New Questions for the FAQ
john a nickles
know about this group?"
Q: Is the person who signs his posts "Terry Pratchett" the real Terry
Pratchett?
Yes, it is.
Q: Really?
Yes.
Q: Aw, come on.. REALLY?
Well, look at it this way, it either is Terry Pratchett or it is a person
who has a complete knowledge of the Pratchett ouvre (INCLUDING The Carpet
People), is able to foretell the way the series is headed, and has
set a computer somewhwere in the vicinity of where TP is known to reside.
If anyone has gone to all that trouble and expense to become TP, then the
least we can do is to encourage them in their delusion. In other words,
it pleases us to regard the poster "Terry Pratchett" as the real
TP, even if by some extraordinary set of circumstances, it isn't him
(even though it is.) The only way we will ever know with one hundred per
cent certainty that it is TP is a) if his next novels follow the hints
he has given us b) if his next novel bears the following dedication:
"To all the members of the alt.fan.pratchett newsgroup
without whose insightful questions and helpful comments, I would
have been done in half the time.
(Dedication stolen from P.G. Wodehouse)
Q: Is this the only newsgroup in which the object of affection himself
appears?
To the best of our knowledge. It is said that Neil Gamain reads the
Sandman posts on rec.arts.comics and some of the rec.arts.books posters
have published books with a popular following but this is the only spot where
writer and fan are so clearly delianated.
Q: Can I write him a personal letter telling him how much I like his stuff?
You can, BUT Terry is already swamped with e-mail and he does have real
writing to do.
Q: But what if I have a question about something in the books?
Post it on the net. Terry will see it there and will probably respond.
And if he doesn't know the answer someone else will.
Q: But he wrote the books. Doesn't that give him final say?
Frequently. But always remember the cardinal rule of literary criticism
"Just because the authour wrote the book, it doesn't mean they really
thought of all the things that might occur to the reader. Writing produces many
unexpected themes and unintentional subtexts." This is still a disscussion
group. You can debate incredibly small details of the books to your heart's
content.
Q: So I can disagree with Terry?
Of course. Tactful disagreement is better than blind obsiquiousness.
Q: What's this I hear about the Patrician being assasinated?
It's a clue Terry has dropped about his new novel. We don't know
any more about it than you, really. Rank does have its priviliges.
John A. Nickles
Standard Disclaimer: Purdue has its opinions, I have mine
"I am the writer! You are the audience! I outrank you!" The Producers
Frogs croaked in the rushes, but were edited out of the final
picture. --Moving Pictures
Ken Cox
>Q: What's this I hear about the Patrician being assasinated?
>It's a clue Terry has dropped about his new novel. We don't know
>any more about it than you, really. Rank does have its priviliges.
Now, let's be careful, people. Several posters have talked about the
Patrician being assassinated, and some have even used the word "killed".
But as I recall, TP's original post on this subject didn't actually say
he would _die_; the phrase was "the Patrician's assassination", which
is really a marvel of ambiguity. Indeed, as one poster mentioned, my
first suspect would be the Patrician himself. (I don't suppose there's
any chance Pteppic might make a cameo appearance?)
First question: Rumor has it that a sequel to Good Omens, possibly
entitled "668: The Neighbor of the Beast", was contemplated. Is such
a thing still in the works, and if so what is the status?
Second question: In Good Omens, there is a telephone salesperson who
wanted to become an international jet-setter (or some such thing) but
her "O-levels" weren't high enough. I've also read of "A-levels" in
a book by Tom Holt. From the context, they seem to have something to
do with the British education system. Would anyone care to enlighten
an American?
Ken Cox
k...@wucs1.wustl.edu
Paul S. Winalski
In article <1992Jul22.2...@wuecl.wustl.edu>,
k...@wucs1.wustl.edu (Ken Cox) writes:
|>
|>Second question: In Good Omens, there is a telephone salesperson who
|>wanted to become an international jet-setter (or some such thing) but
|>her "O-levels" weren't high enough. I've also read of "A-levels" in
|>a book by Tom Holt. From the context, they seem to have something to
|>do with the British education system. Would anyone care to enlighten
|>an American?
