Slashdot Mirror


1660 Diary Becomes 2003 Weblog

EnlightenmentFan writes "When technology improves a book that was already good, that's good news for nerds. I'm not talking about the Two Towers, but the diary of Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) (pronounced Peeps, as in marshmallow peeps), whose diaries record not only the Great Fire of London and the plague but his many seductions, trickeries, encounters with the king, almost getting executed, etc. Brit blogger Phil Gyford realized that this diary would make a great weblog--clickable footnotes, online feedback and all. So now he is serializing it daily, starting Jan 2, 1660, supposedly over the next ten years. The BBC has the backstory. I hope Gyford will deviate from Gutenberg's 1893 version to include some of Pepys's more outrageous sexual adventures, reduced by the 1893 version to "....""

25 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm... by nrvous6 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Who knows, this could become more popular than userfriendly.org! I mean, who doesn't want to read a 300 year old diary...

    --
    "As long as defiance continues, they can't claim victory." -Slashdot comment
  2. in the year 2300... by bje2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    maybe in the year 2300 someone will take the slashdot archives and start posting them daily to a web log...i wonder if people will get the "FP" and "In Soviet Russia" references...

    --

    "Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
  3. Outrageous! by Spunk · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope Gyford will deviate from Gutenberg's 1893 version to include some of Pepys's more outrageous sexual adventures, reduced by the 1893 version to "....""

    Yes, the one thing the Internet lacks is sex.

    1. Re:Outrageous! by bgarcia · · Score: 5, Funny
      Yes, the one thing the Internet lacks is sex.
      I like monkeys.
      You really should be more careful about the sentence that comes right before your sig...
      --
      I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
    2. Re:Outrageous! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      You really should be more careful about the sentence that comes right before your sig...
      Or, the voices in my head could be wrong this time.


      Likewise. :)

  4. reduced to "...." by serps · · Score: 5, Funny
    I hope Gyford will deviate from Gutenberg's 1893 version to include some of Pepys's more outrageous sexual adventures, reduced by the 1893 version to "...."

    Oh, I don't know. I browse at -1: it's amazing what images can be evoked using only punctuation. :-)

    --
    "Einstein argued that [...] God is not capricious or arbitrary. No such faith comforts the software engineer." ~ Brooks
    1. Re:reduced to "...." by DarkZero · · Score: 3, Funny

      it's amazing what images can be evoked using only punctuation. :-)

      Yeah, like some jackass in a robe with a Bible in one hand, a torch in the other, and a stack of "lascivious writings" in front of him...

  5. Bernard Schifman by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Does anyone have Bernard Schifman's story? I'd be willing to turn that into a movie.

  6. Re:Well lets hope by MrFredBloggs · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Did Shakespear ever recover from being Bowlderized?"

    Who? Oh, Shakespeare. No, I think one or two really booky people have heard of him.

  7. mirror by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    Jan 11, 1660: Not much happening today. Lost one o my kids in the bog.

    Jan 12, 1660: Damne bog ate my dog. Off to the pub for a pint.

    Jan 13, 1660: Walking back from the pub early this morn, almost fell into the bog.

    Jan 14, 1660: Good Lord.. the Mayor fell into the bog. Presumed lost. Kenny Axeblood wants to take over. 'Aye' I say.

    Jan 15, 1660: God hates our wee village; Kenny Axeblook walked into the bog and disappeared from our sight. We think it's that woman with the wart. Off to burn her.

    Jan 16, 1660: Burnt the witch and threw her remains into the bog.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:mirror by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
      > Jan 11, 1660: Not much happening today. Lost one o my kids in the bog.
      > Jan 12, 1660: Damne bog ate my dog. Off to the pub for a pint.
      > Jan 13, 1660: Walking back from the pub early this morn, almost fell into the bog.
      > Jan 14, 1660: Good Lord.. the Mayor fell into the bog. Presumed lost. Kenny Axeblood wants to take over. 'Aye' I say.
      > Jan 15, 1660: God hates our wee village; Kenny Axeblook walked into the bog and disappeared from our sight. We think it's that woman with the wart. Off to burn her.
      > Jan 16, 1660: Burnt the witch and threw her remains into the bog.

