That far in the future and they forget the "Cut" and "Paste" commands

[blaz4me]

*SPOILERS*
So their is this amazing ability with all data where you have the option to either "cut" it or "copy" it. Both take the same amount of time. So when basic logic wasn't followed and instead of simply being cut and pasted he was copied and pasted so he could die 2 horrific deaths for no apparent reason, Simon became upset, which anyone with a mind and a brain would too.
For you people not familiar with computers, plug in a flash drive, then feel free to copy a file over to it if you wish to time it. Then cut and paste it and see the results. Only one choice makes sense.

[cantremember]

No you don't understand how "cut" and "paste" work technically.

Cut and pasting a file on the same volume takes no time, because the file physically doesn't move, only its representation within the filesystem tree is modified.

Cutting and pasting a file across several media (from computer to USB drive for example): The computer will COPY the file to the USB drive, and then DELETE it from its original location.

Try this example: cut and paste a large file to a USB drive. Then pull out the USB drive while it is in progress. The file on the computer will still be intact, while you will have an incomplete copy on the USB drive.
It is technically impossible to MOVE or CUT/PASTE across different computers or media, it is just a word used to simplify it for the users.

And I believe for similar reasons it is impossible to "move" minds on Pathos-II

[Dundle]

Cut and pasting a file on the same volume takes no time, because the file physically doesn't move, only its representation within the filesystem tree is modified.

Just for the sake of mercy, wouldn't it still make more sense to simply kill the older personalities in the process of copying them?

[GhylTarvoke]

Just for the sake of mercy, wouldn't it still make more sense to simply kill the older personalities in the process of copying them?

Players who killed Simon-2 would probably agree. Players who didn't kill Simon-2 would probably disagree.

[Lazoriss]

This is actually touched upon heavily in-game, especially at Theta.

People were committing suicide right after their ARK scan in the hopes of having a single stream of consciousnesses that continued living on the ARK. The thing is, the loophole is merely an illusion. No matter how quickly you kill/delete the original brain, there will be an overlap in time. The new mode of conscious thought is a copy. A perfect copy, maybe, but still its own entity.

At Omicron, Catherine copies you into the new body. She knew that there was going to be two of you, but didn't tell you or "delete" diving suit Simon right after the scan. I can't say for sure why she didn't. But she is entirely reliant on Simon in launching the ARK, and we see her hiding information from Simon in fear of upsetting him and making him change his mind about aiding her. She might have been scared of Simon's reaction if he found out she had essentially killed him. Draining the battery wasn't instantaneous, so she couldn't hide killing the older personality. She leaves the decision up to you.

I have thought about how this works at the end of the game as well. It would have been interesting as an alternate ending. You could confront Catherine about the copy mechanic and request that she drain your battery during the ARK scan. You could indulge in the illusion of a single conscious existence continuing on the ARK, while not having to leave Power Suit Simon stranded at the bottom of the sea. The player would still have to deal with the fear knowing that you would still die in that pilot seat, just like the Simon at Omicron (if you decided to kill him).

[SlackerinDeNile]

I have thought about how this works at the end of the game as well. It would have been interesting as an alternate ending. You could confront Catherine about the copy mechanic and request that she drain your battery during the ARK scan. You could indulge in the illusion of a single conscious existence continuing on the ARK, while not having to leave Power Suit Simon stranded at the bottom of the sea. The player would still have to deal with the fear knowing that you would still die in that pilot seat, just like the Simon at Omicron (if you decided to kill him).

Indeed, this would have been a good feature, but only if it was based on some of your previous life\death choices in the game.

[PiratesFr33k]

Another thing is that the machines which do the "brain scan" merely record the data ("it's like having your picture taken") from the brain onto a computer. I don't think the brain scan machines in SOMA work with "cut and paste" like our real-world computers do with files. I imagine them being more like a scanner. If you put a document on your flatbed scanner, you couldn't "cut and paste" it either. You take an exact photo of the original and that's all.

Even if you wanted to, the scanner couldn't cut and paste (i.e. disintegrate) the document.

[Mudbill]

Even if you wanted to, the scanner couldn't cut and paste (i.e. disintegrate) the document. ;)

Only if you installed a furnace into it :P


In which case it would only simulate manually killing the subject after the scan anyway.

[Lazoriss]

Guess that would be why they're brain scans, and not files from the start. Each brain scan stored on a computer is based off a template of a physical brain. The seat would scan the brain, and a computer program would then take that scan and construct an AI that closely resembles the thought process/personality/ect of the original. It explains how an experimental scan from 2015 became the complex character we play as in the game. The scan of Simon's physical brain was used in AI research, basically designing computer programs that could perfectly emulate a "person" using a picture of a brain. The program would then store the emulation as a computer file. In this mode, you can "cut" and "paste" the file.

Omicron is actually kinda weird, because the file for Simon's brain is already in the cortex chip. But the seat never directly hooks up to said chip, instead scanning it. I'm not exactly sure how the pilot seat was able to get an exact copy of the file by scanning the chip. What would make the most sense is that Simon's brain is already on file at Omicron. Catherine just puts you in the seat to activate the new bot and to keep diving suit Simon pacified/asleep in the chair. Perhaps so the experience isn't quite as traumatic for the two Simons involved.

VIDEO GAME LOGIC

[cantremember]

My interpretation is that brainscans are indeed almost like a computer file, once the scan is stored. But a scan, while a digital representation, contains so much information that the computer can "run" the information in a simulation model so accurate it behaves the same was as the physical host, to the point it actually possesses the same ammount of conciousness.

I think when Simon sits in the seat at Omicron, supposedly another copy is taken, and the seat not being hooked up is an oversight by the map maker.

Also while you can delete brain scan data, Simon doesn't seem to feel too bad about it, since they are flat files and in a "frozen" state, there is no conciousness when they aren't being "run".
But killing Simon requires physical destruction or intervention, I don't think Simon-II could just be frozen and deleted during the copy-process in the pilot seat.