Essentially he wants a meta-map of the whole metaverse, to relate it all (timespacially?) at once. I was just noticing over at Wikipedia : Topology how one of the major points of topology is boiling data down to its essential nodes and connections. So, to my mind, Ren is really looking for more of a representation of a network of interconnected nodes, each one a different domain/space/mode of interaction.
There are a number of ways these could be organized, very few of them having to do w/ physical location in the real world or even in the various virtual worlds. A Map does two things: It gives you relative information, and it gets you from point A to point B. (Technically the relative info is what allows you to get from point A to point B, but I'm looking at them as two different functions, someonetimes you want to know where things are with no immediate desire to actually get to those things.) So this node-map needs to do the same two things: Present presence information as it relates to other presence information, and it needs to allow one to get from one presence/location to another. [this question will be flowing around my head for a while.]
The almost infinite number of possible connections between any number of internet destinations ensures that there is no one (thorough) way to map this information. This brings to mind the whole Kabbalistic representation of numerous relationships and how those relationships relate to the others around them, all ultimately part of some over-all fabric/rubric. But, my knowledge of Kabbalah is admittedly limited. I have a growing suspicion that the fabric's seams in Kabbalah never actually meet up entirely. (and this is by design)
It's always been a little bit scary to me when everything can't be brought into one overall complete picture, no matter what the scale. It's what my brain does, it's what it wants.
Comments
