Comments on: Emancipate the analogue! http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/ I Am the Cat's Meow Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:48:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-177 Alex Vance Mon, 02 Jan 2006 05:01:35 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-177 <p>Looks lovely! London's a city I haven't seen nearly enough of in my life :)</p> Looks lovely! London’s a city I haven’t seen nearly enough of in my life :)

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-176 Alex Vance Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:57:53 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-176 <p>I love the rituals people have with their reading :)</p> I love the rituals people have with their reading :)

]]> By: footpad http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-175 footpad Mon, 02 Jan 2006 03:09:14 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-175 <p>Yesyes! There's something about research papers and coffee.¹ It's like they need a libation before they can release their nummy noëtic goodness, kinda like seeds that can't germinate until they've fermented their way through an elephant.</p> <p>¹ Or chamomile tea, in my case. But near enough.</p> Yesyes! There’s something about research papers and coffee.¹ It’s like they need a libation before they can release their nummy noëtic goodness, kinda like seeds that can’t germinate until they’ve fermented their way through an elephant.

¹ Or chamomile tea, in my case. But near enough.

]]> By: scruff http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-173 scruff Sun, 01 Jan 2006 18:45:01 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-173 <p>It's the view from the South Portico across the Great Court at the <a href="http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/">British Muesum</a> towards the <a href="http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/greatcourt/read.html">Reading Room</a>.</p> <p>Very pretty building, lots and lots of books, nice atmosphere. Next time you're in London, it's worth dropping in for a sniff around the place :)</p> <p>PS: userpics are great! So far, <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=quaxo">I</a> have just under eighty.<br /> PPS: well, seeing as it's you... *nuzzle!*</p> It’s the view from the South Portico across the Great Court at the British Muesum towards the Reading Room.

Very pretty building, lots and lots of books, nice atmosphere. Next time you’re in London, it’s worth dropping in for a sniff around the place :)

PS: userpics are great! So far, I have just under eighty.
PPS: well, seeing as it’s you… *nuzzle!*

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 21:30:36 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-170 <p>Oh, I could start a lecture on Network Theory... Hubs and circuits and social filtering, oh my! I've good bonds with Kyell, Hirosaki-san and Red, to be sure, though I've known Red since a loooong time before I started writing.</p> <p>Connections, connections! </p> Oh, I could start a lecture on Network Theory… Hubs and circuits and social filtering, oh my! I’ve good bonds with Kyell, Hirosaki-san and Red, to be sure, though I’ve known Red since a loooong time before I started writing.

Connections, connections!

]]> By: confusedoo http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-169 confusedoo Sat, 31 Dec 2005 20:53:20 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-169 <p>Up to now it's been a rather one sided engagement, as I've read your writing, but not had any contact with you. I only recently discovered FurRag and your Livejournal (Through Kyell's livejournal) It is interesting how these communities seem to spring up with the same people in them. You, Kyell, Teiran, and KM Hirosaki are (some of) my favorite writers, but I never knew that you all talked/participated in online community stuff, plus people like Graveyard Greg and Red Swampwulf. </p> Up to now it’s been a rather one sided engagement, as I’ve read your writing, but not had any contact with you. I only recently discovered FurRag and your Livejournal (Through Kyell’s livejournal) It is interesting how these communities seem to spring up with the same people in them. You, Kyell, Teiran, and KM Hirosaki are (some of) my favorite writers, but I never knew that you all talked/participated in online community stuff, plus people like Graveyard Greg and Red Swampwulf.

]]> By: kieranwolf http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-161 kieranwolf Sat, 31 Dec 2005 14:41:39 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-161 <p>Philosophy is teh ewww, but a friend did recommend "Cryptonomicon" By Neal Stephenson to me recently. Usually I only have trouble at my pace if an author introduces a whole slew of new characters all at once, like in Tolkien's Silmarillon. Otherwise, I just seem to be...hungry, even ravenous for new material.</p> Philosophy is teh ewww, but a friend did recommend “Cryptonomicon” By Neal Stephenson to me recently. Usually I only have trouble at my pace if an author introduces a whole slew of new characters all at once, like in Tolkien’s Silmarillon. Otherwise, I just seem to be…hungry, even ravenous for new material.