      Jan 17, 1660: 1) Elected new mayor in the bog. He fell into the bog before he could be sworn in. Burnt another witch. That witch burned down, fell over, and then sank into the bog, but the third witch stayed up!

      Jan 18, 1660: 2) In pagan Denmark, bogs fall into you!

      Jan 19, 1660: ...

      Jan 20, 1660: 3) ...geld!

  8. Haha by swagr · · Score: 5, Funny

    We're Slashdotting someone who's been dead for 300 years.

    Bet he didn't see that one coming.

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    -... --- .-. . -.. ..--..
  9. Pronunciation by Tet · · Score: 4, Funny
    Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) (pronounced Peeps, as in marshmallow peeps)

    Was that really necessary? I mean, are there really people out there who don't know how to pronounce Pepys? Did you not learn anything at school? Sheesh!

    BTW, I haven't the faintest clue what marshmallow peeps are...

    --
    "The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." -- Delos B. McKown
  10. Hope no one else has mentioned this one by TerryAtWork · · Score: 3, Funny


    http://www.progress.demon.co.uk/Fun/AOLer-diary. ht ml

    --
    It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
  11. Re:"Peeps" pronuciation disputed by Pepys family.. by blamanj · · Score: 3, Funny

    "And do you pronounce it Fro-der-ick Frahnk-en-steen?"

    "No, it's Frederick. Why do you ask?"

    "I don't know."

    "Let's go, Igor."

    "That's Eye-gor."

  12. Re:a coupla points by Twirlip+of+the+Mists · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Two Towers film did not improve upon the book. Faramir is spinning in his grave.

    Uh... you are aware, right, that Lord of the Rings is not actually a history? Just to be clear: fictional character, never existed, not in grave. Okay?

    --

    I write in my journal
  13. Re:"Peeps" pronuciation disputed by Pepys family.. by Twirlip+of+the+Mists · · Score: 4, Funny

    Members of the historic Pepys family said today they pronounce the name "Throat-wobbler Mangrove."

    In other news, hillbillies today said that they would prefer to be called "sons of the soil."

    --

    I write in my journal
  14. Aged Peeps by Pfhor · · Score: 3, Funny

    My roommate has them aged. He says about after a year they become really good.

    I think he is just smoking crack entirely too much.

  15. Re:"Peeps" pronuciation disputed by Pepys family.. by Asprin · · Score: 3, Funny


    Man, what a bunch of sissies. My wife has a friend that married a gentleman named "Dorkson".

    Yup, you heard me, "Dorkson".

    He's a great guy, and all, but man - what do you say to that? Understandably, she insists that we pronounce it "Dorrson" because the 'k' is silent, you know. ;)

    --
    "Lawyers are for sucks."
    - Doug McKenzie
  16. DMCA violation! by infolib · · Score: 4, Funny

    From http://www.studioproteus.com/mn9912news.html :

    His diary was written in a shorthand code called tachygraphy that was not deciphered until the 19th century. Pepys never expected the diary to be decoded and so wrote only for himself--the diary is brutally frank

    This is a clear example of DRM circumvention! Stop the terrorists! Now, where did i put my UAV?

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced libertarian utopia is indistinguishable from government.
  17. Re:"Peeps" pronuciation disputed by Pepys family.. by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I can assure you that Lord Cottenham pronounces it 'Pepp-iss' and so do
    his son, the Viscount Crowhurst"


    If they can't hire a secretary that understands subject/verb agreement, I have doubts about their ability to pronounce their own last names.

  18. Re:"Peeps" pronuciation disputed by Pepys family.. by birder · · Score: 3, Funny

    Homer: I love you, Pepsi.
    Pepys: It's Pepys, Papa Homer

  19. Ye Olde LiveJournal by British · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's probably a lot more interesting than some 19 year old angsty girl talking about her ex-boyfriend saying "BOYS SUCK!@#!@#"

    "You are so offeth my friends list!"

  20. In Soviet Russia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    In Soviet Russia the dead Slashdot you.

  21. Re:Well lets hope by mstyne · · Score: 2, Funny

    how about i kill both of you in your sleep

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    mstyne: real name, no gimmicks