Users who self-censor the words they say when on the Grid because they can’t be sure the System won’t take it as an actual programming command
“wow i thought i was gonna actually get d3r3zzed there!”
“you know you can say the actual word right? I mean, delete it, man, this isn’t fraggin’ TikTok!”
“…the first time I tried to swear program-style, things literally did get fr@gmented and d3l3ted.”
“…HOW are you even pronouncing our words with that punctuation in them. that should not be possible.”
“hey, sometimes we Users censor our swearing with nothing but a keysmash of punctuation. Like this: #@!&*!”
“I don’t really think that’s safer than saying commands in words. Punctuation has power in computer languages too, you know.”
“:(){ :|:& };:”
“OH NO YOU DROPPED THE FORK-BOMB”
speaking things into reality makes me think of Diane Duane’s Wizards novels (they’re extremely good and underrated) and how
I think Tron-style programs already exist in that, or could with no additional elements
and our reality itself isn’t not unlike the Grid in that, tbh
yeah I absolutely love the blurred areas between technology and magic sometimes, and how programming commands basically are incantations that magically make real things happen, and even more so if you’re somehow living inside a digital world.
the science-fantasy side of Tron (with emphasis on the fuzzy border between computer science and fantasy!) is my favorite, always.