Discworld Quiz?
"c.e.black-ce"
Hi,
Yes I'm a newbie...I try to keep relatively in touch with afp but don't
always manage it, so sorry if this has been talked about before :-)
In the new Dillons book shop sci/fi fantasy catalogue it says there's a
quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
doesnt say when. Anybody know?
(You also get a free copy of the Mort big comic if you buy it,
apparently....)
thanx,
caz
David Langford
>In the new Dillons book shop sci/fi fantasy catalogue it says there's a
>quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
>doesnt say when. Anybody know?
Official publication date is 27 May. Two reviewers have mentioned
receiving their freebie advance copies from Gollancz this very
morning. Gollancz have been assuring me that finished copies exist
("and it looks very nice too") since 25 April.
But I haven't seen a copy yet, and I wrote the bloody thing....
>(You also get a free copy of the Mort big comic if you buy it,
>apparently....)
This is news to me. Gosh wow! I'll have to buy it now.
Dave
--
David Langford
ans...@cix.compulink.co.uk
Terry Pratchett
In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk "Andrew Mobbs" writes:
> Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
> spinoffs around?
>
> You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
> figures, quiz, comic ...
>
> Yes, some of this is fandom, such as the UU scarf, but when there's a
> constant stream of commercial products making use of the Discworld name to
> sell anything it detracts from the novels IMO.
>
> Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
> original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
> similar jokes every 6 months.
Dear me, who *can* he mean...
*Constant stream of commercial products to sell anything* IYO...let's see now...
Clarecraft: well, it's good stuff( which is why it's expensive) and
there's a few who could vouch for the fact that the company seemed quite
fan orientated. 1,000 people turned up to their open weekend last year.
They did not appear unduly exploited.
The Discworld Companion: it's *about* the series (with some extra stuff that
I wrote, and some interviews by Stephen). What was it selling? Only itself.
The Maps: we did the Ankh-Morpork one because we thought it'd be fun.
It sold about six times more than my most optimistic guess, and we did the
full Discworld one because I got some many letters. They look good.
The three graphic novels: a legit venture into the wonderful world of big
comics, as done by many other authors.
The play texts: if you knew how many requests Stephen Briggs gets for the
his scripts, you'd know it was either publish them or buy shares in
Prontoprint. They're proper, tested scripts. Putting on a Discworld
play seems to be the activity of a large number of people in this country.
The T-shirts, scarves and misc stuff from Sbriggs: afp has seen the
evolution of this from the six scarves Stephen had done to celebrate the
finishing off the Companion. If ever there was a case of supply following
demand this was it. It's low key stuff, the quality is good, he probably
doesn't charge enough given the lack of any real economies of scale, and I'm
happy with all of this.
The computer game: was pretty good -- big, hard, true to the spirit of the
books, actors you'd heard of doing the voices. It certainly wasn't a "let's
paste something together and shove a Discworld name on it" thing.
The Discworld album (Dave Greenslade): was there something *wrong* with it?
The only *complaint* I've heard was that it didn't include the Hedgehog
song.
Them jigsaws last Christmas: jeez, they were jigsaws. Nice artwork
by Josh. If you didn't want one, you shouldn't have bought one.
The UU Challenge, just out: The same thing applies. I'd point out that
it was put together by the erudite Dave Langford and in considerably more
taxing than 'Fill in missing word: "The ---- of Magic'.
Later on there's going to be a portfolio of stuff by the artist Paul Kidby.
Those of you who've seen his prints of Discworld characters will know why
I let him do it.
And in the longer term, it's looking more or less certain that Cosgrove Hall
will be doing an animated Discworld series. These peopled did 'Truckers' --
more importantly, they did Count Duckula, a favourite of mine. So you
won't get rubbish with a Discworld label stuck on it.
Yep, it's a lot of stuff. But consider this...
*All* these projects, with the possible exception of the jigsaws which really
involved the artists rather than me, are done by fans -- who include Bernard
Pearson at Clarecraft, the gang at Perfect Ten, and Mark Hall at Cosgrove
Hall. Most happened because fans who were artists/craftsmen in their own right
wanted to do something Discworld-based; you could say it more or less
evolved out of fan interest. Most of my mail demands *more* stuff -- cards,
calendars, games Windows screen-savers, you name it. But Discworld isn't
selling anything except itself.
Is it commercial? I hope so -- I'd hate to think those guys mentioned are
making a loss. But there's no wallpaper, plastic plates, lunchboxes,
and misc garbage. And if you saw my mail from various companies, you'd be
amazed at what *isn't* out there.
Good luck with your two-year wait for that high-quality novel, btw...
Terry Pratchett
Barbara Kendal
In article <31909433...@news.demon.co.uk>, David Langford
<d...@ansible.demon.co.uk> writes
>
>Official publication date is 27 May. Two reviewers have mentioned
>receiving their freebie advance copies from Gollancz this very
>morning. Gollancz have been assuring me that finished copies exist
>("and it looks very nice too") since 25 April.
>
>But I haven't seen a copy yet, and I wrote the bloody thing....
>
>
>
I bought a copy today, and read it on the bus home from work ....
couldn't answer many of the questions though!
// //
// Barbara Kendal, Sheffield, England //
// bar...@thiseden.demon.co.uk //
// //
Andrew Mobbs
In article <318F97...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk>,
\"c.e.black-ce\" <hiv9...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Yes I'm a newbie...I try to keep relatively in touch with afp but don't
>always manage it, so sorry if this has been talked about before :-)
>
>quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
>doesnt say when. Anybody know?
>
>apparently....)
>
Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
spinoffs around?
You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
figures, quiz, comic ...
Yes, some of this is fandom, such as the UU scarf, but when there's a
constant stream of commercial products making use of the Discworld name to
sell anything it detracts from the novels IMO.
Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
similar jokes every 6 months.
(This doesn't mean that I won't be buying FoC Hardback in a couple of weeks
though :-)
Andrew.
--
Andrew Mobbs, Trinity Hall, Cambridge. |"And all I know for sure
email : aj...@hermes.cam.ac.uk | All I know for real
WWW : http://hammer.chu.cam.ac.uk/~ajm46 | Is knowing doesn't mean so much" AE
Tornado Flight-Sim WWW page : http://hammer.chu.cam.ac.uk/~ajm46/tornado.html
Richard Kettlewell
[followups set, this is getting a little tangential]
Andrew Mobbs <aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>I saw the quizbook in Waterstones yesterday, so it's out.
>
>Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
>spinoffs around?
>
>You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
>figures, quiz, comic ...