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 12:04:46 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-159 <p>I'm going to stick to my guns a bit here. Whether or not you have absorbed all that a work of visual art has to offer is certainly debateable, and I've watched historians of your fascinating ilk poring at length over gigantic projections of tapestries on slides -- but if you don't absorb all there is to partake of, you have in face seen all of it. Every photon's hit your retina. While in a movie, certainly, you may have blinked and missed two frames (which, if ill-timed, can make decoding Memento far trickier than it ought to be, and spoil a lot of the psychedelic humour in Fight Club), but you've seen almost al of it and music, well, you can't ignore that unless you fall asleep. But you can't claim to have 'read' a book unless you've actually decoded every letter. You don't have to get it, or like it, but you do have to read all of it before you can even have a first-hand impression of it.<br /> A blurb on the back is a second-hand impression, just like the blurb on the back of a DVD, a review of a piece of music or a description of a piece of art.</p> <p>On a wholly unrelated subject, have we met or engaged each other in any fashion? You're interesting.</p> I’m going to stick to my guns a bit here. Whether or not you have absorbed all that a work of visual art has to offer is certainly debateable, and I’ve watched historians of your fascinating ilk poring at length over gigantic projections of tapestries on slides — but if you don’t absorb all there is to partake of, you have in face seen all of it. Every photon’s hit your retina. While in a movie, certainly, you may have blinked and missed two frames (which, if ill-timed, can make decoding Memento far trickier than it ought to be, and spoil a lot of the psychedelic humour in Fight Club), but you’ve seen almost al of it and music, well, you can’t ignore that unless you fall asleep. But you can’t claim to have ‘read’ a book unless you’ve actually decoded every letter. You don’t have to get it, or like it, but you do have to read all of it before you can even have a first-hand impression of it.
A blurb on the back is a second-hand impression, just like the blurb on the back of a DVD, a review of a piece of music or a description of a piece of art.

On a wholly unrelated subject, have we met or engaged each other in any fashion? You’re interesting.

]]> By: confusedoo http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-158 confusedoo Sat, 31 Dec 2005 11:42:40 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-158 <p>In many cases I'll read fast to get to the resolution of the plot, but then go back and read it slower and more carefully to catch things I missed. If you want some things to read that are simply impossible to absorb quickly may I suggest some philosophy by Heidegger, Michel Foucault, or Jaques Derrida. I'm sure those would slow you down just a bit ;)</p> In many cases I’ll read fast to get to the resolution of the plot, but then go back and read it slower and more carefully to catch things I missed. If you want some things to read that are simply impossible to absorb quickly may I suggest some philosophy by Heidegger, Michel Foucault, or Jaques Derrida. I’m sure those would slow you down just a bit ;)

]]> By: confusedoo http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-157 confusedoo Sat, 31 Dec 2005 11:39:17 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-157 <p>I read the latest harry potter in about 5 hours, the fifth Harry Potter in about 7.5, and certain Tom Clancy novels (the old and really thick ones) in 11-14 hours in a single day. I'm a voracious reader. </p> <p>I think there are exceptions to the time constraints re: visual vs. long form creations. As an art historian I've spent many many hours looking at and analyzing single examples of visual art. At the same time, the blurbs on the backs of books gives the opportunity for that immediate gut reaction of "I like it" or "What a waste of a perfectly good tree." Those first impressions may be misleading, but that can be true of visual art, too. There are a lot of differences between the visual and long-form written art, but while you cam make superficial generalizations about time, I think it's doesn't really do justice to those issues.</p> I read the latest harry potter in about 5 hours, the fifth Harry Potter in about 7.5, and certain Tom Clancy novels (the old and really thick ones) in 11–14 hours in a single day. I’m a voracious reader.

I think there are exceptions to the time constraints re: visual vs. long form creations. As an art historian I’ve spent many many hours looking at and analyzing single examples of visual art. At the same time, the blurbs on the backs of books gives the opportunity for that immediate gut reaction of “I like it” or “What a waste of a perfectly good tree.” Those first impressions may be misleading, but that can be true of visual art, too. There are a lot of differences between the visual and long-form written art, but while you cam make superficial generalizations about time, I think it’s doesn’t really do justice to those issues.

]]> By: kieranwolf http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-156 kieranwolf Sat, 31 Dec 2005 11:28:37 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-156 <p>The ease of relaxing and opening a book is indeed far preferable to heading to the internet and staring at the harsh brightness of a computer screen. I would never have read the stories included in FANG issues H05 and 1GF if I hadn't had it in my paws in paperback form.</p> <p>I devour literature at an average rate of 25,000 words per hour, myself. If the fiction is designed for audiences younger than myself, I usually read it all the faster. Sometimes it's almost as if I'm questing for a volume that I would relish taking my casual time with (or simply cannot absorb at an accelerated rate). Or, perhaps, I simply read fast because I want to see the plot resolved.</p> The ease of relaxing and opening a book is indeed far preferable to heading to the internet and staring at the harsh brightness of a computer screen. I would never have read the stories included in FANG issues H05 and 1GF if I hadn’t had it in my paws in paperback form.

I devour literature at an average rate of 25,000 words per hour, myself. If the fiction is designed for audiences younger than myself, I usually read it all the faster. Sometimes it’s almost as if I’m questing for a volume that I would relish taking my casual time with (or simply cannot absorb at an accelerated rate). Or, perhaps, I simply read fast because I want to see the plot resolved.

