Conversations from the Echo Network (April 1992)
(Item #D8) (transcription)
08:-1-1
BHN LABS LAMB
To: Kevin Begos
212-650-9324
From: [Name Withheld. Programmer wished to remain anonymous.]
Kevin, Here’s a sample of the stuff off of the network. There are date and times, most of it isn’t even a week old.
I’m going to be here at BBN for another week after this one, thru. May 7th, at which time I’m planning on coming down to NY. At the present time the only things that aren’t in a finished state are the scrolling, for which I still ahven’t figured out the final method from. the ones that I’ve written, and the defective masking. The defective masking may be the biggest headache yet, but I sohuld know by the end of this week.
That’s All Folks!
[Name Withheld. Programmer wished to remain anonymous.]
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Mary A Walters: Gibson’s new book 14 Apr 92 11 :41
Forgive me if I am a bit behind the curve on this, but I just read about William Gibson’s new book _Agrippa- (the Book of the Dead). I understand it is going to be published on disk, with a virus that prevents it from
being printed out Any other news on this? What do people think of this idea?
As a sidebar, I also read that Neuromancer win be published on disk (sans virus) this year as well.
—
–Mary Anne .
“What we have once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.. Helen Keller
[for Alexander]
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>Forgive me if I am a bit behind the curve on this, but I just read about >William Gibson’s new book _ Agrippa- (the Book of the Dead).
From piecing together various threads. here on alt.cybpk, _Agrippa- (the Book of the Dead) is a multi-media art piece that is being produced in a very small
number. Gibson’s contribution is disk with poetry that contains this virus, but it is not a full-fledged Gibson novel. There was some traffic earler about a working title _Virtual Light_, but I have read nothing further.
Concerning another post, there are two William Gibsons in the card catalog. The one responsible for Neuromancer, etc is usually listed as
‘Gibson, William 1947-‘, the other author responsible for the mentioned works
is just plain ‘Gibson, William’. No relation (or is there???? )
—
Lou is Koziarz
koziarz@chinet.chi.il.us
Dannie Gregoire: »Gibson’s new book 16 Apr 92 19:04
Does anyone know who is publishing/distributin/selling this thing?
+————————————————————————-+
| Dannie J. Gregoire VI// dannie@coplex.com |
| Copper Bectronics Inc. //// l!uunetlcoplexldannie |
+————————————————————————-+
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Jason Kim: »Gibson’s new book 17 Apr 92 17: 16
In article <1992Apr15.193013.6C61 @chinet.chi.il.us> koziarz@chinet.chi.il.us (Lo
[PAGE BREAK]
uis Koziarz) writes:
>From piecing together various threads here on alt.cybpk, _Agrippa_ (the Book
>Of the Dead) is a multi-media art piece that is being produced in a very small
>number. Gibson’s contribution is a disk with poetry that contains this virus,
>but it is not a full-fledged Gibson novel. There was some traffic earier about
>a working title _Virtual Light_, but I have read nothing further.
I seem to recall reading that this stuff about the virus loaded book was an
April Fools joke started here on the Internet. But nobody’s stopped talking
about it and even Tom Maddox, who knows Gibson, seemed to confirm its
existence, though I don’t think it will be used yet. Will the person who
originally posted the message please confirm or confess? Was this an April
Fools joke or not’?!
>Conceming another post, there are two William Gibsons in the card catalog.
> The one responsible for Neuromancer, etc is usually listed as
>’Gibson, William 1947- ‘, the other author responsible for the mentioned works
>is just plain ‘Gibson, William’. No relation. (or is there???? )
>
This reminds me of a hilarious thing I noticed in my copy of _Mona Lisa
Overdirve_. Of course I realize from card catalog experience that there
is another William Gibson (a playwright, I believe). Apparently somebody at
the publishing company got the two consfused because my first edition hardcover
of _MLO_ cites the author in the Library of Congress info page as )I am
recalling this from memory) “Gibson, William 1914-“!!! Talk about a gaffe!
I know very few 78-year-olds who can write about silicon cowboys.
Jason Y. Kim
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Tom Maddox: »>Gibson’s new book 21 Apr 92 07:09
In article <1992Apr16.190413.27884@coplex.com> dannie@coplex.com (Dannie
Gregoir
e) writes:
>Does anyone know who is publishing/distributing/selling this thing?
At present, no one. It was part of a limited edition, expensive
artwork that Gibson believes was totally subscribed before “publication.”
Someone will publish it in more accessible form, I believe (and I’ll be
interested to see what the cyberpunk audience makes of it–it’s an
autobiographical poem, about ten pages long).
—
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Tom Maddox
tmaddox@u.washington.edu
“Writing is reading and reading is writing.”
A S. Byatt
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Jeroen Huinink: >publishing on disck< Was Re: Gibson's new book)4 Apr 92 13:54
In <1992Apr14.114154.28310@ linus.mitre.org> m13079@mwunix (Mary Anne Walters) wr
ites:
>Forgive me if I am a bit behind the curve on this. but I just read about
>William Gibson’s new book _Agrippa_(the Book of the Dead). I understand
>it is going to be published on disk, with a virus that prevents it from
>being printed out. Any other news on this? What do people think of this
>idea?
>As a sidebar, I also read that Neuromancer win be published on disk (sans
>viru) this year as well.
I do not see any point in publishing books on disk. I for myself *hate* reading from a screen. I do favor a book. It’s better for your eyes and you can take it everywhere (e.g. in the train, on the bike, in school) and I don’t see myself carrying a laptop all day, just to read a novel.
BTW a virus against printing it -> How about a virus against copying it??
It’s far more easy to make a diskcopy of a book than a photocopy.
Greetings,
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Greetings,
Dreumel
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“Words and Music from da Lowlands”—Gotcha!
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Francis Muir: Publishing on disk 14 Apr 92 15:12
Jeroen Huinink writes:
Mary Anne Walters writes:
Forgive me if I am a bit behind the curve on this, but
I just read about William Gibson’s new book _Agrippa_
[PAGE BREAK]
(the Book of the Dead). I understand it is going to be
published on disk, with a virus that prevents it from being printed out.
I do not see any point in publishing books on disk. I for myself
*hate* reading from a screen. I do favor a book. It’s better for
your eyes and you can take it everywhere (e.g. in the train, on
the bike, in school) and I don’t see myself carrying a laptop all
day, just to read a novel.
Here in the Stanford Exploration Project, our Director, Jon Claerbout, is pioneering books and Project Reports on disks. And with good reason; they
are interacitve. The worked examples really work. A return, finally, to
reproducible research.
reproducible research.
Francis Muir
francis@sep.stanford.edu
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futrena@wkuvx1: New William Gibson Novel… 21 Apr 92 23:38
Here’s an interesting tidbit of info that I read in yesterday’s USA Today.
As a result of a virus attacking his personal computer, William Gibson will
write, or type as the case may be, a new book. However, the book will be
placed on diskette for PC’s, Mac, and some other types of machines. Now,
here’s the strange part. After you finish reading the book, the text will be
destroyed. This would be so bad except for the fact that the cost of the book
on disk will be approximately $1700, 4750, or $450 per copy with only 445
copies made. Correct if I am wrong on some of these details.
What a strange world we live on.
Nathan
“Jacking into cyberspace.” Oh No! There’s an ICE program after me.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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