The O-levels and A-levels are achievement examinations. Kind of like the
College Board Achievement Tests in the U.S., except given in a lot more
subjects and not used just for college admission.
--PSW
Chris Reuter
>entitled "668: The Neighbor of the Beast", was contemplated. Is such
I'm not sure if this applies but the above title was used by some rock group
(who's name I don't remember) for an album. This would seem to imply that the
sequel to Good Omens is just a rumour. Besides, I recall reading here that
TP and NG have had a falling out over the movie rights to GO.
(Actually, it would be nice to get some details on that, lest rumours of
death threats and blood feuds start to circulate.)
Ulrich Schreglmann
>First question: Rumor has it that a sequel to Good Omens, possibly
>entitled "668: The Neighbor of the Beast", was contemplated.
Well, it definitely sounds Pratchettian. It's the sort of gag getting
you off guard while seesawing with your chair. There should be a label
on these books warning that they might be hazardous to your neck.
May the Cool be with You!
(C)OOL mcmxcii
mwl...@vela.acs.oakland.edu
>sequel to Good Omens is just a rumour. Besides, I recall reading here that
>TP and NG have had a falling out over the movie rights to GO.
>(Actually, it would be nice to get some details on that, lest rumours of
>death threats and blood feuds start to circulate.)
What do you mean, "lest rumours of death threats and blood feuds start to
circulate"????
This is the only newsgroup that I've been on since its creation that hasn't
had a good, old-fashioned, all-out flamefest/rumorfest/backstabbing-growling-
throwing-things-even-quite-heavy-furniture-fest. You people are all too
complacent and peaceful. The rest of the Internet is going to get wind of
this, and who knows where it'll wind up! They might end up disbanding us
as a threat to the network's violent integrity...
--
Michael Lucas mwl...@vela.acs.oakland.edu
John Switzer
>This is the only newsgroup that I've been on since its creation that hasn't
>had a good, old-fashioned, all-out flamefest/rumorfest/backstabbing-growling-
>throwing-things-even-quite-heavy-furniture-fest. You people are all too
>complacent and peaceful. The rest of the Internet is going to get wind of
>this, and who knows where it'll wind up! They might end up disbanding us
>as a threat to the network's violent integrity...
Amazing ain't it? When I saw TP had his own alt group, my first thoughts were
"great, now he's going to get hammered just like the others (aspirin, anthony,
etc.). I just guess we Discworld fans are a step up from those other miserable
dung-grubbing totally worthless shreds of human debris, huh?
P.S. Shouldn't that really be "Diskworld?"
--
John Switzer | "Gammera is really neat,
| Gammera's full of turtle meat,
74076...@Compuserve.com | We all love you, Gammera."
j...@netcom.com | ---MST 3000
Laura Johnson
>
> The O-levels and A-levels are achievement examinations. Kind of like the
> College Board Achievement Tests in the U.S., except given in a lot more
> subjects and not used just for college admission.
>
> --PSW
I've gotten (somewhere) the impression that O=Ordinary and A=Advanced,
thus making A-levels the more difficult...is this right?
-Laura
--
l...@hpctdls.col.hp.com
Opinions expressed are my own, but may be licensed for a nominal fee.
mike blaser
>wina...@adserv.enet.dec.com (Paul S. Winalski) writes:
>>
>> The O-levels and A-levels are achievement examinations. Kind of like the
>> College Board Achievement Tests in the U.S., except given in a lot more
>> subjects and not used just for college admission.
>>
>> --PSW
>I've gotten (somewhere) the impression that O=Ordinary and A=Advanced,
>thus making A-levels the more difficult...is this right?
>-Laura
Yep, that's right. And A levels can be rather nasty if you let them.
Fox
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
/\_/\ F
\O O/ O "What is a figment anyway?"
\o/ X
Terry Pratchett
You could add to the FAQ that Terry generally answers mail, eventually, but
can no longer be having with the blunt 'Hey, are you Terry Pratchett or
what?' messages.
Terry
The Jack Elmo Society Black Book
> Q: Is this the only newsgroup in which the object of affection himself
> appears?
>
> To the best of our knowledge. It is said that Neil Gamain reads the
> Sandman posts on rec.arts.comics and some of the rec.arts.books posters
> have published books with a popular following but this is the only spot where
> writer and fan are so clearly delianated.
