In a short story collection called "State of the Art" it's made quite clear that Homo Sapiens were not founding members of the Culture, and thath they were not likely to be any time soon. Other than that, I agree with the parent and cannot recommend these books highly enough. Check out his web site - http://www.iainbanks.net/
Remembering 12 digits isn't that hard if you do it visually. I remember all my numbers (CC, PINS, licenses, telephones etc.9..) by imagining a phone pad, then remembering the pattern the numbers make. It's just a mnemonic device - there's others too (spell words?).
A bit slow on this one, which is a shame because the article I'm linking to is fantastic. Back in 1997, the Atlantic did a VERY goood opinion piece on why computers should be kept out of the class room - http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jul/computer.h tm
Ok - should have been clearer. Yes - Australian Courts MUST follow this judgement as all Australian lower Courts are bound to follow decisions in higher jurisdictions. And I reckon its more than a good bet that other countries' will follow this decision too. Yes, I know they don't have to, but it's considered persuasive (particularly in Westminister systems). But even in non-Westminister systems I reckon this'll end up happening. Just my Hit Pick (TM) for international defamation law.
They don't really care about *you* per se. Someone who considered themselves defamed would go for deeper pockets - your employer (if you posted from work), or your ISP (more likely). If they didn't remove the offending material, they'd try find a way to have *them* brought as a party in Australia, which, being corporates, is a hell of a lot easier.
I agree it was completely inaccurate and reactionary, but you're wrong that this won't affect the rest of the world. It will, and in at least 2 ways. First, it means that any legal person (ie, includes corporations) which has offices in Australia can now be held liable for posting information to a server in Uzbekistan, if that information is viewed by the relevant public in Australia. The second way in which it matters to the rest of the world is that it sets a precedent, and one which IMHO (and IAAL, so I know a little about this) will impact judicial thinking in other jurisdictions, and quite probably along the same lines. Defamation law, like Copyright law, is one of those things which is slowly becoming internationally equivalent... epect this in a Court Near You soon.
for those of you who're interested, here's the full text of the judgement.
It's long, but not hard to follow. The most interesting parts (the actual reasons for the judgement) can be found from about para 180 onwards.
This is important stuff, and not just for Australia - it sets a precedent which other jurisdictions will follow.
So what do you think? Erosion of Your Right Online (TM) or a transjurisdictional extension of them?
I think I came across as a little hard on Egan. For the record, I love his stuff - Diaspora is one of my favourite sci-fi books.
I agree with gender ambivalence, although I'd argue that it's not so much ambivalence as the fact that he can't write women. Lot's of male writers have this problem (and female writers with male characters). You notice this a lot in sci fi - although male characters end up quite well developed, female characters tend to be reduced to madonna/whore dichotomies, or other 1 dimensional stereotypes (the butch female cop/engineer/warrior or whatever).
There seem to be a lot of fans of Iain M Banks around... as an aside, he writes great female characters.
IMHO, the biggest rift in Sci Fi is between devotees of "hard" Sci Fi (focuses more on the *science* than the tale - think Greg Egan) and "soft" Sci Fi (space opera - swords & sandals epics in space - think Peter Hamilton).
I like both, and have always found the zealotry on either side to be kinda childish. Think emacs v vi... (sorry kids).
The bummer with Hard Sci Fi is that a lot of the really _interesting_ stuff will go straight over the reader's head: I've got a reasonable grasp of, say, the basics of quantum physics, but I get completely lost when someone a lot smarter than me starts using more esoteric aspects of the theory as a _starting_ place for an exploration of the logical consequences of said theory in a literary context. _I_ like it though, because even if I don't completely understand, I can still muddle through and figure out the gist of what's going on. The other downside of hard sci fi is that the writing tends to be _terrible_. You effectively have scientists attempting to write engaging stories. It's not, as a rule, their forte. Too much science, not enough fiction.
Conversely, the bummer with "soft" sci fi for me has always been that it's just some-old-story-set-in-space. Star Wars is like that. In fact, it's a modern classic of the genre. Peter Hamilton is another good example. This kind of sci fi is more like fantasy than _science_ fiction. Even worse, the fiction is usually terrible too. I used to love space opera when I was young - laser beams, aliens, space ships, funky babes. But I think you kind of grow out of it unless there's something _more_ to it than big-arse space battles & galactic empires.
Which is why I'm a _huge_ fan of Iain M Banks. This is a guy who can _really_ write. His sci fi (he writes more standard fiction under the name Iain Banks) is space opera, but some of the best space opera I've ever read. Read the Culture novels - start with "Consider Phlebas" or "Player of Games". Seriously - they're worth reading just for the ship names.
So I guess what makes great sci-fi for me is great writing. There's plenty of "ideas" writers, and don't get me wrong - interesting ideas are part of what sci-fi's all about. But that's a neccessary condition, it's not a sufficient condition.
Long post - must sleep.
Jeff Noon too. I seriously recommend "Vurt" - Automated Alice says curious yellow.
Slashdot Mirror
In a short story collection called "State of the Art" it's made quite clear that Homo Sapiens were not founding members of the Culture, and thath they were not likely to be any time soon. Other than that, I agree with the parent and cannot recommend these books highly enough. Check out his web site - http://www.iainbanks.net/
Didn't see no women there...
Remembering 12 digits isn't that hard if you do it visually. I remember all my numbers (CC, PINS, licenses, telephones etc.9..) by imagining a phone pad, then remembering the pattern the numbers make. It's just a mnemonic device - there's others too (spell words?).
