I don't think many people are putting McCaffrey in the "master of sci-fi" list. However, I also think many people here have agreed that she has a nasty habit of writing a quite good book (you should read _The_Rowan_ and _Crystal_Singer_) and then proceeding to write horribly bad sequels, each one worse than its predecessor (Crystal Line was worse than Killashandra was worse than Crystal Singer, Lyon's Pride was worse than Damia's Children was worse than Damia was worse than The Rowan -- believe me, I've read 'em all).
I'd recommend the first in each series and DIScommend (if that's a word) the rest of each series
And remember, I would put McCaffrey and, say, Heinlein in COMPLETELY different categories. She is a good FANTASY author (as I've said, in her first books), but I doubt she's a classic as w/the others you mentioned. It's good escapism, with little or no "Wow, I never thought of it that way". Still, entertaining for a youngish teen. And the main characters in both those series are female.
Oh, and by the way, the quality of writing is maybe not too much better in her early books, but the plotting is MUCH better, which may be that to which you take objection. There's practically no plot in Lyon's Pride; I finished it out of a sense of obligation.
The Phantom Tollbooth. A TERRIFIC book, kinda sci-fi, more just fantasy.
By the way, this book brought me one of the most interesting moment's I've had in my short life. I was rereading this book in junior year of high school, and a stupid chick in my first period class saw me with it. After discovering that I was REREADING the book because I had enjoyed it so much, she asked in bewilderment, "Why would you read a book twice?"
I read "Songs of Distant Earth" about a year ago and thought it was pretty boring. The premise was interesting, but overall it was a bit too low-key for me.
Jurassic Park, Sphere, Airframe, Andromeda Strain, Travels, and maybe a few others are good (by Crichton). ESPECIALLY Sphere! I've heard good things about Congo, too. DO NOT give her or read Disclosure, Rising Sun, A Case of Need, or any of that crap! Explicit AND stupid, so there's no excuse.
Yeah, I think Asimov did write a few not-so-worth-reading books. Some of his 'children's' stuff. Norby Chronicles, maybe (tho' I haven't read them) the Lucky Starr books (I think he himself didn't like them). But those are the exceptions. Knock yourself out.
Resist censoring, check with parents, & teach D&D
on
Sci Fi Literature 101?
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· Score: 2
Moderate this post up! Yeah, you're raising an interesting point. Free market of ideas, early inoculation, and all that.
Still, there is one problem, which is this: the girl is the guy's niece. He might want to check with her parents before giving her sci-fi or fantasy with themes or scenes that he KNOWS might conflict with any beliefs that they have. They, after all, are the ones who are raising her and are the ones who have the final say.
Hey, and don't forget to teach her a role-playing game or two! I wish I'd started a long time ago. I'd be a cool D&D chick, not the poser I am now.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend Cryptonomicon to a 13-year-old, unless she is EXCEPTIONALLY advanced in geekiness. It's a great book, but the jokes and scenes about Turning, advanced math and crypto concepts, sex (espec a lot of male masturbation) are quite rewarding to someone in college and above, maybe high school, probably not a 13-yr-old. Really, Snow Crash first, Cryptonomicon later.
Plus, if she's reading Cryptonomicon, that's a week and a half that she can't read any of the other stuff! As in, Foundation! I would suggest that she read all 14 books or whatever, starting with the beginning of the Robot series, chronologically in the universe of Asimov. Then again, I'm sure they're quite rewarding individually, too.
Your comment on Asimov's later Foundation books being weaker --- well, I don't know anything about that. I got through "Prelude" and "Foundation" and after that I had to get back to school.
I recently read the first book of "The Norby Chronicles," a buncha short stories that Janet and Isaac Asimov wrote for kids -- compiled into book form. The first story was good. The second, okay. I'm much past 13 now, but it seemed a little sappy. This is a "don't expect the quality/depth that you usually do from Asimov" warning/alert.
I LOVED most of Asimov's stuff (essays, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, etc.) and would gladly welcome a giant all-of-his-writing anthology. Unfortunately, I don't quite have room for an OED in my current apartment...