>
>Yes, some of this is fandom, such as the UU scarf, but when there's a
>constant stream of commercial products making use of the Discworld name to
>sell anything it detracts from the novels IMO.
Sometimes this kind of merchandising makes me feel a little uneasy,
but really if you can't live with this kind of thing then you're not
very well cut out for this half of the twentieth century (and listen:
it's going to get worse). People will pay for it, so someone will
make it...
(rememember _Jurassic Park_? Now _that_ was a merchandising disaster
- you can't charge a royalty on every dinosaur T-shirt...)
>Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high
>quality, original novel than have the same characters in similar
>plots making similar jokes every 6 months.
Likewise.
>(This doesn't mean that I won't be buying FoC Hardback in a couple of
>weeks though :-)
Likewise.
--
Richard Kettlewell
http://www.elmail.co.uk/staff/richard/ ric...@elmail.co.uk
If my head is in the clouds, it is because I am standing on the
shoulders of giants...
T M Joyce
Andrew Mobbs (aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk) wrote:
: In article <318F97...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk>,
: \"c.e.black-ce\" <hiv9...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk> wrote:
: >Hi,
: >
: >Yes I'm a newbie...I try to keep relatively in touch with afp but don't
: >always manage it, so sorry if this has been talked about before :-)
: >
: >In the new Dillons book shop sci/fi fantasy catalogue it says there's a
: >quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
: >doesnt say when. Anybody know?
: >
: >(You also get a free copy of the Mort big comic if you buy it,
: >apparently....)
: I saw the quizbook in Waterstones yesterday, so it's out.
Not only is it out, it mentions afp in its "thankyou" bit, along with Leo
and the APF.
: Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
: spinoffs around?
: You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
: figures, quiz, comic ...
Can you say that after its been so nice to us? 8-)
--
ttfn,
Tom
<email: t.m....@durham.ac.uk >
<snailmail: Tom Joyce, Hatfield College, Durham, DH1 3RQ>
"I drank WHAT?" - Last words of Socrates
David Langford
On 10 May 1996 12:32:27 +0100 (BST), aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk
(Andrew Mobbs) wrote:
[stuff snipped]
>Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
>spinoffs around?
>
>You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
>figures, quiz, comic ...
In theory I would sort of agree, but these nice people called Gollancz
called me up one day and remarked, while riffling wads of greasy
tenners, "Dave, what the world =needs= is a Discworld Quizbook!"
So, as George Bernard Shaw once said -- when taking an author's call
in the theatre -- to the one chap who was booing his play amid the
cheers: "My dear fellow, I quite agree -- but what are who two against
so many?"
Colm Buckley
> == Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk>
> Clarecraft: well, it's good stuff( which is why it's expensive) and
> there's a few who could vouch for the fact that the company seemed quite
> fan orientated. 1,000 people turned up to their open weekend last year.
> They did not appear unduly exploited.
Hear hear - Bernard, Isobel, Tom, and the rest of the folks at
Clarecraft really put themselves out to ensure that we all had a good
time, and we had an *excellent* time - truly a marvellous weekend; it
literally couldn't have been better.
I'd echo Terry's comment about the bulk of the "Discworld spin-offs"
being fan-oriented; I'd day that the vast majority of the stuff has
appeared primarily because people *enjoy* producing them; commercial
considerations are secondary.
Colm
--
Colm Buckley B.F. | EMail: Colm.B...@tcd.ie Phone: (+353 1) 6082336
Computer Science Dept | WWW: http://isg.cs.tcd.ie/cbuckley/
Trinity College | finger cbuc...@isg.cs.tcd.ie for more info.
Dublin 2, Ireland | "Microsoft : Where do you want to crash today?"
Bjorn.Bjornsson
In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk> aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk (Andrew Mobbs) writes:
->Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
->spinoffs around?
no, not really. Don't buy it if you don't want it[1]
->You've read the book, now buy the maps, companion, computer game, T-Shirt,
->figures, quiz, comic ...
so?
->Yes, some of this is fandom, such as the UU scarf, but when there's a
->constant stream of commercial products making use of the Discworld name to
->sell anything it detracts from the novels IMO.
Oh? But if you don't buy it you won't know what's in them and so
it can't lessen your enjoyment of the novels now can it??
->Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
->original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
->similar jokes every 6 months.
I LOVE getting a new one every six months, but, yes I do agree, a
new DW setting with totally new characters is a thing I really, really
want. Will the 'Hogsfather' deliver??
->(This doesn't mean that I won't be buying FoC Hardback in a couple of weeks
-> though :-)
Me Too
Bjorn
[1] Being a ManU fan[2] this discussion sounds EXTREMELY familiar.
[2] and I will therefore end today crying, either with joy or
sadness...
Brian Tombleson
Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
> aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk "Andrew Mobbs" writes:
>> Does anybody else think that there are far too many of these Discworld
>> spinoffs around?
[CHOMP]
>> original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
>> similar jokes every 6 months.
>Dear me, who *can* he mean...
[Neat slice near the top]
.
[Neat slice near the bottom]
>and misc garbage. And if you saw my mail from various companies, you'd be
>amazed at what *isn't* out there.
>Good luck with your two-year wait for that high-quality novel, btw...
>Terry Pratchett
Umm ... I thought I'd forgotten how to post, but I thought I'd just
say, I don't think I've ever seen you this defensive before ....
You normally just ignore these sorts of post.
Regards,
Brian.
Victoria Martin
> In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
> aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk "Andrew Mobbs" writes:
> >
> > Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
> > original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
> > similar jokes every 6 months.
>
Hmm, a difficult decision. Taking the long term view, once the Pratchett
oeuvre is complete, with no more works to be added to it (as eventually
will happen - may that day be very far off) then doubtless admirers will
look back and say: 'THESE are my very favourite books. I wish TP had
written fewer of those less satisfactory ones and concentrated all his
energies on producing a handful of really top-notch works.' But can we,
now, look ahead and say 'Okay, I'm willing to wait five years for a real
magnum opus', and sacrifice the ten (by current work rates) we could
otherwise have enjoyed in that period.
Take Schiller, famous German playwright. Wrote a handful of
pretty good plays, then took TEN YEARS off to study history before
writing again. As a result he produced his two greatest works,
Wallenstein and Maria Stuart (currently on in English at the National -
quick plug there), but the rest weren't quite up to that standard.
Looking back, I'd say the wait was worth it. Without the fallow period,
we wouldn't have those two plays (the central character in Wallenstein
is, incidentally not unlike Vetinari). but at the time, people must have
been getting impatient, and saying to themselves 'Will I live to see a
new Schiller play?' From the short-term point of view, half a loaf is
better than no bread.
