"Library services dept." You have too much fun with that. Familiar with all of those authors, tho not big on The Bard. And I just not long ago read Williamson's "Terraforming Earth", which I really liked. His grand-scale scope and interesting use of technology reminded me a lot of "Marooned In Real-time" by Vernor Vinge, and most things by Niven and Niven/cowriters. Not directly dystopian - usually (but try Fallen Angels by Niven and.... uh....?), but interesting. I always loved the Baen Books compilations of "Belter" stories, where the independent-minded asteroid mining colonies declare independence from a dystopian Earth. I even wrote a song lyric set in that kind of universe. "This world down here is done / so count from 10 to 1 / Leave a cloud of dust on the horizon / and be free again". Etc. I don't actually think mankind will ever make it that far, but I can still hope. I always recommend Anthem and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, and of course 1984. On 3/23/2017 8:37 PM, Eric Oyen wrote: > I will recommend some authors actually, > > Isaac Asimov > Robert Heinlein > Jack Williamson (rare if you can find him) > Arthur Clarke > Edgar Rice Burrows > William Shakespear (always a must to understand political intrigue) > and many others. > > -eric > from the central office of the Technomage Guild, Library Services Dept. > > On Mar 23, 2017, at 6:23 PM, Vara La Fey wrote: > >> I'm with ya, and I don't know what is required reading now. I'm >> afraid to find out. Assuming reading more than tweets even /is >> /required anymore. >> >> I grew up on hard sci-fi, prolly like a lot of us here, so dystopian >> fiction is definitely an influence on how I see things. As are the >> things themselves. Just seeing them /potentially /merge is scary. I'm >> not ashamed of being hair-triggered about that. Someone has to be. >> The more the better, I say. >> >> What books do you recommend? But since I'm currently on 8 distinct >> (yet interrelated) learning curves, I don't promise to get through >> very many of them. I feel a bit guilty even asking, but what the hey? >> >> - Vara >> >> >> On 3/23/2017 6:07 PM, Eric Oyen wrote: >>> ah yes, George Orwell should be required reading for everyone in >>> high school or first year college. >>> >>> There are also some other books that might bear reading (and some of >>> them even have a take on the current technological and political >>> situation). >>> >>> -eric >>> from the central office of the Technomage Guild, You can't take it >>> with you dept. >>> >>> On Mar 23, 2017, at 5:57 PM, Vara La Fey wrote: >>> >>>> The "3 Minute Hate" was a reference to "1984", which the intended >>>> system of "three minutes" of semi-mandatory content reminded me of >>>> /because /it is an intended system of "three minutes" of >>>> semi-mandatory content. >>>> >>>> I don't hate anybody here, and I have no reason to think that >>>> proponents of this spyware/monitoring/chastising system do either. >>>> I merely assumed that intelligent techies near my own age would >>>> understand the reference, even if they don't agree with my comparison. >>>> >>>> I fully mean my criticisms of the system, of proposing to >>>> self-righteously take up time belonging to people who are not >>>> associated with you, and of it's abuse potential beyond the abuse >>>> already inherent /in /it. >>>> >>>> You don't have to be an internet techie to see that. Or to hit an >>>> overly-defensive nerve. >>>> >>>> >>>> On 3/23/2017 4:53 PM, Steve Litt wrote: >>>>> On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 14:50:50 -0700 >>>>> Vara La Fey wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Please, waste time and effort and money patenting your /spyware >>>>>> /chaperone system that monitors web activity with the intent of >>>>>> /creating consequences /for activity which you - or your intended >>>>>> customer - opines is "invalid". I doubt very many people will buy >>>>>> into it because there is no upside for them. Even when they alter it >>>>>> to fit their own agenda, they just anger their customers who can >>>>>> click OK for EULAs and enter logins, but cannot bypass your 3 Minute >>>>>> Hate. >>>>> Hate? >>>>> >>>>> Pot/Kettle >>>>> >>>>> A look back on Vara La Fey's previous posts shows Vara La Fey short on >>>>> tech and long on very nasty criticism. >>>>> >>>>> Five minutes ago I procmailed Vara La Fey out of my life. >>>>> >>>>> :0: >>>>> * ^From:.*VLF_email_address >>>>> * ^(To|Cc).*plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>>> $GARBAGE >>>>> >>>>> Anybody who agrees with me would be doing themselves a favor (and >>>>> lowering their blood pressure) by doing the same. >>>>> >>>>> SteveT >>>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list -PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>>> http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>>> >>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>> >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>> http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> >>> >>> >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> PLUG-discuss mailing list -PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss