"Feel-U-Feel-Me" Novel by Stewart and Rebecka Dickson

In Ben's home office, his computer is "ringing". Larry's face is on the screen.

"Hi, this is Larry," he says.

Ben replies, "Larry, hi, what can I do for you? Hey, have you seen Roman lately?"

"Roman? Gosh no," Larry says, "I haven't seen him since the ISEA Show. But I think I could use your help."

"Hmm...," Says Ben, "With what?"

Larry begins a little hesitantly, "It seems I've opened Pandora's box here. I was talked into demo-ing one of Steve's Braille interface devices at ISEA -- now I hear Steve has been inundated with requests to sell them."

Ben thinks, "Now tell me something I don't know", but says, "And how can I help with that?"

Larry persists, "Maybe you can help me understand the social dynamic of what is going on here... Theo says you are an internet God...."

Ben says, "Yes, Theo would say something like that."

Larry resists changing the subject, "You know, I used to think that the most difficult problems were in the physical sciences, but what I am seeing on the internet these days -- this is complexity on a scale I could never have imagined in my younger days."

Ben explains, "Individuals and their computers on the internet are like neurons in a single, global "brain". Philosophers call it the No-o-sphere -- Humanity's global "information layer" -- our constantly evolving collective knowledge."

"I understand that much", Larry agrees, "That's my opinion of the scientific networks -- but what's going on here is not intellectual, it's physical."

Ben says, "You know I think Steve has broken some kind of barrier here. The general consensus is that this is a welcome change from the hard, square-headed boxes we have been living with all these years."

Alright," Larry says, "I'll accept that... But there still seems to be more to it that what's on the surface."

Ben ventures, "These tele-tactile devices are much more powerful than anybody knows. They are not traditional computers in any sense of the word. They are neural networks with multi-sensory input and output."

He continues, "I wouldn't be surprised if the neural processor fields were to begin learning how to synch coherently with the hologrammic patterns of your mind as well as your senses."

Larry is non-plussed, "That sounds like a long shot, but thanks anyway. Bye."

Ben just shrugs as the I-Talk session "powers-down".