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3076

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 15, 2013, 08:13 AM »

@4wd:

Around the card table, four people were in discussion, and not the garden variety chatter that always accompanies group pastimes. Nearby, a woman finished sampling a swimming pool and adjusting the pool water’s composition minutely with a tray of chemicals she carried. She was merely carrying out one of her many duties as an Environmental tech, but her other purpose in being here at this particular time was to be ready to provide backup, should her boyfriend Byron and the others get caught by the chief of security. She and Byron had been serious now for close to a year, and recently Sethra had taken her fully into his confidence. So while the other four plotted, she kept an eye surreptitiously on the man throwing darts, and the two people in the swimming pool.

and then later...

Byron spent the night two kilometers away, with his lover, Zuzana Wesley, in another cavern filled with residential cubicles. His neoprene blues and her greens were in a tangled heap at the foot of the bed. “Did you guys get some details worked out?” she asked sleepily. “Yes,” Byron replied. “We’ll make our move soon. Be ready for Sethra’s chime.”

-kyrathaba (June 15, 2013, 07:53 AM)

Well that side-stepped that little conundrum quite neatly.   

Although I'm not sure that 40hz will be happy that the reference to "a red-headed knockout!" has seemingly been sacrificed.....

If Zuzana was to be included in the VR journey from the start now, I think you still only mention a total of "four total immersion pods" later in the meeting.

BTW, I'm not turning this from a labour of love into a major PITA am I?

I'd hate to think that. 

Incidentally, this is probably going to be the longest book I've ever read since I start at page one with every iteration of it 

3077

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 15, 2013, 01:28 AM »

@4wd. Thank you very much for going Sherlock Holmes. See if this fixes it:

-kyrathaba (June 14, 2013, 11:47 AM)

That clears up that little mystery but to be honest, the disparity between the number of people was not the real reason I had a "wait a minute" moment at that point.

Sorry, if I'm going to get hyper-critical here seeing as no-one else picked up on this but when I'm reading a book I hate having to go back a dozen or more pages because I think I've missed something - it interrupts the flow.

So feel free to ignore me, I'm still enjoying it 

I'll go back a few pages to where the four "conspirators", (for want of a better word), are meeting in Rec #2:

Nearby, a woman finished sampling a swimming pool and adjusting the pool water’s composition minutely with a tray of chemicals she carried. She finished and exited the area, smiling at Byron, who waved back at her and returned the smile. Their eyes lingered on one another a few moments too long, Sethra decided, and he made a mental note to torment Byron about it later.

Followed by:

Byron spent the night two kilometers away, in another cavern filled with residential cubicles. He was enjoying the company of the Environmental tech he’d shared a smile with earlier in Rec #2. It wasn’t the first time the two had felt sparks when in proximity to one another. Zuzana Wesley was her name, a red-headed knockout!

From those two excerpts I was under the assumption that Byron and Zuzana had only, errr...., "interfaced" for the first time that night - previous contact being a few smiles and/or words.

But when I read the line, (now modified), below:

With a heavily encrypted brief message, Sethra announced an impromptu meeting in his cubicle, sending the chime to Byron, Zuzana, Veronee and Eddie.

She appears to be one of the conspirators but was not joining them in VR, (originally), nor was privy to the meeting in Rec #2 - it left me a little confused so I ended up reading that whole section again.

I hope what I've said make some sort of sense.

There appears to be one too many or few quote marks in this section:

“May I?” Sethra asked, sliding his hand forward on the table. At a nod from Byron, he picked up the data chip and held it up to the light. “And we just happen to have the tech down here to actually access this data. “Given the research in which I was involved at MIT, if the conclusions we were beginning to reach are realistic, then this chip, run on the hardware here in the compound, could allow our consciousnesses to survive our seemingly imminent bodily deaths.” Handing the crystal back to Byron, he continued, “I never thought I’d see that again.”

