Certainly the Agent can't do physical computer tasks, but I see those being edge cases given the whole purpose of computers is to operate digitally. They may have a keyboard for technicians, but most techs will be using portable computers as well.
Actually CSC p70 tells us that with Intellect the user can make the skill check AS IF they had the skill at Expert bandwidth-1. In that case you would still use the characters stat DMs.
Sure sure - but Intellect is not available until TL-12
This is really interesting, and I need to think about how to use it for my case. Thank you.
It is a shame that there is no TL9 computer since that is the TL of a Specialised computer that has Intellect. It depends if you think a Retrotech TL9 computer built at TL11 is a TL11 computer or a TL9 one. The rules indicate it is still TL11. If so any retrotech computer built at TL9+ could be specialised with Intellect. You need to bear this in mind as the TL of Expert package will also be limited by that decision.Sure sure - but Intellect is not available until TL-12
Intellect as an installable software package is not available until TL12. Hardware-implemented Intellect in a Specialised computer is explicitly available from TL9 per CSC p69.
Ah., sorry - with you now. Thanks.
No worries. Too many words in too many books, many of them contradictory. The wording on Intellect is especially arcane.
My take is if you don't have Agent then you need to make an Electronics(Computer) check to operate your computer.
But in Traveller Merchant's Edition 2025 (and CRB 2016) it has another Intellect program:
That's for Ship Computer though, right?
Which book is this in?
Yes. But can't those same computers run the other Intellect programs and Expert Software? Having two different programs with different functions but the same name is a problem.
Yess, although I'm not sure using Electronics as a base speciality really frees up the discussion. The way you've implemented it suggests "Informatics might be a branch of Electronics, but there again it is not." Which is even more than confusing. Better to think of Informatics as the root of Bioinformatics, and therefore part of the Science(Genetics) skill.
Seems so. But Intellect as a ships package is 0 bandwidth so it is clearly different. The TL difference may be that it is partially hardware like the Specialised computer. You also have Intellect as the characteristic name so using the same word for different things is not unprecedented
Sure, sure - I was thinking more about your musing about having a series of personal "back office" (back stateroom) computers that the under-skilled Traveller could then access using a portable computer running Agent/0. I was wondering if keeping that set of connections set up and configured is something that someone with no Electronics (Computers) skill could end up[ fat-fingering, or if it is something that the Agent/0 on their local portacomp would be doing automatically for themMy take is if you don't have Agent then you need to make an Electronics(Computer) check to operate your computer.
Some tasks will be so trivial however that even -3 for being unskilled won't be a significant impediment (especially if you take your time). Accessing the planetary dataweb for public information is an Easy(4+) check. So an unskilled person of average INT or EDU will succeed over half the time (needs 7+). Or the majority of the time (need 5+) if they spend 10 times as long. It depends on the impact of your failing.
If you are accessing a public information system (i.e. a library's help system rather then Googling something) you might make that an Admin check instead as it is about filling in the form to take you through a system designed to help rather than being able to correctly phrase the query for a search engine. Or it might require a computer check but with a boon (or bane if the interface is particularly obtuse).
Some public information systems will doubtless have an integrated Agent to make things easy for the non-technical (and reduce the pressure on the call centre). Once you are making those Easy searches with no penalty you can't really fail, the worst case is it might take you longer (because you couldn't resist clicking on that You Tube cat video and then got sucked in).
As you don't have to rely on that -2DM from EDU (assuming his INT DM isn't worse) for most normal tasks losing the -3 for unskilled will make a significant difference and Agent-0 will mean they can just ask their mobile to do the work for them (and bypass any stat DM).
They'll be fine (until the battery fails)
