Things that make me go squee...

...even though I'm not that good at writing them.

Pirates.

Steampunk.


STEAMPUNK PIRATES.

http://www.ineffableaether.com/

At Origins, the hotel we were staying in was also hosting a meeting of...insurance salesmen.

Stereotypical insurance salesman in suit gets on elevator.

Two slightly overweight men in gamer chic get on elevator. He kinda looks at them.

Guy in white lab coat gets on elevator. He stares.

Woman in full pirate garb, head to toe, including dagger gets on elevator. His jaw drops and he turns pale.

I. Win. (No, it was not sharp and yes, it was peace bonded. I need my own pirate gear. Or steampunk gear. Or, you know, steampunk pirate gear).

So, I will stop squeeing about steampunk pirates now and go back to work. The latest novel is almost officially a novel...

The Copyright Stick...

So, here's the latest on copyright:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/internet-providers-join-in-web-piracy-fight/2011/07/07/gIQAm0g12H_story.html

Now. Here is the thing. First of all, what is the 'evidence of piracy'? Many years ago I caught my ISP (long gone out of business) reading my email. They, in fact, admitted to it. Given I routinely send MY IP over email, I don't want my ISP reading my email. I can't encrypt it because publishers don't accept it that way. I want them to keep their nose out.


Personally, I don't use peer to peer downloads. I don't trust them. But what is the next step...to start searching people's computers to make sure every MP3 on them came from a legal download service? (as opposed to copied from CDs in order to save wear on the discs, something I am pretty sure *everyone* does). Checking for multiple copies of single license software on the same IP? These things are technically feasible now.

And while with this program the stick is 'internet throttling', it's still a stick. Where is the positive incentive for people to spend money on content they can get for free? Especially as many, many people who do download pirated material do so because they *don't have the money*. That's not lost sales for the content provider. It's only a lost sale if the person would have bought it...which makes a lot of the 'cost of piracy' figures off base. In fact, the biggest loss many companies experience is the cost of trying to stop piracy.

Accepting that piracy will happen is important in this day and age. And sure, educating people is fine, but that college student who's living on ramen noodles? You can educate them all you like, they aren't going to miss a meal to buy a CD and they aren't going to go without music either. This is simple human nature we're dealing with. Furthermore, many people see nothing wrong with piracy. It's not viewed as the same as theft because the person does not lose anything tangible.

The only answer I can see is to make piracy not 'cool' and not 'done'. Furthermore, to come up with some incentive for legal purchases. Unfortunately, I don't see a way to do it. It's the same as people grumbling about taxes whilst taking advantage of what their taxes pay for. Also seems to be human nature.

Maybe we need to make sending money to an artist a tax deductible donation.

Apparently...

...this template is not showing links properly. I'm going to look into it over the weekend, and in the interim post links visible.

Sorry about that, people.

In Brightest Day...

Finally getting around to posting this.

I (finally) saw the Green Lantern movie on Sunday...in an almost empty theater. Although the movie did make number one on its opening weekend, it was a weak number one. It is not doing nearly as well as Transformers or Thor.

Which is undeserved. The storyline actually has distinct similarities to Thor, but Hal's transformation and maturation makes sense. The romance...makes sense. On top of that, the special effects are fantastic (worth paying a little extra to see the 3D print, IMO). Mark Strong was a great Sinestro. Loved their Carol Ferris (check the dogfight near the start for a nice nod to canon). They did use synthespians, but unlike a recent Sanctuary episode, they didn't 'show'. (And Smallville, the finale of which I also finally got to watch, can't even properly hide their orange screen...but that's another rant). And while I was unsure of Ryan Reynolds, who didn't look much like my personal image of Jordan, he definitely had the role down.

So. Why didn't it do as well as it deserved?


One possible reason is that Green Lantern, although popular amongst comic fans, has never attained much fame outside the community...but then, neither has Thor. One reviewer went as far as to call him a 'third string' character. And, perhaps, DC made a mistake going with Hal Jordan rather than the younger Kyle Rayner. Then again, they undoubtedly wanted to tie in with the fall relaunch, which will see Hal in the ringwielding seat once more from what I know.

Sadly, though, I think the reason is much more basic. Genre. Is it a space opera...or a comic book? Green Lantern, ever since the introduction of Abin Sur and the Green Lantern Corps, has been both. (The original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, was quite a different character). Mainstream audiences do not like genre crossing. It makes people, I think, uncomfortable and uncertain of what to expect. In fact, the motley bag of previews shown with the movie showed that distributors had no clue what to do with it at all (Cowboys and Aliens being the only one remotely relevant, and I'll believe that movie's release when I see it).

It's a sad sign for those who like to bend the 'rules' of genre and play with concepts taken from different worlds and realms, I think. Hopefully it still did well enough for the planned sequel to be released.

Because...

...I was focused on book releases and forgot.

Happy Fireworks Day everyone.

That includes the young women doing cheerleader moves with sparklers outside...I hope you weren't as drunk as you looked.

A little late...

The print version of Digital Science Fiction 1: First Contact is now available through Amazon.

First Contact - Digital Science Fiction Anthology 1.


Love the cover art.

Shameless link sharing...

This article is absolutely fantastic and hits several writing nails on the head.

Truth is, humans are human in reality, and in fiction...no matter how fantastic.