"Harrison Bergeron" was a short story of his that I read in 7th or 8th grade (so I must have been between 9-12) and I loved it. I still remember reading (on the bus home) that "World Treasury of Science Fiction" that I'd checked out from the school library...that story made me think, and I enjoyed it, and it has no explicit sex or drug use -- just violence, but it didn't disturb me in a bad way, only in a good way. That si, it made me realize that it IS possible that envy and leveling/dumbing-down could, in theory, result in a "handicapper general."
Dragonflight, The Ship Who Sang, Crystal Singer - Anne Mcaffry - (notice how the first of each of her sequences is worthwhile?)
You are absolutely right! I recognized that for the first time about a month ago, over winter break. I remembered loving the "Rowan" and "Crystal Singer" serieses, so I checked out / bought for cheap (I love Berkeley) a bunch of them to reread. By the second book, they were ho-hum, and I never did finish the 3rd "Killashandra/Crystal Singer" book (Crystal Line). I only finished the 4th in the Rowan Series (Lyon's Pride) out of a sense of obligation.
My theory is, the first book starts out with introducing a really interesting character who goes through an entire life-changing experience. After that, the character is pretty much fully formed and all later stuff doesn't contain the interesting flaws/growth.
Wow. This seems like a good idea, if you're the type of person who is very much adamant about the open-source credentials of Slashdot.
There's a few ways to get a person or entity to do something. First is rational persuasion. I think we've tried that. Second is nonviolent direct action. Boycotting would be one of those; posting in protest on/. is sort of a combo between the 1st and the 2nd, to me. Then there are the violent/coercive/unethical ways that do not respect the other entity's dignity/rights. I'm not for that.
Thanks for the info on the Slashdot boycott. It's a good idea, if you feel that strongly. I'm not sure I do, but I'll think about it before Friday.
Be warned: the publicity from the boycott might bring/. MORE traffic, thus cutting down on or eliminating the less-traffic aim of the boycott.
Laughing out loud in the lab
on
Geeks in Suits
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· Score: 2
GOD, that's funny! I met CmdrTaco at LWE this last summer, and imagining him singing "I'm Too Sexy For This Site" gave me the best laughs I've gotten today. Thank you, AC. You are proof that ACs ar valuable, too.
God, that was funny.
Document already exists under the GPL
on
GPL for Books?
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· Score: 2
Junkbusters, an organization that helps you get rid of spam, junk mail, telemarketers, and the like, has a sample declaration that you can send to direct marketing associations. It's under the GPL.
Rights in this Declaration Copying, redistribution, modification and production of derived works of this Declaration are permitted only under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The copyright of the expositional parts of this document is held by Junkbusters Corporation and is used here by permission under the GPL. This Declaration comes with no warranty. If clarification is needed refer first to the Guide to Interpretation of Declarations published by Junkbusters; for copies of that guide see www.junkbusters.com. Copies of the GPL are available there or from the Free Software Foundation, 675 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
So, although some posters have said that the GPL is inappropriate for documents, at least one document out there is GPLed. It is a net-based thing, tho'.
My Dad and I practically fought over who could keep the I-don't-know-how-old LaserJet 4L that currently sits by my side. It's reliable, more so than he is, anyway. He hates his hard-to-deal-with Canon scanner/copier/fax/oh-yeah-and-a-printer dealiebob and loves the sweet, easy simplicity of the LaserJet. Well, too bad, so do I and I'm in college, so I win.
Seriously -- it works in Linux, it works in Windows, it works under stress and it beats the hell out of my old Epson FX-80 dot-matrix or whatever that slow-arse thing was.
HP is getting props for cluefulness here. Not too much of a boy's club (Carly Fiorina), good emplyess packages for people who actually have families/lives, and the most-recommended printers, bar none.
One reason universities may require freshmen to live in the dorms is to get them into the campus community. (I read an economic expl. above that makes sense, but apart from that...) I got to know people, and most of them were fun. I woulda been a lonely, possibly mentally ill person without meeting a lot of people I could hang out with. Getting-to-know-you activites are WORTH IT (at least here, at Berkeley).
