Skillsofts can have options: These options are similar to program options described in the Matrix Sourcebook. They modify the cost and size of a skillsoft but add bonuses. For example, the Customized option makes it so that the skillsoft will only work for the person that it is designed for, but it will reduce the size, double the cost, and improve its effective rating. Skillsofts can also have viruses and defects too. Pool-use is allowed with the DIMAP option (Direct Interpretive Memory Augmentation Programming) These options are described in Cannon Companion along with some rules for BTL usage.
The Skillsoft jukebox is just a box with chipslots which you can slot different chips into, the description should say how many slots it has. You need a datajack to slot into, however, so someone will know you're using one.
Skillwires are listed as having no maximum rating save for the essence limit. More skillwires = more essence loss. However, skillwires can essentially have a virtually unlimited power processor allowing larger (higher MP) skillsofts to be run. Program options usually do not put any extra strain on a
The Chipjack Expert Driver is placed inside a particular Chipjack (no jukebox usage) and adds a dice pool known as the Task Pool equal to its rating. Therefore, pistols 6 with DIMAP 3 on a Chipjack with Expert Driver 3 would be allowed to roll up to 12 dice on the first action (6 for skill rating + 3 for combat pool from DIMAP + 3 for Pistols Task Pool) If the chipjack is multi-slotted, the Task Pool can be used on any of the skillsofts attached to that chipjack that are loaded into the skillwire processor.
You may only have a number of skill ratings equal to your skillwires rating working at one time, however. This number is the ASIST rating, the total processing size is known as the pulse rating. The pulse rating can be changed with a simple implant surgery, whereas upgrading skillwires requires drastic invasive surgery. Skillwires are incompatible with Reflex Recorders, obviously. The Pluscode option reduces the demand on ASIST by its rating. Therefore, an Athletics 6 Pluscode 5 would cost the same as a rating 11 General skillsoft but would only count as rating 1 when accounting for ASIST demand. However, pluscode does not reduce the requirement for the minimum amount of ASIST rating. The previous example could not run on a set of rating 5 skillwires, but those wires could run 5 copies of Skill 5 Pluscode 4 softs.
A min-maxer might take a dedicated implant chipjack with Expert Driver 3 with Skillwires 6 and a skillsoft such as Swords 12 (DIMAP 6, Implant, Customized) The implant option would cut the ASIST demand in half allowing a rating 6 skillwire system to use a rating 12 chip (Implant allows this, but pluscode does not, as the chip and soft are hardwired into the chipjack) the DIMAP allows 6 combat pool to be used, and customization reduces the actual size but adds 50% to the cost and gives a +1 die bonus to attack. Therefore the user could roll 21 (12 + 6 + 3 + 1) dice in their first roll.
