Questionable Content

It's interesting because we have this huge system in place to weigh the value we place on a Doctor's skills vs the fact that it's a essential service to society, but while the work Faye and Bubbles are doing is basically the same but on robots, their is no system in place of insurance and co pays to make sure their getting paid what their skills are worth.

There is robot insurance. It's how Roko got her new chassi — the robot who crushed her, Crush-bot, has a very generous insurance policy that paid for the new body.

It's just there's apparently no public robot insurance. So a parolee working at a convenience store like May is pretty much SOL.

Creating a system for AI public healthcare or including AI in pre-existing public healthcare would probably require more AI representation in government.

Edited by M84 on Nov 6th 2019 at 2:10:45 AM

Or Spookybot could just wave a magic wand.

I wasn't implying in any way this would be a good idea.

Edited by Geoduck on Nov 5th 2019 at 11:05:39 AM

Because there's no way having a super-powerful AI accountable to no one secretly puppeteering the government could possibly go wrong.

Edited by M84 on Nov 6th 2019 at 2:50:19 AM

So if May wants a better body, she should try and run afoul of Crushbot?

She doesn't have a reinforced brain cage, she may actually die if he drops on her.

Smugyay's actions may actually echo in May's story, I think. Like, a showcase of their donation spam trickling down the line, an increase in funds for charities finally showing in effect.

Edited by Adannor on Nov 6th 2019 at 1:09:34 PM

And even if she somehow survived, it probably wouldn't be too hard to prove in court that it was deliberate on her part. May isn't exactly a criminal mastermind.

The long-term solution there is to build up their business in elective procedures, as Bubbles suggested at the start of the day. People are willing to pay a lot more for things they want than for things they need. They should actually implement Sam's idea of making her designs permanent via laser-etching, and work with her to come up with other ways to use both her and Faye's artistic talents.

Once they have a steady cashflow from chassis modification, they can discount their repair work all they want.

That's assuming the robots want the designs to be permanent. Probably should do some market research first..

We’ve already seen that the sprays being temporary is a draw for the current clientele. I would assume there’s a market for permanent ones though.

On the other hand, given how modular most chassis seem to be (even May’s shitty one), “permanent” markings can be replaced with fresh parts if desired. Or even just buffed out. So...no exactly permanent, but I’d still bet there’s a market for laser-etched body art among robots.

The problem with permanent tattooing is that, in Massachusetts at least, you have to be licensed. Sam is underage.

a) Who said Sam would be the one running the laser? b) Laser etching on robots is not tattooing, and as long as it's not already prohibited it would be in a legal grey zone until someone legislated it. c) As pointed out above, no marks you make on a robot are truly permanent because they can easily replace the marked part at a moderate cost.

That actually makes me curious about how robot repairs work in Questionable Content in countries with socialized medicine, it might depend on the country, mine and my province doesn't have it for dental, or vision or perscriptions (though recently it's free under a certain income which thank goodness or I'd be bankrupt well more), or mental healthcare and you have to have insurance for it, so maybe they aren't, because technically you won't die life will just be bad and you are more likely to die.

Places like Union Robotics don't seem to be very well established yet; Faye and Bubbles have found an unmet need, and now they're waiting for those in need to find them. I doubt things are any different in other nations. My suspicion is that AI is just now getting to the point where regular wear and tear is becoming a factor for most bots, outside of places like the fighting ring and occupations like the police force (which has an in-house repair guy).

Come to think of it, we've also seen one other robot mechanic, and he was working for the chassis store where Roko got May evaluated. So robots who do need repairs have probably returned to the stores where their chasses were sold, where prices might be higher than an independent place. Like a car dealership vs an independent auto mechanic.

Hi Beeps

Edited by HeraldAlberich on Nov 6th 2019 at 11:19:36 AM

Which kitty is Bubs' and which one is Sam's? You decide.

The more detailed one is definitely Sam's.

Nah, look at these: [1] [2] The detailed one is Bubbles'.

Uuuh... Having to sit around with your under pants off in front of other cliants must be pretty awkward. I'm surprised May hasn't been provided a modesty curtain.

It's May; she's likely more annoyed with the leg than she is with the fact that she's pantsless. Hell she'd probably happily moon anyone and everyone that walks in if she were in the mood to do so, considering what she did that first time she ever met Faye.

They did give the Emu lady a wrap. May probably refused one.

Edit: more of a spa towel.

Edited by TParadox on Nov 8th 2019 at 9:08:15 AM

A third, eh? Generous, Sam. And is that before or after the shop's cut?

So how long before the entire cast works there?

Eh, we all thought the same about Coffee Of Doom, and only three quarters of the cast ended up working there.

How indeed? Like I said, it's Faye who should be collaborating with Sam.

And Bubbles knows perfectly well what May has been up to. Well, she should, shouldn't she?

That's where this is all heading. They all are going to end up making money doing art instead of repair.