Perhaps we could simply congratulate Terry on the work he's done
so far and urge him to keep on increasing the quality, without in any way
suggesting he should reduce his output? I'm sure he can do it. After all, we
already know the man's exceptional.
Victoria
Terry Pratchett
In article <4n412f$j...@demeter.omen.com.au>
wom...@omen.com.au "Brian Tombleson" writes:
> Umm ... I thought I'd forgotten how to post, but I thought I'd just
> say, I don't think I've ever seen you this defensive before ....
>
> You normally just ignore these sorts of post.
>
As far as the books and so on go, then, well, this is afp and all comment is
fair if occasionally strange.
But I was an sf fan long before I was a writer, and don't see why I should
ignore an allegation that Discworld is now some sort of mechanism to sell
garbage to fans.
Now excuse me while I get back to carefully product-placing some
upcoming models, scarves, t-shirts and aftershaves in the next book...
Terry Pratchett
Ian A. York
In article <831900...@unseen.demon.co.uk>,
Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>Now excuse me while I get back to carefully product-placing some
>upcoming models, scarves, t-shirts and aftershaves in the next book...
"Death tested the edge of his scythe. NOT SHARP ENOUGH YET, he
mused. FORTUNATELY I HAVE THE OFFICIAL DISCWORLD SCYTHE SHARPENER,
AVAILABLE IN STORES EVERYWHERE AND LESS EXPENSIVE THAN ONE MIGHT EXPECT.
He used this fine and attractive tool to put the finishing touches on his
scythe. ALBERT! he called.
"Yessir?" mumbled Albert, today resplendent in his official
Discworld t-shirt with the decorative picture of Great A'Tuin, on sale at
better stores everywhere for a limited time only. He wiped his nose on
the official Discworld hankerchief.
WHERE DID I PUT THE OFFICIAL DISCWORLD AFTERSHAVE? I - ALBERT.
WHAT IS THAT SUBTLE YET ELEGANT FRAGRANCE, IRRESISTIBLE TO WOMEN YET
INOFFENSIVE TO MEN, I SENSE ON YOU?
"Errrmm. Well, I may have ... just a few splashes ... and it's
available at better stores everywhere, yeronour ...."
--
Ian York (iay...@panix.com) <http://www.panix.com/~iayork/>
"-but as he was a York, I am rather inclined to suppose him a
very respectable Man." -Jane Austen, The History of England
David Dylan
-=> Quoting Terry Pratchett to All <=-
TP> The computer game: was pretty good -- big, hard, true to the spirit of
TP> the books, actors you'd heard of doing the voices. It certainly
TP> wasn't a "let's paste something together and shove a Discworld name on
TP> it" thing.
Yes, agree agree, but, maybe ANYONE here can tell me how I get the robe
to go in the thieves guild??? I'm stuck, my Girlfriend is stuck, my
pals are stuck, AND I WANT THEM OUT OF MY HOUSE ;))
Greetz.
DD.
and I still think Grebo reincarnated in my cat
This used to be a Sig about Curacao, but some people complained that it was
too big, well, Curacao is a BIG island, can I help it? Next time I'll
try a 1:1 scale ;))
Please send E-mail to : nob...@xs4all.nl Thank you.
... Oh dear, it's Terry Pratchett again.......
Terry Pratchett
In article <lvc*LY...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
ric...@elmail.co.uk "Richard Kettlewell" writes:
> To be fair, I don't think Andrew meant to imply that any of the
> spinoffery was garbage, nor indeed that the books had become a
> mechanism for advertising it: rather it seemed to me that he was
> expressing a distaste for the spinoffery solely as itself.
The tone seemed pretty clear.
> When one looks at spinoffery as a whole - rather than restricting it
> to the Discworld - it's something about which I have mixed opinions.
> On the one hand it sometimes seems like leaching off the creativity of
> others, the activity of those too lazy to have their own ideas;
> whereas on the other, building on the best that other people have done
> is something that often yields far better results...
>
> Any chance of model figures of Marco and Silver? l-)
>
I'll agree that of spin-offs consisting of bubblegum cards designed by
someone who couldn't read the original books without help with the longer words
are awful. But I've been closely involved with almost all the Discworld
stuff (except the jigsaws -- and they are based on original art material).
If I was a modeller, *I'd* be doing the Clarecraft models [1]. The quality
all round is good. I take a personal interest in making sure this is so, for
obvious reasons [2]. If someone has a problem with the mere existence of the
things, that's their problem.[3] This is the Century of the Fruitbat, after
all. [4]
Terry
[1] They've just done the Bursar, complete with dried frog pills.
[2] Oh, and Herne the Hunted, too...a winner, in my opinion.
[3] the Discworld screensaver is now looking quite likely.
[4]...and don't miss the Nanny Ogg Sexy Canvas Underwear range.
Richard Kettlewell
Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>But I was an sf fan long before I was a writer, and don't see why I
>should ignore an allegation that Discworld is now some sort of
>mechanism to sell garbage to fans.
To be fair, I don't think Andrew meant to imply that any of the
spinoffery was garbage, nor indeed that the books had become a
mechanism for advertising it: rather it seemed to me that he was
expressing a distaste for the spinoffery solely as itself.
When one looks at spinoffery as a whole - rather than restricting it
to the Discworld - it's something about which I have mixed opinions.
On the one hand it sometimes seems like leaching off the creativity of
others, the activity of those too lazy to have their own ideas;
whereas on the other, building on the best that other people have done
is something that often yields far better results than starting from
scratch. (Western science is an IMO excellent example of this.)
Hmm...
Any chance of model figures of Marco and Silver? l-)
--
Richard Kettlewell <ric...@elmail.co.uk>
`It's all just a bad dream.' http://www.elmail.co.uk/staff/richard/
`Really? Is it?'
`Hell no, it's real; I was just telling you what you wanted to hear.'
Andrew Crane
In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>, Andrew Mobbs
<aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk> writes
>Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
>original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
>similar jokes every 6 months.
--
Andrew C
Shaun Salter
In article <QuuDVTAt...@pg-drive.demon.co.uk>, Andrew Crane
<and...@pg-drive.demon.co.uk> writes
you honestly think a joke would be better if Pterry (may He write a
thousand novels) honed it for an additional 18 months? Try telling the
"my dog has no nose" one for a year and a half and you'd soon lose your
friends. And probably limbs.
