[R] Posting 'DW ideas'
Gavin J Bradshaw
I don't think that Pterry has anything to worry about at all with people
trying to 'second guess' him at all. I mean people can try, but they never
will really because we don't see the world how Pterry does -even though we
like to think we do.
Besides one thing I find with Pterry's writing is that, as a writer myself,
I always tend to read something he writes, or the way he expresses something
and swear like mad and get so angry that I never thought of that first -as I
do with Shakespeare as well. The guy is a genius, that is why we all love
him so much.
Gavin.
Terry Pratchett
I'm beginning to suspect that stopping people posting the 'Hey, why
doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
merely pegs).
However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
some will get it right.
You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
--
Terry Pratchett
Dick Eney
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
[...]
>A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
>recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
>means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
>want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
>anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
>You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
>to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
>--
>Terry Pratchett
I for one would love to read what you would write for a dwarf opera.
Back when the dwarf opera was posted, wasn't there a tendency
among afpers to include a statement that anything you wanted to use was
freely given up by them?
Would it make any significant difference if a statement were put into
the FAQs that 'posted fanfic-type ideas for adding to published,
copyrighted work are considered the property of the original owner of the
copyright,' e.g., you? (I believe they would be violation of copyright if
they were published separately, so this would seem to be a logical
extension.)
And I apologize for the occasional violations I perpetrated out of idiocy
and if any such ideas ever seem usable to you I immediately give up any
and all claim to them.
=Tamar
Rob Smiley
> c) if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
>--
What, the ones with the thin wristwatches?
I'm in two minds about the thought of "fan ideas" going into discworld(tm)
print.
A few years back, I read an article (by the man Langford IIRC) about
frustrated authors having these great ideas for a genre story, and when they
try to get it down on paper, they get stuck around page five, and what could
have been a great story fizzles out.
Now, based on that, it _may_ be a good idea for clueful AFPers to 'suggest'
ideas or subplots, in a sense of "let's contribute to the good". That way,
some of these ideas may see the light of day under the careful nurturing of
an AUTHOR rather than 'frustrated author'.
OTOH public posting is probably not the right way to go about it. This group
can be a tad obsessive on all sorts of subjects (nothing wrong with that)
and if there is a friendly disagreement over an idea posted, will we loose
people because an idea doesn't get picked up? And conversly because what
others think is daft makes it into a book, will that upset others?
Then there's the charge of authoring by committee, a terrible concept that
(to my knowledge, waits for arguements) has never and will never work.
BTW I've got this great idea for a plot and I've already got a couple of
minor characters...
rcsm...@yahoo.com
"Mention the Lord of the Rings just once more,
And I'll more than likely kill you."
h9450570
Terry Pratchett wrote
[...]
>However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
>idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
>it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
>first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
>Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
>[,,,]
>Terry Pratchett
Since the flow of information seems to vanish while on its way down to
Middle
Europe (and especially Austria) and taking into account that I'm not a
regular
reader of this ng[1] I hope you guys won't kill me for this: what is 'The
Fifth
Elephant'?! New book coming out after Carpe Jugulum? Anything to do with
that Luc Besson movie?
Btw, any chance of becoming a proofreader for new Pterry books? What are
the requirements? Being able to quote all books backwards, to answer every
question in that Discworld quiz-book[2]? Being a friend of Pterry?
Well, if I work on it, I'll sure be able to come up with the first two, but
I guess
theré's not a chance for the last one. :)
Matthias
[1] If this is in some new edition of the FAQ I haven't read yet, I do
apologize.
[2] In there it says something to the effect that you should get a life when
able
to answer most of the questions. So, if I just got the basic ones right,
does that
mean a) that I've got helluva life or b) I'm not a dedicated fan?
h9450570
h9450570
Cyclops
<Snip>
> You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
> if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
>
a) do you have enough clout with your publishers to get all
the 8s in the page numbers changed to 7a?
and
b) would you try?
--
Cyclops - NB: Don't forget to take the "p" out of my e-mail
address! NB: Don't e-mail from hotmail.com, aol.com, xoom.com or
juno.com addresses AFP Code version 1.1a AGo-UK d s-: a U+ R F++
!h P++ OS--: C+++ M-- pp! L c- B(+) Cn-:- PT++++ Pu66 5-- X MT-
eV r% y? end
Paull y Bard
Terry Pratchett wrote in message ...
Me too. Serious issues, Man...
As a writer, although not of such excellent literature that I'll accuse you
of here and now, I can well see the dilemma. Newsgroup culture being what it
is regarding 'free information for all', etc; makes it all the more
difficult.
I would imagine that it would be difficult in a legal sense to, for
instance, insert somewhere in the FAQs that "Any ideas posted in the
alt.fan.pratchett newsgroup may be freely used by Pterry", and then insist
that as it is in the FAQ, any posters who might later make a claim on
something published as being 'theirs' were already warned by the FAQ. Let
alone make it stick in a court in XXXX or China.
Such a clause might, however, not be a bad idea. The inclusion of the
idea-triggering poster as a character or dedication would, I suspect, be
sufficient reward for nearly all 'true fans'.
Perhaps a thin-watched lawyer might draft something which could be used for
'ideas, themes or potential sub-plots' which, if having been posted first
*and* if you subsequently wanted to use something, could be sent signed and
returned to establish the exact situation and relationship between the
parties in law. But it's now starting to sound messy, and departing from the
excellent spirit and relationships I've discovered here these past few
weeks, isn't it? Besides, I've no doubt that some fool would decide that he
or she would desire a %-age...
It seems to me that the accepted practise of the group AIUI, is to privately
e-mail suggestions and/or ideas to you, and see where it goes from there.
That's a great idea, but I think you are an exception in being the subject
of a newsgroup actively participating in that newsgroup, rather than the
rule. And, first time posters DON'T always read FAQs first, and a
wholehearted condemnation of them by the group might result in the lost of a
potentially pleasant e-companion.
For myself, I write about IT issues for a living, and have no ambition to or
belief that I could write fiction of any sort. But, if one of my favourite
authors (the two being Tom Clancy and Terry Pratchett) were to use even the
scratchings of an idea I came up with in one of their works, that would both
flatter me and make me truly happy to subsequently own that book.
Paull y Bard
----- Begin AFPCodeblock -----------
AFP Code 1.1a AC$ AMu$ d s+:s+ a UP+ R++ F !h !P !C !M !PP L+ c OSD--:-- B
Cn-- PT++ Pu* !5 !X MT-- E+ r++++ z++++
------ End AFPCodeblock ------------
Miq
k> wrote
<...>
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
<g> How appropriate that this should be the _bottom_ line of
Terry's post...
--
Miq - afpiance to the mischievous MEG
afpconjugate to the observant Supermouse
Paul Wouters
> If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
> A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
> recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
> means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
> want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
> anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
Are you acusing us of being monkeys ? :)
Imho, you could always contact the person (if possible, you do burn nightly
copies of a.f.p to CD right?) and discuss it. On the other hand, I personally
do not think we have any right to tell you what to do or not with your world.
If we speculate and come up with ideas, I think they're as much yours as ours
(perhaps even more yours)
So, imho you can't "nick" them, they're based on your ideas. Otherwise, I
doubt Deana and Worf could have been an item, as i am sure lots of variations
of those have been posted in alt.sex.stories.startrek.freaks
> I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
> trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
> some will get it right.
Ackward, but not as bad for you as it might be for other authors. Go read
the Wheel of Time FAQ. They bloody leave no room for Jordan to make the
smallest mistake. That book has been taken apart (It's very suitable for
this as the main thing of those books are 13 people and 7 objects).
> You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
> to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
> if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
We can always make a charter here that says "You have the right not to post.
Everything you post can and will be used by Pterry in a new book. If you
cannot afford a lawyer, don't say he nicked your idea and the publisher
will leave you alone. If you still feel creative, go to the Discworld MUD"
Paul
--
Paul Wouters Postbus 170 Tel: 31-24-360 39 19
Xtended Internet 6500 AD Nijmegen Fax: 31-24-360 19 99
in...@xtdnet.nl The Netherlands http://www.xtdnet.nl/
Robin Parkinson
tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk says...
> I've been watching some of the threads about this..
>
>
> You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
> to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
> if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
Perhaps we should consider adding a section to the FAQ saying something
like...
'If something you say on afp turns up some day in a Pratchett book, then
you are officially entitled to feel a warm glow of smug accomplishment
but nothing more. Sometimes synchronicity happens and Pterry thinks along
parallel lines to you. Sometimes a thought or a phrase burrows its way
into the mustier recesses of his cranium and emerges some time later,
blinking in the light and barely recognisable. Very occasionally he may
even find himself thinking "Hey, that's a good idea - I could use that!".
These things happen. They're happening all the time, and not just on afp.
It's the way writers work. He probably gets ideas from his milkman, but
you don't find milko getting upset if his thoughts find their uncredited
way into one of Pterry's books, do you? On the contrary, he probably
feels dead chuffed and leaves an extra pint of gold top.'[i]
Would that, along with the 'no fanfic'[ii] guideline, go some way towards
covering it?
No?
I'll get me coat, then...
- Robin.
(Personally, if I felt I had to worry about crediting everybody who'd
given me ideas that I later used then I'd have gone mad years ago.[iii])
[i] You know, all of that sounded familiar - I'm sure I've read it
somewhere before...
[ii] I had one of them once. Kept breaking down. Traded it for a Honda
90.
[iii] Stop sniggering. I'm perfectly OK and I'll have you know I've got a
certificate to prove it.
--
Trout: Slightly fishy, but never coarse. Updated weekly.
http://www.troutmag.clara.net
--
ro...@troutmag.clara.net - Robin Parkinson - rpark...@iclretail.icl.com
I am playing all the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order
- Eric Morecambe
Terry Pratchett
needs.cix.co.uk> writes
>It seems to me that the accepted practise of the group AIUI, is to privately
>e-mail suggestions and/or ideas to you, and see where it goes from there.
>That's a great idea, but I think you are an exception in being the subject
>of a newsgroup actively participating in that newsgroup, rather than the
>rule. And, first time posters DON'T always read FAQs first, and a
>wholehearted condemnation of them by the group might result in the lost of a
>potentially pleasant e-companion.
Sorry, but the last thing I want are more emails suggesting ideas:-)
Ideas aren't the problem. They are, as I've said, generally generic
('Do one on football'). It's minor stuff that could be the problem,
such as 'If wolves and dogs are smiliar, does Carrot have to spell out
the word B-A-T-H when talking in the presense of Angua?'
