MetaCyber

Technology
Computer Programming
Languages	Skill Subgroups	Skill Modifiers	Software Development	Hacking

COMPUTER PROGRAMMING SUBGROUPS

Computer Programming is divided into many subgroups in the MetaCyber setting that must be purchased separately as indicated by the below table.

A brief description of each subgroup follows

COMPUTER PROGRAMMING SUBGROUPS

INFRASTRUCTURE
- NETWORK CONFIG
- FIRMWARE / EMBEDDED
- MACHINE INTERFACE
- SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
GAME SOFTWARE
- GRAPHICS
- ENGINE
BUSINESS SOFTWARE
- DATA ANALYSIS
- ADMINISTRATION
- TRANSACTIONAL
MALWARE
- VIRUSES
- SNIFFERS
HEURISTIC SOFTWARE
- AGENTS
- BOTS
HACKING
- INFILTRATION
- DEFENSE
DATABASING
NEURALLY ENABLED CONTENT
ELECTRONIC LOCKING DEVICES
PROPRIETARY CORPORATE TECHNOLOGY
- Bought individually for 1 point

INFRASTRUCTURE

To interact with low level basic machine interfaces, configurations controlling the functionality of hardware, or embedded system, a character needs the Infrastructure subgroup. Some embedded systems are written in E or E+. Most configuration is done via a wizard or simple scripts, but WSO and PFRC are needed to program or configure some higher end interface hardware.

GAME SOFTWARE

To design or understand software used for recreational purposes, particularly the underlying logic and capabilities of underlying game engines, components, and graphics algorithms, a character needs the Game Software subgroup.

Most Game Software is written in W12 or Pix-it, but many simple games are written in SW. Some games use components written in E or E+ to handle resource intensive or critical tasks making these excellent complementary languages.

BUSINESS SOFTWARE

To design or understand software used for business purposes, understand the purpose of data schemas associated with applications and the data stored therein, the logic and purpose of software that serves to administer or automate tasks, and transactional data tracking activity between one or more computers a character needs the Business Software subgroup. Business Software typically is written in E+, or W12. However, some lower budget, less robust, or rapidly developed applications are written in VD3. FS is new, but a large share of new development is being done using it for the last several years.

MALWARE

To design or understand software used for malicious purposes, particularly viruses and data sniffers, and character needs the Malware subgroup. This is a conceptual subgroup that represents specialized knowledge. Malware can be written in just about any language, but E or E+ is the most common since many types of viruses attack systems at the OS level, and E is ideal for that.

HEURISTIC SOFTWARE

To design and understand software written to be self-improving, with the ability to proactively make decisions based upon criteria rather than when told, or in other ways mimic the individuality of living people to some extent, a character needs the Heuristic Software subgroup. There is no standard Heuristic Software language; in general this discipline represents design concepts implemented in either mainstream or limited purpose custom languages. This skill is of little practical use in the current timeframe of MetaCyber, being largely theoretical.

HACKING

To dynamically interact with security measures, exploit or defend vulnerabilities, gain or prevent illicit access to, or other wise suborn or reinforce the intended purpose of software, requires the Hacking subgroup. It also covers basic tricks of the trade related to disguising or recognizing Hacking activity. This is a conceptual subgroup that represents specialized knowledge and techniques, and is typically partnered with software tools and broader Computer Programming disciplines in execution. It is also strongly complemented by the Security Systems Skill (typically with the Only for Computer Security; -1/2 Limitation).

This subgroup is of critical importance to would be "Hackers". Characters that lack the Infiltration option attempting to hack a creditable system with any kind of security are woefully disadvantaged and will almost certainly be caught.

DATABASING

To understand, analyze, design, and administer databases and database components of various types requires the Databasing subgroup. This is a conceptual subgroup that represents specialized knowledge. In the modern era of MetaCyber, this is usually partnered with LDS and LQS.

ELECTRONIC LOCKING DEVICES

To program or circumvent higher end Electronic Locking Devices (ELDs) that use simple Computers for various purposes a Computer Programmer needs the Electronic Locking Device subgroup. Most ELDs use embedded processes, but if physical access to an interface port can be managed they can be reprogrammed to open or close as desired as a Tricky Task or harder (depending on the ELD). Most ELD's use WSO, but some use a stripped down version of Enoch, and others use a semi-custom syntax that is very similar to PFRC.

NEURALLY ENABLED CONTENT

To develop content usable via the "virtual reality" of the NET a character needs the Neurally Enabled Content (NEC) subgroup. This can be used alone for generic content, but needs to be combined with another subgroup to design specific content; for instance to design business applications that are Neurally Enabled would require both the Business Software and Neurally Enabled Content subgroups.

Neurally Enabled Content is written in a language called Neural Stimuli Descriptive Language (NSDL), which is included in this group. A completed set of NSDL code is effectively a wrapper for some other application written in a fully fledged language and is referred to as a NSDL Wrapper. A Wrapper basically serves to associate Neural Stimuli with emitted data from the wrapped application. NSDL has no support for debugging per se, but it does support a powerful benchmarking harness that can identify content that is outside of accepted neurally safe ranges.

PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY

Some corporations use proprietary technology and / or standards, which they usually guard the details of closely. This serves as a security deterrent to Computer Programmers that have not been exposed to the proprietary concepts. Characters must buy each proprietary technology they are able to program with effectively for 1 point.