----------------------------------------------------
Shaun Salter <hea...@demon.co.uk>
"Quos deus vult perdere, prius Acme Dynamitat"
Turnpike evaluation. For information, see http://www.turnpike.com/
Debbie Caswell
>[4]...and don't miss the Nanny Ogg Sexy Canvas Underwear range.
Yeehah. When's this available ? I can't wait.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
There are 3 types of programmer. Those who can count, and those
who can't.
Forrest
On Wed, 8 May 1996, Terry Pratchett wrote:
>[list of Discworld merchandise deleted]
This is "Be Cruel To 'Merkins" month, isn't it?!
If Mr Mobbs is in danger of being buried in Ridcully action figures
(with Magic Staff that Really Zaps! Not recommended for children under
3), there are many deserving persons in Jersey -- New Jersey, that is -- he
can donate them to.
> The Discworld album (Dave Greenslade): was there something *wrong* with it?
No lyric sheet enclosed. :(
--
"No, Penfold, not a nudist. A-nu-bis." -- DM
Daniel Rosen
Andrew Crane wrote:
>
> In article <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>, Andrew Mobbs
> <aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk> writes
> >Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
> >original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
> >similar jokes every 6 months.
> True, rather quality over quantity.
> Andrew C
True, but why not have quality in quantity?
KIM WHEAT
---<<*<<< Brian dazzled Buc Wheat with these words of wisdom!! >>>**>>----
wom...@omen.com.au "Brian Tombleson" writes:
> Umm ... I thought I'd forgotten how to post, but I thought I'd just
> say, I don't think I've ever seen you this defensive before ....
> You normally just ignore these sorts of post.
Hmmm...defensive? I thought it was simply a honest assessment of
what products were available...(alot more than I myself was aware
of...just another freaking downside to living over here in Merkin!)...
and how it come about.
Having seen the gifs of the Claircraft <sp?> stuff on the web pages,
it /appeared/ to look like high quality stuff, vice just mass produced
figurines of slightly close fantasy figures.
I do own a copy of the Anhk-Morpork map and would myself love to get
ahold of the Discworld mappe in order to finish making my very own
small model of A'Tuin and gang and wanted to see how the world looked
from afar.
Have no idea what the scarfs would look like...must be a Dr. Who
thing and this Merkin just don't understand?! <g>
As for too much product out there...from this side of the Atlantic,
this isn't true at all and many of us over here would love to have
easier access to the pickings available over there on the ol' island!
Alas, we don't. But felt that Pterry's response was put forth rather
_educationally_ vice _defensively_ and thought it answered the
original query quite well. (my 2 bits, of course).
Kim :)
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
---
This message originated from: ---------- Selective Source BBS
------- Virginia Beach, Virginia
----- (804) 471 6776
Victoria Martin
On Mon, 13 May 1996, Shaun Salter wrote:
> Everybody's a critic. Differant writers write at differant speeds. Do
> you honestly think a joke would be better if Pterry (may He write a
> thousand novels) honed it for an additional 18 months? Try telling the
> "my dog has no nose" one for a year and a half and you'd soon lose your
> friends. And probably limbs.
>
Ah, but this assumes there is nothing more to Terry's novels than
jokes.Whereas there is also, of course, Plot, Character and the
occasional Big Serious Issue (heavily disguised), which some of us
appreciate more than others.
Victoria
Rich Holmes
>The Maps: we did the Ankh-Morpork one because we thought it'd be fun.
>It sold about six times more than my most optimistic guess, and we did the
>full Discworld one because I got some many letters. They look good.
Has the Discworld mappe been published? I have friends going to
England next month, gotta give 'em a shoppeing list.
--
- Rich Holmes
"Not every tradition, however entrenched, is attractive. Some
should be closed down immediately." -- Miss Manners
ppint.
- hi. in afparticle, <pFq*sP...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>,
aj...@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk "Andrew Mobbs" ranted:( )
> >In the new Dillons book shop sci/fi fantasy catalogue it says there's a
> >quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
> >doesnt say when. Anybody know?
> I saw the quizbook in Waterstones yesterday, so it's out.
>
> spinoffs around?
>
>
> Yes, some of this is fandom, such as the UU scarf, but when there's a
>
> original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
> similar jokes every 6 months.
>
>
> (Andrew)
>
- i'm a little puzzled: the closest i've seen to "commercial
products making use of the discworld name to sell anything"
is the "compact discworld boxed set" in which the box itself
is a travesty, made of poorly-decorated thin card that not only
tears easily, but frequently arrives here in i.m.t. "pre-torn
for your convenience." as i have earlier remarked, the "compact
discworlds"' dust-jackets are poorly-designed and illustrated;
but there is nothing wrong with the miniature books themselves,
which are clearly printed and properly sewn in, in signiatures.
but since the boxed set cost ukL 19.99, and the four individual
books cost ukL 4.99 each, the cost of the box to the customer was
ukL 0.03: whilst a sorry thing and, as above-rehearsed, all too-
easily torn, it would be difficult to claim that it was a major
rip-off...
- or is the objection to commercialism per se ?
- i've not yet played the discworld game i got in the charity
auction at the scottish worldcon, as i've not yet been able to
afford a cd-rom drive for i-m-t; but i understand it is generally
well-regarded and felt to be possessed of the right discworldish
feel - though i have heard some criticism from people who seem not
to like "that sort of game". i've heard very mixed reviews of the
dave greenslade cd; again, it would seem to be a matter of tastes,
this time whether the speaker likes dave greenslade's music anyway.
- i have listened to most of the abridged audiobooks read by tony
robinson, and two of the full readings by nigel planer and, while
there are the very occasional mis-pronounciatians in both versions
(as opposed to differences in accent), i find them generally very
fine indeed (even if both the beauteous bil and kate the loveable
loonie did go to sleep in the car, while listening to them, on the
way home from appleby). and there's a garage out at crooklands where
some people who "don't read books" would never have come across the
discworld, never mind had to stop and lower heavy bits of engine and
gear-boxy things to the floor or bench, in order to laugh/giggle/choke/
splutter at _TLF_, nor could blind and poorly-sighted people, nor
severely dyslexic nor otherwise unable-to-read people have had the
pleasure, if the audiobooks didn't exist...
- none of these things could exist if they were not commercially
successful: nor could the discworld novels themselves, if they
did not make money for the people involved in their production,
distribution and retail - or in their _writing_...
- is it that authors and other artist "ought" to struggle, live
in draughty garrets and die interestingly of consumption, and
only their gentlemen publishers make any money out of them ?
