"TAP" is a 1995

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

novelette Novelette may refer to: * ''Novelette'' (ballet), a 1926 ballet by Martha Graham * Novelette (literature), a work of narrative prose fiction that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novella * Novelette (music), a short piece of lyri ...

by Australian writer

Greg Egan Greg Egan (born 20 August 1961) is an Australian science fiction writer and mathematician, best known for his works of hard science fiction. Egan has won multiple awards including the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Hugo Award, and the Lo ...

Synopsis

The story is set in a near-future society in which

brain implants Brain implants, often referred to as neural implants, are technological devices that connect directly to a biological subject's brain – usually placed on the surface of the brain, or attached to the brain's cortex. A common purpose of modern bra ...

allow immersive

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a Simulation, simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video gam ...

. The implants also allow a new kind of language called ''TAP'', Total Affective Protocol. TAP is essentially a way of making

qualia In philosophy of mind, qualia (; singular: quale ) are defined as instances of subjective, conscious experience. The term ''qualia'' derives from the Latin neuter plural form (''qualia'') of the Latin adjective '' quālis'' () meaning "of what ...

into words. TAP words can be read like English, or invoked to be experienced, like virtual reality.

Reception

"TAP" was a finalist for the 1996

Hugo Award for Best Novelette The Hugo Award for Best Novelette is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The novelette award is available for works of fiction of ...

.1996 Hugo Awards
at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 21, 2018

References

External links

1995 short stories Fiction about virtual reality Australian science fiction short stories Short stories by Greg Egan Works originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction 1990s science fiction works {{1990s-sf-story-stub