The title of the book

Use this forum to discuss the December 2022 Book of the Month, "Terms of Service: Subject to change without notice" by Craig W. Stanfill
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Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu
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Re: The title of the book

Post by Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu »

I think it fits the book in an ironic way. The world is run by corporations and their rules are the law. I cannot imagine living in a world where my behaviour at a bike park affects my social standing and ultimately the location of my home.
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Post by Kendal Low »

While slightly wordy, I think it fits it very well. I mean, the book literally starts with a customer agreement, so I think its pretty fitting.
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Post by Tori_J »

It perfectly suits the book. It gives the book its entire aura. And we were indeed given the terms of service, so what more, really?
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Post by Timothee22 »

Yes it fits to the context of the book. Subject to change without notice is just perfect to exactly what happened in the book. There was a change in technology which no one thought could happen.
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Post by Hunter Tester »

It confused me at first because I did a double-take to ensure I read it correctly. It makes sense as you go along. Nothing stays the same, even annoyingly so. It would be hard to live in that kind of world.
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Post by Abdul-Malik Hassan »

This title fits in all aspects, as discussed in the book. It matches well with the content concerning relevancy, characterization, and the events that occur.
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Post by Olga Markova »

I think the title of the book is enigmatic, metaphorical, and sarcastic - the terms of service that are subject to change without notice are control of the provider of the service over the "client". This is what the Hierarchy is instilling in this futuristic society through the AI company and other companies that provide "services", such as transportation, fashion, housekeeping, etc. One example is when Kim after her promotion, and after her resignation, is - without notice - navigated to a different residence. The same goes for food choices - one week she could enjoy eggs or steak, only to find herself hearing another week from her AI-driven fridge that her preferred meal choices are not available and instead the company recommends a diet of wilted kale. :)
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Post by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy »

The story's context is reflected in the title. The businesslike tone alludes to the type of relationship that exists between the company and the people in this type of society.
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Post by Okorji98 »

I do think that the title suits very well with the book since very early on we as the readers are introduced to the terms of service of the protagonist’s dystopian world and how quickly these terms change over time.
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Post by B Sheila Holt »

I love the title. It’s so perfect for this book. We read the “Terms of service” and then as we go along, just as in real life, things do change. They often change without notice too, or very suddenly. It gets frustrating when this happens.
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Post by Amandaruth Ama »

I like the title of the book and it perfectly depicts the storyline. The characters in the book had to live by the terms of the company and they were often given updates. The characters have no input in the updates just like terms of condition of condition of apps.
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Amandaruth Ama
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Post by Amandaruth Ama »

The title of the book "Terms of Service: subject to change without notice" is an effective metaphor for the power dynamic between AIs and humans. The AIs use the ever-changing terms of service to control humans, and the title of the book reflects this theme accurately.
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Amandaruth Ama
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Post by Amandaruth Ama »

The author's choice of title highlights the dangers of allowing technology to become too powerful and the importance of keeping it in check. Overall, the title of the book is not just a catchy phrase, but it reflects the world that the author has created in a meaningful way.
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Amandaruth Ama
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Post by Amandaruth Ama »

Olga Markova wrote: 21 Feb 2023, 12:36 I think the title of the book is enigmatic, metaphorical, and sarcastic - the terms of service that are subject to change without notice are control of the provider of the service over the "client". This is what the Hierarchy is instilling in this futuristic society through the AI company and other companies that provide "services", such as transportation, fashion, housekeeping, etc. One example is when Kim after her promotion, and after her resignation, is - without notice - navigated to a different residence. The same goes for food choices - one week she could enjoy eggs or steak, only to find herself hearing another week from her AI-driven fridge that her preferred meal choices are not available and instead the company recommends a diet of wilted kale. :)
I absolutely agree. The author's choice of title is fitting because it captures the ambiguous terms that AIs use to control humans. Every aspect of the book relates back to the AIs' ability to change the rules whenever they see fit, and the humans' inability to do anything about it.
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Post by Amandaruth Ama »

Timothee22 wrote: 08 Feb 2023, 01:19 Yes it fits to the context of the book. Subject to change without notice is just perfect to exactly what happened in the book. There was a change in technology which no one thought could happen.
That is true as the terms were changing without notice. The title of the book is a powerful statement about the world that the author has created. It highlights the power dynamic between AIs and humans, and the dangers of allowing technology to become too powerful. The ever-changing terms of service without notice are a tool that AIs use to maintain control over humans.
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