[mtfeeney = Baron]

A plain-text reading of the rules is not rules lawyering, Guns.  The rule isn't that software Matrix attributes are limited by Response, but that System is limited by Response.  There is no general rule here - I've checked and rechecked it several times.

Also, let's not go confusing the limitation on social modifiers for a limitation on dice pool modifiers more generally - social modifiers are a specific subset: those modifiers that are due to scial circumstance.

I've never understood the debate about social modifers.  The sentence they're quoting as saying there is a limit... is in a section named social modifiers.  It explains exactly what it means by social modifiers.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

Any suggestions about the nanites?  I'm terrified of losing a full point of essence and magic, but...  If I remove the neural amplifiers, that's effectively giving me:
-3 Assensing
-3 Disguise
-3 Perception
-3 Shadowing
-3 Arcana
-3 First Aid
-3 to each of my 6 Knowledge skills

To keep them, I'll have Magic reduced to 5/6(6), and I'll have to get rid of the stealth group to buy nuyen for the hive.

[RHat]

You are looking at the wrong Drain stat to make great use of augmentations...  Logic tradition characters are often better off taking the Essence hit, because they can directly augment their Logic and still have space to make use of other ware.

Of course, I still think there should be other options for keeping nanites topped up...

[mtfeeney = Baron]

I don't follow.  If a LOG mage got an implant, it would reduce his magic.  His casting ability.  No implant boosts that.  He could then boost his LOG, so he'd get a max of +3 drain dice... but he still casts worse.  My CHA mage can't get a cha-boosting implant, so no boosting drain resistance... and still weakened casting.  You're saying that +3 dice for drain resistance is worth -1 magic and -.6 essence?  That still wouldn't leave room for the nanohive, which is .75 for r1 or 1.0 for r2.

[RHat]

You overestimate the impact of losing a single point.  One less die for casting/summoning, very slightly reduced max Force and Overcasting.  Drain dice are more important to your ability to use magic than a single point of Magic is, and the options available to fill out the remaining Essence open up a lot of possibilities.  Casting isn't about the most powerful thing you can throw, but how long you can keep going at what strength before the Drain overwhelms you.

And generally, you put nanohives into partial cyberlimbs.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

So now I'm looking at, what, a cyberfoot for .25 essence and 5k+ nuyen on top of the 20k for the hive?  That would leave me .75 essence to use for implants, like tailored pheromones for .6 and 45k.

[Mirikon]

Instead of the pheromones, grab some skillwires. Never know when suddenly being able to fly a suborbital might come in handy.

[RHat]

Eh, I can just take Biowire for that.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

I'd need a datajack for that, right?

[RHat]

It would be useful, but not essential.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

Can you get activesofts into the skillwire system without it?

I'm actually unclear on skillsofts.  Activesoft requires skillwires.  Knowsoft says it requires a datajack.  Does that mean you are physically plugging it into your jack?  Or just that you have to use a jack to load it into some sort of internal storage system and called upon when needed, similar to how skillwires says it can store more than just the active skills you're using?  Same for linguisofts.

[Mirikon]

You need a datajack or a DNI to your commlink to use skillwires.

As for me, because Chikage is an AI with Piloting Origin, I can use autosofts in place of skills. My main problem is in running up against processor limits, so I can't have all the autosofts running at once, but have to switch them out.

[RHat]

For a DNI, though, trodes work just fine.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

Ok, so either an implant commlink or a datajack to upload Activesofts to the skillwire system.  Now, about the data/map/linguisofts?  Do they have internal storage that you can upload multiple things?

[RHat]

Again: Trodes are an Essence-free option, and so you just need a sim module.