It's called Karma, dude.
6. They have to be wary of copyright issues.
Running background checks on non-citizens IS a restriction - the only non-citizens (if any) who'll get to work will be US Govt approved.
And yes - it IS a big deal.
Speaking as someone who's not American, why does your comment not surprise me.
A bit slow on this one, which is a shame because the article I'm linking to is fantastic. Back in 1997, the Atlantic did a VERY goood opinion piece on why computers should be kept out of the class room - http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jul/computer.h tm
That's been my sig for a couple months now...
Well I'm glad somebody understands it.
Ok... so 11 doesn't work.
Ok - should have been clearer. Yes - Australian Courts MUST follow this judgement as all Australian lower Courts are bound to follow decisions in higher jurisdictions. And I reckon its more than a good bet that other countries' will follow this decision too. Yes, I know they don't have to, but it's considered persuasive (particularly in Westminister systems). But even in non-Westminister systems I reckon this'll end up happening. Just my Hit Pick (TM) for international defamation law.
They don't really care about *you* per se. Someone who considered themselves defamed would go for deeper pockets - your employer (if you posted from work), or your ISP (more likely). If they didn't remove the offending material, they'd try find a way to have *them* brought as a party in Australia, which, being corporates, is a hell of a lot easier.
I agree it was completely inaccurate and reactionary, but you're wrong that this won't affect the rest of the world. It will, and in at least 2 ways. First, it means that any legal person (ie, includes corporations) which has offices in Australia can now be held liable for posting information to a server in Uzbekistan, if that information is viewed by the relevant public in Australia. The second way in which it matters to the rest of the world is that it sets a precedent, and one which IMHO (and IAAL, so I know a little about this) will impact judicial thinking in other jurisdictions, and quite probably along the same lines. Defamation law, like Copyright law, is one of those things which is slowly becoming internationally equivalent... epect this in a Court Near You soon.
This is important stuff, and not just for Australia - it sets a precedent which other jurisdictions will follow.
So what do you think? Erosion of Your Right Online (TM) or a transjurisdictional extension of them?
you've messed up bug time bru' - shoulda gone for SheepMe.nz
If you, and enough others like you, continue to boycott the Sci Fi channel, eventually it will cease to exist.
How is that a Good Thing?
I think I came across as a little hard on Egan. For the record, I love his stuff - Diaspora is one of my favourite sci-fi books. I agree with gender ambivalence, although I'd argue that it's not so much ambivalence as the fact that he can't write women. Lot's of male writers have this problem (and female writers with male characters). You notice this a lot in sci fi - although male characters end up quite well developed, female characters tend to be reduced to madonna/whore dichotomies, or other 1 dimensional stereotypes (the butch female cop/engineer/warrior or whatever). There seem to be a lot of fans of Iain M Banks around... as an aside, he writes great female characters.
IMHO, the biggest rift in Sci Fi is between devotees of "hard" Sci Fi (focuses more on the *science* than the tale - think Greg Egan) and "soft" Sci Fi (space opera - swords & sandals epics in space - think Peter Hamilton).
I like both, and have always found the zealotry on either side to be kinda childish. Think emacs v vi... (sorry kids).
The bummer with Hard Sci Fi is that a lot of the really _interesting_ stuff will go straight over the reader's head: I've got a reasonable grasp of, say, the basics of quantum physics, but I get completely lost when someone a lot smarter than me starts using more esoteric aspects of the theory as a _starting_ place for an exploration of the logical consequences of said theory in a literary context. _I_ like it though, because even if I don't completely understand, I can still muddle through and figure out the gist of what's going on. The other downside of hard sci fi is that the writing tends to be _terrible_. You effectively have scientists attempting to write engaging stories. It's not, as a rule, their forte. Too much science, not enough fiction.
Conversely, the bummer with "soft" sci fi for me has always been that it's just some-old-story-set-in-space. Star Wars is like that. In fact, it's a modern classic of the genre. Peter Hamilton is another good example. This kind of sci fi is more like fantasy than _science_ fiction. Even worse, the fiction is usually terrible too. I used to love space opera when I was young - laser beams, aliens, space ships, funky babes. But I think you kind of grow out of it unless there's something _more_ to it than big-arse space battles & galactic empires.
Which is why I'm a _huge_ fan of Iain M Banks. This is a guy who can _really_ write. His sci fi (he writes more standard fiction under the name Iain Banks) is space opera, but some of the best space opera I've ever read. Read the Culture novels - start with "Consider Phlebas" or "Player of Games". Seriously - they're worth reading just for the ship names.
So I guess what makes great sci-fi for me is great writing. There's plenty of "ideas" writers, and don't get me wrong - interesting ideas are part of what sci-fi's all about. But that's a neccessary condition, it's not a sufficient condition.
Long post - must sleep.
Jeff Noon too. I seriously recommend "Vurt" - Automated Alice says curious yellow.
Dude - you're geeks. at a lan party. we already KNEW it was a SMALL paper bag.
Hey - isn't this a duplicate of this?
Mozling? Mozlette? MozLite?
The organisation I work for ran approximately 2000 PCs on Win95 until a month ago, when we all (finally) switched to XP.
Oh my God! how many freaking links does one story need?
I think you'd be lucky to get the /. readship to READ all of that - attention spans too sho