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 09:01:53 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-154 <p>I'm sorry, but I haven't a clue. I *have*, however, discovered the joy of userpics. Can I have that nuzzle anyway? :)</p> I’m sorry, but I haven’t a clue. I *have*, however, discovered the joy of userpics. Can I have that nuzzle anyway? :)

]]> By: scruff http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-153 scruff Sat, 31 Dec 2005 08:26:06 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-153 <p>Books are wonderful. I suspect <i>this</i> userpic's more appropriate for a bibliophile, however. And if you manage to get the reference, you get a nuzzle next time I see you :)</p> Books are wonderful. I suspect this userpic’s more appropriate for a bibliophile, however. And if you manage to get the reference, you get a nuzzle next time I see you :)

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 08:23:07 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-152 <p>You are so not wrong! That's exactly the reason why I started FANG. And I love your icon!</p> <p>"Mmmmmmmm.." :)</p> You are so not wrong! That’s exactly the reason why I started FANG. And I love your icon!

“Mmmmmmmm..” :)

]]> By: scruff http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-151 scruff Sat, 31 Dec 2005 07:43:35 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-151 <p>Indeed, in this case, queueing at midnight to buy it as soon as it was physically possible, then locking myself in my room was the only way to remain pure; the wonderful thing about books is that you can go sprawl on your bed, or lounge around on the floor, and completely lose yourself in the pages, something that's just not possible with screen-based media.</p> <p>Whenever I'm reading research papers, despite the majority of them being provided in pdf format, I still can't assimilate them unless they're printed out and I can curl up under my desk to read them, make notes in the margins, get coffee-stains on it, underline or annotate things, <i>feel</i> the article and create mental associations with the way the thing looks.</p> <p>There's a lot more to the experience of reading than just the words, after all!</p> Indeed, in this case, queueing at midnight to buy it as soon as it was physically possible, then locking myself in my room was the only way to remain pure; the wonderful thing about books is that you can go sprawl on your bed, or lounge around on the floor, and completely lose yourself in the pages, something that’s just not possible with screen-based media.

Whenever I’m reading research papers, despite the majority of them being provided in pdf format, I still can’t assimilate them unless they’re printed out and I can curl up under my desk to read them, make notes in the margins, get coffee-stains on it, underline or annotate things, feel the article and create mental associations with the way the thing looks.

There’s a lot more to the experience of reading than just the words, after all!

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 07:31:47 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-150 <p>The Stream -- an unstoppable flow of information... so unstoppable that it can't even be delayed without dramatic action. Discussions on the ending of the new HP start within minutes of its becoming available, and you know you've missed the latest South Park when five people separately remark that you rack a-disciprine :)</p> The Stream — an unstoppable flow of information… so unstoppable that it can’t even be delayed without dramatic action. Discussions on the ending of the new HP start within minutes of its becoming available, and you know you’ve missed the latest South Park when five people separately remark that you rack a-disciprine :)

]]> By: scruff http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-149 scruff Sat, 31 Dec 2005 07:06:20 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-149 <p>As a cheetah, I feel it is my responsibility to keep up the reputation of my species; plenty of lounging around in the sun, intersperced with periods of running very fast. There are, of course, things that one <i>should</i> take one's time over.</p> <p>As for the HP thing, that was more a self-preservation thing — I didn't want someone giving away the ending before I'd read it!</p> As a cheetah, I feel it is my responsibility to keep up the reputation of my species; plenty of lounging around in the sun, intersperced with periods of running very fast. There are, of course, things that one should take one’s time over.

As for the HP thing, that was more a self-preservation thing — I didn’t want someone giving away the ending before I’d read it!

]]> By: Alex Vance http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Alex Vance Sat, 31 Dec 2005 06:59:45 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-148 <p>Six hours? You're a witch! A witch! You must be stoned!</p> <p>Although, hanging out with Kimba and Kensaro as you occasionally do, I suspect that you may be way ahead of me. And the speed's likely a cheetah thing -- much like your LJ-sniping. Two minutes! Woo :)</p> Six hours? You’re a witch! A witch! You must be stoned!

Although, hanging out with Kimba and Kensaro as you occasionally do, I suspect that you may be way ahead of me. And the speed’s likely a cheetah thing — much like your LJ-sniping. Two minutes! Woo :)

]]> By: scruff http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/comment-page-1/#comment-147 scruff Sat, 31 Dec 2005 06:56:42 +0000 http://www.alexfvance.com/2005/12/31/emancipate-the-analogue/#comment-147 <p>Side note: it took me just over six hours to read the latest HP :)</p> <p>And you <i>are</i> a sensationally multi-talented Renaissance Wuff, aren't you?</p> Side note: it took me just over six hours to read the latest HP :)

And you are a sensationally multi-talented Renaissance Wuff, aren’t you?

]]>