Centauri Dreams - The Galactic Internet

[Rynn]

Haven't managed to read it all yet but we touch on the art trade angle in OA. With technology there might be a million ways to do something but for the majority of tasks there's a small number of good ways to do it. Also being fairly formulaic science is easier to automate. Art, entertainment and other cultural artefacts are always being created though and tend to be a product of their environment. You could have a million vots constantly creating new versions but you won't get the same convergence you do with science automation.

Having said that with OA tech copying art styles to explosive proportions would be easy. Say you get your hands on a series of works. You could have a vot cluster study them, study you for why you like it and spawn a million other works inspired by it for you to enjoy.