So I'm taking this view now: there's hundred of people out there with a
good working knowledge of DW, and on the newsgroup they're postulating
all kinds of stuff. Fine. But I know a lot about DW too, and I've got
fat files of characters, ideas, situations and lines which have occurred
to me over the years. I'm not going to knowingly pinch anyone's idea,
but neither am I going to cross stuff out because someone else has
independently suggested it. This isn't the US (at least, where I am
sitting now isn't).
As it is, I maybe read one fifth of all postings, and that's on a good
day.
--
Terry Pratchett
Tom Lawton
grunts and wild hand movements:
>I've been watching some of the threads about this..
>
>doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
>happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
>football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
>merely pegs).
>
>idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
>it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
>first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
>A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
>recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
>means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
>want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
>anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
>
>trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
>some will get it right.
Sounds like a case of AFP + Many Keyboards = Eventual Discworld [1]
>
>You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
>to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
[1] You know the original version of this, obviously ;)
Tom Lawton
Founding member of the Guild of Non-Titanic Seers
and Self-Appointed, Semi-Official AFPDJ.
AFPCODE 1.1a AC/OtD d--- s: a- U+++ R+++ F+++
h- P-- OSD+:-- C++ M->M pp--->-- L+@ c+>++ B
Cn->+ PT+>++ PU69@ 5+ X-->X MT++ eV+ r+ y+
End
Antti Lehtola
Tamar wrote:
>Terry Pratchett wrote:
>[...]
>>You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is [...]
b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp
Thank gods for that...one of the many reasons[1] afp is such a
special thing is that Pterry posts here. Losing him, could the group
survive?
>Back when the dwarf opera was posted, wasn't there a tendency
>among afpers to include a statement that anything you wanted to use
was
>freely given up by them?
>
> Would it make any significant difference if a statement were put
into
>the FAQs that 'posted fanfic-type ideas for adding to published,
>copyrighted work are considered the property of the original owner
of the
>copyright,' e.g., you? (I believe they would be violation of
copyright if
>they were published separately, so this would seem to be a logical
>extension.)
A good idea - and, in a way, IMHO, a terrible one... Wouldn't this
act like an encouragement for some people to "accidentally" post
their ideas, in the hope of seeing them in a DW novel? Even if this
was in addition to fanfic being a big "No", wouldn't this still
kinda diminish the "No" to a "No, but..."
I may be wrong. Opinions, anyone?
[1] The other reasons being, in no particular order, every single
afper.
Antti - antti....@kolumbus.fi
--
You need a butterfly for storms - And when it sleeps
An open-ended search for forms - From hidden deeps
Paull y Bard
Me too. Serious issues, Man...
As a writer, although not of such excellent literature that I'll accuse you
of here and now, I can well see the dilemma. Newsgroup culture being what it
is regarding 'free information for all', etc; makes it all the more
difficult.
I would imagine that it would be difficult in a legal sense to, for
instance, insert somewhere in the FAQs that "Any ideas posted in the
alt.fan.pratchett newsgroup may be freely used by Pterry", and then insist
that as it is in the FAQ, any posters who might later make a claim on
something published as being 'theirs' were already warned by the FAQ. Let
alone make it stick in a court in XXXX or China.
Such a clause might, however, not be a bad idea. The inclusion of the
idea-triggering poster as a character or dedication would, I suspect, be
sufficient reward for nearly all 'true fans'.
Perhaps a thin-watched lawyer might draft something which could be used for
'ideas, themes or potential sub-plots' which, if having been posted first
*and* if you subsequently wanted to use something, could be sent signed and
returned to establish the exact situation and relationship between the
parties in law. But it's now starting to sound messy, and departing from the
excellent spirit and relationships I've discovered here these past few
weeks, isn't it? Besides, I've no doubt that some fool would decide that he
or she would desire a %-age...
It seems to me that the accepted practise of the group AIUI, is to privately
e-mail suggestions and/or ideas to you, and see where it goes from there.
That's a great idea, but I think you are an exception in being the subject
of a newsgroup actively participating in that newsgroup, rather than the
rule. And, first time posters DON'T always read FAQs first, and a
wholehearted condemnation of them by the group might result in the lost of a
potentially pleasant e-companion.
Paull y Bard
Paull y Bard wrote in message ...
Please forgive me if this is a reposting, now that I've bragged about being
an IT journalist, of course something has gone wrong with my message
settings! :)
Normal service will... etc.
Linda K McIver
: However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
: idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
: it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
: first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
: Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
: A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
: recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
: means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
: want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
: anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
: I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
: trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
: some will get it right.
: You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
: to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
: if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
Many of the replies to this have discussed Pterry using ideas from afp. As
I read the above posting, that's not the issue. The issue is whether he
should use ideas *of his own* which subsequently sprout on the newsgroup by
parallel evolution. Pterry wasn't suggesting using an idea from afp as his
own, although it may be difficult to prove if he doesn't have time-stamped
files proving his own creativity. But why should he?
As pointed out above, people are never likely to stop posting ideas to afp,
and I, for one, don't wish to lose the opportunity to revel in one of
Pterry's ideas simply because someone else came up with the same, or
similar concept.
As one small opinion in a crowd, I say - go for it, Pterry.
--
Linda McIver - linda....@csse.monash.edu.au
--
"Change was right. Change was necessary. Masklin was all in favour of change.
What he was dead against was things not staying the same."
-- Terry Pratchett "Wings"
Paull y Bard
Linda K McIver wrote in message <70lt80$9jq$1...@towncrier.cc.monash.edu.au>...
>Many of the replies to this have discussed Pterry using ideas from afp. As
>I read the above posting, that's not the issue. The issue is whether he
>should use ideas *of his own* which subsequently sprout on the newsgroup by
>parallel evolution. Pterry wasn't suggesting using an idea from afp as his
>own, although it may be difficult to prove if he doesn't have time-stamped
>files proving his own creativity. But why should he?
>
>As pointed out above, people are never likely to stop posting ideas to afp,
>and I, for one, don't wish to lose the opportunity to revel in one of
>Pterry's ideas simply because someone else came up with the same, or
>similar concept.
>
>As one small opinion in a crowd, I say - go for it, Pterry.
If you look at the bit in Terry's posting that goes:
>However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
>idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
>it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
>first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
>Elephant).
This is one point. But the other which I think several of us have addressed
is this one (or several):
[My para break and **emphasis** added]
>**If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.**
>A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
>recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs.
>**This means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
>want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
>anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.**
Why wouldn't Terry have been able to use these? Because someone suggested
them in public, and people - including himself - may then not consider that
the subsequent novel was Terry's own and original work.
It can be hard to work in a vacuum, but I can see a conflict in that Terry's
gregarious nature in sharing this ng can be stifling to his work, and if I
read him right - his concience.
I'd like to see a way where people can make the odd suggestion without
leaping in the air shouting "Plagiarist" in a few years time because a grain
of their idea has made it to the Discworld. That would be awful. But the
nature of ngs makes introducing any sort of mechanism to aid this situation
very difficult.
A major problem with online publishing is that issues such as copyright,
defamation, etc, have not properly been tested in law - pretty much
anywhere. Now, this NG is a public one, so it might be argued that those
posting here are putting their words into the public domain via the NG
servers. OTOH, it could be argued under international and UK copyright laws
and agreements that copyright is retained by the original author of a
message.
Another point may be that I understand that one cannot hold copyright of an
*idea* - only of a work expressing that idea. So if I have an idea, say,
about a company of Ankh Morpork lawyers [1] in my head - anyone can also
have that idea and it can be theirs. If I write down this idea in the form
of, say, a short story or even synopsis and post it here - and it appears in
some published form by someone else, then the problems could start.
I don't know which argument would win in court - but having worked in online
publishing since 1985, I *suspect* that it would be one helluva battle
costing many kiloquids. And only the lawyers win those battles - such a case
involving Terry Pratchett would be costly financially and also to his
reputation - so I can fully understand why he would rather choose to not use
any ideas appearing here at all, rather than risk the dung of 1,000
elephants hitting the fan.
I just wish that there were a sensible and practical way of giving
suggestions that might spark off an idea for a section of a book, without
the possibility of any nasty fallout in the future. As I said above, I'm
sure most here would be only too happy to see the fruit of a silly comment
or something end up in a TP book. It's the other people who would be the
problem.
[1] Are there any lawyers on the Discworld? [2]
[2] I hereby relinquish any rights whatsoever in the idea to Terry and Lynn
Pratchett!
Derek.Moody
> I've been watching some of the threads about this..
>
> doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
> happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
> football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
'Hey, why doesn't Pterry...' looks like an invitation for you to use the
notion; no strings, no comeback, subplots 'r' us[1]. Do the books arrive
faster in consequence?
> I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
> trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
> some will get it right.
>
> You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
> to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
> if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
Fully worked out ideas are a grey area - better talk to those lawyers first.
For the rest of it I reckon you can go ahead - if you wish you could
acknowledge any really important ones as you did ppint's question. Most of
us would be flattered to find something of ours worthy of a reannual
annotation and any who quibble will just look daft.
Cheerio,
[1] Besides, knowing publisher's lead times you must have had to deal with
the Y2K bug at least six months back[2]. So when I read of Ponder
Stibbons chasing the Archchancellor with a butterfly net in the hope
that one of his blasphemies will incarnate as a new millennium bug it
will have been your idea and not mine.
[2] Unlike most of industry who are so far behind they'll not be finished
with the problem until at least August 1901[3]
[3] Ooer...
--
>> derek...@clara.net
Elmar Bijlsma
<Llam...@spam.pdneeds.cix.co.uk> wrote:
Massive snip
>Perhaps a thin-watched lawyer might draft something which...
More massive snip.(1)
Surely a legal standpoint isn't really an issue.
I like to read Pterry's books because it it Terry who writes them in
his distinct style. If his stories were to be 'contaminated'
(hope I spelled that right) by the ideas of others, no matter how
good, it would loose a bit of it's 'magic' even if this was by the
hand of an AFP-er.
(despite the fact that I admire many a warped brilliance/ briliantly
warped mind seen on this newsgroup)
Surely the whole point of being a Pterry fan is Mr Pterry's writing?
Thus even a legal clause wouldn't solve anything but who is getting
paid, which I frankly can't really care about one way or the other.
