[Gagged Man]

Picked up The Difference Engine by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling (from 1991!) about a week ago and I just finished it. I've had a little trouble figuring how all the pieces in the book come together; I think it has something to do with AI and self-awareness but I'm not sure.
Can someone who's read the book help me with this?

Thanks,
Gagged Man

[Sepiriz]

I was thinking of reading this.

"A collaborative novel from the premier cyberpunk authors, William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. Part detective story, part historical thriller, The Difference Engine takes us not forward but back, to an imagined 1885: the Industrial Revolution is in full and inexorable swing, powered by steam-driven, cybernetic engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine, and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. "

Amazon.com

[trailhound]

I'd sure like to read this one, too
Does it go back to Pascal?


I'm curious about the term cyberpunk. Can someone define it? Thanks

[Hobbit]

Trailhound:

I'm curious about the term cyberpunk. Can someone define it?

Try:

http://www.sffworld.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=464

Also of interest here - try: http://www.sffworld.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4404

Hobbit

[trailhound]

Thanks, Hobbit

That was quite illustrative. I get the feel of a different side of the clockwork orange world (tech punks and corporation punks as opposed to street punks)

I suppose I'll have to read up the genre before I can assert that, but that is the kind of feel I'm getting