Wired Style: The Manual of Style? - I think not.

I've been thinking more about Wired Style, and I just think that it's a failure as as far as a decent style manual is concerned. I think it really should be overhauled because it assumes that the reader knows how to recognize computer jargon or how to write. I guess it's unclear just who the book's audience is. For example, lots of literary style manuals like the MLA are written for people who kinda already write analytical papers, but it's broken down enough that you can get started if you've never written one before. If someone who hasn't really known how writing in print transfers to the internet or even how to write online or how to write about computer-related things, they won't get much out of the book. There should be an appendix of symbols and a separate appendix of abbreviations, as well as maybe a nifty timeline of important computer/writing events, just to put things in perspective. It's just not useful the way it's written, and I'm surprised that they haven't jumped on that "let's make a revision of the book every year just to make an extra buck" and instead they haven't really updated it at all. I might have to make my own revision (but of course, that takes work)
As for the style manual part, it doesn't tell you what the rules are, only that you should break them.
I say, to break or even bend the rules, you have to know what they are first. That is all.

P.S. Carl's comment on the "abandonment of all rules of English" is really funny if you haven't read it. (11/07/04)

I'm Somewhere between a Morlock and an Elloy...

On Ned Stevenson's In the Beginning There Was a Command Line: I really liked Ned Stevenson's comparison of operating systems such as Linux and Mac OS to car models. It creates a good visual picture of the kind of operating system a person would want to ally himself with. Even moreso I really liked the comparison to H.G. Wells' The Time Machine where the Elloys are the beautiful people who don't care to know how things work but use the system. I think that pretty much comprises most of the planet. I am the kind of person who tries to know how things work, and I'm proud to admit that I used to know MS DOS really well. Iknow I'm not the only one out there who did - see Steve's post. At that time, you needed to know DOS, there was no way around it. In fact, I think all the operating systems since Windows 3.1 or 95 really insult the intelligence of the user by putting things behind barriers so the user can't get to them. Me, I want to know what's behind them. As far as I'm concerned, newer versions of any operating system are just evidence of pithy improvements and vigorous attempts to convince consumers that things are different or "new and improved," when they're not.

Globalization - not to be taken lightly

I was thinking about globalization and Thomas Friedman's book, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, and I still think that globalization is a good idea overall that will have really bad consequences if it's exploited. I'm definitely going to read it. I'd like to direct you to International Living.com that flags the hottest new markets to people with the means to take full advantage of them. On the surface they advertise the best places to live around the world for cheap: which countries are starting to get roads and cities, which countries are about to become part of the European market, or which places are just plain cheap because of the exchange rates. (I started subscribing to them because I like the pretty pictures in my mailbox everyday - absolutely beautiful.)

However, there is an undertone of greed in truest capitalist fashion. In reality, they are pinpointing places for Americans (and others) to buy up all the real estate and resources from native people all over the planet just so they can save a buck. The newsletters seem to say, "take advantage of these people and this land because this is the right time and if you don't, someone else will." This is especially true in the supplemental advertising describing "secret investment tips," "invest in teak wood" and the like.

I guess it makes sense if these are the people who like travel and have money, etc. But Friedman's idea of cattle stampeding to whichever market or area is easiest to monopolize is a scary idea to me because it means people and corporations are simply running straight to money without regard for people, environment, or consequences.

Aah, money and power. Not to say that I don't like money and power, or capitalism for that matter, but they're all things that can be used for good or for evil. I fear a world with lots of Lexuses and very few olive trees.

Dan Cavallaro's Restatement of The Cyberuniverse

Perhaps because the book was published in 2000, which was light years ago as far as computers are concerned, but Cavallaro's book appears to be a restatement of everything that has the word "cyber" in front of it. Maybe it tries to do too much in uniting things that seem so related but are as different as people are. It's likes's Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle - how do you pinpoint something that's moving quickly?

I do like how the definitions of specific words like "cybercity" are cited as coming from particular sources, since these terms are coined from words that represent real objects. The referenced definitions give the words some credibility. I really like the idea of a percentage of the population are cyborgs - that's funny and it makes me think!

I am still trying to figure out the "mythology is technology and technollogy is mythology" thing.

Read this Post and then Steal It!

I find it interesting and somewhat helpful that "people in the biz" have tried to write books to help people create great web sites and be street-wise on the internet. On the other hand, I don't feel the presence of the internet as much in the "Read Me First" book as in "Steal this Computer Book 3." I think I've read a "Steal this computer" book, but I don't know if it was this one or an earlier version. I definitely remember the "underground newspaper" feel as if you were getting some pretty important information. It seems like "Read Me First" is more like a technical writing guide adapted for the internet, and the latter is more about the internet even if the topics (viruses and search engines? someone could write a whole book on each) are more unrelated and glossed over. I also find it interesting that the books have commands in their titles - do this, do that. I think the point is that you have to do something when dealing with the internet. It's not like TV or radio where you can sit and let everything wash over you.

Publish and Republish; 21 Dog Years

I find it really interesting that as the admin on a blog you have the opportunity to change everything about the blog as you see fit, including your past comments. It makes everything "fair game" for change, which is the only constant thing in the universe anyway. Usually, when statements are published, they become "fixed" in the medium, but with a blog post, you can revise everything and repost it as if your first words never existed. Talk about being master of your own domain!

P.S. Is there any difference between the fonts Georgia and Lucida Grande on Blogger? Just curious...

In the meantime, I've been thinking about 21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com and the idea of authority. What right does Mike Daisey have to talk about Amazon? I guess a dummy's answer is that he was the one smart enough to write the book and get it published. You don't hear about anyone else's experiences at Amazon, but maybe they were too busy working to write books. Of course, we know now who he is, but they remain nameless. But really, I think it is really interesting and a little sad that working 3 years was more than enough time to have his obsessions, steal enough office supplies, and maybe do a little work so that he would have enough "material" and credibility for a book. So far, 21 Dog Years appears to be a commentary on the lack of job security coupled with the gen-x-y-z tendency not to stay at a job longer than needed (hence the reasoning behind stretching 3 years to 21. Word on the street is that Amazon is an environment that causes 3 years to feel like 21). Add to that the quick changing world of IT, and you get a book written by a self-proclaimed professional slacker who gathered enough energy to write about his own job. I still find it ironic that Amazon sells it. Very clever.

I haven't read the book yet, but after the presentation, I'm really looking forward to the read. I would like to recommend Iain Levison's A Working Stiff's Manifesto which is simultaneously really funny and a sad commentary on work. It was also a comfort to me last year while I worked at my sweatshop of a job. I would also like to point out the irony that he was an English major (cripes!) who works at jobs that don't really involve English, only for him to sit down and write his autobiography! Maybe his degree helped him make money after all. I've wondered if his book would be as interesting if he didn't have a degree and in english, of all respectable majors. Would we even be hearing his story? If Maisey hadn't worked for Amazon, would his book be noteworthy?

My blog post

So far I have posted to Emily's blog post about being sick.