[GromHellscream]

Can some one answer this question for me? I know there is the point of noise you can ignore, but is there anything else?

[Medicineman]

Character Background.
If You're playing an older Char  who had his DJ implanted in the 2050's or 60's it's totally elligible to have one.

with a Dance from the 2060's
Medicineman

[PiXeL01]

From a wageslave's point of view it is less of a hassle, because you do not need to don, adjust and remove it constantly and a bad hair day does not ruin usability and no itching scalps due to impurities or allergic reactions.
There is no social stigma connected with having a jack as it is the most common visual implant and trodes (in any shape) rarely match a designer suit.

[Reaver]

Secure storage.

A data jack (and all electronics) have a large storage capacity.
So if you want to keep that file safe from hackers that might hack your commlink, storing it in your data jack (that they have to manually connect to) is not a bad idea.

While you can't store the Library of Congress in there, a few dozen top security files is not a problem...

[Novocrane]

Trodes can be misaligned or knocked off your head. That's a fairly good reason, imo.

[GromHellscream]

Thanks for the heads up. I must admit that strictly speaking from the wording in the book they really don't make it seem like there is a huge benefit to the data jack. I must say that I have loved the idea of wearing them as part of a baseball cap. Granted that would need to be taken off when indoors.

[Rooks]

by itself, well wireless reduces noise connection you can link to someone else with a datajack and not have anyone listen in, with a data lock you can become a data courier carrying data that not even you can access to

[Top Dog]

The point of noise reduction is kind of a big deal in many situations (it's not that hard to find an area with enough noise to make you lose all your wireless bonuses).

That combined with the whole "Trodes can get knocked off" deal, another question can be asked: why have trodes instead of a datajack? After all, it's only 0.1 essence and 2k nuyen, that's practically nothing for many characters.

Of course, for many characters, 0.1 essence is a big deal, and 2k is still 2k. So there are plenty of people that opt for trodes, while many other people default to a datajack. Seems about balanced to me.

[Beaumis]

Electricity damage is very common and can easily fry your trodes but not your datajack. Losing your DNI sucks.

[Xenon]

If you already have chrome and is not awakened then there is really not a big step to get a jack (In this scenario you should probably ask yourself what advantage trodes would give you).

Deckers benefit a lot from the noise reduction. If the bonus stack then i would get multiple jacks, just for the added noise reduction.

You still have access to AR and DNI even if you are stripped on your belongings.


I would get trodes on an awaken character that don't have any chrome at all and I might skip a jack on a character with an internal commlink or cyberdeck, but that are probably the only cases where I would not invest in a jack...

[Rooks]

The bit from data trails explain trodes are easier to mess with causing people to go deaf or blind or anything else now I wonder if you can mark trodes easier than marking a data jack

[Poindexter]

Datajack gives you an extra free action, so long as it is a matrix action.

[ScytheKnight]

Datajack gives you an extra free action, so long as it is a matrix action.

Wait, what? The heck is this supposedly coming from?

[Herr Brackhaus]

Datajack gives you an extra free action, so long as it is a matrix action.

Wait, what? The heck is this supposedly coming from?

Seconded, inquiring minds wants to know. I just did a quick search through Data Trails and I couldn't find anything about getting free actions for having a datajack (or DNI, for that matter).

[Poindexter]

Y'know, after looking around, I can't find it anywhere either. This leads me to believe it is a houserule I've gotten so used to, i think its RAW. Whoops. It just makes sense that if your brain is directly wired to the matrix, you should be able to take one "meat" free action (dropping an object) as well as one "matrix" free action (sending a short text).

Sorry for the confusion, my bad.