Jargon

This is a glossary of slang and jargon terms used in the UbiquiCity books.

Contents: A B C D F G H I L M N O P S U V W X

A

 * Archeo- (prefix)
 * Antique (over 100 years old), ancient, historical; and by extension: old, obsolete, outmoded, dirty, broken. May be applied to any device, system or attitude.


 * ARE
 * Augmented Reality Environment. The subjective overlay on reality that you see when using an AR rig (glasses, contacts, implants, etc).  Your ARE includes one or more ARLs (see ARL).


 * ARL
 * Augmented Reality Layer. A single layer of data in your AR environment. ARLs are created by apps, games and "themes" which give your ARE a specific look and feel. It can be confusing to use too many ARLs at once.


 * AUG (from “augmented”)
 * (1) Hardware used to interface with AR environments; eg.: “You got any aug?” (2) Any element in the ARE itself; eg.: “The cat's not really there, it's aug.” (3) AR signals or protocols; eg.: “Check your firewall to see if you're blocking aug.”


 * AV (or “avatar”)
 * Your projected image, your virtual body as seen by others. May be overridden by a viewer’s AR theme or apps.

B

 * BEME (“BEE-mee”)
 * a celebrity sensie show; usually prurient and low-brow (see SENSIE).


 * BLANKROOM
 * A room kept empty of furniture, the walls of which are used for projections or are literal screens. Found in the homes of the wealthiest hardcore gamers.


 * BLIP
 * A short program or show (often less than 1 minute) which is the most common form of media exchange. Often used for ads and PSAs, as well as personal messages. Brevity is valued.


 * BOOK
 * A laptop computing device, often with holoprojection and an NUI. Real books are rare, and they’re called “paperbooks” or “hardbooks” (see HARD, NUI).

C

 * CUBIE
 * Cubicle worker.


 * CITYSYS
 * CitySystem. The networked AI that monitors and maintains all public resources, utilities and regulatory systems within the UbiComp zones (see SYS).


 * CIVSEC (Civic Security)
 * An immensely powerful paramilitary department of the Union City government, charged with defending the city against large-scale attacks and terrorism, and directed by PARNAS HARN.

D

 * DARK
 * (1) Not connected to any publicly-accessible network or stored in any publicly-accessible cloud. (2) Not indexed or searchable by any publicly-available means. (3) Loosely speaking, any covert or encrypted activity or communication, or any device that has stopped reporting.


 * DARK NET, DARKNET
 * Generic term for all computer systems which are not indexed and not searchable by publicly-available means. The parts of the Darknet where illicit transactions take place are called “the Shadow Souk” or simply “the Souk” (see SHADOW SOUK).


 * DATAWAKE (also simply “Wake”)
 * The accumulated trail of data and metadata a person leaves behind via social, transactional and IoT interactions. To varying degrees (depending on many factors including the subject's security precautions and movement through the digital fog), these traces of activity can be attained, timestamped, assembled, and encoded as a networked path through virtual space. WakeTracers and some AI programs specialize in tracing DataWakes (see WAKETRACER)﻿.


 * DEFITTED (from “counterfeit”)
 * A device - often a stolen device - from which the NIN chip has been removed (see FITTED, FITTER).


 * DISCON
 * A person who has no PIDkit, no networked devices, and may have no record in the system at all. Some Discons were born outside of the system, while others have completed the arduous task of extricating themselves from it.


 * DOLL
 * a person whose body movements and hormonal states are controlled or modulated by second parties or remote viewers, using a combination of endocrinal systems and neurotransmitters. Dolls are found in the sex industry and in certain lines of online entertainment.


 * DROP
 * Derova slang for a financial “fixer” who converts offgrid payments to electronic ones, often by using fitted PIDs or stolen credit readers (see FITTER).

F

 * FAB (from “fabricate”)
 * to 3D-print something.


 * FABSTACKS
 * Cheap 3D-printed apartment complexes crammed with small living units and few amenities, mostly used for housing mincomers and low-level corporate employees.


 * 'FACE (from “interface”)
 * An AR interface seen by others, it appears to hover around you, presenting information and opportunities for interaction to anyone with compatible AR software. You can control how much personal data you allow to be seen publicly, but its actual appearance is determined by the App someone uses when looking at you.


 * FACETED
 * Complex; nuanced, possible to be seen from different logical angles. Ex: “My relationship status? It's faceted.”


 * FASH (n., adj.)
 * A style, saying, gesture, meme, joke, song, action or reference that is currently in vogue with a given demographic, attracting both in-group popularity and out-group attention. Mainstream memes, glitzy programs, trendy clothing styles and clichės are considered “fash” by society at large, but different groups have their own definitions: there is “street fash”, “darknet fash”, "scrumblie fash" etc.


 * FEED
 * The collection of programs, shows, blips, data, notifications and software updates received, gathered or displayed by a particular account or device, eg.: “This was in my BuzzFash feed.”


