The Codex File (2012) (9 page)

Rising from his seat and approaching the bar, Michael watched as Colette headed for the toilet. His gaze traced a line up her legs as he took in her full figure. Smiling he turned to face the barman, confident this wouldn’t be their last date.

The screen flickered for a moment and snapped into life. Michael sat back in his chair, the instruction manual in his lap. The TV, if you could call it that now, had been a coming home present from both sets of parents. Their old TV had been on the blink for months before Colette had been…

Stopping himself going down that road again, he picked up the manual.

It was a nice thought. But this was no ordinary TV as the manual was at pains to point out. This was eCitTV. In fact half-way through the manual the word TV had only been mentioned once, and that was on the cover. The rest of the manual was continually promoting the benefits of ‘content’ and ‘integration’ and, of course, the 5GSW platform. Michael read from the page open in his lap:

“
After your 5GSW device is connected and you have registered your personal details and interests, customised content will begin downloading to your own secure personal device portal.”

Michael frowned at the alien language:
‘5GSW’, ‘downloading’, ‘personal device portal’
. It was clear that the use of ‘TV’ in the product name and cover of the manual was only to provide something recognisable and less intimidating for the digitally uninitiated like himself. He could handle the concept of TV, even digital TV channels, but
‘personal device portals’
and ‘
customised content
‘ rather than channels all seemed too much. None of this had been possible before Colette’s death and his stay in the care home.

Michael looked at the slimline flat screen, reading the large white lettering that appeared.

‘
Please enter your IP address and registration serial code.’

He looked quizzically at the screen.

What the hell is an IP address?

Halfway down the second page of the manual he found his IP address and registration serial code.

He’d always been one of those frustratingly annoying people who wanted to know and understand everything. He’d been the child who had always asked one more question than anyone else. Even when the teacher had exhausted their explanation he would always be the one dissenting voice.

But why does it do that?

But what does that mean?

Several paragraphs later in the manual he found the information he was looking for.

‘
The IP address can be considered as your Intranet telephone number. This, for example, allows web pages and email to know exactly where to go.’

He frowned a little, frustrated at how vague and patronising the explanation was. Turning back to the IP address and serial code, Michael reached for the sophisticated glossy black control panel that accompanied the ‘TV’.

Before
it
had happened there had been remote controls. But now that had all changed. The remote had been replaced by the hi-tech, all-purpose, eCitTV control panel. The black console resembled a tablet computer, elegantly curved at the edges with a responsive screen that you barely had to touch to get the desired response. The screen’s number pad appeared to be where content selection was to be made from. Above the alphabet keys were further buttons which read: ‘Web’, ‘Email’, ‘Music’, ‘Video’, Social Networking’, ‘Shopping’ and ‘Your Money’.

Were
‘TV programmes’
under ‘Video’ he wondered with slight confusion?

Carefully, and instinctively pointing the control panel at the screen, he keyed in his eight digit IP address and registration serial code. The black screen flickered again and the message changed.

‘
Please complete the following details to initialise your UKCitizensNet email set-up.’

Further boxes appeared on the screen asking for the number of users connecting to UKCitizensNet, their full names, and National Insurance numbers.

Tapping the ‘Enter’ key on the console Michael watched as his details vanished from the screen. For a few long moments the screen was blank.

He flicked through the instruction manual for the Troubleshooting section. But before he could find the page he wanted the screen burst into life.

“
Hello and welcome to UKCitizensNet, the UK’s new online network. The network by and for the people of this country, brought to you via eCitTV.

Michael looked up to see the smiling face of a smartly-dressed woman. Long dark hair framed her young tanned features. Behind her was a wall of screens. A kaleidoscope of the UKCitizensNet logo and various channels pumping out their 24-hour content. The smiling woman continued.

“
You have entered the age of fully integrated, fifth generation semantic web-enabled online digital entertainment. Come with us and discover how you can take advantage of what UKCitizensNet offers you.”

The woman paused, her smile unaltered.

“
Please be ready to take down the email addresses of everyone you registered with us.”

Still smiling smugly into the camera, and without any discernible break in the promotional announcement, she revealed Michael’s UKCitizensNet email address.

“
Thank you Michael Robertson. Your UKCitizensNet email address is
[email protected]
.”

Michael’s jaw dropped as he scribbled down the address as it scrolled along the bottom of the screen.

That was pretty clever he thought, putting his pen down. How on earth could the woman in this pre-recorded video know his name? Say his name? And then add it into a freshly created email address?

But then there was a lot he didn’t understand about the wonders of digital and online technologies. Or this new phenomenon that seemed to be everywhere he read, including on his new ‘TV’ - fifth generation semantic web, or 5GSW for short.

At the bottom of the screen two further options appeared:
‘Learn more about UKCitizensNet’
and
‘Select content channel’
.

By now his interest in UKCitizensNet had been aroused. But in his own mind he couldn’t be sure whether it was loyalty to Colette as her work had been internet-related. Or maybe it was sheer wonder at new technology?

Without even considering the option, he opted to learn more about UKCitizensNet and the smiling woman again appeared on the screen.