- i've no doubt that this does still happen - apart from the
"gentlemen publishers" bit: they're now all owned by extremely
rich merkins-with-xxxxian-accents, merkin suits in banking and
the mafia (if there is any separation between the two, still,
these days), incredibly rich and ultra-right-wing merkins, or
the odd stinking-rich german family and banks - but the writing
lives of such authors does rather tend to abbreviation before
they have created all they might otherwise have given us...
- is it that it shouldn't be possible to create such a wonderfully-
funny story, complete with more and less-obscure references, multiple
layers of humour and sometimes with serious subtext underpinning all,
in so short a time as six months ?
(- i suspect that some of the books have taken a lot longer than
that in gestation, though they may well have taken no longer than
two to "write", once the ideas work finally sorted out and pretty-
well fit together...)
- or would it all be easier to take, if pterry afpnnounced his
forthcoming titles an extra twelve or eighteen months in advance,
so we could all wait a full and literarily respectable two years
for every one ? - <g> -....... [1]
- love, ppint.
[1] - will _Unclear Physics_ prove to have been pterry's masterwork...
pp.s. - i know at least five people who'd change their breakfast
cereal for the chance of collecting tokens towards a build-
it-yourself model potent voyager, or c.m.o.t.dibbler's own
recipe book...and as for a fourteen-foot-high, cast-in-poly-
vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
--
"the life of a vegetable is of no interest to anyone whatsoever -
including to the vegetable in question. i speak from personal experience."
- ppint. at the sf, fantasy and horror book and role-playing game shop,
interstellar master traders, lancaster
Colin Rosenthal
On Sun, 12 May 96 11:25:32 GMT, Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <4n412f$j...@demeter.omen.com.au>
> wom...@omen.com.au "Brian Tombleson" writes:
>> Umm ... I thought I'd forgotten how to post, but I thought I'd just
>> say, I don't think I've ever seen you this defensive before ....
>>
>> You normally just ignore these sorts of post.
>>
>
>As far as the books and so on go, then, well, this is afp and all comment is
>fair if occasionally strange.
>
>ignore an allegation that Discworld is now some sort of mechanism to sell
>garbage to fans.
>
>upcoming models, scarves, t-shirts and aftershaves in the next book...
>
>
You mean there _won't_ be Librarian Boxer-shorts?
--Colin Rosenthal | ``Don't smell the flowers -
--rose...@obs.aau.dk | They're an evil drug -
--http://www.obs.aau.dk/~rosentha | To make you lose your mind''-
--Aarhus University, Denmark | Ronnie James Dio, 1983 -
Mary Novak
Even so, the assumption that time=quality is a pretty blithe one. I
believe Terry addressed this not too long ago. Some books are easier to
write than others, some practically write themselves and some require a
struggle. None of that struggle or ease necessarily has to do with the
quality of Plot, Character, and Big Serious Issue produced. It's pretty
well recognized in the visual art world that Stopping can be much harder
than Starting--there's a strong tendency to over-refine and lose some of
the initial "soul" of a piece. Taking longer may mean that the book's
become over-worked, or that it was a difficult task to begin with that
never really hit its stride. Or it might mean that the whole thing just
got better and better as time went on.
I mean, we could do an experiment. Surely someone out there has records
of the relative initial publication dates of the DW novels? They haven't
all taken the same amount of time to produce, have they? (Of course,
there's no telling whether all that time was spent writing or whether
some of it went to non-DW projects.) Have the "quality" novels generally
taken longer? We'll have to settle that after the firestorm deciding
which novels are the "quality" ones dies down. (For what it's worth, my
favorites are Lords & Ladies, Men At Arms, Interesting Times, and Small
Gods. But everyone's list is different, and the lists change--L&L
greatly disappointed me at first, now it's practically my favorite)
Mary Novak
mno...@rlem.tamu.edu
Hacksaw
>Hmm, a difficult decision. Taking the long term view, once the Pratchett
> Perhaps we could simply congratulate Terry on the work he's done
>so far and urge him to keep on increasing the quality, without in any way
>suggesting he should reduce his output? I'm sure he can do it. After all, we
>already know the man's exceptional.
A couple of pennies from a attempting to be professional writer...
While I can't speak for Terry, (and certainly he can for himself),
writing is actually one hell of a lot of fun. And as far as that goes,
most authors aren't very interested in changing any habitual part of
their writing, because those are the things that make it fun. (I write
in a stream of conscienceness, and edit later.)
So imagine this as a process: The author muses some idea, based on
things he or she's written in the past.
"Hmmm, I should like to see what Death would do if handed the Throne
of a kingdom with bizarre rules for who's king next..."
Whip out some paper, or a handy Computer, and let go with ideas and
bits of story, maybe an outline if you are industrious.
After a few weeks/months, something resembling a complete story is in
your hands. You've sweated, but it's a good sweat, like after a good
game of squash.
Now the *work* begins. Get out your red pencils, and follow me. Kill
the things on your (I love these dearly, but they are too much)
list. Rearrange things. Make some attempt to map the chronology, to
make sure it flows mostly straight forward, or at least at the angle
you bent it to. Rewrite sections you find awkward. Rewrite situations
that don't really work, because your muse had a coughing fit that day
and was very hard to understand.
This is the type of sweat you get from cleaning your house just before
the cleaners come.
O.K., You feel it's complete, hand it to another red penciler, your
fine upstanding editor, and start considering what to do next, while
your heart and soul are filletted by this museless tyrant.
and so on.
To raise the quality of the novel means a combination of things.
First you must come upon a good idea. Consider how many novels or
short stories you have published, and you will get an idea how easy
*that* is.
Then you must write it, with skill, while maintaining coherency, or at
least attempting to, and making sure time doesn't drift, and your
knight of the round table don't start glancing at their digital
watches.
Then you must rewrite it. In many cases, the more rewrites, the better
the novel. But at a certain point, the fun diminishes. That's when you
stop.
For some that means a book a month. For others it means 1 a decade.
But mostly this is for fun, and being able to say "Damn, thse folks
are paying me for this stuff!"
Anyway, my two cents are up.
--
Hacksaw
jlacy
>
> ] >In the new Dillons book shop sci/fi fantasy catalogue it says there's a
> ] >quizbook called the Unseen University Challenge coming out, but it
> ] >doesnt say when. Anybody know?
Sounds a bit like the Bachelor of Fluencing exam from the Unseen
University...non?
John Wilkins
| [4]...and don't miss the Nanny Ogg Sexy Canvas Underwear range.
Bugger that, publish the cookbook!!!!!