I think this line:

No need for a nuclear strike, if these aliens were sophisticated enough to slay a quarter of the population with a long-range electronic virus they bathed the planet in before they were even all the way in-system.

would read better grammatically, (although I'm hardly one to talk about proper grammar ):

If these aliens were sophisticated enough to slay a quarter of the population with a long-range electronic virus they bathed the planet in before they were even all the way in-system, then there's no need for a nuclear strike.

But he follows the protocols, which means he has his chief of security, and certain androids, constantly casting a wide electronic net of surveillance throughout the compound.

Possibly:

But he follows the protocols, which means he has his chief of security, and certain androids, constantly casting a wide electronic surveillance net throughout the compound.

3078

Living Room / Re: My New Philosophy

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 11:38 PM »

I converted to Bokononism a while back.

-allen (June 14, 2013, 07:27 AM)

(phew) had to read that twice... first time through my brain told me "Boskone-ism"... too much Lensman in my formative years maybe...

-x16wda (June 14, 2013, 07:35 PM)

I had the same reaction 

3079

General Software Discussion / Re: [IDEA] copy on select

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 11:36 PM »

The new in your idea is not copy on select, but paste on middle-click; many programs will offer to copy on select.

-Curt (June 14, 2013, 12:01 PM)

It's not really that new, it's a common X Windows feature, one that you can have in Windows by using TXMouse.

Unfortunately, TXMouse uses the default clipboard so it misses out on that point.

3080

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 07:51 PM »

@40hz, your name will be included under Proofreader's in "Acknowledgments" in next upload.

-kyrathaba (June 14, 2013, 07:06 PM)

Thx! But shouldn't that be 4wd and not me? AFAIK I haven't proofed anything yet. I've just enjoyed the story so far. 

-40hz (June 14, 2013, 07:44 PM)

Don't you start, you'll give him a persecution complex.

 

3081

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 10:43 AM »

Sorry, can't give you a page, I'm reading this on my phone.

A grammatical error:

Sethra was unlatched his toolcase and opened it.

Should be, (I think):

Sethra had unlatched his toolcase and opened it.

Chapter 5:

He peered out over the assembled for a few moments,...

Possibly:

He peered out over the assembly for a few moments,....

or:

He peered out over the assembled personnel for a few moments,...

3082

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 09:43 AM »

OK, forgive me for going Sherlock Holmes on you here but there is a rather large inconsistancy, (well, to me anyway), I've found.

See how I go:

Monday, June 11, 2283, 2014 hours

With a heavily encrypted brief message, Sethra announced an impromptu meeting in his cubicle, sending the chime to Byron, Zuzana, and Eddie.

By my count that's four people in his room, (the sudden introduction of Zuzana where I would have thought it would be Veronee throws me a bit but to continue), this is borne out further on where Zuzana says:

"I borrowed these from an Environmental supply cache. Four suits won't be missed, especially since they're disposable after each use."

And further on:

Byron showed off his pistol, and explained its function, which drew whistles and utterances of genuine admiration from the other three...

A bit further:

...and the foursome bumbled their way forward in darkness, then clumsily boarded the large robotic vehicle.

I think that pretty much establishes there are four people on the way to the Shaft yet when we get there, there are five of them: Sethra, Byron, Eddie, Veronee and Zuzana.

It seems someone has teleported in from somewhere  

It seems Perry and I have little to do after midnight here...sleep is obviously not on our agenda  

3083

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 08:58 AM »

I always think of yours as referring to vehicles (4WD ... even if it's not)

-wraith808 (June 14, 2013, 08:25 AM)

Rest assured, it does...or to be more precise, the activity I enjoy the most  

Oops, apologies 4wd

-kyrathaba (June 14, 2013, 08:26 AM)

Only having a bit of fun with you

3084

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 08:16 AM »

Chapter 2: “So, we get our equipment in their, set it all up, and once Sethra has managed to isolate a significant fraction of the compound’s matrix computing power and storage, we plug-in. Sethra makes doubly sure that what he’s done cannot be traced.”

their -> there

Still plodding on  

... and correction of errors noted by 40hz and Perry Mowbray.

