Well, I got my LoTR fix finally. And I gotta tell ya, it was pretty damn good. The action sequences were especially nice. The battle sequences will set new standards. Gollum was, well, just plain amazing. The Ents looked just like I had always imagined them.
Downsides... This film missed several opportunities to work on the Strider-to-King Aragorn transformation. There was limited character development with Gollum and (surprisingly) Gimli coming across as the most three-dimensional.
The Faramir thing? Well, I already knew about it so I wasn't surprised, but it is pretty damn egregious. I think they could have kept it like the book without losing a beat. Sometimes changes add to a movie because they are needed to keep the flow. Other times they strike a false note, and I think that is the case here.
And, although I really liked the Ents I felt they got pretty short shrift scriptwise. Maybe there are some cut Ent scenes that will show up in the TTEE (Two Towers Extended Edition) DVD when it comes out.
I am going to have to see it a couple more times before I can make the call as to which is the better movie, but right now Fellowship gets the nod as a more rounded picture. Still, any complaint I make is because TT isn't perfect, not because it isn't the best movie to come out this year. Go see it. See it soon so you can share the experience with other LoTR fans instead of the mundane masses.
And remember to go to the bathroom right before the previews start. It is three hours long and you won't want to miss a second...
Well, Brin's article was mostly successful
on
David Brin On LOTR
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· Score: 2
If you actually read the article you will read in several different places where Brin stated outright that he wanted people to think about the story. Based on the discussion here I would say that most of you have done so, and at length.
The fact most of you also vented plenty of vitriol at Brin in the process is entirely beside the point; from what I know of the man he would consider that a success as well.
Now, as for the balance of posters that didn't think... Well, do they ever?
Whoops, that's what I get for not checking the link. Seattle Wireless is a.net, not a.org domain. Sorry.
Also I forgot to make my real point in my rush to post. Basically I very much prefer the idea of WiFi networks growing as literal 'emergent networks' of volunteers and perhaps some local businesses to Ricochet or 3G, which can only be operated by giant faceless corporations.
And I use 802.11B for home networking now. My take? Ricochet's only really cool feature was they way they used repeaters on light-poles. Other than that it was slower and more expensive (both in terms of equipment costs and connection fees) than WiFi.
If WiFi networks can do repeaters to extend range to an Internet gateway the same as Ricochet did, who needs it? Plus I like the idea of having my local network be my neighborhood, something Ricochet couldn't (or didn't) do. Check Seattle Wireless for one volunteer network that is working on these problems now.
Totally on-topic co-incidence; just a little while ago I ran into a pointer to the MNET project.
When the Mojo Nation P2P effort ran out of money they released the client code under the GPL (it is in Python). MNET is a stripped-down variant of the code (without the micropayment kruft) delivered as an API with some sample apps, one of which is a file sharing application.
So, if you know a little Python, you can grab MNET and whip up your own distributed file-sharing network. Cool!
Mr.Tweak writes "We have written a comprehensive System Optimization Guide targeted toward Gamers looking to get the most out of their systems . . ./blockquote Since Mr. Tweak doesn't seem to know much about getting the most from his web server, I have got to wonder about the rest of it...
Troll or no? Re:Reasearch quality in Crichton...
on
Electronic Life
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· Score: 2
I can't decide if this is a well executed troll, or just someone who really believes what he is saying. I certainly find it goes against everything *I* know about Crichton's work...
If it is a troll, comparing Crichton to Gibson is a masterstroke!
Crichton has a bad track record for science &
on
Electronic Life
·
· Score: 2
It seems clear to me that Crichton's 'Non-fiction' on technical subjects is even worse than his 'Science Fiction' is when it comes to science.
You know, I am willing to fight to the death to ensure everyone has a right to speak their opinions. And I am certainly not an apologist for P.C. witch hunts. In other words, I don't think any speech should be punished, but neither should ugly speech be rewarded.
So when someone comes off as gratiuitiously insulting under the guise of humor (and I perceived the parent post as such) I am always dissapointed to find others think it funny. Nothing was gained by it and much was lost.
Sad really.
Jack William Bell
Re:Which is exactly why it has a girls name
on
ALICE vs. ALICE
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Man I *really* hope no one mods you up 'Funny'. You are entitled to sexist views, but I hope no-one else shares them.
Turtles, all the way down...
on
Fun With Wine
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· Score: 3, Funny
So, is my attempt to use my/. journal as a weblog kinda the same thing? I wonder if someone could use the comment section in one of my entries as a mini-/. ? Then someone could use the comments to that for a weblog and...
This is cool, but what online comics really need is hosting that doesn't whack them into oblivion with bandwith charges when they get popular. Preferably hosting that doesn't also put restrictions on them or make them charge for access to the archives.
My favorite online comics are User Friendly, Megatokyo and Circle Weave. At least two of these have a huge audience and equally huge bandwidth usage. For all I know the third one will also now that I gave its URL here on/. Oh well...
This seems pretty similar to the 'Scotch Tape Drive' where they were getting 10 gigabytes of data onto a roll of adhesive tape using a laser in much the same way.
Slashdot Mirror
Also on my /. Journal...
Well, I got my LoTR fix finally. And I gotta tell ya, it was pretty damn good. The action sequences were especially nice. The battle sequences will set new standards. Gollum was, well, just plain amazing. The Ents looked just like I had always imagined them.
Downsides... This film missed several opportunities to work on the Strider-to-King Aragorn transformation. There was limited character development with Gollum and (surprisingly) Gimli coming across as the most three-dimensional.
