguish the following groups:


     a) hackers (hackers), crackers (crackers) and phreakers 
(phreaks). 



     Hackers - a "wizards" computer community - people who 
deeply understand how their computers and can be done with them 
truly "magical" things. 

     Crackers - the real "keyboard cowboys" of cyberpunk 
fiction. They hack kompyuternye network without the knowledge

their owners, for illegal profits
or just for fun, to show their skills.

     Fricker - the ones who are doing similar things with 
telephone systems, looking for ways to trick phone companies

and not pay for the negotiations, as well as make various 
contraptions phone gadgets. 

     All three groups use the box or Sony and communications 
technology to meet their own goals.



     b) Cyberpunks (cyberpunks) - these people think that the 
best way to deal with "System" - this encryption and encryption 
systems. They believe that widespread use of highly complex to 
compromise systems can create "Areas of privacy," where 
"system" is not able to reach.



     c) Raver (ravers) - they use
synthesized and sampled music,
computer-generated psychedelic (kiberdelicheskie) lighting 
effects, and synthesize drugs for ottyazhnyh dance all night 
and actual gigs in abandoned warehouses. 


     However, cyberpunk cyberpunk strife.
Cyberpunk can be called any
obnoxious teenager, who is a bit grown expert in computers or 
in general people from the street, which fastens the image of 
cyberpunk. This makes many people look at the self-styled 
cyberpunk in a negative light. Also, there are those who argue 
that the term "cyberpunk" must not be apply to people 
zanimayushimisya computers (in a sense it is, if we talk about 
lamer and apostates) and resent that the media use that label 
because this, in their opinion, looks like an ordinary cynical 
marketplace battle. 


     3. What is cyberspace?

       As it relates to current

        "Network" and "virtual re
               alnostyu?



     As far as I know, the term "cyberspace" ("cyberspace"), 
the first time was used by William Gibson

(William Gibson) in his story "Burning
Chrome ". They were first described by Gibson people using a 
device called a" kiberkonsoli "(" cyberdecks "), for 
replacement of normal sense organs on touch-screen interface, 
allowing you to plug your brain on the line to a computer 
network. People who are connected to the network this way, 
considered to be in "Cyberspace". You can also say

that, even though the idea belonged to Gibson,
but a more detailed description of "cyberspace" has given 
Vernor Wing (Vernor Vinge) in the story "True Names" ("True 
Names"). If we talk about real things, then "Cyberspace" - a 
metaphor "Place" where "is" any who are connected to the global 
computer network. 

     Of course, much in the view of Gibson's cyberspace - an 
absurdity, but once and "Nautilus" of Jules Verne seemed

fiction, so no doubt some of the ideas of the writer are the 
prerequisites for the development of new computer technologies. 
Already, the word "cyberspace" beginning slowly to fit into a 
modern vocabulary to describe a recent World Wide Web 
(particularly in relation to the internet). 

     Also, many researchers of computer technology in the field 
of "virtual reality "are trying to bring to life

something similar to the information space in the view of 
Gibson. Therefore, The term "cyberspace" is also used to refer 
to generate is Virtual PC environment,

even if it is not "part of the network."



        4. Cyberpunk books



     Now I want to introduce you to a short list of the best of 
the published cyberpunk works. It must be noted

some things are written before 1980,
can also be attributed to the "cyberpunk"
or by a similar style - "Gravity Rainbow" ("Gravity's Rainbow")
Pynchon (Pynchon), or on a similar plot of "Shockwave Rider" 
Brunner (Brunner), "Supernova" ("Nova") Delaney (Delany).




     In the novel, William Gibson's Nevromant "
("Neuromancer"), tells the story of crackers,
operating in cyberspace, and wage
killer uses cybernetic technologies of the future, though all 
is mixed in mysticism, which in principle not very haraktrno 
for cyberpunk. This book has received such awards as the 
Nebula, Hugo, PK Dick and Dietmar. None of the fantastic

the novel had not been awarded all of these
awards. Gibson also wrote two sequels: "The countdown to zero" 
("Count Zero") and "Overloaded Mona Lisa" ("Mona Lisa

Overdrive ").

     Gibson has also published a collection of short stories 
"Burning Chrome", which contained three stories in the spirit 
"Neuromancer'a, as well as several others, among which are the" 
Winter market "(" Winter Market ") and" Battle "

("Dogfight").

