Wool: What are the servers doing?

[Robert of Dale]

So it's clear that IT believes that the servers must never stop running, since heat build-up was a major concern of the head of IT during the power holiday that Juliette arranged for, but I can't think of what all that data processing is for. We learn pretty quickly that the view up top is not being manipulated, so it's not doing any number crunching for that. Infrastructure coordination might be a small part of it, but directing where power and data aren't going to tax what appears to be fairly advanced tech (the small view screens and visual overlay they're capable of are evidence of that). Email is barely used; most people correspond with scraps of paper delivered by porters running up and down the stairwell.

So what the heck are the servers crunching on?

[Aaron]

When I think about the servers, they remind me of the computer on Lost. They kept maintaining the machine but did not really know why they were doing it.

[Robert of Dale]

I think they know a lot, as evidenced by the research of Holden's wife. That kind of stuff requires an advanced understanding of the inner workings of the computer's OS.

[Sandi]

I think that IT is using the servers for two main things; surveillance and eugenics. This is implied, but not explicitly stated.

[Emily]

The servers must have information on everyone since the last uprising.

[Rik]

Its explained in the sequel / prequel to Wool called Shift.

Shift is a number of different stories in different times that eventually sort of interconnect. Through them you learn the history of the Silos and much of the whys.

[Shaina]

I guess this means I"ll have to read Shift. I'm really fascinated by the way the this world was created since it was all engineered very purposefully. It's also making me overanalyze everything way more than I do with Fantasy or with most sci fi.

[Robyn]

[spoiler]
All the servers are minting bitcoins.
That is the real reason the world colapsed.
[/spoiler]

[Buzz]

Bitcoins! Lol!

I thought the servers were a repository of human knowledge and the servers are perpetually backing themselves up. Thoughts?

[Robyn]

Book 1 gives us some clues. One thing we can say for certain, is there are several kinds of servers. Some computing images, some storing knowledge, some managing communications.
I'm betting there is more information on books 6-8. Will have to eventually check it.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

The servers are doing something in other silo's. That's as far as my guess extends. I do not imagine all silo's are identical.

[Shaina]

Given that even when a silo loses power and goes offline the power to the servers remains, I'm guessing that all fifty silos don't have the same data. I wonder if we'll ever find out for sure, I'm 2/3 of the way through shift and its still a mystery.

[Buzz]

Shaina wrote: "2/3 of the way through shift..."

How is Shift? Are you enjoying it as much as Wool?

[Robyn]

Buzz wrote: "Shaina wrote: "2/3 of the way through shift..."

How is Shift? Are you enjoying it as much as Wool?"

I'm also reading it. Still only 15% of the Omnibus read so far. I have to say I'm enjoying it as much, if not more.

It is dangerous to comment on a book this early on, tho.

[Shaina]

I'm enjoying Shift a lot, I'm into the last part of the Omnibus, not quite as addictive as Wool, but definitely interesting.

[Robyn]

Did anyone else got the feeling Shift reads kinda like a Michael Crichton book?

[Dara]

Serving.

[AndrewP]

He mentions several times that the servers are arranged in the same pattern as the silos on the big map. That suggests to me that it's some kind of redundant system with some, or all data, being replicated.

[Rob, Roberator]

Dara wrote: "Serving."

*groans*

[Scott]

This book actually reminded me a lot of the Matrix. The servers and IT in general were creating this falsified image of what they wanted people to think the outside is like and what life in the silo is like. They would need a lot of server space and have them constantly running to keep this "wool" pulled over everyone's eyes.

[Robert of Dale]

I'm not sure I agree that they were doing that. From everything that the book covered, the view of the outside from within the silo was authentic; it was only through the visor of the suits that reality was painted over with a false brush. Essentially, the bulky suits (probably) contained enough electronics to power a very advanced display, a camera, and a virtual reality overlay of the silo's known landscape. That wouldn't be much of a burden for the servers themselves.

I guess we'll have to read the next book to find out more on this topic though, and see whose speculations actually fit with Howey's world.

[Neb]

Rodrigo wrote: "Did anyone else got the feeling Shift reads kinda like a Michael Crichton book?"

I haven't started "Shift" yet, but I'm not surprised to hear this. I even thought "Wool" had a Crichton-esque tone. Maybe Crichton meets Clarke.