Holy wow damn, you have to read Ted Chiang's "Story of your life". Inscrutable aliens, the influence of language on thought, free will and a sub specie æternitatis view of time -- I've seen these pieces before, but not like this. (Also: yes, there can be a good and sufficient reason to write in second-person future tense.) He's highly praised, but I hadn't read anything of his yet. Big mistake.
(Appears in his secret identity as a tech writer he has written the C++ tutorial shipped with MSVC, but I don't believe I've read that either.)
It's sad how some bookstores have such slow turnover that I never have to go back. Death spiral.
Ceylon cinnamon is really stunningly different from cassia.
(Appears in his secret identity as a tech writer he has written the C++ tutorial shipped with MSVC, but I don't believe I've read that either.)
It's sad how some bookstores have such slow turnover that I never have to go back. Death spiral.
Ceylon cinnamon is really stunningly different from cassia.
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Date: 2002-03-23 09:23 pm (UTC)The one thing of Ted Chiang's that I've read was "72 Letters", which was a fabulous fusion of Victoriana, kabbala, and Goedel/Turing-ish ideas. And available online at http://www.tor.com/72ltrs.html
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Date: 2002-03-23 09:52 pm (UTC)Ooh, available online. Now do I want to read it in that slightly-less-pleasing-to-me format, or track down paper? ralph++(~)
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Date: 2002-03-24 07:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-03-24 09:49 am (UTC)