>
Jittlov posts to alt.fan.mike_jittlov. Crawford Kilian posts to
rec.arts.sf.etc.
--
"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee. For Hate's sake,
I spit my last breath at thee, thou damned whale!"
--Herman Melville, _Moby Dick_
Peter da Silva
>Amazing ain't it? When I saw TP had his own alt group, my first thoughts were
>"great, now he's going to get hammered just like the others (aspirin, anthony,
>etc.). I just guess we Discworld fans are a step up from those other miserable
>dung-grubbing totally worthless shreds of human debris, huh?
No, I think it's because Terry is a step up from Asprin, Peirs Jacob, and
all those other SF authors too hung up on their own sense of importance.
Pterry is British, you see (not that pommies can't get stuck up, of course,
like that horrible man who grounded Eddy the Eagle).
Gods, wouldn't Eddy do great in a Diskworld novel. For those who aren't
familiar with him, he's sort of the Rincewind of ski-jumping.
--
`-_-'
Have you hugged your wolf today? 'U`
Peter da Silva, Taronga Park BBS, Houston, TX +1 713 568 0480/1032
Gerben 'P' Vos
>>This is the only newsgroup that I've been on since its creation that hasn't
>>had a good, old-fashioned, all-out flamefest/rumorfest/backstabbing-growling-
^^^^^^^^^
>>throwing-things-even-quite-heavy-furniture-fest.
Well, some rumours actually. But not a fest, indeed, and i suspect even the
rumours aren't necessary anymore since a few weeks...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G e r b e n V o s <><
Aconet: 8500/104!Gerben Vos Internet: gp...@cs.vu.nl
[1] UNIX is a trademark of Unix Systems Laboratories, a subsidiary of AT&T[2].
[2] AT&T is a modem test command.
Laura Johnson
> >Amazing ain't it? When I saw TP had his own alt group, my first thoughts were
> >"great, now he's going to get hammered just like the others (aspirin, anthony,
> >etc.). I just guess we Discworld fans are a step up from those other miserable
> >dung-grubbing totally worthless shreds of human debris, huh?
>
Maybe it's because Terry is, after all, *here*. (You know, "Here: At this
virtual location in the ether.") Trashing Terry on alt.fan.pratchett
would be sorta like being an atheist on the diskworld: he might just come
down from Mount Wossname and throw rocks through our windows!
For the humor-impaired: :-).
For Terry: NO, HONESTLY, we're not just saying we love you 'cause you're
here! We were saying that before you got here! We love you! I loved
_Reaper_Man_! Really! Pleeeez don't throw rocks through my windows!
Bill Sharp
>l...@col.hp.com (Laura Johnson) writes:
>
>>wina...@adserv.enet.dec.com (Paul S. Winalski) writes:
>>>
>>> The O-levels and A-levels are achievement examinations. Kind of like the
>>> College Board Achievement Tests in the U.S., except given in a lot more
>>> subjects and not used just for college admission.
>>>
>>> --PSW
>
>>I've gotten (somewhere) the impression that O=Ordinary and A=Advanced,
>>thus making A-levels the more difficult...is this right?
Yes, but havn't GCE O-Levels, and CSE's all been replaced by the everso
tacky GCSE's ?
Bill
--
| _\|/_ He said that there was death and taxes, and taxes was
| /.\ /.\ worse, because at least death didn't happen to you every year.
| \_/v\_/
|___\-/______...@doc.ic.ac.uk____Bill_Sharp,_Imperial_College,_London._______
Austin Newton Shackles
flamefest:
the english spelling for disc is disc, unfortunately americans and (possibly)
small children just don't like the idea of the c being hard, so they have to
mess around with a perfectly good (if arcane) language, and replace it with a
k. funilly enough, the english spelling of licence has a soft c, but the have
to change that too, making it license...wierd.
:-) X10^19 for those who can't take a bit of light sarcasm.
--
Austin Newton Shackles | Why do I get this feeling these days that
an...@uk.ac.aberystwyth | life is like going up the down escalator?
