shiroi_tiger: (Default)
Nathan Algren ([personal profile] shiroi_tiger) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2010-05-24 06:01 am

Surviving and Thriving, Monday, Period 2

Once again, today's class was being held in the Danger Shop. The setup, for the time being, was fairly simple. It looked quite like a home office, with a computer and a phone, and, of course, two teachers waiting for the students once they filed in.

"Today," Algren said, looking over the class, "we're going to cover modern modes of transportation and methods of communication that you might encounter in your time as a student here. The current era is unique, when compared with other times throughout history, because technology now allows people to not only communicate with anybody around the world regardless of location, but also to drop by on their doorstep, should one have the time and the financial means to do so. Fandom takes it a step farther, utilizing the technological and magical advances of its citizens to allow people to communicate with people in different eras, galaxies, and universes as well."

"There are multiple methods of transportation here, from the rickshaws the town uses, to bicyles, rollerblades, and personal flying exquipment," Ghanima continued, "But today we're going to focus on the ones most common on the mainland, as well as some of the more important methods of communication."

"We'll start today with communication," she continued. "The most ubiquitous form you'll come across on the island are what are known as 'cell phones,' followed quickly by 'email,' or electronic mail, sent through a computer. Of course, there is still conventional mail, and the post office in town is capable of getting letters to almost anyone, anywhen, anywhere. But perhaps the most infamous method of spreading information here is the squirrels."

"If you don't know what a squirrel is," Algren shared, "they would be those little furry things you see hanging around open doorways and such, with the tiny notebooks. They can be bribed with rum, or probably threatened away, if you aren't keen on having your every move recorded to be recited for the island on the radio broadcast each night."

This was important information.

"We'll be assigning a practical activity today that will allow you to play with email, the telephone, and the tried and true method of mailing letters. But first, I'll describe a few forms of transportation that you might encounter during your time here. Lady Ghanima has already mentioned the rickshaws, which I'm certain you've noticed if you've been into town at least once since getting here. On the mainland, there's a fair bit more variety, including land-based vehicles such as cars and trucks, boats, should you find yourself needing to travel across the water, and also flying machines, such as airplanes and helicopters. Welcome to a century where man can fly, class."

"Planes. Unwieldy things," Ghanima said, shaking her head. "Give me the controls of a 'thoppter. Much more elegant."

She continued on, explaining how each of the communication devices worked. "Even if you are from a world like mine, where thinking machines are aborant abominations, these items are easily mastered and used."

"Your assignment for today will be fairly straightforward." Algren gestured to the office space behind them. "Check your email, where you'll get an invitation to visit a friend in another state. Use the phone to book yourself a flight. You'll get to experience a short simulation of a flight on a modern aircraft, and then, when you've landed, get a postcard and write a letter home. You'll be dismissed from class once you've successfully mailed your postcard."

[Open!]
trigons_child: (Watching 2)

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[personal profile] trigons_child 2010-05-24 10:58 am (UTC)(link)
This much Raven knew, thanks to Hoshi. She found the message easily enough.
notagoose: (Default)

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[personal profile] notagoose 2010-05-24 01:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Goose hadn't had much need to email before coming to Fandom but he was able to find the message without any major problems.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] provostsdog.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
She had this all along? Beka's look resembled sommat close to horror as she sat down in front of the computer. She'd seen other people use it enough to know the mouse moved the small arrow on the screen. She'd get there in the end.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] boho-to-be.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 04:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Christian didn't have much idea what he was doing, but he eventually managed to make it to his email account.

He got mesmerized reading and answering (or sputtering over) all of the spam, and forgot what he was supposed to be looking for.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
This was going to take Rilla a bit of time. For now, she was poking at the keys like they might bite her.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] nyotauhura101.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
The computer was outdated to her, but worked on the same principles she was used to. She got her message easily.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] nothornlessrose.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Cassidy had never seen anything like this before back home... so, of course, it took her a good bit of time to figure this out.

Re: Activity: Check Your Email!

[identity profile] squire-hand.livejournal.com 2010-05-25 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
James had never seen a typewriter, let alone a computer. All writing was done by scribes.

He did better the second time around, following the tutorial.
trigons_child: (Hand on cheek)

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[personal profile] trigons_child 2010-05-24 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Raven didn't like phones much, and this exercise wasn't helping because the helpful customer service representative was anything but.

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[identity profile] provostsdog.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 01:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Beka'd used phones afore, but that didn't make this any easier. The voice on the other side seemed to not be responding and how was she supposed to press the numbers and listen at the same time?

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[identity profile] rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Rilla was used to a phone, but not one with numbers to push, so she kept disconnecting herself.

"This is impossible," she groused.

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[identity profile] nyotauhura101.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Uhura loved the phone. She was disappointed with all the menus, but once she got to talk to a person, she was happy. The representative was probably annoyed with all her questions and small talk.

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[identity profile] nothornlessrose.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
After trying to get through this part of the exercise, Cassidy decided she hated phones. By the time she finally got done what she was assigned to do, she could see why they just used threads to set everything up back home. This way took too long.

Re: Activity: Your Cellphone!

[identity profile] squire-hand.livejournal.com 2010-05-25 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
This did not go as well as the compute machine, as James kept shouting back at the automated system.
trigons_child: (Not quite buying this)

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[personal profile] trigons_child 2010-05-24 12:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Planes were strange and uncomfortable and Raven much preferred teleporting. Also, if this had not been merely a simulation, she could've easily soothed that crying baby into a restful sleep with her powers.

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[identity profile] provostsdog.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Beka was not certain if she liked this better than a horse. Horses made less noise. The noise of the other passengers hardly bothered her, but she'd be glad to get out of the plane. Why anyone'd travel on this willingly was beyond her.

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[identity profile] nyotauhura101.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, planes... really were horrible, Uhura thought. Transporting was waaay nicer. Even short distance shuttlecraft weren't this bad.

Uhura swallowed hard to get her ears to pop.

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[identity profile] rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Rilla's fingernails were digging into the armrests so hard they would leave marks, and there was a distinct possibility she was about to sick up all over the person next to her.

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[identity profile] nothornlessrose.livejournal.com 2010-05-24 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
The ear-popping was disconcerting, but she had been traveling in Coaches on the winds with people who were not yet experts at controlling the Coaches on the winds. The jarring didn't bother her so much as the feeling that this was too high and not protected with Craft.

Re: Activity: Kids on a Plane!

[identity profile] squire-hand.livejournal.com 2010-05-25 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
Jimmy had felt that sinking feeling in his stomach before, but this was the first time it had happened because of an actual physical event instead of just fear and dread. He stared at the window, jaw dropped, as the world fell away and sped under him faster than a horse, and the world to meet back up with him again.

The kids kicking his seat from behind were rather quiet after Jimmy told them, in a low gruff voice, that unless they stopped he would ship them off to Durban as slaves or north to be food for the moredhel or giants.