Neal Stephenson

leif · 06-13-2001, 03:08 AM

I just read a great book.

"In the begining ... was the command line" by Neal Stephenson is a great history of operating systems written in a somehwat non-technical manner. I'd say this is a must read for anyone who uses a computer on a regular basis.

In the spirit of things being free, the full text of it is online in many places including the site below:

<a href="http://www.cyberpunkproject.org/lib/in_the_beginning_was_the_command_line/">http://www.cyberpunkproject.org/lib/in_the_beginning_was_the_command_line/</a>

I've read one other book by the same author, Snow Crash, and after this one I certainly intend to read more.

jared · 06-13-2001, 08:17 AM

"Snow Crash" was a good book..."Cryptonomicon" is a GREAT book. "Diamond Age" was OK. Stephenson has shown a clear maturing of his literary style and ability to marry plot and character. I thought William Gibson plateaued after "Count Zero" (not that I haven't enjoyed most of his writing - though why he associated himself with the movie of "Johnny Mnemonic" is beyond me), but Stephenson is getting better all the time.

addyd · 06-15-2001, 09:01 AM

Thanks for the link, first I have heard of it. (I saved a local copy so I could flip the bgcolor and the text color. SHEEESH!)

jaguar · 06-24-2001, 04:59 AM

I have to agree Gibsons's Count Zero was better than Neuromancer, I want to read his latest, released in 2000....

OGREMkIV · 06-26-2001, 08:18 AM

You kids might want to check out some older Stephenson works- specifically the Big U and Zodiac. Both books show his style, if a bit less mature than his later works. Big U is reflective of his days at a 'mega-university' in the early eighties. As an attendee of a mega-university in the late nineties, I can't say its too far off.

jaguar · 02-26-2003, 07:54 PM

I'm going though a Stepherson phase at the moment, diamond age and Cryptonomicon. LEGEND! Best autor i've found in a long, long time. I'm loving his work. Tracking down some more at the moment.

SteveDallas · 02-26-2003, 09:39 PM

I have the "command line" book tho I admit I haven't finished it.

I read Big U a while back and it's definitely more immature in style, tho worthwhile if you are a fan.

BrianR · 03-01-2003, 11:43 PM

How is it possible for me to upgrade my system from 64M RAM to 256M RAM, add a Ati Radeon 7500LE video card and a cheapie webcam so my beloved can see me when I'm talking to her..and yet when all the dust settles, Netscape was GONE!

The directory was still there, as were the folders, but the executable was totally wiped off the HD, no trace found!

Where'd it go?

Brian

wolf · 03-01-2003, 11:51 PM

Bill Gates stole it. He does that.

CodeBlue40 · 03-02-2003, 06:26 PM

I don't know if it's really fair to say William Gibson associated himself with Johnny Mnemonic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the movie was a somewhat loose adaptation of his book. It's not like he directed it. Hell, someone probably took liberties with a lot of the dialogue. I mean, shit Henry Rollins plays a doctor. Nothing against Hank, but I thought he would have been better in Ice-T's role. Maybe have Ice-T play the doctor. I dunno...anyway. Now, if Gibson had fully endorsed the movie (i.e. walk-on cameo, etc.), then that's a *sore of a different STD.

*Kind of like "a horse of a different color", only...really, really gross.

Torrere · 03-06-2003, 10:50 PM

Codeblue40: Please utilize ordinary black text.

I have loved all of Stephenson's novels, and I have been trying to find Zodiac: the Eco-Thriller locally. Discussions about Neal Stephenson are generally very fun to have: he does some odd stuff (such as diverging from the story for a few pages to explain Riemann-Zeta functions using the analogy of a bicycle chain in Cryptonomicon). Stephenson also has a drifting way of story telling that I quite like.

Googling for "In The Beginning Was the Command Line" returns many results, I believe that my favorite format might be the smorgasbord link.

CodeBlue40 · 03-09-2003, 06:50 PM

My only real problem with Snow Crash was at the end. It felt a little contrived. Was that just me?

And, I don't remember seeing in the rules that I had to use a specific color of text. I do, however, see an option for me to change the color of the text in my post. I think I'll exercise that option.

Sorry sport. I'm sticking with the dark-blue until I hear otherwise.

Griff · 03-09-2003, 06:54 PM

definitely, definitely medium, medium blue definitely, blue

CodeBlue40 · 03-09-2003, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Griff
definitely, definitely medium, medium blue definitely, blue

What? This? I think it's way too bright.
And this is barely visible.
And this...? Well, that's just crazy.

No, no. I think I'll be staying with this.

Undertoad · 03-09-2003, 08:24 PM

Damn coloreds moving in and ruining the neighborhood.

