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The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to Media Finder and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at the Trope Launch Pad.

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Florestan Since: May, 2015
2025-08-25 12:07:38

I have to say, this has always bothered me very much in many SF settings, where they treat "transferring data" as truly moving the data, i.e. the data arrives at the new location while at the same time somehow disappearing at the original location.

Thing is, when it comes to physical objects, moving an object to a different location is trivial, while copying (duplicating) an object is difficult. When it comes to the digital world, the opposite is the case: copying data is trivial, while moving data involves two steps: first making a copy, and then explicitly deleting the original.

Rotide (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2025-08-25 12:20:22

Come to think of it, this definitely overlaps with the "Data is a Physical Object" trope that I also dislike, even if it's usually from knowingly-softer Sci-Fi.

"TV Tropes looks like if Tumblr got a little crazy at a party last night and brought someone home"
ThrawnCA Since: Jan, 2018
2025-08-25 20:14:57

This happens a lot when dealing with Artificial Intelligences.

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