Morality question

[plonq]

Here is the scenario: while exploring a deep, foreboding cave you stumbled upon an expansive cavern which is host to a large, ancient, apparently-alien machine. The machine is constructed in a very flowing, organic fashion and appears to be build into, or perhaps even merged with the stone wall of the cavern. The only visible user interface for the machine is a teal-coloured button set into a panel of what looks like brushed aluminium. Hanging from the side of the "control panel" is a thick manual, with the same instructions written out in every conceivable human language. The English section - which appears to have been written back around the time of King James - informs you that this machine was a failed attempt to turn Earth into a hyper-dimensional access port, linking our quadrant of the galaxy to many others to facilitate long-distance travel and commerce.

The manual point out - a bit petulantly perhaps - that such a portal normally has minimal impact on the inhabitants of a planet, and besides, all of the proper paperwork was filed in triplicate sometime around when the machine was near completion. Unfortunately the machine was an abysmal failure, and although pressing the button does do something, it does not open up the expected hyper-dimensional access port. If one pushes the button, it will either alter a small portion of vacuum energy in the region to create a cherry Poptart out of nothing, or it will alter the universal constant just enough to render the entire universe hostile to all life. The odds of the latter, however, are a one in one-billion chance.

[Poll #833985]

Comments

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

Meh - prefer chocolate poptarts ;)

[fuzzytoedcollie.livejournal.com]

Back in '77, the computer at work (Altair 8800b) was hooked up to an Omron monitor/terminal (which had a zillion cards inside and used an 8008 CPU :).

The monitor cover was never on--there was a large black "X" marked on the side of the frame. That was where you had to hit the monitor with your fist to get it to work (most of the time)!!! If that didn't work, you had to power it down, unplug alllllll the cards and make with a pencil eraser on all the card edge connector fingers to get the tarnish off the (supposidely) gold contacts and make it work again.

It's amazing no one ever got shocked, what with the CRT tube exposed and all O_O!

Never got a cherry poptart out of it, however...

[cwtyger.livejournal.com]

Given the current population of the Earth, there would be six humans with the power to end all life in the universe. This is rather dangerous, and too high a number for my liking. Besides, one cherry Pop Tart at a time? I can go to the store and buy them in multiples of 8 at once, fit 4 into a toaster... ;)

[elynne.livejournal.com]

I don't like cherry Pop Tarts. :(

Now, if the prize was a high-quality chocolate bar... mmmm, chocolate.