 * FITTED (from “counterfeit”)
 * A device which has been modified to present the NIN of a different device (see DEFITTED, FITTER).


 * FITTER (from “counterfeiter”)
 * A person or business that erases NINs, generates false NINs, or swaps NINs from one device to another (see DEFITTED, FITTED, NIN).


 * FOG
 * The planetary “cloud” of software, apps, AIs, data and content. Everything that can be downloaded is in the fog.

G

 * GET WET, GETTING WET
 * Having sex. Ex: “Looking for someone to get wet with.”


 * GIG
 * A temporary task or job, often crowdsourced, usually short-term, with little or no job security, typically paying in micropayments.

H

 * HARD (from “hard copy”)
 * A synonym for “physical”.


 * HIGHSEC, HISEC (from “high” + “security”)
 * A person, building, vehicle or system which is protected by a variety of defenses both physical and electronic, including surveillance, tracking, encrypted communications, alarms, electronic countermeasures and rapid-response personnel or AIs. (see LOWSEC)


 * HOLOTAR (“holographic avatar”)
 * A physical projection that surrounds your body, adding a dimly-transparent outer layer to your appearance.


 * HOVERBUZZER
 * A small passenger air vehicle used for short jumps within the city, controlled by the networked transit system. Most are two-seaters, though many are single-passenger models.


 * HUB
 * A network designed to function as a social center and/or collaborative workspace. There are SocHubs and WorkHubs.


 * HUSHROOM
 * A room or other interior space encased within a Faraday cage, rendering all communication within the room secure against digital eavesdropping.

I

 * INPORT
 * Common name for an NUI sensor, often screen-shaped or arrow-shaped, which accepts augmented input via standard gestures.


 * IOW (“YOW”)
 * abbreviated form of “In Other Words”. Example: “It's smart, iow, it senses its environment and responds accordingly.”

L

 * LADA (“LAY-duh”)
 * Locally-Active Digital Agent: a location-based AI, such as a museum guide or shopping assistant.


 * LOWSEC, LOSEC (from “low” + “security”)
 * A person, building, vehicle or system which requires only minimal protection; a low-priority security job. (see HIGHSEC)

M

 * MEGADEMIC (adj.)
 * Popular, viral, spreading quickly via media and social networks. Megademic content with staying power may eventually become fash. (see FASH)


 * MINCOMER (from “minimum” + “income”) - A pejorative term for a person who lives within the UBI, without taking on any contracts or gigwork.


 * MUNCIE (“MUN-si”)
 * Disrespectful term for Municipal Police.

N

 * NET (from “network”)
 * (1) The planetary internet, in an abstract sense. (2) A set of media nodes gathered around or under a brand identity.


 * NETMAP (from “network” + “map”)
 * An interactive relational diagram in 2-or-higher dimensional space, in which proximity and connections are modeled based on varying criteria. Netmaps are often used to visualize and research social networks, complex organizations and resource/utility services.


 * NIN
 * Node Ident Number. Every connected person and legal IoT device has one, usually embedded inside a microchip. NINs are sometimes hacked, or generated by black-market businesses called Fitters. (see FITTER)


 * NODE
 * Technical term for any destination, broadcast signal or device which is accessible via the fog. Roughly synonymous with the word “Site” but includes all types of devices and signals, whether or not intended for human comprehension. (see NIN)


 * NOPE (acronym)
 * A “Non-Overrideable Proximity Element”, usually in the form of a bold red line, visible when using any legally-produced AR software. NOPEs are designed to prevent AR users in public spaces from walking into harm's way while immersed in their own virtual worlds.


 * NPC
 * “Non-Player Character.”
 * (1) A programmed character in a virtual world or game, controlled by AIs or scripts rather than by a human. (2) A slang word for a “normie” or mundane person.


 * NUI
 * Natural User Interface. Any type of control interface that responds to speech and gestures.

P

 * PIDKIT
 * A combination RFID chip and data storage device with your PII (Personally Identifiable Information) encrypted, hashed and stored within it. This is used to determine your legal identity, as well as your access to restricted areas and availability for various offers & services. Like all other connected devices, every PIDkit has its own NIN. PIDkits may be implanted beneath the skin, providing realtime identification, tracking and metrics. Many people carry their PIDkits within an article of jewelry, wearable device or PDA. Younger people are more likely to have their PIDkits embedded, typically at the bequest of their parents or klatch managers.﻿(see NIN)

S

 * SCREE
 * A digital tablet designed for writing on with a stylus. Screes are usually linked to a local-area network instead of the IoT. Often used for “scratch pads”, school lessons and warehouse applications, screes are also a popular means of leaving notes  for family members and co-workers.


 * SCRUMBLIE
 * A person who eschews modern civilization and opposes corporate rule, preferring instead to live in small communes, growing their own food. Many Scrumblies are anti-corporate activists. A fair number are young runaways from klatch culture.