     Gibson also wrote "Virtual
Light "(" Virtual Light "), which takes place in the near 
future technology of the world fell into disrepair. Although 
this is not typical for the genre, but the very concept of the 
novel is sustained in the tradition of cyberpunk. 

     Collection of Bruce Sterling, "Crystal
Express "(" Crystal Express ") contained
short stories about the "mechanistic" the future of humanity 
and the "post-humanity" such as "Green Days in Brunei" ("Green

days in Brunei "). The stories contain parts
plot, which Sterling later
implemented in "Islands in the Network" ("Islands
in the Net "). The world of his stories are so
realistic that we can draw parallels
with the future of our own world. This
clearly shown in the novella "splitters"
("Schismatrix"), along the lines of "mechanistic" future, but 
never printed. 

     Sterling was the editor of the book "Reflections: 
anthology of cyberpunk" ("Mirrorshades: A Cyberpunk 
Anthology"), which contained the stories of many authors, of 
course there was a lot of dubious cyberpunk

but there were some real gems, such as
"Reflection of Mozart" ("Mozart in Mirrorshades").

     Gibson and Sterling co-wrote
novella "The machine to calculate the difference"
("Difference Engine"), which some people
called "paropank" ("steampunk"). In the plot
this novel alternated themes inherent
cyberpunk and paste from the life 19'go century
where Babbage (Babbage) developed the technology of mechanical 
calculations. 

     "Avalanche" ("Snow Crash") Neal Stephenson (Neal 
Stephenson) has made cyberpunk a carbon banter - on another it 
call can not be, as in plot this story mafia involved in 
delivery pizza, and the protagonist zovut Hiro Protagonist, 
which in Russian sounds, approximately Hera as Heroes.


     Makkafferi Larry (Larry McCaffery)
was editor of the anthology "Storming the
Reality Studio ", which contained excerpts from cyberpunk 
things impartially critical articles-to-date good bibliography.



     Also worth noting a few other works:


     "Hard-related" ("Hardwired")
Walter Jon Williams, (Walter Jon Williams) tells the story of 
two smugglers, who dare to get to the orbital station of a 
corporation that controls their world. 

     In "The Voice of Hurricane" ("Voice of the
Whirlwind ") by the same author, cloned
Soldiers trying to figure out what happened to
their "originals".

     Novel "The players with the subconscious"
("Mindplayers") Gedigana Pat (Pat
Gadigan) talks about training and life "players with the 
subconscious - the future of therapists who" travel "with other 
people in the "space" created by based on the patient's 
thoughts, in order to adjust their subconscious reactions.


     The hero of the novel by Greg Bea (Greg Bear)
"Blood Music" ("Blood Music") - a geneticist,
modifies some of his blood
cells, making them thinking and, moreover, with
human level of intelligence.

     You can also recommend a search
not printed cyberpunk works:
"Splitters" ("Schismatrix") Bruce
Stirling and "Flowers of the vacuum" ("Vacuum Flowers") Svanvik 
Michael (Michael Swanwick). 


   5. Cyberpunk on TV and in movies.

    A few words about the film shot on

         based on the stories of Gibson.


     Television presents us with quite a few real cyberpunk 
movies. Among them are the series "Max Headroom ", which was 
very packed cyberpunk concepts. There was also filmed several 
extended series "Wild palm "(" Wild Palms ") with" cyberspace 
", sinister corporations, and a lone hero on the basis of 
creativity by William Gibson. 

     In the mid-90's were produced several television films 
based on the novels of the series "Tak" by William Shatner

(William Shatner). Despite the fact that
there attended the traditional elements of
cyberpunk type of travel in cyberspace, these films are not 
represented of itself is nothing else but the police story, 
where "good" guys pursue the "bad". Were removed Wars

Tak "(" TekWar ")," Lords of the Tak "(" TekLords ")
and Labolatoriya Tak "(" TekLab "). By the way,
base line of the plot of "Lord Tak" very
similar to the plot of "Avalanche".

     "Blade Runner" ("Blade
Runner ") is considered a classic cyberpunk film. As noted by 
Gibson, the world This movie corresponds to his vision

urban future in the book "Neuromancer". If you are wondering, a 
lot of interesting material on the movie can be found on the 
FTP server "rtym.mit.edu: / Pub / usenet / news.answers / 
movies / bladerunner-faq ". 