DoD#0467 1981 Z440 Ltd | My opinions are just that
+++ Signature Virus [.sig] removed from /mntda/base/aa_az/ans0/.signature
Rich Holmes
>Q: Is this the only newsgroup in which the object of affection himself
>appears?
>
>To the best of our knowledge.
I'm told that Mike Jittlov visits his fan newsgroup.
Then there's Kibo, of course, who reads all 3 (at last count) of his
fan groups.
--
- Rich Holmes - - - - - - - - - - - - - rsho...@mailbox.syr.edu -
WARNING: This .sig has been cruelly tested on animals.
Patrick K. Bronson
>someone mentioned flamefests etc., so here you are, i'll start a spelling
>flamefest:
>
>the english spelling for disc is disc, unfortunately americans and (possibly)
>small children just don't like the idea of the c being hard, so they have to
>mess around with a perfectly good (if arcane) language, and replace it with a
>k. funilly enough, the english spelling of licence has a soft c, but the have
>to change that too, making it license...wierd.
Ah HA! I knew I was right. It was pointed out that I had made the mistake of
spelling license as licence on a database report. As several areas of our
campus police use this program, and the results are sent on to one of our
many Vice Presidents, I felt pretty stupid! Turns out I had inadvertantly
given them a copy that was subconciously written for a Police department in
England. Well....that's MY story and I'm sticking to it!!!!
Pat
--
-----------
Pat Bronson (bro...@engr.latech.edu)
"Are you going to come quietly or do I have to use earplugs?"
---- From The Goon Show
D N Crow
Its four now and Kibo doesn't count for *anything*.
There is also alt.cyberpunk which Tom Maddox frequently contributes to.
--
Dan Crow
dan...@scs.leeds.ac.uk
Uncle David
>Q: Is this the only newsgroup in which the object of affection himself
>appears?
>To the best of our knowledge. It is said that Neil Gamain reads the
>Sandman posts on rec.arts.comics and some of the rec.arts.books posters
>have published books with a popular following but this is the only spot where
>writer and fan are so clearly delianated.
<...>
i know for a fact that Mike Jittlov reads and posts in alt.fan.mike-jittlov
and i hear that rush limbaugh posts/reads alt.fan.rush-limbaugh by proxy
from his Compuserve account. dunno about any other fan groups.
--
David Vangerov, Systems Analyst - Advanced Technologies, Information Services.
Voice: 408-425-7222, x4357 | Email: ...!uunet!sco!davidv | SCO would never say
Fax: 408-427-5460 | dav...@sco.com | something this lame
"First rule of bicycling: you're always going up a hill and into the wind"
Nick Leverton
>In article <1992Jul23.1...@vela.acs.oakland.edu>> mwl...@vela.acs.oakland.edu ( ) writes:
>>This is the only newsgroup that I've been on since its creation that hasn't
>>had a good, old-fashioned, all-out flamefest/rumorfest/backstabbing-growling-
>>throwing-things-even-quite-heavy-furniture-fest.
[...]
>P.S. Shouldn't that really be "Diskworld?"
You tryin' to start something, bud ?
:-) <---- NOTE !!!
Anyway, he's a British author and so his titles obviously ought to be
spelt the British way.
Nick Leverton
--
<nlev...@cix.compulink.co.uk> <lev...@warren.demon.co.uk>
X400: I=NJ; S=Leverton; OU=mdn0402; O=ICL; PRMD=ICL; ADMD=Gold 400; C=GB
Nick Leverton
>Q: Is this the only newsgroup in which the object of affection himself
>appears?
alt.religion.kibology ?
I wonder what props are necessary for performing the Rite of AshKibo ...
Anyone got any mouse blood ?
Rich Holmes
>someone mentioned flamefests etc., so here you are, i'll start a spelling
>flamefest:
>
>the english spelling for disc is disc, unfortunately americans and (possibly)
>small children just don't like the idea of the c being hard, so they have to
>mess around with a perfectly good (if arcane) language, and replace it with a
>k. funilly enough, the english spelling of licence has a soft c, but the have
>to change that too, making it license...wierd.
>
>:-) X10^19 for those who can't take a bit of light sarcasm.
No, it's worse than that -- one of the few instances in which the
American spelling isn't an improvement. :-). In the U.S. you can
listen to a compact disc while backing up your hard disk. Usually,
computer discs are disks while other disks are discs.