-kyrathaba (June 14, 2013, 07:47 AM)

It's depressing to think I've been lurking around here longer than 40hz and despite having a nick one character shorter that people still get us mixed up....


I'm kidding

3085

Living Room / Re: 16K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by 4wd on June 14, 2013, 05:49 AM »

Chapter 1: "But it was at just such moments as these, when the goal seemed impossible, than humanity had always triumphed, drawing upon a deeply hidden well of inner strength..."

than -> that

Chapter 2: "Eddie was surreptitiously running his right hand over his blue neoprene coveralls. It might have looked lude if it had been done three or four times faster, and if anyone were paying attention."

lude -> lewd

It's depressing to think that that far into the future some of humanity has doggedly held on to imperial measurements 

But I digress, an entertaining read so far 

3086

Living Room / Re: WTF? A serious news story about 50-foot tall humans on a planet??

« Last post by 4wd on June 13, 2013, 11:22 PM »

What makes us think that any intelligent lifeforms out there somewhere are friendly?

-Tinman57 (June 13, 2013, 05:17 PM)

I always did enjoy the Twilight Zone episode, To Serve Man^w.

 

3087

Living Room / Re: My New Philosophy

« Last post by 4wd on June 13, 2013, 11:08 PM »

The only part of any plan that you can truly count on is that nothing will go according to plan ... Be flexible.

-Stoic Joker (June 12, 2013, 03:42 PM)

I've always preferred: Adapt or die.

-4wd (June 12, 2013, 09:07 PM)

Me too ... But it tends to make clients uneasy when you say shit like that onsite.

-Stoic Joker (June 13, 2013, 06:54 AM)

Agree. In my neck of the woods it might even be considered "contributing to a 'hostile workplace'" and get you fired.

-40hz (June 13, 2013, 06:57 AM)

How strange, I would have classed it as "incentive based employment". 

3088

Living Room / Re: My New Philosophy

« Last post by 4wd on June 12, 2013, 09:07 PM »

The only part of any plan that you can truly count on is that nothing will go according to plan ... Be flexible.

-Stoic Joker (June 12, 2013, 03:42 PM)

I've always preferred: Adapt or die.

3089

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by 4wd on June 11, 2013, 11:00 PM »

I have access to thousands of hot porn chicks at any given moment, none seem special.

-superboyac (June 11, 2013, 09:51 PM)

It was back in the days of porn with a plot, (no matter how thinly disguised it was), and of 100% natural instead of 50% silicon....before your time  

Getting away from porn for a moment, for those who remember what a Drive-in was and want a trip back down Memory Lane, go grab a large bag of popcorn and check out the series of Shocker Internet Drive-In videos at the Internet Archive or their main website Shocker Internet Drive-In.

3090

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by 4wd on June 11, 2013, 08:52 PM »

(I say "technically" because there's something about her expression that makes me think she wasn't ever much of a minor, despite her age, once she left home.)

-40hz (June 11, 2013, 08:15 PM)

Of course there's all the conspiracy theories about who/why dobbed her in as being underage.

But after having watched NoTE last night, (even though it is horribly ham acted in places), I have to say she does looking extremely good in a bikini 

Managed to squeeze in The Brain Eaters last night also, which The Puppet Masters appears to be a remake of.

3091

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by 4wd on June 10, 2013, 11:22 PM »

Psht.  If I was going to watch a Traci Lords video, it would be Traci I Love You

-wraith808 (June 10, 2013, 09:45 PM)

Yes well, is now a good time to admit that I have almost all, (95%), of her movies, (and TV series appearances), from 1989 onwards to date ?

 

You could call me a fan  

3092

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by 4wd on June 10, 2013, 09:28 PM »

It's Roger Corman week for me, last night:



Starring (not) "My Favourite Martian", Joanie, Captain Spalding and Freddie.

Tonight, it'll be:

3093

General Software Discussion / Re: Samsung device drivers failed to installed

« Last post by 4wd on June 08, 2013, 12:24 AM »

May i know which version you are using......