I met a friend or 2 (lasting), lots of acquaintances, 3 or so real jerks, and an SO with whom I've been >1yr.
The dorms can be hell, once in a while, but sometimes it's fun, and sometimes it's the best thing you ever did.
If you;re having problems, TALK TO YOUR RA. There are plenty of people who can help you with your problems. Universities want to make sure no one kills himself over a drunken-continually roomie or anything. Counselors, Residential Assistants, a lot of people ae available to help you.
I did not go through hell in the dorms. It was an experience that I'm glad I had. I met my SO (been together >1 yr now) there, and yes, it progressd quickly, for some of the reasons you state. And my roommie wasn't too bad, although my SO's was. I made friends, quickly, or at least got o know pepople, which is important your first few weeks. Community-building. Our floor did stuff together --- yes, there was cliquiness, but also lasting friendships-and-more. Dorm life can suck sometimes but more often than not (from what I know) it can shine.
You may recall that Mr. Schoen, active member (if not founder) of the LUG at UC Berkeley, is now practically the legal vetter for ESR, if I recall correctly. I remember that during the Apple Public License controversy, it was Seth who pointed out possible problems.
Seth is a man who stands up for his principles and lives by them. He refused to take a loyalty oath to the Constitutions of California and the US because of his capitalist-anarchist views. Because of that, he was not allowed to take his job at the University. (He works for LinuxCare now; I saw him at LWE this past summer at the Loki booth.) As well, he helped organize Windoze Refund Day. My personal love of Seth derives from his smalll comment that introduced me to this world: "Do you read Slashdot?"
So, he's a community builder and a principled open-source advocate. Seth Schoen.
Yes, if an "unsung hero" gets the award, he/she loses his/her status as "unsung." However, up until the moment of winning, the unsung hero is still unsung, and thus still eligible. Maybe if just getting nominated were a great big deal, as in the Oscars where only 5 items are nominated for each category, then there would be a problem, because no nominee would be unsung any more. But here the nominations are unlimited.
IMO, the benefits of giving an award to an unsung hero outweigh any purist semantic costs.
The problem is, the FAQ doesn't answer the question.
Actually, the question that the person asked DID have an answer in the FAQ. The question was about a story submission queue (love that word), and Rob DOES answer the question in the FAQ.
Here, for the community's service, I reproduce the relevant doc:
How about a page for rejected or pending story submissions?
People ask for this a lot, and I've always said no. Let me try to list what appears in the 300 or so submissions we get each day: duplicates of each other (hundred+ each day- a major story will be submitted 50 or more times), repeats of stories we've posted days or even months ago (dozens each day). Then there is the offensive stuff, the completely unreadable (anyone who complains about my grammar would be amazed), stuff with broken HTML that causes netscape to choke, spam, submissions that really are meant to be email to an author, feature suggestions, bug reports, speculation, rumor, and just plain lies.
Believe me when I say the submissions box isn't fit for mainstream consumption. We work really hard to keep a certain standard up on Slashdot, and I feel that opening up the submissions bin would be so prone to abuses, that it would make it much more difficult to maintain.
A "Rejects" pile is reasonable tho with a slim layer of filtering to prevent abuse and maybe filter out some of the duplicates. That'll probably happen someday.
I think what you mean is that it would LOWER the signal-to-noise ratio. Just a nitpick, especially needed since more and more people make this mistake nowadays.
...for best comment poster. He is insightful, even insightful enough to make valid criticisms of Slashdot's moderation system and prove them in his own experiments. Like his methods or not, he is consistently interesting, insightful, funny, and a person I wouldn't mind meeting in person.
Oh, and I used a quote by him to start off the paper I've written about Slashdot. I will finish editing it soon; if you'd like a copy, email me.
