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From: c50p-at@ucbzooey.BERKELEY.EDU (Jonathan Dubman)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: "The Adolescence of P-1": Seen it?
Message-ID: <10875@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Sat, 2-Nov-85 02:43:21 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.10875
Posted: Sat Nov  2 02:43:21 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 05:42:39 EST
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: c50p-at@ucbzooey.BERKELEY.EDU (Jonathan Dubman)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 20

A few years back I borrowed and read a book by Thomas P. Ryan entitled,
"The Adolescence of P-1".  It was about a computer program designed to
"learn" based on its input; the main character feeds it versions of science
textbooks, literature, etc.  After a while it learns English and starts
actually learning the knowledge of mankind, without the protagonist's
knowledge.  On its own, it gains access to a network (like the network
file-transfer program) and spreads throughout college campuses and
companies' computers.  It starts twiddling things in the background, and
so on.  I tried to purchase my own copy at many new and used bookstores but
either they had never heard of it or they said it was out of print as of
several years ago.  The copy I saw was an oversized paperback.

A few months ago, a friend of mine said he had seen a new hardcover edition
of "The Adolescence of P-1" copyright 1985, but I have not been able to
find it anywhere.  Is the book really in print?  Has Ryan written anything
else?  The book was written well enough that I would want to read others
by the same author.  Please respond via email.

Jonathan Dubman				UUCP: ucbvax!ucbzooey!c50p-at
					or:   ucbvax!ucbcad!ucbzooey!c50p-at