“
Welcome to the next part of your virtual tour around UKCitizensNet. UKCitizensNet is funded solely by UK taxpayers’ money, and developed by UK company SemComNet on the national 5GSW platform. UKCitizensNet bridges the multimedia divide by offering all the country’s favourite content channels with fully integrated semantic web facilities. No longer is online technology only the domain of computer specialists. eCitTV breaks down the technological barriers and offers the easiest medium for receiving content and integrated UKCitizensNet information.”

The smiling woman’s image faded as the embossed red, white and blue logo of UKCitizensNet on a black background streaked across the screen once more. The woman’s almost hypnotic voice continued as archived footage of the BBC’s Six O’clock news appeared on screen.

“
With UKCitizensNet and eCitTV the way you receive your content, whether its news, films, music, games or social networking, is transformed. During any programme simply pressing the ‘Web’ button on your control panel will bring up the UKCitizensNet tool bar at the bottom of your screen. From here you can immediately access further information about the news, see more pictures, or link to previous reports on the same subject. By pressing the ‘Email’ button on your control panel you can instantly contact the BBC, request further information, or air your opinions on one of the many social networks UKCitizensNet has to offer. All while the original broadcast is still taking place. It’s all available at the touch of a button.”

The woman continued her smooth monologue and the pictures changed, demonstrating UKCitizensNet’s capabilities. Tool bars appeared. Emails were typed. Links were shared. Social networks were updated with consumer comments.

Michael attempted to absorb the implications of the new technology as the smiling women’s tone lightened.

“
Once you’ve finished checking the latest news headlines why not sit back and watch your favourite film? eCitTV’s many film channels, categorised by style, and semantically integrated with UKCitizensNet, offer the most interactive cinematic experience. Whether you want the romance, action, historical, thriller, comedy or children’s film channel, UKCitizensNet’s web-based information is always available. Just press the ‘Web’ button on your control panel at any time. The UKCitizensNet toolbar can then instantly lead you on a tour of filmographies of the actors involved, clips from their other films, box office performance, reviews from acclaimed film critics and links to other relevant web sites on UKCitizensNet.”

Again the woman’s face seamlessly melted to be replaced by clips from
Star Wars Episode III
. The UKCitizensNet tool bar blinked at the foot of the screen as an imaginary user searched for a filmography before downloading a 10-second clip from
The Empire Strikes Back
.

Michael sighed, all the talk of 5GSW technologies and ‘semantically integrated’ content just reminded him how isolated he’d been from so many things in this last two years. He had no idea what all this really meant, and that was frustratingly irritating.

Dismissing the thought he watched as the woman’s focus changed onto the network’s online content.

“
By pressing and holding the ‘Web’ button on your control panel you can effortlessly jump from the dual interaction of eCitTV onto UKCitizensNet itself. A sprawling universe of exciting web sites, blogging facilities, instant social networking services, shared video streaming and all standard email services are at your fingertips. Every site and service is safe and approved thanks to our simple to follow content and age rating system. Now you can surf with confidence and security. UKCitizensNet transforms the delivery of important everyday information for everyone, thanks to the development of 5G semantic web technologies.”

There was a brief pause as the UKCitizensNet logo scrolled across the screen before the UKCitizensNet homepage appeared.

Before Michael could take in all the information a box in the top right corner of the screen appeared. The annoying UKCitizensNet representative bleated on.

“
From the UKCitizensNet homepage you can control your entire life. By selecting our news content icon you can order daily, national or regional news feeds, blogs and instant messaging straight to your own personal portal. Opening your email will display your favourite news content through the UKCitizensNet browser on eCitTV. Payment for subscription services is made via an online order form using the newest and most secure encryption, developed for use on UKCitizensNet. With added security all your financial transactions and dealings can now be operated safely through UKCitizensNet. Now you can integrate and manage your mortgage, all national and local taxes, utilities, phone, shopping, insurance and entertainment bills securely via your UKCitizensNet email without the need for logging into third party sites. With our completely secure online transactions you will never have to worry about losing your bills or sending off numerous paper direct debit forms. With all national banks, insurers, and businesses part of UKCitizensNet’s Financial Services Alliance, all your finances are processed via your personal portal through UKCitizensNet. Managing your money has never been easier. And with your own personal banking information available at the touch of the button, UKCitizensNet truly offers you the complete online financial service.”

The woman’s marketing presentation continued to sell the delights of UKCitizensNet. But Michael had heard quite enough for the time being.

Pressing the ‘Video’ button on the control panel the smiling woman vanished and BBC daytime ‘content’ invaded the screen.

A smarmy game show host with a fake tan was attempting to extract a nervous-looking woman’s most embarrassing holiday secret rather than playing the game. On the next channel a couple of manic chef’s were cracking jokes rather than eggs. On the next a bad Australian actor was failing miserably at his marriage. Then news, archived sport, a black and white film, a talk show host bearing private details, a futuristic cartoon, adverts, arrogant presenters, boring financial analysis, trashy American soap opera, more chefs, canned laughter.

How many of these awful content channels are there?

Before he could find out the noise of the letter box opening and a dull thud arrested his thoughts. At least some things were still normal and hadn’t been swallowed up by UKCitizensNet he thought as images of emails, blogs, social networks, and self-publishing video sites flashed before him again.

The post consisted of a glossy double glazing brochure, an AA membership renewal form, even though his membership had expired 18 months ago, and a letter. Only the letter didn’t find its way to the bin.