I would encourage anyone with a good idea to use it in a story in a
world entirly of his one making, and leave Pterry as sole ruler,
writer and God of the Discworld.
Thus don't post ideas here or fear irony and thin watches.
Greetz, Elmar.
(1) with total disregard of context.
-
Elmar Bijlsma
el...@xs4all.nl
Dick Eney
>[1] Are there any lawyers on the Discworld? [2]
>[2] I hereby relinquish any rights whatsoever in the idea to Terry and Lynn
>Pratchett!
Fortunately, there have already been lawyers on the Discworld. Way back
in WS: something about "I can't steal that much, you have to be a lawyer
to steal that much". And Lady Sybil's family lawyer is a vampire.
=Tamar
Shooty
I've been watching some of the threads about this..
I'm beginning to suspect that stopping people posting the 'Hey, why
doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
merely pegs).
However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
some will get it right.
You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
--
Terry Pratchett
Use the ideas you come up with. Who is to know which threads you read.
Shooty
FDRO
I do not doubt for one moment you did think of the possibility before I
did -
even if only because connecting "real world" things to disc world situations
is, in effect, part of the way you make a living.
I guess my post was not much more than a public plea to
please please would you consider actually *writing* a story
with this plot element....
In, all things considered, not the smartest of fashions.
Again my apologies.
Reinier Sjouw, still abusing someone else's internet connection.
Lindsay
Terry Pratchett wrote in message ...
>
Write more books about the witches. No, write more books about the wizards.
No, write more books about the watch. No, write more books about the Nomes,
No, write more books about Johny Maxwell...
And would you like fries with that?
>My view is that a) I'm not intending
>to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
Sorry to hear about the Dwarf opera, TSBOAFP will now huddle around trying
to work out what it might have been...
Linz
--
oh, not really a pedant, I wouldn't say
reply to: li...@earthling.net
You can also find linz at gofar dot demon dot co dot uk
Lindsay
h9450570 wrote in message <70lfas$f...@cantine.wu-wien.ac.at>...
>
>Terry Pratchett wrote
>
>[...]
>>However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
>>idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
>>it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
>>first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
>>Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
>
>
>>Terry Pratchett
>
>Since the flow of information seems to vanish while on its way down to
>Middle
>Europe (and especially Austria) and taking into account that I'm not a
>regular
>reader of this ng[1] I hope you guys won't kill me for this: what is 'The
>Fifth
>Elephant'?! New book coming out after Carpe Jugulum? Anything to do with
>that Luc Besson movie?
I'd just like to say, here and now, that I was obviously getting tired
during the Con and when Terry first mentioned The Fifth Elephant I heard
Element. And continued to do so until the thread turned up here...
>Btw, any chance of becoming a proofreader for new Pterry books? What are
>the requirements? Being able to quote all books backwards, to answer every
>question in that Discworld quiz-book[2]? Being a friend of Pterry?
>
Er, I'd suggest being able to mark up a copy with correct symbols, knowing
how many letters there are in "famine", that kind of thing.
Yoohoo, Terry? Colin? I can do that!
Linz, proofreader for an exacting printer.
Suzi
>
[Snip]
> Perhaps we should consider adding a section to the FAQ saying something
> like...
>
> 'If something you say on afp turns up some day in a Pratchett book, then
> you are officially entitled to feel a warm glow of smug accomplishment
> but nothing more. Sometimes synchronicity happens and Pterry thinks along
> parallel lines to you. Sometimes a thought or a phrase burrows its way
> into the mustier recesses of his cranium and emerges some time later,
> blinking in the light and barely recognisable. Very occasionally he may
> even find himself thinking "Hey, that's a good idea - I could use that!".
> These things happen. They're happening all the time, and not just on afp.
> It's the way writers work. He probably gets ideas from his milkman, but
> you don't find milko getting upset if his thoughts find their uncredited
> way into one of Pterry's books, do you? On the contrary, he probably
> feels dead chuffed and leaves an extra pint of gold top.'
the same thing you know!" line.
There should be no room for doubting that ideas which have sprung from
knowing the artistic endeavours of one Mr. T. Pratchett, are a
by-product of knowing his works, not the other way round![1]
Suzi
[1] Does that make sense?... if not, let me know and I'll try to re-word
it until it does <g>
--
(afpetitesister to Ross, Peter, Lottie & Selina and afpcousin to Thomas)
"You could turn it into Suzi, and it sounded as though you danced on
tables for a living.." Soul Music http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~gidnsuzi/
New to afp? mailto:new...@lspace.org and browse http://www.lspace.org/
Suzi
>
[Snip]
> Sorry to hear about the Dwarf opera, TSBOAFP will now huddle around trying
> to work out what it might have been...
Linz... as you are actually a part of this great conglomeration... I
think the phrase you may have been looking for is *U*SBOAFP <g>
Suzi
--
"Pyramids" the play!... 5th-9th January 1999 - Bedford (UK)
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~gidnsuzi/pyramids.html
su...@lspace.org or su...@netcomuk.co.uk for more details
Elaine Charlson - Sun IR/ENS EDS
> I'd just like to say, here and now, that I was obviously getting tired
> during the Con and when Terry first mentioned The Fifth Elephant I heard
> Element. And continued to do so until the thread turned up here...
Me too. But I got enlightened at the con when talking to Lethargic Man
who put me right. I was extra confused because the carriers bags they were
giving out at registration had an ad for Fifth Element on them.
MisElaineous of Misalliance.
Gid Holyoake
> I've been watching some of the threads about this..
Oooh..
> I'm beginning to suspect that stopping people posting the 'Hey, why
> doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
> happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
> football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
> merely pegs).
Yup.. they're widely known things.. such things can happen by quantum..
:-)
> However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
> idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
> it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
> first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
> Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
> A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
> recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
> means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
> want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
> anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
Who are TSBOAFP :-).. Barry R., It's all your fault, you're the OSB, and
you're on AFP.. we lay all the blame at your feet!! *giggle*
> I'm not too worried about the legal overtones, but with 'n' people
> trying to second-guess future DW ideas there's a high probability that
> some will get it right.
True.. but at least they're not trying to write the books! :-)
> You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
> to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
> if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
OK.. what should PTerry do?.. write a lot more books IMHO.. does anyone
agree?.. Oooh.. all of you.. continue to be the very very nice man that
he is?.. passed nem con.. buy people a drink now and then?.. passed..
one abstainer, and one against.. Terry, Bernard, behave yourselves :-)
Speaking as the village idiot of the group, I just want to see the books
keep coming out.. if the strictures of signing tours and such means that
the output will drop to two or three books in each two-year period, I'm
prepared to live with that.. if you decide to take a sabbatical from the
Discworld, and write some more Johnny books or some more Nome books,
I'll live with that too, because they're all good books..
My view is that I like what you write, and as far as I know, I will
continue to read what you write.. I only discovered you two years ago,
but, (with the exception of "Sea and Little Fishes") have read all your
published work.. I like what you do.. I recommend you as an author worth
reading.. you write well, and you're fun to read.. who could ask for
more..
Gid
--
The Most Noble and Exalted Peculiar , Harem Master to Veiled Concubines
Guardian of the Sacred !!!!!'s , Defender of the Temple of AFPdoration
Click on http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~gidnsuzi/ for The Irrelevant Page
Shawn Mikulay
> ...I read the above posting, that's not the issue. The issue is whether he
> should use ideas *of his own* which subsequently sprout on the newsgroup by
> parallel evolution. Pterry wasn't suggesting using an idea from afp as his
> own, although it may be difficult to prove if he doesn't have time-stamped
> files proving his own creativity. But why should he?...
C'mon people! We have enough computer people here so that if anyone accused Pterry
of nicking their idea, we could, within two shakes of a lamb's tail, produce
evidence that:
[A] Pterry posted the same idea a year and a half ago
[B] The accuser cited Pterry's post in his/her/its message
[C] The accuser has a really bad case of back hair
[D] The accuser is mean to his/her/its mother
[E] Waterworld was a good movie [1]
Of course, we wouldn't do that, but I think that totally debunking the accuser is
a more merciful action than Pterry sending his lawyers[2] after the misguided sod.
Just offerin' an opinion[3]...
Shawn
[1] Maybe that would be too much even for AFPers...
[2] Is it true that these selfsame lawyers were specially bred for their ability
to take delight in human suffering?
[3] Not necessarily my own opinion
I hereby relinquish any rights that I may have in this post to Terry
Pratchett...It was all his idea...he made me write this...him and the other voices
in my head...d*** chip in my brain...always malfunctioning...shoddy EuroAmerican
conspiracy...a good Asian conspiracy would have used a brand new microchip to
control my thoughts, but no, Terry and his evil military-industrial-fast food
conspiracy had to save money and reuse the chip (I think a postal worker had it
before me)...
Dick Eney
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>So I'm taking this view now: there's hundred of people out there with a
>good working knowledge of DW, and on the newsgroup they're postulating
>all kinds of stuff. Fine. But I know a lot about DW too, and I've got
>fat files of characters, ideas, situations and lines which have occurred
>to me over the years. I'm not going to knowingly pinch anyone's idea,
>but neither am I going to cross stuff out because someone else has
>independently suggested it. This isn't the US (at least, where I am
>sitting now isn't).
Hooray!
=Tamar
Peter Bleackley
|> However, there *can* be problems. Fortunately someone emailed me a
|> idea/question about...er, dwarfish coronation ceremonies before posting
|> it, because I was able to prove to his satisfaction that I'd got there
|> first (which is just as well, since it's a sub-plot in The Fifth
|> Elephant). If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.
|> A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
|> recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs. This
|> means that I can't use the idea now, which is a mild shame because I
|> want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
|> anyway, but it's not worth the flak I'd get from TSBOAFP.
Those were both me. As I matter of fact, I'd thought of the dwarf
opera idea long before I posted it, but sat on it until after
Maskerade came out in paperback and I'd read it, as I was trying not
to interfere with any story ideas, and I thought my speculations
would be safe after that. Sorry.
(Pete hides from people hurling dwarf bread and axes at him).
--
~PETE "QUANTUM" BLEACKLEY~
Daleks! Repent of your evil ways, and live in peace as plumbers!
X-Ray Astronomy Group University of Leicester
p...@star.le.ac.uk ~ Website coming soon
in...@fdhoekstra.nl
>
> In dwarfish, Terry Pratchett writes:
I didn't know PTerry also writes for Spelunker Today.