-hulkbuster (June 07, 2013, 10:28 AM)

Directory Opus 10.5.1.3 (Beta)

I've had the same layout since DOpus 6 or 8, I forget which,

3094

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: Sync folders by renaming files

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 10:39 PM »

What am I missing?

-TaoPhoenix (June 07, 2013, 08:47 AM)

choice  

MS in their infinite wisdom included the choice.com/choice.exe DOS command in all versions of Windows from 3.1 and DOS 6.x onwards except 2000 and XP.

You can grab the choice.com command from a set of DOS 6+ disks - I've attached it below for Windows x86 only.

Also, I'm sorry to say, v9 SHA-1 calculation doesn't work due to the lack of Delayed Expansion, (enabling limits using ! in filenames), so I'm writing a small hash program so I won't have to use fciv.exe which is why I have to use the for loop to get the value I want.
Why they couldn't just output the hash value without any fluff is beyond me.  

So, I should have another v9 up with a separate hash program later today.

Done.  Really slick batch file work, too, 4wd.

-skwire (June 07, 2013, 08:21 AM)

Spoke too soon there - give me a couple of hours though  

OK, back with v9.5:

• No longer requires choice.com, so it should work OK on W2k and XP.
• Now has a dedicated hash program so the SHA-1 comparison works properly, (put it in the same folder as the batch file).
• Checks to see if the Source and Destination are the same, it'll exit if they are.

3095

General Software Discussion / Re: Samsung device drivers failed to installed

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 07:28 AM »

Win7

3096

Living Room / Re: International Currency Transfers

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 06:40 AM »

The 7% included all charges, to my bank, to an intermediary bank, to the recipients bank, as well as a reduced exchange rate,
On the exchange rate alone there is a 5.2% reduction on market prices, that is about average compared to other UK banks.

-pilgrim (June 07, 2013, 05:33 AM)

Why is there an intermediary bank?

Given the IBAN/account number of the destination bank/account you should be able to transfer direct to it....at least, that's all we required.

The only fees were at the sending end and an exchange rate that was ~2p lower than market, (IIRC).

3097

Living Room / Re: International Currency Transfers

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 05:17 AM »

I did a rough calculation based on exchange rate differences between the bank, the market, and the company, as well as charges.
By my calculations, taking everything into account (sorry about that  ) it costs around 7% through the bank and close to 1% through them.
That is a big difference!

-pilgrim (June 07, 2013, 03:11 AM)

You need another bank, when we moved a rather large amount of AU$ to the UK a couple of years ago it worked out to ~2.5%, (IIRC).

3098

Living Room / Re: Legitimate app breaks popular encryption - EFS, BitLocker, TrueCrypt ...

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 03:08 AM »

That's way cool. I immediately searched the web for "Alt Codes for Japanese characters", which led me to http://forum.wl.igg....thread.php?tid=58061, which led me to this. But although others are saying there "It works", it's not working for me so far. Am I missing some sort of character set download?

-bit (June 07, 2013, 12:31 AM)

I think it's more like the person who wrote has missed explaining some intermediate step.  None of that works for me, as soon as I release the Alt key the character corresponding Alt+0253, (ý), or Alt+0254, (þ) is drawn.

It seems like there needs to be a "sticky" setting so that when you've typed the Alt Code it waits for the next keypress before displaying the character.

Found this here but it doesn't work either:

3099

General Software Discussion / Re: Samsung device drivers failed to installed

« Last post by 4wd on June 07, 2013, 02:20 AM »

Code: Text [Select]

1. [attach=1][/attach][attach=2][/attach][attach=3][/attach] etc, etc
2.  
3. [attachthumb=1][/attachthumb][attachthumb=2][/attachthumb] etc, etc

Number corresponds to attachment.

3100

Living Room / Re: Legitimate app breaks popular encryption - EFS, BitLocker, TrueCrypt ...

« Last post by 4wd on June 06, 2013, 09:15 PM »

You could always throw a few Alt Codes into the password.

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