on where you're attempting to place the emphasis of the story. If the story's emphasis is going to be on how technology/technological change affects humanity then I think you had better get a good grasp on the science behind it. Otherwise you run the risk of having your own ignorance of such shining through and ruining what is otherwise a good story. This is what has happened to me with many of the cyberpunk and other computer-related goodies that seem to have captured a lot of my generation's imagination. I have a hard time getting past what I know and into their "what-if".

Whenever I hear one of those aforementioned douche bags pontificate about how dangerous [...] videogames are I get a little stabby. --Wil Wheaton.
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