Richard, getting his coat (must've left it at Witt's End somewhere)
Robin Parkinson
> Robin Parkinson wrote:
> >
> [Snip]
> > Perhaps we should consider adding a section to the FAQ saying something
> > like...
>
> I think the above very eloquently sums up the "two people *can* think of
> the same thing you know!" line.
A twelve line summary of a ten word sentence. Someone shoot me, quick,
before I get any worse!
- Robin.
Hugh Sider
>
>You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
>to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
>--
>Terry Pratchett
Having been invited like this, here's my $0.02. (Layman's opinion)
As someone else has already pointed out, ideas are not protected;
implementations of them are. A two-sentence "how about" description
gives no-one a claim on the full work you produce along similar lines.
Fan fiction produces a different problem; I would suggest a routine
posting here titled "FAQ: NO FAN FICTION ALLOWED!" explaining this
policy. I'm not sure that this is insurmountable; if I recall the
notices in the books correctly, fan fiction is illegal trespass on
protected intellectual property.
My industry deals with a similar issue; if I suggest a game idea in
public, anyone who hears it might go build that game. I have no
protection save silence.
Another good example is the genesis of Harry Turtledove's
"The Case Of The Toxic Spelldump," which he attributes to an offhand
comment made during a Con panel.
Go for it. Any idea which survives the writing process long enough to be
included in a published book will be entirely yours.
(IMNSHO)
-Respectfully,
--
Hugh Sider r...@netcom.com
This is not a work account, so why do I need a disclaimer?
Contents sold by weight, not by volume. Some settling may
occur during shipment.
Terry Pratchett
>
>>**If it had been posted, I wouldn't have been able to use it.**
>>A few years ago, someone posted a dwarf opera. It was pretty good, as I
>>recall -- based quite carefully on what we know about DW dwarfs.
>>want to include part of one in TFE -- I could go ahead and do it
>
>Why wouldn't Terry have been able to use these? Because someone suggested
>them in public, and people - including himself - may then not consider that
>the subsequent novel was Terry's own and original work.
In this particular case, there's hardly a legal problem. DW has both
opera and dwarfs. It's was the, er, social repercussions I was thinking
of.
After all, we have here a ng that:
a) posts ideas, suggestions, etc, on a regular basis
b) tears the text apar-- oops, I mean 'heavily deconstructs' the books
in an effort to find the origins of each sentence.
I don't want to get a rep as someone who nicks from fans.
--
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
>Imho, you could always contact the person (if possible, you do burn nightly
>copies of a.f.p to CD right?) and discuss it.
Nope. With the best will in the world, I'm not going to negotiate with
anyone. I don't want to give the impression that if you post some idea
(based on stuff I've already written) I then have to make contact to get
your agreement to use it...
--
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
<derek...@clara.net> writes
>
>Fully worked out ideas are a grey area - better talk to those lawyers first.
Hmm...if someone posted a fully worked out idea, with all the little
bells and whistles, it *might* just be that the legal problems becomes
theirs, not mine. I don't know.
--
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
<ro...@troutmag.clara.net> writes
>
>'If something you say on afp turns up some day in a Pratchett book, then
>you are officially entitled to feel a warm glow of smug accomplishment
>but nothing more. Sometimes synchronicity happens and Pterry thinks along
>parallel lines to you.
No, sometimes you think along parallel lines to *me*. Who's the lead DW
thinker around here? :-)
>Sometimes a thought or a phrase burrows its way
>into the mustier recesses of his cranium and emerges some time later,
>blinking in the light and barely recognisable.
Could be. It's hard to deny. I don't think it does happen, though.
>Very occasionally he may
>even find himself thinking "Hey, that's a good idea - I could use that!".
>These things happen.
The trouble is, this is an advert saying "Post your ideas here! They
might get used!"
--
Terry Pratchett
Antti Lehtola
Lindsay wrote
>
>h9450570 wrote
>>
>>Btw, any chance of becoming a proofreader for new Pterry books?
What are
>>the requirements?
>knowing how many letters there are in "famine", that kind of thing.
Are you sure? I've been under the impression that this has
definitely *not* been a requirement to get the job...
Antti - antti....@kolumbus.fi
--
You need a butterfly for storms - And when it sleeps
An open-ended search for forms - From hidden deeps
Joerg Plate
You have hundreds of witnesses that the story suggestion never was posted.
--
"i'm working on it"
Grebil
<tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
<snip, snop, snap>
>You tell *me* what to do, folks. My view is that a) I'm not intending
>to nick anyone's suggestions b) I'm not intending to quit reading afp c)
>if there are ever problems, I can afford really expensive lawyers:-)
>--
Well, IMHO, I think you should go ahead and use the ideas that you
come up with anyway. After all, DW is yours, isn't it? The people on
here would never have had the ideas without your creation in the first
place.
Re: Expensive Lawyers. Aren't they all? :)
Sarah
>Terry Pratchett
Lindsay
Suzi wrote in message <362F1B...@lspace.org>...
>Lindsay wrote:
>>
>[Snip]
>> Sorry to hear about the Dwarf opera, TSBOAFP will now huddle around
trying
>> to work out what it might have been...
>
>Linz... as you are actually a part of this great conglomeration... I
>think the phrase you may have been looking for is *U*SBOAFP <g>
>
should still work...
Linz, OSBOAFP...
Wolfgang Schelongowski
p...@ltsun6.star.le.ac.uk (Peter Bleackley) writes:
[someone posting a dwarfish coronation ceremony and opera]
>Those were both me. As I matter of fact, I'd thought of the dwarf
>opera idea long before I posted it, but sat on it until after
>Maskerade came out in paperback and I'd read it, as I was trying not
>to interfere with any story ideas, and I thought my speculations
>would be safe after that. Sorry.
>(Pete hides from people hurling dwarf bread and axes at him).
IMAO this can be amicably resolved by you writing an appropriate
letter to Terry where you put the above in writing. Terry might
call the author of the opera Peter[1] Bleakleyson in his book.
Of course IANAL, not even a German one, so YMMV, shake well before
opening, batteries not included, bei Nebenwirkungen schlagen Sie
Ihren Arzt oder Apotheker, ...
[1] That's stone or rock in Greek!
--
"This is Jabbar," said Carrot. "He's sort of not the leader."
-- Terry Pratchett, Jingo
Jonathan Amery
>
>Er, I'd suggest being able to mark up a copy with correct symbols, knowing
>how many letters there are in "famine", that kind of thing.
>
Jonathan.
[1] Hmmm - I could probably do that, given a sheet of what the symbols
are...
Mattheq
up in a future book and then revealing them at a later date? Given that
there is nothing I can think of, why don't we just let the whole thing rest?
Anyone who is upset because an idea of theirs get into a book has little to
complain about, since that's probably the only anyone will ever get that last
%age of Afpurity.
Mattheq
--
"And then, one Thursday nearly two thousand years after one man had been
nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for
a change..." http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/9079/ Sig V 3.5
Afpurity 59% / Frist Thrid of the Mark / Occasional Omnipotent Supreme Being
Mattheq
wrote:
> >You tell *me* what to do, folks.
>
> wizards.
> No, write more books about the watch. No, write more books about the
> Nomes,
> No, write more books about Johny Maxwell...
As long as it's got Death in it.
And Rincewind, of course.
And...
Robin Parkinson
tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk says...
> In article <MPG.1098723cc...@news.clara.net>, Robin Parkinson
> <ro...@troutmag.clara.net> writes
> >
> >'If something you say on afp turns up some day in a Pratchett book, then
> >you are officially entitled to feel a warm glow of smug accomplishment
> >but nothing more. Sometimes synchronicity happens and Pterry thinks along
> >parallel lines to you.
>
> No, sometimes you think along parallel lines to *me*. Who's the lead DW
> thinker around here? :-)
Whatever you say, boss. All thoughts are parallel, but some are more
parallel than others.
> >Sometimes a thought or a phrase burrows its way
> >into the mustier recesses of his cranium and emerges some time later,
> >blinking in the light and barely recognisable.
>
> Could be. It's hard to deny. I don't think it does happen, though.
Ah, well, YMMV. I always assumed that it's happening to me all the time,
it's just that my subconscious munges things so much the ideas are almost
completely unrecognisable when they do re-emerge. On the other hand,
perhaps it's just the CIA beaming messages into my brain again (memo to
self: get more tinfoil).
> >Very occasionally he may
> >even find himself thinking "Hey, that's a good idea - I could use that!".
> >These things happen.
>
> The trouble is, this is an advert saying "Post your ideas here! They
> might get used!"
Hm. Point. I'm obviously not being sufficiently paranoid. :-)
Tony Finch
>Lindsay wrote:
>>
>> Sorry to hear about the Dwarf opera, TSBOAFP will now huddle around trying
>> to work out what it might have been...
>
>Linz... as you are actually a part of this great conglomeration... I
>think the phrase you may have been looking for is *U*SBOAFP <g>
Wouldn't W be more grammatically correct than U?
Tony.
--
f.a.n.finch**waster
fa...@demon.net
d...@dotat.at
Derek.Moody
<URL:mailto:tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Hmm...if someone posted a fully worked out idea, with all the little
> bells and whistles, it *might* just be that the legal problems becomes
> theirs, not mine. I don't know.
OTOH We know you're amenable to input/collaborative effort (to a greater or
lesser degree) from the likes of Messers Gaimen, Briggs & Langford to name
but a few of the scribbling persuasion[1]. OK; so the initial contact in
these cases was probably not in a public forum but everything gotta start
somewhere.
Litigation is only part of the lawyers trade.
_AND_
In article <8YQ6YPAG...@unseen.demon.co.uk>, Terry Pratchett
<URL:mailto:tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I don't want to get a rep as someone who nicks from fans.
..but do we regard it as theft if the idea is subsequently returned to us,
polished and fully fettled in the form of literature? Consider 'em a loan.
We know you have a mind like a sponge[2] and are always reworking, or should
that be rewarping? ;-) ideas from many sources. Very likely AFP has
coloured some of them even if it has not been the source. A good journalist
will always check the attribution and I daresay there's still a bit of the
ol' trade left in you so we'd maybe never know when one of us has put you on
the track of something.
Cheerio,
[1] No offence intended to any left out, I could have included artists,
booksellers, clay-prodders...
[2] I didn't _mean_[3] to imply pink, Teletubby shaped and impregnated with
stale soap.
[3] I was going to describe it as 'Catholic' but feared misinterpretation.