--
John Wilkins, Head of Communication Services, Walter and Eliza
Hall Institute of Medical Research
<http://www.wehi.edu.au/~wilkins/www.html><mailto:wil...@wehi.edu.au>
If a chicken could talk, we would not be able to understand why it
crossed the road... [apologies to Wittgenstein]
Remington Stone
Andrew Crane said:
}>Andrew Mobbs said:
}>Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd prefer to wait 2 years for a high quality,
}>original novel than have the same characters in similar plots making
}>similar jokes every 6 months.
Guess you Andrews have to stick together. Personally, I'd rather see
a high-quality original novel every 6 months. Luckily, pTerry doesn't
seem to find this difficult.
Remington Stone Mail Al...@Lspace.Org for newbie info.
A.T.A.F.O.T. \\\\\\
\\\\\\\__o
______________\\\\\\\'/____________________________________
STEVEN MCKEE
I have to agree with you here Mary, a persons favorite book has to do
with the experiences of the reader though. As I found that Soul Music is
my least favorite book mainly due to the fact that I have very little
interest and knowledge of the bands of that particular era so most of the
jokes within the book went over my head resulting in me going for several
pages not really laughing and tis is unusual with a Disc World noval. But
I have to say that L+L was a vast diappiontment fisrt read, but it has
now become one of the b best after a few rereads.
Enjoy the books and keep the Turtle moving!
LI Endell
Terry Pratchett (Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: In article <4n412f$j...@demeter.omen.com.au>
: wom...@omen.com.au "Brian Tombleson" writes:
: > Umm ... I thought I'd forgotten how to post, but I thought I'd just
: > say, I don't think I've ever seen you this defensive before ....
: >
: > You normally just ignore these sorts of post.
: >
: If you mean 'defensive' in the sense of 'acting guilty' then I'll add this:
: As far as the books and so on go, then, well, this is afp and all comment is
: fair if occasionally strange.
: But I was an sf fan long before I was a writer, and don't see why I should
: ignore an allegation that Discworld is now some sort of mechanism to sell
: garbage to fans.
: Now excuse me while I get back to carefully product-placing some
: upcoming models, scarves, t-shirts and aftershaves in the next book...
And let's face it, in many cases it's the fans who've been the moving
force behind many of these 'spinoffs'. Terry mentioned getting
Clarecraft to make the first Anorankh and the rest of us shouted "me
too". Things like the scarves and t-shirts came about because someone
said 'why don't we...'. So it's not as if some money grabbing executive
was trying to find ways in which to fleece - we did it all ourselves :-)
Lindsay
Christopher Davis
RH> == Rich Holmes <rsho...@hydra.syr.EDU>
RH> Has the Discworld mappe been published?
Ayup. Quite nice too.
RH> I have friends going to England next month, gotta give 'em a
RH> shoppeing list.
One advantage of Boston/Cambridge is that you can often get British
imports. Wordsworth and Pandemonium both tend to have lots of PTerry.
[And hey, if you don't like the spinoffs you don't have to buy them. Not
being a modeller I ignored the Clarecraft stuff; being a map nut I bought
both of the Mapps.]
In the "bad spinoff" department I advance a particularly lame ST:TNG based
board game that some friends bought cheap (somewhat out of pity that the
silly thing had sat on a shelf for so long).
Mr C Newman
In article <Pine.OSF.3.91.960514...@sable.ox.ac.uk>,
Victoria Martin <sann...@sable.ox.ac.uk> writes:
*grizzle*grizzle*gollum*
>occasional Big Serious Issue (heavily disguised), which some of us
>appreciate more than others.
I was wondering whether PTerry actually aimed his books at BSIs, just
stated his opinion of BSIs in them or simply made use of them for
humour and interest value. I suppose the sensible thing to do would
be to ask him. Well, no, maybe the logical thing ...
CN
--
_________________-----_________________
"""""-----"""""""""""""""""""""-##()n()##-"""""""""""""""""""""-----"""""
____===**#**V**#**===____
***
Richard Tobin
In article <831598...@unseen.demon.co.uk> Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk writes:
>And if you saw my mail from various companies, you'd be
>amazed at what *isn't* out there.
Oh go on, tell us...
-- Richard
--
How to have fun on Usenet, #1: Post a message to alt.sex saying "please
take me off the Cindi Crawford nude pix mailing list, it's filling up my
mailbox". Be sure to set followups to include misc.test and sci.aquaria.
Dick Eney
In article <4ndcfi$c...@nice.csv.warwick.ac.uk>,
Mr C Newman <ls...@csv.warwick.ac.uk> wrote:
>In article <Pine.OSF.3.91.960514...@sable.ox.ac.uk>,
> Victoria Martin <sann...@sable.ox.ac.uk> writes:
>
>*grizzle*grizzle*gollum*
>
>>occasional Big Serious Issue (heavily disguised), which some of us
>>appreciate more than others.
>
>I was wondering whether PTerry actually aimed his books at BSIs, just
>stated his opinion of BSIs in them or simply made use of them for
>humour and interest value. I suppose the sensible thing to do would
>be to ask him. Well, no, maybe the logical thing ...
Writing anything that involves humans, the general topics that are BSIs
are likely to come up. The author's handling of the topic -- style,
apprent attitude -- determines the difference in audience response. (As
should be obvious to all by now) I believe that PTerry aims at them while
also intending to write a humorous book.
my two cents' worth.
-- Tamar Lindsay (sharing account dick...@access.digex.net)
James Peter Waterman
On Sun, 12 May 1996, Terry Pratchett wrote:
> In article <lvc*LY...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
> ric...@elmail.co.uk "Richard Kettlewell" writes:
> > To be fair, I don't think Andrew meant to imply that any of the
> > spinoffery was garbage, nor indeed that the books had become a
> > mechanism for advertising it: rather it seemed to me that he was
> > expressing a distaste for the spinoffery solely as itself.
>
> The tone seemed pretty clear.
>
> > When one looks at spinoffery as a whole - rather than restricting it
> > to the Discworld - it's something about which I have mixed opinions.
> > On the one hand it sometimes seems like leaching off the creativity of
> > others, the activity of those too lazy to have their own ideas;
> > whereas on the other, building on the best that other people have done
> > is something that often yields far better results...
> >
> > Any chance of model figures of Marco and Silver? l-)
> >
> I'll agree that of spin-offs consisting of bubblegum cards designed by
> someone who couldn't read the original books without help with the longer words
> are awful. But I've been closely involved with almost all the Discworld
> stuff (except the jigsaws -- and they are based on original art material).