 * SENSIE
 * A sensory recording or live broadcast, enabling an audience to experience the physical perceptions and sensations of the “host”.


 * SESS (from ”obsess”)
 * (1) A “mixtape” of media focusing on a single person, often looping for hours, sometimes with variations. (2) The object of this affection, as in “She’s my latest sess.”


 * SESSNODE
 * A node that broadcasts “sesses” of this or that celebrity. Some sessnodes are friendly and collaborative communities, while others are ferociously insular sites run by intensely dedicated individuals. (see SESS)


 * SHADOW SOUK (from “souk”, arabic transl. “market”)
 * The parts of the Dark Net where unregulated and un-monitored business transactions take place. This digital black market is deliberately difficult to access unless you know someone, or possess connecting protocols. (see DARK NET)


 * SHARESHOP
 * A manufacturing or fabrication shop in which tools and resources are owned collectively by the community, and access is granted on a shareholder basis or rented by the hour.


 * SIGNAL
 * A gesture, word, or subvocal command used to interact with a human-aware system. Most civic and commercial systems allow for multiple types of signals; a big factor in user-friendliness.  Many gestural signals have become common parlance, for instance, common hand gestures exist for commands such as page up/page down, list, explode, contract, more, agree, disagree, stop, start, and quit.


 * SOCHUB (“SŌSH-hub”)
 * A centralized social network. (see HUB)


 * SOFTCORP (“SOFT-corp”)
 * Companies that produce electronic content or programming services as opposed to “hard goods”. Examples include software manufacturers, data service companies and network service providers or “NSPs”.


 * SOFTSPACE
 * (1) Your collection of virtual systems, interfaces and overlays, some which are presented as public 'Face elements, and others which may be seen only by you. (2) All aspects of digital space you can personalize.


 * STALKSHOW
 * A combination talk/reality show in which hovercams follow a star 24/7 while they engage in dangerous, exciting and titillating adventures, encountering other celebrities (as if by chance), and often accepting input from their viewers. Recent innovations in the format include crowd-decision-making and biological inputs such as sensory stimulation or endocrinal modulation, controlled by the viewing audience.


 * STREAM
 * (1) The data output from any regularly- or continually-connected NIN, person, or device . Streams may be encrypted or unencrypted, proprietary or opensource, public, private or covert (aka “dark”); (2) (esp. “datastream”) An organized volume of data to be sent over the network and processed; eg.: “Grab the datastream from the nearest dronecam.” (see DARK, FEED, NIN)


 * SYS
 * CitySystem. Usually used endearingly, often to anthropomorphize, eg.: “Did you ask Sys?” (see CITYSYS)

U

 * UBICOMP (adj., from “Ubiquitous Computing”)
 * A system in which networked devices and AI perform life-enhancing functions without the need for physical control interfaces or programming languages.


 * UBICOMP ZONE – A district or region with all the required sensors, gateways and network software to support “state of the art” levels of culture and convenience.


 * UNI (either spelled out or pronounced “YOO-nee”)
 * Universal Node Indicator; the “human-friendly” name of a node, usually used for individuals, businesses, AIs and hubs; rarely used for devices other than gateways and routers. Ex: “Slide me your UNI and I'll get back to you later.”


 * URBO
 * Originally a slang word for the UrboHover line of personal transport vehicles, the term has passed into common use as a euphemism for any small automated aerial passenger vehicle.

V

 * VADER
 * An evil person, antagonist or nemesis.


 * VCON (“VEE-con”)
 * Virtual conference, a popular way to communicate one-to-one or in groups. Often used for business meetings as well as private conversations. The host of the conference selects or uploads the shared environment that will be seen and heard by all connected participants.


 * VIRTHEAD (from “virtual [reality]” + “head”)
 * A person whose psychological dependence on their virtual existence exceeds their hold on their physical one, and who therefore remains in VR all the time.


 * VIRTING, VIRTING OUT
 * Augmenting your physical environment to such a degree that you completely miss important cues or fail to notice people and things right in front of you. This is the “normal” state of a person in VR.

W

 * WAKETRACER
 * An AI or person (often assisted by an AI) who specializes in tracking people down by assembling a model of their DataWake. The practice is a combination of data acquisition, social network analysis and predictive depth psychology.


 * WALK, WALKER
 * Pejorative term for a person who walks everywhere, i.e., one who is not in the system or doesn't have enough credits to rent a private ride. Poor people, discons and scrumblies, mostly. (see DISCON, SCRUMBLIE)


 * WORKHUB
 * A centralized job network supporting various types of online labor. Some workhubs are restricted, with worker access assigned by contract, while others are public and serve as centers of crowdsourced labor. (see HUB, GIG)

X

 * XCORP (“EX-corp”)
 * Companies in Supply Chain industries, comprising the tangible economy of the city. Supply Chain industries include construction, manufacturing, food production, transportation, and sales of physical products or “hard goods”.