You can watch those lovely-useful TV bore-oadcasts using battery-powered televisions, and sometimes listen to their audio channels on battery-powered radios (as in a PBS station I once listened to). Also, don't forget portable generators.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd recommend the first in each series and DIScommend (if that's a word) the rest of each series
And remember, I would put McCaffrey and, say, Heinlein in COMPLETELY different categories. She is a good FANTASY author (as I've said, in her first books), but I doubt she's a classic as w/the others you mentioned. It's good escapism, with little or no "Wow, I never thought of it that way". Still, entertaining for a youngish teen. And the main characters in both those series are female.
Oh, and by the way, the quality of writing is maybe not too much better in her early books, but the plotting is MUCH better, which may be that to which you take objection. There's practically no plot in Lyon's Pride; I finished it out of a sense of obligation.
By the way, this book brought me one of the most interesting moment's I've had in my short life. I was rereading this book in junior year of high school, and a stupid chick in my first period class saw me with it. After discovering that I was REREADING the book because I had enjoyed it so much, she asked in bewilderment, "Why would you read a book twice?"
I still hope a little bit that Amber was joking.
What classic lit reminds us of Slashdot?
Of course, thanks to suggestions, I now must add Beowulf, The Great CmdrTaco, and Chicken Soup for the Geek's Soul.
To get the essay to which the article refers, email me.
I read Catch-22 when I was in 9th grade, so, 13 yrs old, and I liked it. It wasn't too difficult.
As for Ulysses, well, I read part of that this year, and hated it. Boring, tedious, etc. Perhaps I should try that one again in 10 years.
Yeah, I think Asimov did write a few not-so-worth-reading books. Some of his 'children's' stuff. Norby Chronicles, maybe (tho' I haven't read them) the Lucky Starr books (I think he himself didn't like them). But those are the exceptions. Knock yourself out.
Still, there is one problem, which is this: the girl is the guy's niece. He might want to check with her parents before giving her sci-fi or fantasy with themes or scenes that he KNOWS might conflict with any beliefs that they have. They, after all, are the ones who are raising her and are the ones who have the final say.
Hey, and don't forget to teach her a role-playing game or two! I wish I'd started a long time ago. I'd be a cool D&D chick, not the poser I am now.
Plus, if she's reading Cryptonomicon, that's a week and a half that she can't read any of the other stuff! As in, Foundation! I would suggest that she read all 14 books or whatever, starting with the beginning of the Robot series, chronologically in the universe of Asimov. Then again, I'm sure they're quite rewarding individually, too.
I recently read the first book of "The Norby Chronicles," a buncha short stories that Janet and Isaac Asimov wrote for kids -- compiled into book form. The first story was good. The second, okay. I'm much past 13 now, but it seemed a little sappy. This is a "don't expect the quality/depth that you usually do from Asimov" warning/alert.
I LOVED most of Asimov's stuff (essays, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, etc.) and would gladly welcome a giant all-of-his-writing anthology. Unfortunately, I don't quite have room for an OED in my current apartment...
You are absolutely right! I recognized that for the first time about a month ago, over winter break. I remembered loving the "Rowan" and "Crystal Singer" serieses, so I checked out / bought for cheap (I love Berkeley) a bunch of them to reread. By the second book, they were ho-hum, and I never did finish the 3rd "Killashandra/Crystal Singer" book (Crystal Line). I only finished the 4th in the Rowan Series (Lyon's Pride) out of a sense of obligation.
My theory is, the first book starts out with introducing a really interesting character who goes through an entire life-changing experience. After that, the character is pretty much fully formed and all later stuff doesn't contain the interesting flaws/growth.
There's a few ways to get a person or entity to do something. First is rational persuasion. I think we've tried that. Second is nonviolent direct action. Boycotting would be one of those; posting in protest on /. is sort of a combo between the 1st and the 2nd, to me. Then there are the violent/coercive/unethical ways that do not respect the other entity's dignity/rights. I'm not for that.
Thanks for the info on the Slashdot boycott. It's a good idea, if you feel that strongly. I'm not sure I do, but I'll think about it before Friday.
Be warned: the publicity from the boycott might bring /. MORE traffic, thus cutting down on or eliminating the less-traffic aim of the boycott.
God, that was funny.
