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StarNet

Many communication systems exist in the present universe ranging from simple laser comm systems up to the hive intelligences of the Vaipen and, to a lesser extent, the Reticula and Nosnerual. Many races communicate over a standard comms network called StarNET, the interstellar equivalent of the 'internet'. StarNET is based around an interconnected series of high strength narrow band microwave and realspace/hyperspace transceivers which link nearly every net server in known space: More or less every computer in known space is linked to StarNET.

StarNET, and it's associated subsections, will only be accessible while in dock or at a relay station.

StarNET Browser ScreenShot

• The Infrastructure.
  Space is a big place and light is, in interstellar terms at least, somewhat slow. Were it not for the fact that high energy Stable Baryon Transcievers can penetrate the realspace/HS boundary (after correct modulation) interstellar, and long distance interplanetary, communication would be impossible. While short distance (ie: ship - ship, ship - planet) comms are via normal maser links, interstellar communication can be accomplished in one of two ways: maser link to a relay station, which converts the microwave message into SBT format which is then transmitted through hyperspace, detected by a station in the recipients local space and send to the recipient via maser. Very large ships may have SBT equipment fitted, in which case direct communication is possible.

• The NET.
  All stations, and relay stations, must remain in constant contact to provide guide beams for ships in hyperspace. Many races exploit this to form a stable network known as StarNET. Each race converses in it's own language over StarNET so all net software has built in translation capabilities which can convert nearly every known language into the native language of the user. StarNET provides several services; real-time comm channels (vid links/ voice links), email and BBSs. However, built alongside these services is the IIN.

• The Interstellar Information Network.
  The IIN was, according to Eckerts "History of the major races", originally started by the Munkvold in 260BC (earth years) but it only attained it's widespread status in the last 300 years thanks mostly to the efforts of the Mogensen and Nosnerual. The IIN has evolved, through human computer engineering, to a highly complex network spanning most of known space. The IIN is a standard interface to information on nearly every major server much like the www.

  In Explorer the IIN will not consist of millions of nodes, though the way the systems generates the sites will make it appear so. The IIN (and StarNET to a lesser degree) will adapt to the player and the universe so that it evolves with the DUM.

• Escorts.
  The player is asked to join an escort fleet for a ship passing through dangerous areas of space.

• Adverts.
  These will range from simple junk mail (oh yes, there's nothing quite like junkmail to give a sense of reality) up to job advertisements, corporate ads and so on.

• Companies.
  Many companies will have sites on the IIN (as well as lesser services on StarNET). Here companies will ply their wares and occasionally post job notices or escort requests.

• Finance.
  You can't escape them even in an imaginary universe! Here you will be able to open bank accounts, get loans or insurance and many other bank type nightmares.

• Email.
  The player will receive email! Junk mail will, as ever, will continue to be the bane of net life (though I will include an option to turn it off) but the player will receive email from associates or companies, as well as security forces and individual characters. In the net version I hope to release players will be able to mail each other in the explorer universe.