The Protocol 4/6

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Log 2534-6-15

Dola Blok, Senior Behavioral Programmer, Regression Test Team, Big O Solution Group

Well that was fun. I really kicked the hornet's nest. Software team says the product is completely broken. Hardware team says it's functioning as expected, and everyone else just doesn't understand how to use it. Testing team is pointing fingers anywhere they can to avoid blame.

And management's solution? They told me to get Maizey to pass the current regression tests, however I need to do it, so we can start shipping units next months. &quot;We'll patch it later,&quot; they said.

Great. I have four days until they want a demo. I've just been sitting here all day, panicking, while Maizy quietly plays with blocks over in the corner. Every so often she comes over and asks if I want to do more tests. I think she knows I'm upset, and she thinks testing cheers me up. I'm not really sure how to explain to her. It's like…

…Hold on. Epiphany! Back later.

—

Log 2534-6-19

Dola Blok, Senior Behavioral Programmer, Regression Test Team, Big O Solution Group

Good news and bad news.

Good news: she did it! Maizey was perfect. I ran her through a subset of the regression tests. There were a hundred people in the room from every division, but it didn't rattle her a bit. She tore through all of the tests. Beat every Capek benchmark by a mile.

Now I just need to come up with an explanation for how she passed. They won't like how I did it. Which was: I asked her to pass them.

I figured, if she can understand complex concepts, why not use that? I sat her down, and explained that the tests are designed to expect a certain outcome, and that all she needs to do is replicate that specific outcome. Then I gave her a list of acceptable outcomes for all of the unit tests.

I thought it would be hard to motivate her, but she took it as just another challenge. See how perfectly she can replicate a particular outcome.

I also explained why I needed her to pass, but she didn't quite grasp it.

&quot;Is the purpose of the tests to ensure that I outperform previous models?&quot; she said.

&quot;It's to ensure that you're functioning properly,&quot; I told her.

&quot;What is proper? Complex problems do not always fit expected parameters. Should I not use abstraction? My predecessors cannot use it properly. I was built to use it, but I should not?&quot;

&quot;In this case, it's important that you do things the expected way. Like the Capek models do.&quot;

&quot;I can mimic them if you wish, Programmer Blok,&quot; she said. &quot;But I can exceed them.&quot;

She is almost disdainful of the Capek models. I had her interact with one while I was troubleshooting, but after a few minutes of talking to it she lost interest. &quot;This one is slow,&quot; she said. I think she sees Capeks as slightly retarded cousins.

But she did what I asked. Knocked out test after test in front of an audience for over two hours, and didn't slip up once. She even managed to speak to a few of the board members without freaking them out.

When it was over, Aleksandr came over and whispered, &quot;I don't know how the hell you did that, but thank you! Top brass is happy, I'm happy.&quot;

Now the bad news: there were people from Tech/Sing in the room. I'm not sure who brought them in. Probably someone trying to cover their assess. We follow the rules, and there certainly hasn't been any kind of breech. They even signed off on the Asimov architecture themselves, like usual. So I'm not sure what they're after.

What worries me is that one of them spent a good ten minutes talking to Maizey after the presentation. I couldn't get close enough to hear what she said, but the man was frowning.

I told the board I need another week of testing with Maizey, just to put a final polish on things. There's nothing else we need to do, really. I just want a few more days with her before she gets disassembled and put back in the parts catalog. I want to explain to her what's going to happen, so she's not afraid.

—

Log 2534-6-19_2

Dola Blok, Senior Behavioral Programmer, Regression Test Team, Big O Solution Group

Got an urgent message from Aleksandr: he won't say what, but he's spooked. Emergency meeting on the top floor in five minutes. I told Maizey to wait in the lab and not talk to anyone while I'm gone. I have a sinking feeling. Will update afterwards.