--
>> derek...@clara.net
Dids
>Write more books about the witches. No, write more books >about the
wizards. No, write more books about the watch. No, >write more books about
the Nomes,
>No, write more books about Johny Maxwell...
Look, I think what we are aiming for here is asking you very
nicely and politely, mr PterryOBE[1] sir, is to turn out more books:)
Dids.
[1] How much longer is this going to get?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Never put your tongue where you wouldn't put your toothbrush"
Nanny Ogg, acting out of character.
AFP code 1.1a AU d- s:-- a- UP R++ F++ h P-- OS:-- ?C M-
!pp L+ c B+ Cn- PT-- 5++ X-- MT++ !e r% y- end
Paull y Bard
Terry Pratchett wrote in message <8YQ6YPAG...@unseen.demon.co.uk>...
>I don't want to get a rep as someone who nicks from fans.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, it's probably only cynics who lurk but don't
post, who are also looking for something to stir who would stoop to level
such an accusation.
While all who write for a living obviously do live off their readers and
fans in a nice way, ripping off plots or whatever *or even the suggestion of
it happening* would be very bad news indeed - I could see that kind of thing
hacking you off so much that there'd be no more Discworld books.
No fair minded person would want that, and neither would any fan. Hence my
ponderings on a way around it so that the real afpers (not that I include
myself yet - too new!) can feel free to plant seeds in your imagination, and
that you don't have to archive every godamned message to protect your butt.
For what it's worth, I don't consider developing a seed planted here into a
part of a Discworld novel nicking from fans - to be utterly truthful, I
think it's great. I've only stumbled by this ng a few weeks back, and the
messages and your willingness to participate adds value beyond what I'd
expect from the price of the books. It makes the books even better. For
instance, finding that the 'ppint who asked the question' is here, and that
there's a dialogue brings meaning to the one section of a book that normally
carries little meaning to the average reader. Ditto with the dedication
about the suggested words of the Hedgehog Song.
As usual, I'm talking too much so I'll shut up now!
Paull y Bard
----- Begin AFPCodeblock -----------
AFP Code 1.1a AC$ AMu$ d s+:s+ a UP+ R++ F !h !P !C !M !PP L+ c OSD--:-- B
Cn-- PT++ Pu* !5 !X MT-- E+ r++++ z++++
------ End AFPCodeblock ------------
Terry Pratchett
<derek...@clara.net> writes
>
>OTOH We know you're amenable to input/collaborative effort (to a greater or
>lesser degree) from the likes of Messers Gaimen, Briggs & Langford to name
>but a few of the scribbling persuasion[1].
> OK; so the initial contact in
>these cases was probably not in a public forum but everything gotta start
>somewhere.
If someone goes away, reads the books carefully, and comes up with a
moderately well worked-out DW plots and posts it here...no, that's not
collaboration. Collaboration is when two people decide to collaborate.
It's not even input -- the only thing it can be proved to be is
output:-)
The point I've been trying to make is that no author would be happy at a
situation where, by merely publicly posting a brief synopsis, someone
else could make a legal or moral claim on a future work. I don't *need*
DW ideas. If people want to speculate on future themes, that's fine.
That's part of fandom. But it does not put me under any kind of
obligation; as I've also said before, it'd be surprising if one or two
shots weren't close to the mark (some months back there was a thread
about the future of the Lancre coven that made me quite glad that Carpe
Jugulum had already been edited, because it had a definite flavour of
part of the book).
--
Terry Pratchett
Tom Lawton
<mat...@argonet.co.uk> wrote in a series of runic inscriptions thusly;
>In article <70n445$39n$1...@yama.mcc.ac.uk>, "Lindsay" <li...@earthling.net>
>wrote:
>> >You tell *me* what to do, folks.
>>
>> wizards.
>> No, write more books about the watch. No, write more books about the
>> Nomes,
>> No, write more books about Johny Maxwell...
>
>
>And Rincewind, of course.
>
>
>Mattheq
>
Tom Lawton
Founding member of the Guild of Non-Titanic Seers
and Self-Appointed, Semi-Official AFPDJ.
AFPCODE 1.1a AC/OtD d--- s: a- U+++ R+++ F+++
h- P-- OSD+:-- C++ M->M pp--->-- L+@ c+>++ B
Cn->+ PT+>++ PU69@ 5+ X-->X MT++ eV+ r+ y+
End
ICQ : 21604785
Pasi Huttunen
>>I don't want to get a rep as someone who nicks from fans.
>Absolutely. Unfortunately, it's probably only cynics who lurk but don't
>post, who are also looking for something to stir who would stoop to level
>such an accusation.
As a cynic who lurks but does not post, I think even us aren't a sinister
enough of a species to do that. My limited imagination cannot conjure an
image of such creature, but world is a nasty place...
>While all who write for a living obviously do live off their readers and
>fans in a nice way, ripping off plots or whatever *or even the suggestion of
>it happening* would be very bad news indeed - I could see that kind of thing
>hacking you off so much that there'd be no more Discworld books.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
<fx: look of terror>
>No fair minded person would want that, and neither would any fan. Hence my
>ponderings on a way around it so that the real afpers (not that I include
>myself yet - too new!) can feel free to plant seeds in your imagination, and
>that you don't have to archive every godamned message to protect your butt.
I think that everyone that hangs around this ng so long that he/she is
around both at the time when an idea is posted and when some book written
by Pterry has something close to that idea will be by then transmuted by
the spirit of afp so as not to make such an accusation.[1] Or perhaps I am
just too optimistic today?
>For what it's worth, I don't consider developing a seed planted here into a
>part of a Discworld novel nicking from fans - to be utterly truthful, I
>think it's great. I've only stumbled by this ng a few weeks back, and the
>messages and your willingness to participate adds value beyond what I'd
>expect from the price of the books. It makes the books even better. For
>instance, finding that the 'ppint who asked the question' is here, and that
>there's a dialogue brings meaning to the one section of a book that normally
>carries little meaning to the average reader. Ditto with the dedication
>about the suggested words of the Hedgehog Song.
AOL!
-The Lich-
----- Begin AFPCodeblock -----------
AFP Code 1.1a AC/E-FI d- s+++:-- a- UP+@ R F h P? !C !M !pp L+ c
OSD?:+ B !Cn PT- !Pu 5+ !X !MT e+>+++ r- y?
------ End AFPCodeblock ------------
Eh, Paull, I loaned your AFPCodeblock, but I changed all the values to
suit me. Hope you don't mind?-)
[1] I hope that somebody understands what I was trying to say. Not every
finn writes english like Antti. [2]
[2] Also, I had to have at least a footnote, otherwise there would be a
one more nasty - in my AFPCodeblock.
Rachel Butt
>
> I'm beginning to suspect that stopping people posting the 'Hey, why
> doesn't Pterry infect Hex with a Y2K bug' type of post will never
> happen. This sort of thing doesn't bother me overmuch (as also with 'DW
> football', 'DW Olympics' and so on...these aren't *ideas* as such,
> merely pegs).
*Stopping* it, certainly, is nigh impossible - dropping the level of
speculation that could interfere with your work, however ... since we know
you read afp, the temptation & the detail might get out of control if we
thought we had permission ...
There's not a great deal on the fanfic mailing list, but what there is
seems fairly good to this little onion, and it's a good outlet for the
incurable speculators. fanfi...@lspace.org - I believe?
Rachel, taking a break from a thesis.
Paull y Bard
Pasi Huttunen wrote in message ...
>As a cynic who lurks but does not post, I think even us aren't a sinister
>enough of a species to do that. My limited imagination cannot conjure an
>image of such creature, but world is a nasty place...
I had probelms with that bit - I'm not aiming it at lurkers per se, but
there are from time to time bound to be some lurkers with reasons for
downloading the ng which aren't to do with being a fan of the books... it's
not the fans I'm really talking about - it's muck rakers!
>I think that everyone that hangs around this ng so long that he/she is
>around both at the time when an idea is posted and when some book written
>by Pterry has something close to that idea will be by then transmuted by
>the spirit of afp so as not to make such an accusation.[1] Or perhaps I am
>just too optimistic today?
I think so too, but see above!
>Eh, Paull, I loaned your AFPCodeblock, but I changed all the values to
>suit me. Hope you don't mind?-)
Course not!
>[1] I hope that somebody understands what I was trying to say. Not every
>finn writes english like Antti.
But do you all drive like Mika Hakkinen?! :)
Antti Lehtola
Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>As a cynic who lurks but does not post, I think even us aren't a
>sinister enough of a species to do that. My limited imagination
>cannot conjure an image of such creature, but world is a nasty
>place...
Well, you've posted a few, and did so again...keep it up, we need
some more Blue and White here...gets lonely, being the only Finn
around...>sigh<
Even lonelier in the Finnish afp meets. >sigh<. Me and a beer, a bar
of chocolate, and another beer, and another, then afproposing to the
lady in the next table - who doesn't know what this drunken guy is
talking about, and neither does her boyfriend/husband/whoever's
drunk enough, like me, to not see the thickness of her mustache (or
even worse; drunk enough to not care) - and then another beer, and
yet another, the beer is my only friend, and the bartender, the
bartender is my friend, does the bartender know that there are no
afpers in Finland but me? Does the bartender even care? But the beer
cares, yeah, the beer's my friend, and the other beer, the beer I'll
get right now, ooops, how did the floor get to my face? And who are
*you*? Why are you carrying me out? What is this? Where is my beer?
What did you do with my beer? Goddammit, I...autch! Hey!
>snif<
>[1] I hope that somebody understands what I was trying to say. Not
every finn writes english like Antti. [2]
>blush< But you really shouldn't worry, you're doing more than just
fine.
Pasi Huttunen
Followup-To:
In article <711tef$gq4$1...@library.lspace.org>, Antti wrote:
>Well, you've posted a few, and did so again...keep it up, we need
>some more Blue and White here...gets lonely, being the only Finn
>around...>sigh<
I was thinking about a grand de-lurk-post[2], but .. sometimes it is
easier to slowly sneak from the shadows, so that before these (us?)
unsuspecting afpers notice, they will have a skellington (without a
scythe, though) in their very midst. <g>
OTOH, I wonder if a single newsgroup can handle more than a one finn. In
rec.games.roguelike.angband that was Topi Ylinen, here it is you .. but,
of course, if there is a newsgroup in existence that can handle a, well,
horde of us finns, it must be this. =)
I have more time to kill than I have active e-mail-friends, so I guess
afper I must become. Not with heavy hearts, but ... um ... with
chocolate? Anybody want a piece of my cioccolato bianco svizzero con
torrone al miele e mandorle?
