Hex (Discworld) - Structure and Technology

Structure and Technology

Currently, Hex is activated by "initializing the GBL," which Stibbons reluctantly admits means "pulling the Great Big Lever," (similar to the Internet slang "BRS", or "big red switch.") This releases millions of ants into a much more complex network of glass tubes that makes up the bulk of Hex; hence the sticker on Hex that reads "Anthill inside", a pun on Intel's ad slogan "Intel Inside". Hex "thinks" by controlling which tubes the ants can crawl through, thus allowing it to perform increasingly complex computations if enough ants are provided (that is, if there are enough bugs in the system). This is a reference to Douglas Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach in which there exists a sentient ant colony, with the ants acting as neurons. Hex can now be given input through a huge wooden keyboard, in analogue writing by means of a complicated mechanical eye designed by Hex itself, or vocally through an old hearing trumpet, and gives output by means of a series of wooden blocks and later a quill on a hinged lever (echoing the real-world evolution of computer output from paper tape to video monitor).

It is all powered by a waterwheel covered in male sheep skulls, (in other words, RAM.) When it is particularly busy, an hourglass comes down on a spring—another sideways reference to Windows. Another apparently important feature is an aquarium, so the operator has something to watch when Hex is working, (Hex's screensaver.) Hex's long-term memory storage is a massive beehive contained in the next room. The presence of the bees makes this secure memory, because attempting to tamper with it would result in being "stung to death," (quoted from Hogfather) As a further advantage, when Hex is turned off for the summer, the beehive will provide quite a lot of honey.

There is also a mouse (a possible reference to a "computer mouse,") that has built its nest in the middle of Hex. It doesn't seem to do anything, but Hex stops working if it is removed, or if Ponder forgets to feed it cheese (also from Hogfather.) Hex also stops working (with the error message "Mine! Waah!") if the FTB is removed/disengaged; "FTB" stands for "Fluffy Teddy Bear," and it was Hex's Hogswatchnight gift from the Hogfather. Hex is said to believe in the Hogfather, because it was told to do so by Death in Hogfather. The FTB may be a reference to the Jdbgmgr.exe file found in windows operating systems which had a teddy bear as its icon. FTB may also be a play, or pun, on the existing File Transfer Protocol, (FTP,) which can be used to transfer large chunks of binary data between computers. Stibbons is concerned by these signs that Hex might be alive, but dismisses these thoughts, insisting that Hex only thinks it is alive.

Hex can apparently be shut down completely by means of a Big Red Lever. This seems to worry it, further indicating sentient life because it is afraid of death. An example of this is shown in Hogfather where, when Death approaches Hex, it asks if it is "Big Red Lever time?"