What are they exactly? Do they all have the same name, or different ones? Do they have the same personality? I'm referring to the ones that all have long brown hair.
"Scientists make these deductions by examining a rat, or your landlord who won't cut the rent."
You're right, they are androids.
They're called "Operators," and they seem to have identical programming and functions. They are used for the clerical-type tasks that the members of Section 9 would otherwise have to waste their time doing.
However, they also have other functions as well. In one episode they are used as supplimental processors when Ishikawa uses a satellite to tap all communication in Niihama. In another episode one is shown flying the tilt-rotor.
They seem to be pretty expendable as well. Loads of angst in the second season when one of the rookies was killed and Ishikawa seriously injured, not a word is spoken about the Operators blown up. And you don't see Batou as torn up about them as he was with the Tachikomas in season 1.
When darkness overcomes the heart, Lil' Slugger appears...
Question
Why is it that they use the androids for computer work, and they type fast using their crazy extendo fingers?
Wouldn't it be easy to have a dedicated AI in the system that could operate infinitely faster?
Maybe 'cos AIs powerful to do the work of a team of androids would be liable to become self-aware, a la the Puppet Master in the first film.
When darkness overcomes the heart, Lil' Slugger appears...
Look at it this way: If you were designing the characters for a story, and you had the choice between using cool-looking android secretaries for data processing, or HAL from "2001: A Space Oddessy", which would be better, visually?
By contrast, the "Evangelion" series chose the opposite: human data processing staff working with powerful supercomputers.
I understand your question, though. I thought the same thing about "Star Wars", in light of the latest sequels/prequels. If you look at the technology depicted in the original, and consider that it is the fourth installment in that story's chronology, then you have to deduce that that universe has taken a couple of steps backwards in its techonological development. For example, why stop using fighting robots and employ humans in armor? But of course, the movie was limited by the real-world special effects technology available at the time.
That's where we have to employ the "willing suspension of disbelief", and accept the details on the basis of the story.
It enables them to use interfaces designed for humans...while they are likely simultaneously using more direct links.
The reason this is better than having all their computer-related functions handled by something built into the local network is that this way, they're mobile, and can be used for multiple functions. They're adaptable. Adaptability is one of the things Kusanagi rambles about in every version of Ghost in the Shell.
And I get the impression that they do have a lot of computing power hard-wired into their network, regardless. There is no reason to believe that they don't have AIs without bodies.
I think the answer has to do with the fact that human beings probably prefer to deal with machines that look like them, and thus the Operators are made to look like human beings. Though personally I would not design them to all look and act EXACTLY the same. At least change the surface details.
"Scientists make these deductions by examining a rat, or your landlord who won't cut the rent."