>Even lonelier in the Finnish afp meets. >sigh<. Me and a beer, a bar
>of chocolate, and another beer, and another, then afproposing to the
<sad snip>
>bartender is my friend, does the bartender know that there are no
>afpers in Finland but me? Does the bartender even care? But the beer
I hereby declare myself an afperson, eater of all things made of chocolate
and reader and humble fan of Pterrys[1] works. You satisfied?
>cares, yeah, the beer's my friend, and the other beer, the beer I'll
>get right now, ooops, how did the floor get to my face? And who are
>*you*? Why are you carrying me out? What is this? Where is my beer?
>What did you do with my beer? Goddammit, I...autch! Hey!
That sounds like my typical friday evening here in Lappeenranta, except
last time some girl interrupted rudely my drinking by starting a
conversation with me. And I thought we males had the monopoly in that.
Where this world is coming to? She stole my phone number, too ... ;)
But if I understand correctly, you have these AFPmeets in Helsinki? It
happens to be a city I visit regulary (about once a month), so perhaps we
could organize a meet that woud have at least twice as many people?-)
>>snif<
Hey, cheer up! We don't want to give the world the wrong picture about our
cheerful, jolly and merry people, do we! [3]
>>Not every finn writes english like Antti.
>>blush< But you really shouldn't worry, you're doing more than just
>fine.
Well, but I can write *so* much better in finnish that english sometimes
frustrates me, especially when I'm not sure of spelling, and that is
always.
-The Lich-
Begin an ugly AFPCB[4]: AC/E-FI d- s+++:-- a- UP+>++ R F[5] h P? OSD?:+ !C
M? pp? L+ c B PT- 5+ !X !MT e+>+++ r-> y? :End an ugly AFPCB
[1] That would be PterryOBE, if I'd know what the OBE-part meant. Somebody
willing to enlight my bony skull? And this wonderful, wise person could
also tell me what *vom* means. I've read the FAQ, at least mostly, and
been lurking here 1,5 months, so ... can I receive that deep, arcane
knowledge?
[2] This seems to evolved into one. Oh, well.
[3] Irony, or some other hard substance. (At least I hope so)
[4] There being no-one to sto.. loan one from.
[5] I was -, but .. um, perhaps it isn't, anymore?
Babylon
Antti Lehtola wrote in message <711tef$gq4$1...@library.lspace.org>...
>
>Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>
>>As a cynic who lurks but does not post, I think even us aren't a
>>sinister enough of a species to do that. My limited imagination
>>cannot conjure an image of such creature, but world is a nasty
>>place...
>
>some more Blue and White here...gets lonely, being the only Finn
>around...>sigh<
>
>of chocolate, and another beer, and another, then afproposing to the
>talking about, and neither does her boyfriend/husband/whoever's
>drunk enough, like me, to not see the thickness of her mustache (or
>even worse; drunk enough to not care) - and then another beer, and
>yet another, the beer is my only friend, and the bartender, the
>afpers in Finland but me? Does the bartender even care? But the beer
>get right now, ooops, how did the floor get to my face? And who are
>*you*? Why are you carrying me out? What is this? Where is my beer?
>What did you do with my beer? Goddammit, I...autch! Hey!
>
>
>>[1] I hope that somebody understands what I was trying to say. Not
>every finn writes english like Antti. [2]
>
>>blush< But you really shouldn't worry, you're doing more than just
>fine.
>
If I ever visit Finland I promise that I'll come and have a beer
with you.. but you'll have to drink both beers as I hate the
stuff (can't get it past my nose) but I would share that chocolate
that you mentioned. And I'm glad your English is good 'cos
my Finnish is c@@p in that I don't know any Finnish words.
Cheers Babylon
Shawn Mikulay
> No, sometimes you think along parallel lines to *me*. Who's the lead DW
> thinker around here? :-)
Forgive our presumption. We know that you are the Creator and we are merely
small gods (at best). But sometimes, just after we get a whole influx of
believers (or believe in ourselves a wee bit too strongly), we forget our
place as we zoom up to the top of the world.
Shawn
-a small god who doesn't even believe in himself all of the time
[1] The doctors inform me the voices in my head are *not* other small gods
trying to seduce me.
Dids
>I hereby declare myself an afperson
Nice to have you. Pull up a bum rest. I would offer you some
choccy but you seem to have some already.
OBE stands for order of the british empire. At least, that's what
I beleive it to be, but I'm not totally sure.
*vom* is vomiting, puking, hurling, chundering, blowing chunks,
technicoloured yawn or pavement pizza.[1]
>She stole my phone number, too ... ;)
Hmm, time to move to finland, methinks.
Dids.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Never put your tongue where you wouldn't put your toothbrush"
Nanny Ogg, acting out of character.
AFP code 1.1a AU d- s:-- a- UP R++ F++ h P-- OS:-- ?C M-
!pp L+ c B+ Cn- PT-- 5++ X-- MT++ !e r% y- end
[1] Any other contributions?:)
Sam
(Pasi Huttunen) put digit to keypad, in order to say:
>
>[1] That would be PterryOBE, if I'd know what the OBE-part meant. Somebody
>willing to enlight my bony skull? And this wonderful, wise person could
>also tell me what *vom* means. I've read the FAQ, at least mostly, and
>been lurking here 1,5 months, so ... can I receive that deep, arcane
>knowledge?
OBE - Officer (of the order) of the British Empire.
funny thing that Royalty give out from time to time to her loyal
servants. Often for no discernible reason other than T^HCronyism.
Although in PTerryOBE's case it seems justified to me...biased? no!
Visit Deja News for a full discussion of this topic about two to
three months past.
vom, abbr, vomit
vomit, v, eject contents of stomach through mouth. Particularly with
reference to a sickeningly twee episode of XXXXian soap operas.
>[2] This seems to evolved into one. Oh, well.
Well welcome...pull up chair have some coffee/tea choccy biccies,
milk and cookies, cheese[a] and wine, real ale or whatever your
personal poison happen to be. Most of us will let you choose a
beverage and snack of your choice, but some will insist that you
convert to their own religi^W taste-set..
>[3] Irony, or some other hard substance. (At least I hope so)
Yep! could be sarcasm if you prefer to collect that... But the
majority prefer irony. No-one has yet claimed to have made any
useful tools. Maybe we should just start off small and go for
some figurines? What if we all pooled our collective irony..?
Now, where did I put mine...I'm sure it's in a box here some-
where...Darn! Cheese has gone too!
>[4] There being no-one to sto.. loan one from.
>[5] I was -, but .. um, perhaps it isn't, anymore?
= missing footnote marker error = (or did I miss it?)
Yes, alright, the coat's on...Ow, there was no need for that.
Doormen these days!
Sam
[a] is cheese hating a Finn thing or just an Antti thing?
--
"I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from"
B Dylan
Antti Lehtola
Babylon wrote:
>If I ever visit Finland I promise that I'll come and have a beer
>with you.. but you'll have to drink both beers as I hate the
>stuff (can't get it past my nose) but I would share that chocolate
>that you mentioned. And I'm glad your English is good 'cos
>my Finnish is c@@p in that I don't know any Finnish words.
Well, thanks...and with Pasi, there'll be three of us.
I have to confess that the description I wrote of the Helsinki meet
was fictional - I haven't organized the meet yet[3], but I was
beginning to suspect that it was an accurate picture of what how one
would go... The only other possibility I could imagine was
attempting to turn a night out with friends into an afp meet, and
believe me, that would have been a surreal one indeed...seeing as
none of them have even read a single book by Pterry[1]...
It might be worth a try, though - none of my friends would have the
faintest idea of what I'm on about[2], but it might just be worth it
just because of the, well, *interesting* meet report I'd no doubt
get out of it...
[1] I've tried, I really have. But I guess there simply isn't
helping some people. >sigh<
[2] Or, simply, what I'm on.
[3] Well, I *have* organized myself to the corner bar by myself on
occasion, but I've yet to organize myself there, by myself, to
attend an afp meet.
Antti Lehtola
Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>That sounds like my typical friday evening here in Lappeenranta,
except
>last time some girl interrupted rudely my drinking by starting a
>conversation with me. And I thought we males had the monopoly in
that.
>Where this world is coming to? She stole my phone number, too ...
;)
Has happened to me too. And then they use it to call you. Awful...
>But if I understand correctly, you have these AFPmeets in Helsinki?
It
>happens to be a city I visit regulary (about once a month), so
perhaps we
>could organize a meet that woud have at least twice as many
people?-)
Drop me a mail when you're coming, we'll do beer.
>Hey, cheer up! We don't want to give the world the wrong picture
about our
>cheerful, jolly and merry people, do we! [3]
>[3] Irony, or some other hard substance. (At least I hope so)
You know, I've never really gotten the irony of this. Among my
friends, I don't think there is a single example of the Gloomy Finn
we are supposed to be. While in Merkia, I met far more perpetually
depressed people than I've ever met in Finland - mind you, that was
in Minnesota. This may or may not mean something...
>Well, but I can write *so* much better in finnish that english
sometimes
>frustrates me, especially when I'm not sure of spelling, and that
is
>always.
Well, as for me, I tend to keep the spell-checker on. It hardly
helps at all, though...my typos tend to be actual words in English -
ones with no relation to what I wanted to say whatsoever, but actual
English words nonetheless...
John Leith
(Sam) wrote:
>It was on 26 Oct 1998 14:16:07 GMT, when pkhu...@hepo.cc.lut.fi
>(Pasi Huttunen) put digit to keypad, in order to say:
>
>
>>[4] There being no-one to sto.. loan one from.
>>[5] I was -, but .. um, perhaps it isn't, anymore?
>= missing footnote marker error = (or did I miss it?)
Yes you missed it, it was in the afpcode, explaining how it would have
been f- (for footnotes) if it wern't for there use in that very post.
This has been a public service announcement by someone with nothing
better to do at the moment.
John Leith BF
--
jle...@iap.org.uk / jle...@technologist.com
AFP Code 1.1a AC$ d+ s:+ a UP++ R+ F++ h+ P- OS--: C++++ M- pp--- L+ c
B+ Cn PT++ Pu40- 5++ !X MT+ eV+>+++ r++++ y+++
Inneke Geysen
>
>Absolutely. Unfortunately, it's probably only cynics who lurk but don't
>post, who are also looking for something to stir who would stoop to level
such an accusation.
