![]() | This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's
content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I don't remember seeing any description in the Saberhagen stories, and I think I've read all of them, to the sequence of events described in the article at present, in which the Berserkers were initially out to eliminate only all sentient life and then changed to eliminating all life and potentially life-bearing habitats only after discovering that some sentient life could fight back. The descriptions I do remember seeing all amount to variations on: Whatever the berserkers' initial programming might have been (before it apparently malfunctioned and they turned on their makers), their intent is now to destroy all life wherever they can find it. The description of their programming and its history should be changed toward this unless support for the first-only-sentient-life-and-then-all-life-as-long-range-tactics sequence can be found somewhere in the stories.
Also, the reference to how their makers 'somehow forgot how to turn them off' makes it sound sillier than the stories imply. No such stupid "whoops" absentminded stupidity is specified. The nature of the malfunction of the programming, or of how the Builders lost control, is not known. This should be changed to just saying that the berserkers' makers lost control.
Made edits to correct both these issues.
-G
I added the historical analogy with Lepanto. Does anyone have the reference? One place is the introduction to one of the Berserker collections, but I don't recall which one. It would also be good to know other analogies, e.g. who is David Hemphill? DavidBofinger 00:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
It was to a page trying to sell a statue of a nordic bezerker. Spam, basically.
Image:Beserker Saberhagen Ace 92.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot 12:12, 26 October 2007 (UTC)
Since 'Starsong' was so obviously analogous to 'Orpheus and Eurydice', I decided to change the heading title and include this tidbit. Obviously, this happened before I created a Wikipedia account. Fairly minor edit, but in the spirit of the article section. Any cleanup of the title or my addition to the section is welcome. —Preceding unsigned comment added by FiReSTaRT ( talk • contribs) 15:43, 23 May 2010 (UTC)
As I dimly remember the story "Goodlife", the eponymous character is an orphan raised by a Berserker and taught to believe that life is evil — rather than a traitor helping the Berserkers in order to "stay alive a little longer" as the article now has it. Later, of course, "goodlife" is the word for anyone who helps Berserkers for whatever reason. — Tamfang ( talk) 04:24, 16 February 2016 (UTC)
Er what? Does the story not say that it's the Gettysburg Address, and could a reader curious about its history not use that title to learn more? Should every article about a story that contains any historical allusion have a See Also section explaining that allusion?
I called it "trivial" because the story would be the same story if the test of attention span were Jabberwocky or a page of fruit packaging regulations. — Tamfang ( talk) 22:57, 19 February 2016 (UTC)
The animal turned, hearing a change in his voice. Now Del could say the words that would tell Newton it was safe to set his master free, a sequence too long for anyone under the mindweapon to recite. "—shall not perish from the Earth," he finished.
So no it doesn't say it's the Gettysburg Address, but then neither does it contain any more than the last 6 words of it. But maybe some book editions put more of it in there. 79.73.46.98 ( talk) 13:00, 6 June 2023 (UTC)
![]() | This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's
content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I don't remember seeing any description in the Saberhagen stories, and I think I've read all of them, to the sequence of events described in the article at present, in which the Berserkers were initially out to eliminate only all sentient life and then changed to eliminating all life and potentially life-bearing habitats only after discovering that some sentient life could fight back. The descriptions I do remember seeing all amount to variations on: Whatever the berserkers' initial programming might have been (before it apparently malfunctioned and they turned on their makers), their intent is now to destroy all life wherever they can find it. The description of their programming and its history should be changed toward this unless support for the first-only-sentient-life-and-then-all-life-as-long-range-tactics sequence can be found somewhere in the stories.
Also, the reference to how their makers 'somehow forgot how to turn them off' makes it sound sillier than the stories imply. No such stupid "whoops" absentminded stupidity is specified. The nature of the malfunction of the programming, or of how the Builders lost control, is not known. This should be changed to just saying that the berserkers' makers lost control.
Made edits to correct both these issues.
-G
I added the historical analogy with Lepanto. Does anyone have the reference? One place is the introduction to one of the Berserker collections, but I don't recall which one. It would also be good to know other analogies, e.g. who is David Hemphill? DavidBofinger 00:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
It was to a page trying to sell a statue of a nordic bezerker. Spam, basically.
Image:Beserker Saberhagen Ace 92.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot 12:12, 26 October 2007 (UTC)
Since 'Starsong' was so obviously analogous to 'Orpheus and Eurydice', I decided to change the heading title and include this tidbit. Obviously, this happened before I created a Wikipedia account. Fairly minor edit, but in the spirit of the article section. Any cleanup of the title or my addition to the section is welcome. —Preceding unsigned comment added by FiReSTaRT ( talk • contribs) 15:43, 23 May 2010 (UTC)
As I dimly remember the story "Goodlife", the eponymous character is an orphan raised by a Berserker and taught to believe that life is evil — rather than a traitor helping the Berserkers in order to "stay alive a little longer" as the article now has it. Later, of course, "goodlife" is the word for anyone who helps Berserkers for whatever reason. — Tamfang ( talk) 04:24, 16 February 2016 (UTC)
Er what? Does the story not say that it's the Gettysburg Address, and could a reader curious about its history not use that title to learn more? Should every article about a story that contains any historical allusion have a See Also section explaining that allusion?
I called it "trivial" because the story would be the same story if the test of attention span were Jabberwocky or a page of fruit packaging regulations. — Tamfang ( talk) 22:57, 19 February 2016 (UTC)
The animal turned, hearing a change in his voice. Now Del could say the words that would tell Newton it was safe to set his master free, a sequence too long for anyone under the mindweapon to recite. "—shall not perish from the Earth," he finished.
So no it doesn't say it's the Gettysburg Address, but then neither does it contain any more than the last 6 words of it. But maybe some book editions put more of it in there. 79.73.46.98 ( talk) 13:00, 6 June 2023 (UTC)