Mediocre Computing

A speculative series on a future unified theory of AI and crypto

In this series, I hope to lay some groundwork for a converged, unified theory of the four great frontiers of computing today: AI, crypto, robotics, and the metaverse. I call this converged theory mediocre computing, for reasons that will become clear if you read the first two essays. I have retconned a bunch of older essays, both on this newsletter and on the Ribbonfarm blog, into this series.

A companion series, Graph Minds Notebook, deals with mixed human-computer “hive mind” type systems.

Main Series

1. The Dawn of Mediocre Computing

2. Computing as an Infinite Game🔒

3. The Mediocre Computing Trilemma 🔒

4. Text is All You Need

5. Courage in Computing 🔒

6. Magic, Mundanity, and Deep Protocolization

7. Oozy Intelligence in Slow Time

8. A Camera, Not an Engine

9. In Search of Hardness

10. A Map for AI Town Planners

11. Brains, Chains, and Vibemobiles

12. Massed Muddle Intelligence

13. Does Reality Have a Surprising Lack of Detail?

Research Notes

1. The REALIST Stack

2. Superhistory, Not Superintelligence

3. Beyond Hyperanthropomorphism

4. On Robots

5. Can Robots Dream of Phantom Limbs? 🔒

6. The Physics of Intelligence🔒

7. You’ve Been Matrix Multiplied

8. Boundary Intelligence

External Links

1. Blockchains Never Forget (on Ribbonfarm blog)

2. Bloodcoin (talk from Refactor Camp 2018)

3. Bargaining with your Right Brain (on Ribbonfarm blog)

4. The Economics of Pricelessness (on Ribbonfarm blog)

5. Mediocratopia (series on Ribbonfarm blog, exploring mediocrity)

6. On the Design of Escaped Realities (on Ribbonfarm blog)