(snipped a bit)
Hence my
>ponderings on a way around it so that the real afpers (not that I include
>myself yet - too new!) can feel free to plant seeds in your imagination,
and
>that you don't have to archive every godamned message to protect your butt.
>For what it's worth, I don't consider developing a seed planted here
>into a part of a Discworld novel nicking from fans - to be utterly
truthful,
>think it's great
(snipped encore a bit)
>Paull y Bard
I believe (and do correct me if I'm wrong), that this expresses exactly what
Pterry does not want.
He doesn't want people (not even AFP'ers) to plant seeds in his imagination.
And he doesn't need it either.
This is the man who wrote over thirty books, each and everyone of them
containing a great story, intriguing characters, and the best humourous
fiction written in this day and age.
And he did it all by himself.
And will continue to do so.
His work is unique and even the mere quantity of it is impressing. Nobody
in their right mind could honestly believe he'd start nicking stuff now.
But he is worried that people might, because with the amount of ideas that
are sent in, there are bound to be similarities with his books.
So I say if Pterry doesn't want them, nobody should be allowed to send in
ideas for novels, in what form they may come!
There should be a huge warning about this in the FAQ's.
xxx
Inneke
Rocky Frisco
> OBE stands for order of the british empire. At least, that's what
> I beleive it to be, but I'm not totally sure.
To be exact, there are three different degrees.
MBE = Member of the Order of the British Empire
OBE = Officer of the Order of the British Empire
KBE = Knight of the Order of the British Empire
Feel free to correct me if I got this wrong; I'm only a poor 'Merkin.
-Rock
--
Rocky, JJ Cale Band & Pratchett Books: http://www.rocky-frisco.com
Rocky's Mini Cooper Page: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6437/
Mini Books: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6437/rockboox.html
The Apostate
Rocky Frisco wrote in message <3634E8...@earthlink.net>...
Snip
>Feel free to correct me if I got this wrong; I'm only a poor 'Merkin.
Is there any other kind?
:)
--
The Apostate
Can illusion ever mimic Truth?
Greg-Donnet. Lord Genetics Master.
Robin Parkinson
says...
> Dids wrote:
>
> > OBE stands for order of the british empire. At least, that's what
> > I beleive it to be, but I'm not totally sure.
>
> To be exact, there are three different degrees.
Five, actually (surprised me - I'd never heard of the GBE). I quote:
'The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1917) is awarded mainly
to civilians and service personnel for public service or other
distinctions and has a military and a civil division. Ranks in the Order
are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or
DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE).'
Cyclops
<Snip>
> *vom* is vomiting, puking, hurling, chundering, blowing chunks,
> technicoloured yawn or pavement pizza.[1]
>
>
> [1] Any other contributions?:)
>
white phone, chucking up, painting pointillistic patterns on the
pavement, etc...
[1] or Raoul
--
Cyclops - NB: Don't forget to take the "p" out of my e-mail
address! NB: Don't e-mail from Hotmail, AOHell, Xoom or Juno
addresses AFP Code v1.1a AGo-UK d s-: a U+ R F++ !h P++ OS--:
C+++ M-- pp! L c- B(+) Cn-:- PT++++ Pu66 5-- X MT- eV r% y? end
Rocky Frisco
>
> rocky...@earthlink.net says...
> > To be exact, there are three different degrees.
>
> Five, actually (surprised me - I'd never heard of the GBE). I quote:
>
> 'The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1917) is awarded mainly
> to civilians and service personnel for public service or other
> distinctions and has a military and a civil division. Ranks in the Order
> are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or
> DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE).'
Robin, thanks for the heads-up; my info came out of a Telegraph article.
Live and learn.
Pasi Huttunen
>It was on 26 Oct 1998 14:16:07 GMT, when pkhu...@hepo.cc.lut.fi
>(Pasi Huttunen) put digit to keypad, in order to say:
>OBE - Officer (of the order) of the British Empire.
Thank you very much. <fx: tries to formulate a complex sentence about
how great it is that Pterry has received such an honor but fails>
>vom, abbr, vomit
I should have guessed.
>Well welcome...pull up chair have some coffee/tea choccy biccies,
>milk and cookies, cheese[a] and wine, real ale or whatever your
>personal poison happen to be. Most of us will let you choose a
If its sweet, I can (and will) eat it.[1] Sometimes I wonder what happens
to all those calories, as I seem only to just hang within the lower limits
of normal weight (196/73). Must be the cold climate. :-/
>beverage and snack of your choice, but some will insist that you
>convert to their own religi^W taste-set..
I'll happily convert, if that means free food. =)
I just hope that no-one tries to convert me to love all the different
kinds of seafood. <shudder>
>some figurines? What if we all pooled our collective irony..?
>Now, where did I put mine...I'm sure it's in a box here some-
>where...Darn! Cheese has gone too!
Does irony eat cheese?! Or do they react in some unforeseen way?
>>[5] I was -, but .. um, perhaps it isn't, anymore?
>= missing footnote marker error = (or did I miss it?)
There was F[5] on the AFPCodeBlock, and it could've been F-, but it
wasn't, and I can't remember how exactly the +++s go with F, so I wrote
that. I'll have to update my code.
>Yes, alright, the coat's on...Ow, there was no need for that.
>Doormen these days!
Well I'm lucky that there are no doorman here at the university. I could
write all night long if I'd want to. <fx: a shadowy form approaches> Ok,
ok!!! IGMC!!
>[a] is cheese hating a Finn thing or just an Antti thing?
Just an An(t)ti thing.
-The Lich-
[1] Or drink it. I can drink Galliano straight and almost enjoy it.
Because nobody else will touch that stuff without coffee, I can leave the
bottle unguarded in the middle of a bus full of drunken students. It is a
tested thing. OTOH can't take even a sip of wine or ale without starting
the twisty path towards *vom*.
Pasi Huttunen
>Nice to have you. Pull up a bum rest. I would offer you some
>choccy but you seem to have some already.
I ate it all already. Well, not all, got about 450g it left back at home,
but its six kilometers away and my only means of getting back to the cozy
comfort of my wonderful apartment is a bicycle. So, if you could spare
just a piece...? You know, to give me strenght?
>*vom* is vomiting, puking, hurling, chundering, blowing chunks,
>technicoloured yawn or pavement pizza.[1]
>
>>She stole my phone number, too ... ;)
>Hmm, time to move to finland, methinks.
I don't think that happens all the time. It is a subject worth
researching, though. I'll give full report next sunday. =)
<pedant>
And that is a capital F, BTW.
</pedant, feeling hypocrite because has slight problems with spelling>
-The Lich-
AFP code 1.1a AC/E-FI d- s+++:-- a- UP+ R F+@ h P? OSD?:+ ?C M?
pp? L+ c B !Cn PT- 5+ !X !MT e+>+++ r-@ y? end
Just look at that AFP code! All new and shiny ... <fx: whistles happily>
>[1] Any other contributions?:)
Not in english, I'm sorry. But I could <fx: counts different ways to say
*vom*> yes, I could best you, if I can use finnish. Antti can judge. :)
Of course that is not fair if english isn't your 1st language.
Matthew Skala
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>I don't want to get a rep as someone who nicks from fans.
...because we all know what other author of humorous fantasy has the lock
on that...
--
"Let me lose so beautifully http://www.islandnet.com/~mskala/
Let me lick the dew from the money tree Matthew Skala
Have the moms of the world all care about me Ansuz BBS
At suppertime" - Odds (250) 472-3169
Mattheq
the author? So aren't things like this /usually/ considered to be a chance
for the fans to input what they want? If someone posts something, they
presumably mean it as a suggestion of what they'd like to read.
mattheq
--
"And then, one Thursday nearly two thousand years after one man had been
nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for
a change..." http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/9079/ Sig V 3.5
Afpurity 59% / Frist Thrid of the Mark / Occasional Omnipotent Supreme Being
rap...@research.canon.com.au
Paul Wilkins
> OBE stands for order of the british empire. At least, that's what
> I beleive it to be, but I'm not totally sure.
*thinks* I still recall with fond memories the goon show
Hercule: Neddie - I say, oh Neddie. Time for your daily OBE
Neddie: *swallows* Ohh, that's much better. Now what was it you wanted me to
lay down my scruples for?
Nercule: <fx: nasty evil-mided plotting laugh>
Paul Wilkins (Disk Daemon)
Rodney Rutherfurd
> Saying hello to Raoul & Ralph, talking to Ralph [1] on the big
> white phone, chucking up, painting pointillistic patterns on the
> pavement, etc...
Doing the rainbow yawn, reeling with the feeling, blowing chunks, hurling,
tossing your cookies, losing your lunch, gut greetings, lunch
lamentations, beer gut bellowing, puking, heaving..etc...
As a uni student, not only do I know the words, but I know the feeling..urgh..
#**The Scuba Diving Dipstick**#
Soul sib to Cecilia, soul-sib-in-law to Lyndal, Friend to Diana and Erin
apfiance to me and myself, Head idiot of JMC, CEO of Space Corps-Dimwit
Division, SOTM winner & Master of the depraved divers.
Pasi Huttunen
>Drop me a mail when you're coming, we'll do beer.
Or some other alcoholic substance of the 4.7% vol region, I hope? Can't
stand beer, I'm afraid.
>>cheerful, jolly and merry people, do we! [3]
>>[3] Irony, or some other hard substance. (At least I hope so)
>You know, I've never really gotten the irony of this. Among my
>friends, I don't think there is a single example of the Gloomy Finn
>we are supposed to be. While in Merkia, I met far more perpetually
I'm one[1], but it doesn't show if I don't want to. And I've seen and read
so many dark & gloomy finnish 0-budget-splatterfilms/short stories, that I
think there exists a particular mix of negative feelings that could be
described as 'finnish angst' or something, but then again, I think every
culture has its own dark side. A lot of japanese films, for example, show
how the modern jungle and the complex japanese culture twists people.
Never visited Japan, so I can't really say if the country is as bad as it
seems...
>depressed people than I've ever met in Finland - mind you, that was
>in Minnesota. This may or may not mean something...
I'd be doubly depressed if some cruel fate would have destined me to live
in Merkia. I can't stand heavy doses of mass culture and that is what the
place is full of.
<spelling>
>Well, as for me, I tend to keep the spell-checker on. It hardly
I'm typing this on a Unix machine that seems to be only marginally younger
than me, so no such luxuries.