(*snicker*)

06-13-2001, 08:17 AM	#2
jared Kinda New Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: New Joisey Posts: 1	Work your way backwards... "Snow Crash" was a good book..."Cryptonomicon" is a GREAT book. "Diamond Age" was OK. Stephenson has shown a clear maturing of his literary style and ability to marry plot and character. I thought William Gibson plateaued after "Count Zero" (not that I haven't enjoyed most of his writing - though why he associated himself with the movie of "Johnny Mnemonic" is beyond me), but Stephenson is getting better all the time. __________________ "Everything'll work if you let it." - Corpus C. Redfish

06-15-2001, 09:01 AM	#3
addyd Neophyte-in-training Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kearney, Nebraska USA Posts: 3	Thanks for the link! Thanks for the link, first I have heard of it. (I saved a local copy so I could flip the bgcolor and the text color. SHEEESH!) __________________ Reality is for people who lack imagination.

06-24-2001, 04:59 AM	#4
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	I have to agree Gibsons's Count Zero was better than Neuromancer, I want to read his latest, released in 2000.... __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

02-26-2003, 07:54 PM	#6
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	I'm going though a Stepherson phase at the moment, diamond age and Cryptonomicon. LEGEND! Best autor i've found in a long, long time. I'm loving his work. Tracking down some more at the moment. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

03-01-2003, 11:43 PM	#8
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	rhetorical question How is it possible for me to upgrade my system from 64M RAM to 256M RAM, add a Ati Radeon 7500LE video card and a cheapie webcam so my beloved can see me when I'm talking to her..and yet when all the dust settles, Netscape was GONE! The directory was still there, as were the folders, but the executable was totally wiped off the HD, no trace found! Where'd it go? Brian __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

06-13-2001, 03:08 AM	#1
leif Confounded Conjuror Join Date: May 2001 Location: N. California Posts: 33	I just read a great book. "In the begining ... was the command line" by Neal Stephenson is a great history of operating systems written in a somehwat non-technical manner. I'd say this is a must read for anyone who uses a computer on a regular basis. In the spirit of things being free, the full text of it is online in many places including the site below: <a href="http://www.cyberpunkproject.org/lib/in_the_beginning_was_the_command_line/">http://www.cyberpunkproject.org/lib/in_the_beginning_was_the_command_line/</a> I've read one other book by the same author, Snow Crash, and after this one I certainly intend to read more.

06-26-2001, 08:18 AM	#5
OGREMkIV Neophyte-in-training Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Outside New York Posts: 3	You kids might want to check out some older Stephenson works- specifically the Big U and Zodiac. Both books show his style, if a bit less mature than his later works. Big U is reflective of his days at a 'mega-university' in the early eighties. As an attendee of a mega-university in the late nineties, I can't say its too far off.

02-26-2003, 09:39 PM	#7
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	I have the "command line" book tho I admit I haven't finished it. I read Big U a while back and it's definitely more immature in style, tho worthwhile if you are a fan.

03-01-2003, 11:51 PM	#9
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Bill Gates stole it. He does that. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

03-02-2003, 06:26 PM	#10
CodeBlue40 Disorderly Disciplinarian Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 21	I don't know if it's really fair to say William Gibson associated himself with Johnny Mnemonic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the movie was a somewhat loose adaptation of his book. It's not like he directed it. Hell, someone probably took liberties with a lot of the dialogue. I mean, shit Henry Rollins plays a doctor. Nothing against Hank, but I thought he would have been better in Ice-T's role. Maybe have Ice-T play the doctor. I dunno...anyway. Now, if Gibson had fully endorsed the movie (i.e. walk-on cameo, etc.), then that's a sore of a different STD. Kind of like "a horse of a different color", only...really, really gross. __________________ I'm in a world full of naked women and daisies! Nothing can harm me now!

03-06-2003, 10:50 PM	#11
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	Codeblue40: Please utilize ordinary black text. I have loved all of Stephenson's novels, and I have been trying to find Zodiac: the Eco-Thriller locally. Discussions about Neal Stephenson are generally very fun to have: he does some odd stuff (such as diverging from the story for a few pages to explain Riemann-Zeta functions using the analogy of a bicycle chain in Cryptonomicon). Stephenson also has a drifting way of story telling that I quite like. Googling for "In The Beginning Was the Command Line" returns many results, I believe that my favorite format might be the smorgasbord link.

03-09-2003, 06:50 PM	#12
CodeBlue40 Disorderly Disciplinarian Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 21	My only real problem with Snow Crash was at the end. It felt a little contrived. Was that just me? And, I don't remember seeing in the rules that I had to use a specific color of text. I do, however, see an option for me to change the color of the text in my post. I think I'll exercise that option. Sorry sport. I'm sticking with the dark-blue until I hear otherwise. __________________ I'm in a world full of naked women and daisies! Nothing can harm me now!

03-09-2003, 06:54 PM	#13
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	definitely, definitely medium, medium blue definitely, blue __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-09-2003, 08:24 PM	#15
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Damn coloreds moving in and ruining the neighborhood. (snicker)

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