Dana wrote: <POV Avon, Orac is "just a machine"--in other words, doesn't even qualify for his slimline view of human rights--but shouldn't have Blake been worried about the freedom of the honest AI to think and speak?>

Oh yes, but two points:

Orac would most definitely come under Blake's heading of 'crew', and My Favourite Autocrat's general rule - "say whatever you like, then I'll get you to do what I want" applies.

I don't think you'd easily persuade Blake about that 'honesty' bit ("you're capable of evasion, anyway.") _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.