> If I was a modeller, *I'd* be doing the Clarecraft models [1]. The quality
> all round is good. I take a personal interest in making sure this is so, for
> obvious reasons [2]. If someone has a problem with the mere existence of the
> things, that's their problem.[3] This is the Century of the Fruitbat, after
> all. [4]
>
> Terry
>
> [1] They've just done the Bursar, complete with dried frog pills.
> [2] Oh, and Herne the Hunted, too...a winner, in my opinion.
> [3] the Discworld screensaver is now looking quite likely.
> [4]...and don't miss the Nanny Ogg Sexy Canvas Underwear range.
>
> I personnally think that the spin off stuff from the
books is great but I wish to know if you can by any of it in Melbourne
Australia espcially the figurines of the characters. I so far have one
figurine of Rincewind which I got with the game when I brought it.
Jimbo From XXXX
Dan Keegan
> Victoria Martin <sann...@sable.ox.ac.uk> writes:[...insert your own snippage pun here...]
> >occasional Big Serious Issue (heavily disguised), which some of us
> I was wondering whether PTerry actually aimed his books at BSIs, just
> stated his opinion of BSIs in them or simply made use of them for
> humour and interest value. I suppose the sensible thing to do would
> be to ask him. Well, no, maybe the logical thing ...
My personal opinion (probably wrong but hey...) is that he just writes the books and the
BSI's sort of jump in there (heavily disguised).
I'm not sure if it's even his fault. Now we're back to asking him.
The Quadralateralist
It's a bloody square.
No it's not
It's *definately* a bloody square
No it's not
Yes, I *know* this sig sucks.
Ian Sharrock
In article <wilkins-1405...@newshost.wehi.edu.au>, John Wilkins
<wil...@wehi.edu.au> writes
>
>
Not until I get my Discworld Poncho[1].
Ian
[1] Mr Briggs already turned me down.
--
Ian Sharrock
Andrew Mobbs
In article <831897...@unseen.demon.co.uk>,
Terry Pratchett <Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <lvc*LY...@myrddin.chu.cam.ac.uk>
> ric...@elmail.co.uk "Richard Kettlewell" writes:
>> To be fair, I don't think Andrew meant to imply that any of the
>> spinoffery was garbage, nor indeed that the books had become a
>> mechanism for advertising it: rather it seemed to me that he was
>> expressing a distaste for the spinoffery solely as itself.
>
>The tone seemed pretty clear.
I'm sorry that it was misunderstood. Richard is correct, I was
complaining about the volume of spinoffery, not the quality. OTOH the
Maskerade T-shirt is crap.
I don't believe that the books are being used to sell the merchandise,
I certainly don't believe that PTerry writes books solely to sell more
(high-quality) spinoffs.
>
>> When one looks at spinoffery as a whole - rather than restricting it
>> to the Discworld - it's something about which I have mixed opinions.
>> On the one hand it sometimes seems like leaching off the creativity of
>> others, the activity of those too lazy to have their own ideas;
>> whereas on the other, building on the best that other people have done
>> is something that often yields far better results...
>>
>> Any chance of model figures of Marco and Silver? l-)
>>
>I'll agree that of spin-offs consisting of bubblegum cards designed
>by someone who couldn't read the original books without help with the
>longer words are awful. But I've been closely involved with almost
>all the Discworld stuff (except the jigsaws -- and they are based on
>original art material).
>If I was a modeller, *I'd* be doing the Clarecraft models [1]. The
>quality all round is good. I take a personal interest in making sure
>this is so, for obvious reasons [2]. If someone has a problem with the
>mere existence of the things, that's their problem.[3] This is the
>Century of the Fruitbat, after all. [4]
>
On reflection, I'll admit that the Discworld merchandise is about as
good quality, and on the whole as tasteful, as anybody could
reasonably expect. OK, I admit it, I have a fundemental dislike of all
merchandising.
>Terry
>
>[1] They've just done the Bursar, complete with dried frog pills.
>[2] Oh, and Herne the Hunted, too...a winner, in my opinion.
>[3] the Discworld screensaver is now looking quite likely.
>[4]...and don't miss the Nanny Ogg Sexy Canvas Underwear range.
Andrew.
--
Andrew Mobbs, Trinity Hall, Cambridge. |"What did you expect to find ?
email : aj...@hermes.cam.ac.uk | It's just like always, here again"
WWW : http://hammer.chu.cam.ac.uk/~ajm46 | No time to cry, AE
Tornado Flight-Sim WWW page : http://hammer.chu.cam.ac.uk/~ajm46/tornado.html
Stephen Briggs
CMOT ;-)
Andy Fawcett
In article <DrJF5...@cix.compulink.co.uk>
I think Carol might cut your own throat if a recipe book comes out
before she gets a chance ;-)
--
Andy Fawcett AFP Recipes (recip...@lspace.org)
Scunthorpe, UK send mail with subject 'send index'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everything goes wrong at once.
Stephen Briggs
Andy Fawcett wrote:
> I think Carol might cut your own throat if a recipe book comes out
> before she gets a chance ;-)
Or vice versa. It's an idea that was on the back burner long before
a.f.p. caught on to it, you know
CMOT ;-) [or should that be CCOT?]
Mark Lowes
On Sat, 18 May 1996 11:23:10 GMT, in <DrLMA...@cix.compulink.co.uk>
sbr...@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Stephen Briggs") wrote.....
>Andy Fawcett wrote:
>
>> I think Carol might cut your own throat if a recipe book comes out
>> before she gets a chance ;-)
>
>Or vice versa. It's an idea that was on the back burner long before
>a.f.p. caught on to it, you know
Though they can exist side by side, CMOT's as the offical Nanny Ogg Cook
book but Carol's as the one containing the recipes CMOT doesn't sare
print. <looks at the chocolate mouse one again>
Mark
--
Mark <ham...@lspace.org> http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1620/
The Flying Hamster Listserver : list...@flyhmstr.demon.co.uk
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious
Terry Pratchett
In article <Pine.OSF.3.91.960516...@bud.cc.swin.edu.au>
080...@bud.cc.swin.edu.au "James Peter Waterman" writes:
>I wish to know if you can by any of it in Melbourne
> Australia espcially the figurines of the characters. I so far have one
> figurine of Rincewind which I got with the game when I brought it.
> Jimbo From XXXX
>
Well, since you *asked*:
I *think* the only regular stockist of Discworld models in Oz is
Infinitas SF Bookshop at Shop 5, 1 Horwood Place, Paramatta, NSW.
I met the boss at a con a few months ago and he seemed to be really behind
the range and had a fair cross-section of stuff.
