Well, all this talk means I should maybe read his short stories, which I have little experience with.
...
I probably agree with jonts here, in that my impression of Asimov is not so much that his ideas are bad, more that I don't like the execution of how he writes them into a story. And ultimately I'm looking for stories (or have been) when I read it.
Yes, I think you should. Just an opinion, though. The stories are better when we don't have to sit around with the characters for very long, like we have to do in the novels.
Measure of a Man is such a good TNG. Author, Author would probably quite good if it didn't feel like such a blatant concept re-use of the exact same idea as Measure of a Man.
For the past few years, I've been rewatching all of TNG, DS9, and VOY. The reason for it is to share them with my wife, who has really come to love them. My first impressions of Measure and Author were similar to yours, but seeing them again has allowed me to focus more on the subtle yet substantial differences between them.
- At first glance, it is important to note that these two were created written
half-a-generation apart (over 12 years).
- In Measure, Data was then thought to be a totally unique, apparently unrepeatable being (Soong being the only known successful creator of the positronic brain {
Asimov's term!}). He is threatened with slavery and potential annihilation at the hands of a scientist/engineer. The crux of the matter is whether this being has the right of self-determination, or is he bound in servitude?
- In Author, however, the Doctor is a program (a commonly distributed one), and thus clearly not unique, at least at face value. Establishing his uniqueness is one of the pillars of his defense. And the underlying issue is that of property - not necessarily self-determination. Does this being have the right to own the fruit of his efforts? A fundamentally different question than the one about slavery.
- Structurally, they may play out similarly, and I have a gripe with that. But, when viewing them again after several years, I have really come to appreciate their differences, and thus give them both merit. And you're looking for story? I think the humor in Author really really helps it a TON.
Obviously, I'm not trying to tell you that your opinion is wrong. Just sharing some things that I've seen that are a little more than surface-deep. Maybe you've seen them, too, and still stick with your original position. No worries.