>helps at all, though...my typos tend to be actual words in English -
>ones with no relation to what I wanted to say whatsoever, but actual
>English words nonetheless...
If you're lucky, they might think you just made a clever joke. :)
-The Lich-
[1] My 2nd-best friend introduced me as 'Mr. Angst' to his SO when I
first met her. ;)
+++ Out-of-AFPCodeBlocks-to-steal-error +++
in...@fdhoekstra.nl
[snip]
> >It was on 26 Oct 1998 14:16:07 GMT, when pkhu...@hepo.cc.lut.fi
> >(Pasi Huttunen) put digit to keypad, in order to say:
> >milk and cookies, cheese[a] and wine, real ale or whatever your
> >personal poison happen to be. Most of us will let you choose a
>
> If its sweet, I can (and will) eat it.[1]
Sweet cheese? Yeugh! Cheese ought to have _character_.
Like over-matured Gouda, or a really ripe Brie, or...
> Sometimes I wonder what happens to all those calories, as I
> seem only to just hang within the lower limits
> of normal weight (196/73). Must be the cold climate. :-/
Probably; there's some biological rule for that, but the name
that's stuck in my mind is Morgan's, and that can't be right
as it's maths.
> >beverage and snack of your choice, but some will insist that you
> >convert to their own religi^W taste-set..
>
> I'll happily convert, if that means free food. =)
> I just hope that no-one tries to convert me to love all the different
> kinds of seafood. <shudder>
What? You don't like raw herrings? Hmmm, raw herrings! And
mussels, and (fresh!) squid...
Anyway, welcome to the Twilight Zone of sanity known as a.f.p....
Richard
Paul Wilkins
> I hereby declare myself an afperson, eater of all things made of chocolate
> and reader and humble fan of Pterrys[1] works. You satisfied?
Hey careful there - you may just live to regret those words.
Some of the chocolate covered things that _I've_ seen .. well - it just fair
turns the mind it does...
Paul Wilkins (Disk Daemon)
Emma of XXXXia
> I hereby declare myself an afperson, eater of all things made of chocolate
> and reader and humble fan of Pterrys[1] works. You satisfied?
>
>
Emma
afpiance and cheese lover to David Roy.
Remove TT to email me. Cheese messages welcome.
Pasi Huttunen
>Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>> I hereby declare myself an afperson, eater of all things made of chocolate
>Some of the chocolate covered things that _I've_ seen .. well - it just fair
>turns the mind it does...
Things made of chocolate <not equal to> things[1] covered with it.
Good for me to use the correct wording, eh?
-The Lich-
[1] Especially not equal to ghast and horrendous things covered with it.
Coffee beans, now those I might try.
Pasi Huttunen
Followup-To:
In article <MPG.10a04a5e5...@192.168.0.1>, Emma of XXXXia wrote:
<snip>
>Ah yes, but how do you feel about cheese?
Haven't made up my mind yet. That's quite big political decision to make,
in these circles. Bribes will be gladly accepted. The help of a powerful
wizard[1] is seldomly so cheaply[2] aquired, so I'm waiting. :)
-The Lich-
[1] Not a real live one nor a wizzard, I'm afraid, but a LARP one.
[2] Few kilograms of chocolate will suffice nicely, thankyouwerymuch!
Pasi Huttunen
>Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>[snip]
>
>Sweet cheese? Yeugh! Cheese ought to have _character_.
>Like over-matured Gouda, or a really ripe Brie, or...
Um... those are a bit strongly flavoured for me, possibly. Haven't tasted
them. But I wasn't talking of cheese; there are other foodstuff in the
world than it.
>> Sometimes I wonder what happens to all those calories, as I
>> seem only to just hang within the lower limits
>> of normal weight (196/73). Must be the cold climate. :-/
>
>Probably; there's some biological rule for that, but the name
>that's stuck in my mind is Morgan's, and that can't be right
>as it's maths.
But the rule goes IIRC so that species in colder climates have more fat
and are generaly rounder of shape to maintain body heat. I myself have so
little fat that I usually have more clothing, always, than others compared
to temperature. I once got drunk and somebody poured cold water over me as
I was, um, resting my eyes, and nearly went to hypothermia, even though it
wasn't that cold weather. +20 Celsius and I'm the one with black jeans,
black T-shirt and a black denim jacket.
What I meant with the cold climate was that it also takes a lot of energy
to maintain normal body heat if the weather is cold and that must be where
all that energy I get from chocolate goes.
>> I just hope that no-one tries to convert me to love all the different
>> kinds of seafood. <shudder>
>What? You don't like raw herrings? Hmmm, raw herrings! And
>mussels, and (fresh!) squid...
Squid feels like rubber and doesn't taste much of anything, but it's ok.
My father eats these little fishes (don't know their name in english) that
are *salted stiff* and if I understand correctly, not cooked in any
manner. Raw fish ain't my cup of tea. :)
>Anyway, welcome to the Twilight Zone of sanity known as a.f.p....
Thanks. Got one of those in my head already.
-The Lich-
Heather Knowles
<pkhu...@hepo.cc.lut.fi> writes
> Anybody want a piece of my cioccolato bianco svizzero con
>torrone al miele e mandorle?
>
I'd love some - but Norway would I be able to Finnish a whole bar.
--
lotsa luv
Heather, afpneighbour of Sarah
xxxxxxx
hea...@fanged.demon.co.uk
Heather Knowles
<rocky...@earthlink.net> writes
>
>MBE = Member of the Order of the British Empire
>OBE = Officer of the Order of the British Empire
>
>Feel free to correct me if I got this wrong; I'm only a poor 'Merkin.
>
Merkin ones. There's also DBE (Dame of..) and CBE - but I'm not sure
what that stands for! (Any chance of returning the memory-jogging
favours, Stewart?)
Heather Knowles
>
>> Sometimes I wonder what happens to all those calories, as I
>> seem only to just hang within the lower limits
>> of normal weight (196/73). Must be the cold climate. :-/
>
>Probably; there's some biological rule for that, but the name
>that's stuck in my mind is Morgan's, and that can't be right
>as it's maths.
>
half a stone[1] on the hips.
[1] 7lb for Merkins, about 3 and a bit kilos for Euros.
Heather Knowles
>
>Hey careful there - you may just live to regret those words.
>Some of the chocolate covered things that _I've_ seen .. well - it just fair
>turns the mind it does...
Heather Knowles
<msk...@ansuz.sooke.bc.ca.?> writes
>...because we all know what other author of humorous fantasy has the lock
>on that...
I don't. Come on, out with the gossip! (Hints are acceptable if you fear
being sued.)
Andrew Sayer
Cheese is good
Cheese isn't bad
If u don't like it then you're sad
--
Andy
Ville K
<antti....@kolumbus.fi> wrote:
>
>Pasi Huttunen wrote:
>
>>As a cynic who lurks but does not post, I think even us aren't a
>>sinister enough of a species to do that. My limited imagination
>>cannot conjure an image of such creature, but world is a nasty
>>place...
>
>Well, you've posted a few, and did so again...keep it up, we need
>some more Blue and White here...gets lonely, being the only Finn
>around...>sigh<
Achoo!
Rats.
I just delurked all over the NG.
--
Ville
Sorry 'bout that.
Antti Lehtola
Ville K wrote:
>Achoo!
Oh dear...
>Rats.
>
>I just delurked all over the NG.
All over my monitor, too...but welcome to afp! Grab a chair and a
beer. Have some chocolate. Have some more beer. And please say that
you really, really, really hate cheese...
Okay, three Finns so far, and I have a feeling[1] that we may very
soon be joined by at least one more...
Now, all we're still lacking from a decent Finnish meet is a few
female afpers[2] from Finland...any of those lurking out there?
[1] Well, not so much a feeling as an E-mail asking for the FAQs and
stuff.
[2] I mean, there's nothing wrong with you, Ville and Pasi, but I'm
not planning on *afproposing* to either of you guys any time in the
very near future...[3]
[3] Not that there's anything wrong with that sort of thing.[4]
[4] But there's something very wrong with cheese.
Antti - antti....@kolumbus.fi
--
Who are we, anyway?
Vehicles for DNA
Running out of things to say
Dids
>>Feel free to correct me if I got this wrong; I'm only a poor
>>'Merkin.
The Apostate felt moved to scribe:
>Is there any other kind?
Bill Gates:) <fx holy horns, holy horns>
Dids.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A brand spanking new member of Carols heap.
"Never put your tongue where you wouldn't put your toothbrush"
AFP code 1.1a AU d- s:-- a- UP R++ F++ h P-- OS:-- ?C M-
!pp L+ c B+ Cn- PT-- 5++ X-- MT++ !e r% y- end
Dids
>[a] is cheese hating a Finn thing or just an Antti thing?
Actually, its universal. The stuff should be banned.
Grind all cheese under your ex-german army jackboot, says I.
BTW, how do you say Antti?
Robin Parkinson
says...
> Robin Parkinson wrote:
> >
> > rocky...@earthlink.net says...
>
> > > To be exact, there are three different degrees.
> >
> > Five, actually (surprised me - I'd never heard of the GBE). I quote:
>
Ah, well, what do you expect then?
(Although, to give it credit, the Torygraph is dead good for the trivial
and eccentric bits that other papers miss.)
- Robin.
--
Trout: Slightly fishy, but never coarse. Updated weekly.
http://www.troutmag.clara.net
--
ro...@troutmag.clara.net - Robin Parkinson - rpark...@iclretail.icl.com
I am playing all the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order
- Eric Morecambe
Miq
>In article <slrn739117....@hepo.cc.lut.fi>, Pasi Huttunen
><pkhu...@hepo.cc.lut.fi> writes
>> Anybody want a piece of my cioccolato bianco svizzero con
>>torrone al miele e mandorle?
>>
>I'd love some - but Norway would I be able to Finnish a whole bar.
Oh, please, don't go russian into another one of *those* threads.
--
Miq - afpiance to the wittier MEG and the superior Supermouse <admire>
Kullervo Nurmi
>[a] is cheese hating a Finn thing or just an Antti thing?
I hate them so much that I immediately attack 'em, especially the
mouldy ones.
The Finnish concentration is approaching critical mass...
Kultsi
---
kullervo.nurmi at pp dot inet dot fi
Real-Life, Unintentional Wacky Headlines
* Stiff opposition expected to casketless funeral plan