Jo Walton @316, pericat @329, re: extras.
While I would certainly be intrigued with the idea of ebooks with extras à la DVD's, I could imagine some epic hassles. Suppose the author, for whatever reason, didn't want to include 'extras'? Would the book have worse chances of being published, especially if these became commonplace? What if the author were unhappy with the extras, and felt that they diminished the book rather than enhanced it? How much voice do authors have on maps and illustrations and cover art (or reader[s], in the case of audiobooks) with traditional publishing? (Sorry if this is too tangential, but thinking of various models, I started thinking of some consequences.)
eric @81 -- We already know what the world looks like when anyone who wants to can write whatever they want and get it published. It looks like weblogs. (or comment threads. the horror.).
Yeah, but....
I don't think I would ever have predicted how many people would become involved in writing so prolifically, particularly people who aren't writers/journalists/etc. anyway. Even with the conveniences that the internet offers, I really wouldn't have necessarily predicted that so many people would take advantage of it and share their opinions, poetry and prose to the extent they have.
And there are a lot of talented writers out there -- heck, with most of the knitting blogs I follow regularly, I do so more for the writing style than the knitting tips. And if I don't like the style or the formatting, it's easy enough to move on and find a substitute.
I wonder if the internet hasn't simultaneously raised and lowered our expectations about reading material? On the one hand, we've gotten used to having virtually free access to good writing. At the same time, people do seem willing to put up with bad formatting for writing they enjoy (and the consequences to the creator for sloppy work are negligible); this seems to be the case when they aren't paying for the content and the perceive that the author is, after all, an amateur and can't necessarily be expected to be able to do everything.
Ben Trafford @61 -- Improving efficiencies means there's more money to do interesting things. It also means the author can make more money. It also means the consumer can get more content for their buck.
Theoretically. In other industries I've observed (software and hardware, energy), in practice, "improved efficiency" means slashing/outsourcing personnel, and cutting corners in other places. Short-term, this can result in higher share dividends. But over the long term, the company's ability to innovate is often hobbled by its self-imposed restrictiveness in the name of 'efficiency'. I am skeptical about the benefits of efficiency necessarily trickling down to employees, consumers, or authors. Not saying it's impossible, just unlikely.
Also, as Serge @70 and others have pointed out, efficiency is a relative term, and apparently roundabout processes may be very well justified indeed.
A spot-check of Tor and Macmillan titles* on Amazon in Germany shows that they're still listed at the moment.** Not just third-party sellers, but from Amazon.
*Including "A Writer's Reference" and Cory Doctorow's "Makers".
**current time is 9:45 p.m. (GMT+1)
Re: good, accidental photos -- I have a folder on my computer titled "Blurs", where interesting compositions get saved. One is here, a cool effect of snow with a slate wall in the background. Another favorite is this one of my daughter's gymnastics team marching into competition.
Comparing SLR cameras to digitals, I think overall I probably got better shots with my SLR, but between the portability and the nearly unlimited freedom to shoot pictures (and dare to make mistakes), I've been won over to my digital.
Storage is another issue. We have a couple of thousand slides that document some very important slices of our lives, and I need to figure out the best* way to get them digitized. In addition to making it easier to view them again, it would be nice to give both our kids a complete set of copies.
*cheapest, most efficient, and/or most convenient, preferably all three.
Animated stereoviews of old Japan. Following the flickr links is pretty fascinating, too.
Xopher -- that refers to a robot designing contest (most famous one at MIT?). The winning robot in the comic sends a telescoping arm with a lighter up to the ceiling, where it activates the sprinkler system. The water shorts out the other robots and their controls, but thanks to the built-in umbrella, the winning robot isn't affected. I think those round things are demolished competitors.
Steve Taylor @214 -- thank you for the extra information! I didn't have any luck with Google myself. Very cool site.
I happened upon this picture today, and it made think of "Making Light," too. In the very best possible way.
Well, the snow has finally reached Germany. In our little village, we've been shoveling all day, and it's all fairly powdery, but still very windy, cold, and not really great to be out in. So I was pretty surprised when the doorbell rang. It was the Sternsinger, children dressed up as the Three Kings (accompanied by their moms), collecting donations to aid children in Moldavia and Indonesia. I've been expecting them, but not necessarily today!
By George, I got it. The cryptogram. The key for me was concentrating on "zuf'y yohh" - helped to narrow the possibilities down substantially.
Hope that's not too cryptic.
Serge @34 -- In space adventures, look for the red shirt...
Parents, choose wisely.
We are bracing for a snowy weekend. The weather front seems to have stalled over the UK, but by all accounts there will be plenty left for us. We still have lots of snow on the ground from -- when? last Saturday? Yeah. Pretty unusual for the Rheinland, which tends to have mild, rainy-cold winters. Roads are OK so far, but some communities are running out of salt and grit. And February is usually our snowiest month.
Public service announcement: Don't go out to your car barefoot to get cigarettes in this weather. (This guy had a guardian angel on overtime, that's for sure.)
guthrie @139 -- Has anyone else found that they experience mild discomfort at the the change of the seasons, in winter to spring and autumn to winter?
Germans speak of "Spring Fatigue" (Frühjahrsmüdigkeit), specifically at the very beginning of spring/end of winter. There is some speculation that the symptoms are the result of the body adjusting to more light and warmer temps, but there doesn't seem to be any hard research that I've ever found.
Interestingly, no one talks about this type of fatigue at other season change times, and there doesn't seem to be a comparable phenomenon in other countries (that I'm aware of, anyway). I was only ever familiar with the English-language-related concept of 'spring fever', which is very positive and energizing.
@98 -- And under "bagpipes", the TSA employee adds "suspenders" to the list. Because anything specifically made to NOT trip metal detectors HAS to be subversive. Not to mention that the company ships everywhere. Suspicious, that.
I'm willing to give any year that starts with a long weekend the benefit of the doubt. Here's hoping 2010 lives up to this, and wishing the Fluorosphere all the best.
Bruce E. Durocher II -- glad you're OK; hopefully all of that was just the last bluster of 2009.
A musician has moved in next door. I've talked to him a couple of times. He specializes in Celtic music, and plays all sorts of instruments, including a Galician gaita. Very enthusiastic guy. During one conversation, outdoors in front of the houses, he said, "I've got my gaita right here in my car! I'll show you!" His landlady had just gone out of the house for a walk. He looked very carefully to make sure she was around the corner, then played a few notes. Yowza. It's small, but it really packs a punch. "She won't let me practice this one in the apartment," he muttered.
Opportunity knocks! @43
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2009 | 117 |
| 2008 | 342 |
| 2007 | 65 |
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