The Faramir thing? Well, I already knew about it so I wasn't surprised, but it is pretty damn egregious. I think they could have kept it like the book without losing a beat. Sometimes changes add to a movie because they are needed to keep the flow. Other times they strike a false note, and I think that is the case here.
And, although I really liked the Ents I felt they got pretty short shrift scriptwise. Maybe there are some cut Ent scenes that will show up in the TTEE (Two Towers Extended Edition) DVD when it comes out.
I am going to have to see it a couple more times before I can make the call as to which is the better movie, but right now Fellowship gets the nod as a more rounded picture. Still, any complaint I make is because TT isn't perfect, not because it isn't the best movie to come out this year. Go see it. See it soon so you can share the experience with other LoTR fans instead of the mundane masses.
And remember to go to the bathroom right before the previews start. It is three hours long and you won't want to miss a second...
If you actually read the article you will read in several different places where Brin stated outright that he wanted people to think about the story. Based on the discussion here I would say that most of you have done so, and at length.
The fact most of you also vented plenty of vitriol at Brin in the process is entirely beside the point; from what I know of the man he would consider that a success as well.
Now, as for the balance of posters that didn't think... Well, do they ever?
Heh...
Ya, I mistyped. Slips happen.
Bing, BING, BIIINNGGG!!!
Just as I was about to click 'Submit' it hit me, I may be the only one around here old enuff to remember Ricochet Rabbit...
Hey Glenn, you need to change your sig. It is pointing to the old blogspot address...
Whoops, that's what I get for not checking the link. Seattle Wireless is a .net, not a .org domain. Sorry.
Also I forgot to make my real point in my rush to post. Basically I very much prefer the idea of WiFi networks growing as literal 'emergent networks' of volunteers and perhaps some local businesses to Ricochet or 3G, which can only be operated by giant faceless corporations.
And I use 802.11B for home networking now. My take? Ricochet's only really cool feature was they way they used repeaters on light-poles. Other than that it was slower and more expensive (both in terms of equipment costs and connection fees) than WiFi.
If WiFi networks can do repeaters to extend range to an Internet gateway the same as Ricochet did, who needs it? Plus I like the idea of having my local network be my neighborhood, something Ricochet couldn't (or didn't) do. Check Seattle Wireless for one volunteer network that is working on these problems now.
Totally on-topic co-incidence; just a little while ago I ran into a pointer to the MNET project.
When the Mojo Nation P2P effort ran out of money they released the client code under the GPL (it is in Python). MNET is a stripped-down variant of the code (without the micropayment kruft) delivered as an API with some sample apps, one of which is a file sharing application.
So, if you know a little Python, you can grab MNET and whip up your own distributed file-sharing network. Cool!
Hmm...
As a State of Washington taxpayer, I am not so sure I am happy about you serving pages over a connection I subsidize.
So, you can send me forty bucks a month and we'll call it even!
Slip of the click there... While waiting for the preview to load I accidently clicked 'Submit'. Now I can never fix the post :-(
/. has been lately?
Anyone else notice how slow
I can't decide if this is a well executed troll, or just someone who really believes what he is saying. I certainly find it goes against everything *I* know about Crichton's work...
If it is a troll, comparing Crichton to Gibson is a masterstroke!
It seems clear to me that Crichton's 'Non-fiction' on technical subjects is even worse than his 'Science Fiction' is when it comes to science.
Glenn Reynolds has been wondering just how much Crichton's new novel (on Nanotechnology) will get wrong or sensationalize. The worry being that Crichton could easily cause an anti-nano-science backlash by putting the phear of grey goo into Joe Sixpack...
You know, I am willing to fight to the death to ensure everyone has a right to speak their opinions. And I am certainly not an apologist for P.C. witch hunts. In other words, I don't think any speech should be punished, but neither should ugly speech be rewarded.
So when someone comes off as gratiuitiously insulting under the guise of humor (and I perceived the parent post as such) I am always dissapointed to find others think it funny. Nothing was gained by it and much was lost.
Sad really.
Jack William Bell
Man I *really* hope no one mods you up 'Funny'. You are entitled to sexist views, but I hope no-one else shares them.
So, is my attempt to use my /. journal as a weblog kinda the same thing? I wonder if someone could use the comment section in one of my entries as a mini-/. ? Then someone could use the comments to that for a weblog and...
I gotta stop now. My head hurts.
Jack William Bell
Yes I did, in the part that says "Preferably hosting that doesn't also put restrictions on them or make them charge for access to the archives."
Jack William Bell
This is cool, but what online comics really need is hosting that doesn't whack them into oblivion with bandwith charges when they get popular. Preferably hosting that doesn't also put restrictions on them or make them charge for access to the archives.
/. Oh well...
My favorite online comics are User Friendly, Megatokyo and Circle Weave. At least two of these have a huge audience and equally huge bandwidth usage. For all I know the third one will also now that I gave its URL here on
Jack William Bell
- Coffee, hot and lots of it
- Warm clothes and sleeping bags
- Get the hell away from the city
Jack William Bell, long-time meteor freakThis seems pretty similar to the 'Scotch Tape Drive' where they were getting 10 gigabytes of data onto a roll of adhesive tape using a laser in much the same way.
Jack William Bell
From this I take it that you are a fan of the 'Waterfall' model of software development?
Jack William Bell
Hey, now I know how to finally get myself a copy of the 'Dragon Book'. I should have thought of this before!
Library of Congress, watch out!
Jack William Bell
See this post and its subposts in reply to someone else who mentioned End Of Life (EOL) issues, which are a stronger case even than your statement.
Jack William Bell