Hal enters his apartment, loosens his tie and sits in his favorite
chair.
Hal: Stereo. (A red LED on the far wall goes on) Oldies, like Smashing
Pumpkins or Oasis. At telephone volume. (Music comes on at a volume
one can easily speak over)
Hal: Telephone. (A green LED lights) Jacknis. New York.
Westchester, I think.
Voice: Will you require a display?
Hal: Perhaps. There might be some 3-D graph projections.
Voice: Thank you. (Pause). The best telephone rate from now until
11:00 p.m. is $5.50 for three minutes. A Web connection through the
WATPA Multimedia PrivateChat server is free. By the way, your dues
must be paid by the 15th. The cue for the WATPA link is 82.13
seconds.
Hal: Use WATPA.
Voice: Connecting through WATPA PrivateChat. (Pause) I detect
increased electrical consumption in the kitchen audio. This will lead
to a probable speaker failure within 10 days. Repair will require
replacement of a component located in the control panel. You can make
this repair yourself; an instructional DVD comes with the component.
The price is currently $47.50. Shall I order the component?
Hal: Have I made this repair in the past?
Voice: Once. At 9:43 p.m on January 3, 1998.
Hal: Order the part.
Voice: Credit or debit?
Hal: Credit. No, no scratch that. Debit.
Voice: (Pause) Component ordered. ATT/Microsoft World Bank account
debited. (Pause) Mr. Jacknis is on the line...
Joe Bracchitta
Assistant Dean
Pace University School of Law
Phone: 914.422.4203
Fax: 914.422.4150
e-mail: jbracchi@genesis.law.pace.edu
WWW: http://orion.law.pace.edu/ccle/welcome.htm