I've heard it explained as follows: when small floppies were invented,
since "discette" didn't look right, they called them "diskettes",
which then got shortened to "disk", and said spelling got applied to
all computer discs. Probable urban legend, but there you are.
(By "small floppies", I mean 5 1/4" ones. Anyone remember 8" floppies?
I wrote my dissertation on them. No, not about them; just on them.)
Peter da Silva
>and i hear that rush limbaugh posts/reads alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
I can't wait for Rush to discover talk.politics... :->
Rich Holmes
>Ah HA! I knew I was right. It was pointed out that I had made the mistake of
>spelling license as licence on a database report. As several areas of our
>campus police use this program, and the results are sent on to one of our
>many Vice Presidents, I felt pretty stupid! Turns out I had inadvertantly
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'm not gonna say it... I'm NOT gonna say it...
Rich Holmes
>I wonder what props are necessary for performing the Rite of AshKibo ...
>Anyone got any mouse blood ?
Nonono. Mouse balls.
Well, SOMEONE had to.
--
Inspected by number 23
Lindsay F. Marshall
>Anyone remember 8" floppies?
>I wrote my dissertation on them. No, not about them; just on them.)
Did you write on the plastic bit or just on the cardboard outer?
L.
MAIL : Lindsay....@newcastle.ac.uk
POST : Computing Laboratory, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU
VOICE: +44-91-222-8267
FAX : +44-91-222-8572
Paul Mc Auley
|In article <712088...@warren.demon.co.uk> lev...@warren.demon.co.uk (Nick Leverton) writes:
|>I wonder what props are necessary for performing the Rite of AshKibo ...
|>Anyone got any mouse blood ?
|Nonono. Mouse balls.
Why not just a (fresh) egg?
|Well, SOMEONE had to.
My excuse too.... :-)
--
__________________________.
Paul Mc Auley | God is real . . . . . .
--------------------------|
AKA pmca...@maths.tcd.ie | . . . . . . . . Unless Declared an Integer.
tjhama...@cc.helsinki.fi
>>This is the only newsgroup that I've been on since its creation that hasn't
>>had a good, old-fashioned, all-out flamefest/rumorfest/backstabbing-growling-
>>throwing-things-even-quite-heavy-furniture-fest. You people are all too
>>complacent and peaceful.
Yes. It must have something to do with the fact that we're all reading TP's
works. Please don't tell that to army officials: soon they'll forbid us from
reading any of his works. TP's readers just won't make good soldiers :-)
And I've still to do my national service...
R. Godfather "The man who will see TP in August '93 :-)"
_______________________________________________________________________
TJ Hamalainen (Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki)
DECNET: HYLK::TJHAMALAINEN :-----------------------------
Bitnet: tjhamala@finuh : I pretend to work,
Internet: tjhama...@hylk.helsinki.fi : they pretend to pay me.
Patrick K. Bronson
Say it...SAY IT!
Angus Fluffy Rae
>rsho...@rodan.syr.EDU (Rich Holmes) writes:
>>Anyone remember 8" floppies?
>>I wrote my dissertation on them. No, not about them; just on them.)
I still have machine (working) which uses twin 8 inch drives. A nice big
heavy computer called the Olivetti P6066. I'm thinking of carefully
shortening it's plate... I already call it "The Beast". Built in thermal
printer, 40x1 LED display screen, little thumbwheel for setting the
accuracy it works to, little buttons for trace control and so forth
which light up when active, and little LED status lights as well.
Lovely. When I finally pick up my IBM PC (and I mean IBM... original
chunky 8088, 5 1/4 inch drive machine) it'll look great beside it. And
my Atari 800, and my Sinclair Spectrum, and my Oric Atmos...
I collect computers from the early 80s, in case you hadn't guessed.
--
Angus G Rae, the Cuddly Vampire Teddy Bear [a...@castle.edinburgh.ac.uk]
CATHY VoiceMail, Computer Science Dept., Edinburgh University
"I'm on the run from the Facist Police with a murderer and
a mass murderer and a man in a bri-nylon shirt." Rimmer, Red Dwarf V