Exporting to Oz is fraught all round because of the weight of the models and
all your GST, BST, ESP and BSE. As I recall, though, the prices weren't
outrageously higher than the UK, given all that.
Terry Pratchett
Andy Fawcett
In article <05181996...@lspace.org>
Mark Lowes <Ham...@lspace.org> wrote:
> On Sat, 18 May 1996 11:23:10 GMT, in <DrLMA...@cix.compulink.co.uk>
> sbr...@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Stephen Briggs") wrote.....
>
> >Andy Fawcett wrote:
> >
> >> I think Carol might cut your own throat if a recipe book comes out
> >> before she gets a chance ;-)
> >
> >Or vice versa. It's an idea that was on the back burner long before
> >a.f.p. caught on to it, you know
I can quite believe this. Having seen the requests and submissions to
the (unofficial) AFP Recipe Archives, it's obvious to me that there is a
need for this sort of publication.
> Though they can exist side by side, CMOT's as the offical Nanny Ogg Cook
> book but Carol's as the one containing the recipes CMOT doesn't sare
> print. <looks at the chocolate mouse one again>
It's a good job it wasn't a chocolate hamster!
And yes, I think they could co-exist quite well. The afp recipes (in all
forms) could provide many 'off the wall' recipes, and also be updated
reasonably frequently (the listserv is updated immediately on receipt of
a submission, the other two projects are on hold due to Convention
commitments).
The official book would possibly have to be very wary of some of the
more dubious recipes (those involving buckets full of alcohol spring to
mind), but would undoubtedly be written in a style familiar to us all :-)
--
Andy Fawcett AFP Recipes (recip...@lspace.org)
Scunthorpe, UK send mail with subject 'send index'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cart has no place where a fifth wheel could be used.
Steve Leahy
In the oration <832415...@unseen.demon.co.uk>, the orator known only as
Ter...@unseen.demon.co.uk orated thus to this newsgroup:
> Exporting to Oz is fraught all round because of the weight of the models and
> all your GST, BST, ESP and BSE.
^^^ ^^^
Not yet, although |||
its bound to rear |||
its ugly head soon |||
|||
Not yet, although not for lack of imported British beef products...
--
Steve Leahy (Steve...@anu.edu.au http://modjadji.anu.edu.au/steve)
Dept. Geography, ANU 0200 Australia
Plot hole, n: A device which allows an author to avoid the
difficult task of writing coherently...
Paul Muttley Maskelyne
"ppint." <pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> was gracious enough to state:
[snipped lots of good stuff here]
> ...and as for a fourteen-foot-high, cast-in-poly-
> vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
> standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
What a great idea. That would look great in my garden.
Want one. Want one NOW! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
See ya
Muttley
+-------------------> mut...@lndn.tensor.pgs.com <--------------------+
| WITZELSUCHT (vit'sel-zoocht) [Ger.] | Amiga A1200 |
| "A mental condition characteristic of | Viper 50MHz 68030(MMU) |
| frontal lobe lesions and marked by | 68882 50MHz FPU + SCSI |
| the making of poor jokes and puns and | 2Mb Chip, 8Mb Fast Memory |
| the telling of pointless stories, at | 200Mb Internal IDE-HD |
| which the patient himself is intensely | 1.4Gb External SCSI-HD |
| amused." - This isn't me. Honest! 8) | Microvitec 1438 14" Monitor |
+------> "/Earth is 98% full ... Please Delete Anyone You Can." <------+
John Francis
Paul Muttley Maskelyne wrote:
>
> "ppint." <pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> was gracious enough to state:
>
> [snipped lots of good stuff here]
>
> > vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
> > standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
>
>
> Want one. Want one NOW! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
I don't know about that, but I'm waiting until I see a discworld mappe.
I'm giving serious consideration to commissioning a glass-topped table
with the surface supported on elephants (and, of course, a turtle base).
> [excessively long .sig of doubtful interest snipped]
Mr C Newman
John Francis <jo...@thuridion.com> risked arthritis to hammer out:
>Paul Muttley Maskelyne wrote:
>> "ppint." <pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> was gracious enough to state:
>>
>> [snipped lots of good stuff here]
>>
>> > ...and as for a fourteen-foot-high, cast-in-poly-
>> > vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
>> > standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
>>
>> What a great idea. That would look great in my garden.
>> Want one. Want one NOW! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
Only if it has natural rock inlays, varied lichen cover pre-cultured,
a rim around the outside to ensure the water is deep enough for birds
to bathe in / drink from and a motor unit to rotate it constantly.
I wonder whether the birds would care that it kept going round?
ChrisN
NiceHair
On 22 May 1996, Mr C Newman wrote:
> John Francis <jo...@thuridion.com> risked arthritis to hammer out:
> >Paul Muttley Maskelyne wrote:
> >> "ppint." <pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> was gracious enough to state:
> >>
> >> [snipped lots of good stuff here]
> >>
> >> > ...and as for a fourteen-foot-high, cast-in-poly-
> >> > vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
> >> > standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
> >>
> >> What a great idea. That would look great in my garden.
> >> Want one. Want one NOW! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
>
> Only if it has natural rock inlays, varied lichen cover pre-cultured,
> a rim around the outside to ensure the water is deep enough for birds
> to bathe in / drink from and a motor unit to rotate it constantly.
>
> I wonder whether the birds would care that it kept going round?
>
> ChrisN
Does it take two years to turn around once?[1]
NiceHair
[1] I suppose that if I put in a footnote, it's not a one line follow
up... :-)
Timothy W. Arnot
In article <4npf4j$5...@pgs-gw.hstn.expl.pgs.com>,
mut...@lndn.tensor.pgs.com (Paul "Muttley" Maskelyne) wrote:
>"ppint." <pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> was gracious enough to state:
>
>[snipped lots of good stuff here]
>
>> ...and as for a fourteen-foot-high, cast-in-poly-
>> vinylconc-u-reet (t.m.) discworld-on-top-of-the-four-elephants-
>> standing-on-top-of-great-a-tuin garden waterfall...
>
>What a great idea. That would look great in my garden.
>
>Want one. Want one NOW! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
Abso-fraggin-loutely. Got just the place for it too (about 4 feet
downstream of the Koi filtration stuff) I'd also like a plastic wind-up
version for the bath, but I guess that's my problem :-)
Tim (enjoying FoC immensely whenever the boss isn't looking).
--
t...@softpress.com dig...@cix.compulink.co.uk
"The loud learning of lines must be restricted to speeches of a generally
optimistic nature" - Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters on Radio 4