Is GLaDOS still GLaDOS? {Spoilers}

[cjohnson]

At the end of the game, GLaDOS states that Caroline has been deleted - does this mean that the GL from GLaDOS is gone? IS GLaDOS now just DOS?

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Erm... no? How does deleting a personality aspect somehow remove the Genetic Lifeform part of her?

 

[cjohnson]

Surely Caroline WAS the genetic lifeform?

 

[Shakermaker]

Surely Caroline WAS the genetic lifeform?

Caroline's mind is simply a personality core.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Surely Caroline WAS the genetic lifeform?

How can a genetic lifeform be a computer file(s) that can be deleted?

 

[cjohnson]

So, what is the "genetic lifeform" of GLaDOS?

As for AJ's question, how can a computer change its face, live in a potato battery, or write a bloody song?
This is a universe in which a hand-held device can create intra dimensional gates; what isn't possible?

 

[AJ Rimmer]

So, what is the "genetic lifeform" of GLaDOS?

As for AJ's question, how can a computer change its face, live in a potato battery, or write a bloody song?
This is a universe in which a hand-held device can create intra dimensional gates; what isn't possible?

Because it was designed to do those things? One and three aren't even that remarkable, not when talking about a sentient AI with access to a highly advanced facility clearly meant to be configurable.

My guess is the GL part simply means the system has the ability to accept personality imprints from human beings. Since that's what it was designed to do, and still can do.

 

[cjohnson]

But said personality imprint did not show until it was in a potato battery - GLaDOS does not accept personality imprints well then.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

But said personality imprint did not show until it was in a potato battery - GLaDOS does not accept personality imprints well then.

...no, I think we can all agree that GLaDOS was rushed out of beta testing a bit prematurely. Hence, no-one at Aperture Science got a nobel prize in "Surviving a Neurotoxin Attack".

 

[cjohnson]

The "caroline turret" seemed to be more like Caroline that GLaDOS was. (knew her name, knew about lemons, talked about Prometheus)

 

[Tony]

But said personality imprint did not show until it was in a potato battery - GLaDOS does not accept personality imprints well then.

She was free of "The Itch" or whatever it was called. No personality cores or endless streams of data either.

The personality then manifested when she heard Cave talking. It was like a repressed memory to her, I guess.

 

[ríomhaire]

Perhaps Genetic Lifeform means she is designed to iterate herself and change depending on what gets the best science.

 

[Godron]

I always thought the genetic lifeform bit meant that at least some part(s) of GLaDOS were produced by genetic algorithms, rather than designed from the bottom up by engineers. We don't even understand how the human mind works yet, let alone how to emulate it in software, and genetic algorithms sound like a potential way around that problem. If this was the case then the GL part of the name would still be present. If the OP is right, then... maybe not. The GLaDOS we knew form Portal 1 and the GLaDOS who'd just deleted Caroline didn't seem all that different to me, so I don't think the Caroline part was that important.

She was free of "The Itch" or whatever it was called. No personality cores or endless streams of data either.

But she made the test robots to satisfy that itch. And she gets plenty of testing out of them after Chell leaves.

 

[99.vikram]

I think GLaDOS was bluffing about deleting Caroline.

She is not just a personality core, she is deeply tied to GLaDOS's mind. I believe that Caroline is the GL- part of GLaDOS.

Spoiler

...now little Caroline is in here too.
...
One day they woke me up, so I could live forever

 

[StarBob]

Man... there is no byte of data in this game that is not open to conspiracy...

 

[[Dragoon]]

Man... there is no byte of data in this game that is not open to conspiracy...

Because Valve knows we're the kind of people who comb through every inch of the game looking for hidden things, so they give us things to find. And because we know they know, we're all the more motivated and validated in our mad conspiracy theorizing. Conspiracy away!

 

[Bikon153]

GLaDOS was never Caroline. GLaDOS' main personality is Cave Johnson. Caroline was a sort of "conscience" installed into her, but with all of the personality cores drowning it out, it was never heard. Not untill she was a potato and the cores were gone. When GLaDOS deleted Caroline, she was destroying her conscience. It would be like Pinoccho squishing Jimney Cricket. Pinoccho is still Pinoccho, Just without that small voice saying what's right and wrong. therfore, GLaDOS is still GLaDOS, she just has no conscience

 

[Tagaziel]

I'm pretty sure GLaDOS is Caroline, not Cave. Otherwise, why would a digitized consciousness of Cave respond to his rants with "Yes, Mr Johnson"?