Rights in this Declaration Copying, redistribution, modification and production of derived works of this Declaration are permitted only under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The copyright of the expositional parts of this document is held by Junkbusters Corporation and is used here by permission under the GPL. This Declaration comes with no warranty. If clarification is needed refer first to the Guide to Interpretation of Declarations published by Junkbusters; for copies of that guide see www.junkbusters.com. Copies of the GPL are available there or from the Free Software Foundation, 675 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
So, although some posters have said that the GPL is inappropriate for documents, at least one document out there is GPLed. It is a net-based thing, tho'.
Seriously -- it works in Linux, it works in Windows, it works under stress and it beats the hell out of my old Epson FX-80 dot-matrix or whatever that slow-arse thing was.
HP is getting props for cluefulness here. Not too much of a boy's club (Carly Fiorina), good emplyess packages for people who actually have families/lives, and the most-recommended printers, bar none.
I met a friend or 2 (lasting), lots of acquaintances, 3 or so real jerks, and an SO with whom I've been >1yr.
The dorms can be hell, once in a while, but sometimes it's fun, and sometimes it's the best thing you ever did.
If you;re having problems, TALK TO YOUR RA. There are plenty of people who can help you with your problems. Universities want to make sure no one kills himself over a drunken-continually roomie or anything. Counselors, Residential Assistants, a lot of people ae available to help you.
Seth is a man who stands up for his principles and lives by them. He refused to take a loyalty oath to the Constitutions of California and the US because of his capitalist-anarchist views. Because of that, he was not allowed to take his job at the University. (He works for LinuxCare now; I saw him at LWE this past summer at the Loki booth.) As well, he helped organize Windoze Refund Day. My personal love of Seth derives from his smalll comment that introduced me to this world: "Do you read Slashdot?"
So, he's a community builder and a principled open-source advocate. Seth Schoen.
Maybe if just getting nominated were a great big deal, as in the Oscars where only 5 items are nominated for each category, then there would be a problem, because no nominee would be unsung any more. But here the nominations are unlimited.
IMO, the benefits of giving an award to an unsung hero outweigh any purist semantic costs.
The problem is, the FAQ doesn't answer the question.
Actually, the question that the person asked DID have an answer in the FAQ. The question was about a story submission queue (love that word), and Rob DOES answer the question in the FAQ.
Here, for the community's service, I reproduce the relevant doc:
How about a page for rejected or pending story
submissions?
People ask for this a lot, and I've always said no. Let me try to list what appears in
the 300 or so submissions we get each day: duplicates of each other (hundred+ each
day- a major story will be submitted 50 or more times), repeats of stories we've
posted days or even months ago (dozens each day). Then there is the offensive stuff,
the completely unreadable (anyone who complains about my grammar would be
amazed), stuff with broken HTML that causes netscape to choke, spam,
submissions that really are meant to be email to an author, feature suggestions, bug
reports, speculation, rumor, and just plain lies.
Believe me when I say the submissions box isn't fit for mainstream consumption. We
work really hard to keep a certain standard up on Slashdot, and I feel that opening
up the submissions bin would be so prone to abuses, that it would make it much
more difficult to maintain.
A "Rejects" pile is reasonable tho with a slim layer of filtering to prevent abuse and
maybe filter out some of the duplicates. That'll probably happen someday.
I think what you mean is that it would LOWER the signal-to-noise ratio. Just a nitpick, especially needed since more and more people make this mistake nowadays.
Oh, and I used a quote by him to start off the paper I've written about Slashdot. I will finish editing it soon; if you'd like a copy, email me.
And I'll check now...
Nope, no mention of Formics. It's all from a kid's perspective. "Formics" is a very adult word. Of course, Ender has the brains of a grown-up kid.
I do hope that the Stilson thing remains. It's disturbing but crucial, after all. Kids kill.
Oh, God, I hope no one makes an Ender-Columbine connection and boycotts the movie...
Your signature is number 00001711
As we count New Year's night, 10-9-8 ad finitum, we can count the petition numbers upwards to -- who knows -- 2 mil?!