     There are also several other films,
that could be considered cyberpunk:
"Alien" and its sequel, the first and second "The Lawnmower 
Man," both "Terminator" "The Fugitive" ("Freejack"), "When it 
comes End of the World "(" Until the End of the

World ")," Total Recall "and the silly" Coffee man "(" Circuitry
Man ") and" raving madness "(" Brainstorm ").

     Also, by Mystic Fire Video
was withdrawn hour documentary
"Cyberpunk," which contains interviews with
Gibson, as well as discussions about the future
network.


     And now a few words about the movie is based on the novels 
by Gibson. 


     When a company "Cabana Boys Production", bought the rights 
to release the computer game "Neuromancer", not all rights the 
author had been met, so the original box with the game can be 
read inscription: "coming soon titled film

of Cabana Boys Production ". Now, all
Law returned to Gibson, and he is currently
time of writing the script for the film.


     Also, shooting film, the short
Gibson's short story "Johnny Mnemonic" - he
to be released around early 1995
(Anon: in the original statement
the text is dated 1994). Gibson wrote the screenplay and was a 
consultant to the director's Robert Longo. In the starring 
Keanu Reeves and the bad guys played by Dolph Lundgren and 
Takeshi Kitano. Diane Meyer received eh "Molly equivalent, the 
role of got Ice-T and Henry Rollins. According to rumors, soon 
will be removed Film on 'Hotel' New Rose '"(" New Rose

Hotel "), and Gibson wants to shoot a short (15 minutes) film 
in Britain, his story "The Universe Gernsbeka"

("The Gernsback Continuum").


     William Gibson also wrote one of the
many test scripts to the third "Alien". As he and 
characterized, only one detail from his script would have made

movie dark and cool - on the necks of prisoners burned barcode. 
Synopsis of the script Gibson, including instructions for 
filming can be found on the server 

  "Rtym.mit.edu: / pub / usenet / news.answers /
movies/alien-faq/part3 ".



     6. What's "Agrippa" and where

             find it?


     "Agrippa: Book of the Dead" ("Agrippa:
A Book of the Dead ") - the text component of a creative 
project, written William Gibson in 1992. Gibson wrote 
poluavtobiagraficheskuyu poem that he wrote on a computer disk. 
In cut and dried it all looked like this:

appears on screen text, arranged in
the form of engravings (project design zanimalsv
Eshbauh Dennis (Dennis Ashbaugh)), then
He changed to another, though looked
it as a manifestation of the photo, then another
one and so on until the end, until the last screen
not "illuminates." Also, the "text" of the poem,
after reading it is automatically deleted from the
disk - that is, it can be read
once.

     The network views on this project were
different from "a rather interesting concept. It challenges our 
traditional notions of 'isskusstve' ~, before Gibson made 
crafts needful crowd "and" Gibson zashib good money for these 
"connoisseurs," Art, which bought into his adventure. " 

     Naturally (some might say that it is so conceived and 
Gibson), someone filled the text "Agrippa" and posted it on the 
Internet. If you're wondering, it can be found at: 
"English-server.hss.cmu.edu: / English Server / Fiction / 
Gibson-Agrippa" or "bush.cs. tamu.edu.: / pub / misc / erich / 
agrippa ". 



       7. Cyberpunk Music



     Suschesvuet dispute that such
real "cyberpunk music". Consider whether such music, inspired 
by the cyberpunk themes, or is it the kind of music will listen 
to people in the "cyberpunk future? 

     Those who say that cyberpunk
music is already there, used to say that fast, synthesized and 
sampled music, such as: techno, rave and industrial and have a 
"cyberpunk." 

     In late 1993 Billy Idol (Billy
Idol) released an album called "Cyberpunk," which drew 
attention obshestvennoe. The album with Commercial terms was 
unsuccessful and was attacked critics. On this occasion, Billy 
gave a few statements on the network, so based on two of them, 
which seem sincere, we can say that it was

unsuccessful experiment, and that he simply
would fit into the "cyberpunk scene." Nevertheless, the taunts 
and accusations kommertsilizatsii rained down on him yet

very long.


     Finally I want to say a few words. If you are interested 
in cyberpunk culture, a large number of materials (books, 
music, etc.) can be found at Cyberpoet's Guide to

Virtual Culture, at the address: "etext.archive.umich.edu: / 
pub / Zines / CyberPoet".