 

[kazsymonds]

Also, Cave does outright state that Caroline will be made into AI, does he not? (he does also state that he want's to be put in a computer I think).

My theory is that GLaDOS is Gordon Freeman from the 12th century AD.

 

[leib10]

Cave states that if he cannot be put into AI form before he dies, Caroline should run the company despite her meek protests.

 

[Omnomnick]

GLaDOS was originally Caroline, but she hasn't been 'human' for a long time. Once she was immortal she lost track of her emotions, memories and human beliefs. Which is why at the end of Portal GLaDOS is simply able to delete what is left of her without any real problems.

And yes, the commentary confirms that Caroline is indeed put into the computer due to Cave dieing about 15 years before Aperture perfected their brain mapping and AI development.

 

[cjohnson]

GLaDOS is indeed Caroline, that is not up for debate.

In the comic, GLaDOS tried to kill everyone in 16 picoseconds - showing her conscience didn't really exist.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

GLaDOS is indeed Caroline, that is not up for debate.

In the comic, GLaDOS tried to kill everyone in 16 picoseconds - showing her conscience didn't really exist.

Not necessarily. She hesitated for 15 picoseconds.

 

[bucketokarma]

I think GLaDOS was bluffing about deleting Caroline.

She is not just a personality core, she is deeply tied to GLaDOS's mind. I believe that Caroline is the GL- part of GLaDOS.

Spoiler

...now little Caroline is in here too.
...
One day they woke me up, so I could live forever

This...

At least to some extent.
The turret opera, as well as "Want you gone" both happen AFTER Caroline gets "deleted". Both songs contain a highly human element, full of the original memories and/or emotion. Those memories or emotions would not be there if Caroline had been deleted as GLaDOS claimed. We all know that GLaDOS has no problem lying to Chell. It is easier to say "I deleted her" than to try to explain the past and why GLaDOS cannot kill Chell.

 

[GeniusX]

GLaDOS is not Caroline, she is an AI modeled after Caroline because Johnson died before the technology was perfected.

 

[Shem]

Caroline was GLaDOS and GLaDOS is still GLaDOS. At the end of the game, she removes her conscience, but she's still a genetic lifeform. She can still speak. She can still think. She still has a brain in the form of a disk, you chucklenuts. She didn't delete her mind. There's literally no difference between her personality in the first game (she still has a conscious) and her personality in the second one, except when she's converted into a potato and finally realizes her compassionate and sympathetic nature. Now, don't make me come back into this debate, or I will go full force next time with every possible fact I have.

 

[jimman]

Surely Caroline WAS the genetic lifeform?

yes she is. Caroline is galdos. when cave Johnson die he left in his will that Caroline should have her brain uploaded in to his computer. aka galdos and Caroline is in a stasis pod morning galdos. she did not like that. that is the genetic life form she talks about. also cave Johnson and Carline had a baby called chell. if you pay attention to the story line you wood of got that.

 

[Lanthanide]

Don't feed the troll.

 

[suncrafter]

I think GLa is still there - just submerged.... waiting until Portal 3 to pop out!

 

[Azax]

My thoughts on the matter

GLaDOS = Caroline uploaded in to a computer, you kinda see GLaDOS realise that in portal 2 and she only says that she deleted Caroline to save face in front of chell and still appear badass.
Its why GLaDOS replies to what cave is saying, saying the same thing Caroline says as if she had been there before.

GLaDOS is endlessly referred to as simply her or she by the other characters, iv never once heard anyone call her GLaDOS in game. this backs up that when the oracle turret says "her name is Caroline" it means HER (GLADOS) real name is Caroline. i mean there are so many hints towards this in the game i dont see how you can even need to ask this question

it makes total sense
Genetic life from = Caroline
Disk operating system = the computer she now lives in

It would also explains why GLaDOS is so angry in the unused Caroline voice clips we hear her saying “i don’t want this” in a kinda frightened way, kinda gives the impression that Caroline didn’t want to be put in to a computer. Makes sense that when they scientists who put her in there turned her on she killed them all.

 

[thegeekykid7]

ok, GLaDOS, i think, faked deleting caroline. She did it so that chell wouldnt regret anything when she(chell) left. glados, to me, is still caroline, maybe more. if she had really deleted caroline, then chell would be back testing instead of being at the surface.