giguere@aries5 (Eric Giguere) (05/30/89)
To quote a letter in the Transactor for the Amiga, May 1989,
to Larry Phillips (yes, the one on the net):
"You can hardly accuse Jerry Pournelle of lacking imagination.
And sir, you're no Jerry Pournelle."
What a strange compliment in the middle of an otherwise caustic
letter. :-) Well, at least it means that the TransAmi is being read,
even if its authors aren't being paid... *sigh*....
Eric Giguere 268 Phillip St #CL-46
For the curious: it's French ("jee-gair") Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6G9
Bitnet : GIGUERE at WATCSG (519) 746-6565
Internet: giguere@aries5.UWaterloo.ca "Nothing but urges from HELL!!"elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) (05/31/89)
in article <226@maytag.waterloo.edu>, giguere@aries5 (Eric Giguere) says: > To quote a letter in the Transactor for the Amiga, May 1989, > to Larry Phillips (yes, the one on the net): > "You can hardly accuse Jerry Pournelle of lacking imagination. > And sir, you're no Jerry Pournelle." > What a strange compliment in the middle of an otherwise caustic > letter. :-) Maybe it was an attempt at satire? (it takes an aweful LOW person to be worse than Jerry Pournelle ;-). Actually, Jerry Pournelle isn't a bad science fiction writer. Not a great one, but there's plenty worse (Piers Anthony, anybody?). Perhaps the writer of the letter is a science fiction fan, and was referring to the imagination needed to write a science fiction novel (although there are some who insist that any imagination in Pournelle's novels comes from Larry Niven). I wouldn't knock Pournelle's imagination too badly if I were you. It makes him a six-figure living, doesn't it? Even if he never uses it when it comes to computers.... > Well, at least it means that the TransAmi is being read, > even if its authors aren't being paid... *sigh*.... So what else is new? :-}. (and yes, I have every issue of TransAmi except for the first two). -- Eric Lee Green P.O. Box 92191, Lafayette, LA 70509 ..!{ames,decwrl,mit-eddie,osu-cis}!killer!elg (318)989-9849 bcase: "I have seen or heard "designer of the 68000" attached to so many names that I can only guess that the 68000 was produced by Cecil B. DeMile."
bdb@becker.UUCP (Bruce Becker) (06/02/89)
In article <8242@killer.DALLAS.TX.US> elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) writes: > [...] >Actually, Jerry Pournelle isn't a bad science fiction writer. I know - I read his "science fiction" in Byte Magazine... Cheers, -- __ Bruce Becker Toronto, Ont. w \cc/ Internet: bdb@becker.UUCP, bruce@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu `/v/-e BitNet: BECKER@HUMBER.BITNET _< >_ "A virus is language from outer space" - James Brown
shf@well.UUCP (Stuart H. Ferguson) (06/02/89)
+-- elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) writes: | Actually, Jerry Pournelle isn't a bad science fiction writer. Not a | great one, but there's plenty worse (Piers Anthony, anybody?). Perhaps | the writer of the letter is a science fiction fan, and was referring | to the imagination needed to write a science fiction novel (although | there are some who insist that any imagination in Pournelle's novels | comes from Larry Niven). I remember reading a story by Pournelle only -- no Niven -- and it was pretty awful. Like "Mote in God's Eye," it described Earth history as including a period called the "Co-dominion," a joint rule between USA and Russia. I thought that was the dumbest idea in the whole "God's Eye" book. In the Pournelle short story, compared to the other ideas there, it was probably the best. -- Stuart Ferguson (shf@well.UUCP) Action by HAVOC
timg@ziebmef.uucp (Tim Grantham) (06/04/89)
In article <226@maytag.waterloo.edu> giguere@aries5.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere) writes: >To quote a letter in the Transactor for the Amiga, May 1989, >to Larry Phillips (yes, the one on the net): > > "You can hardly accuse Jerry Pournelle of lacking imagination. > And sir, you're no Jerry Pournelle." > >What a strange compliment in the middle of an otherwise caustic >letter. :-) Well, at least it means that the TransAmi is being read, >even if its authors aren't being paid... *sigh*.... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Oh, are you in touch with all of our authors, Eric? Are you keeping records to back up this kind of allegation? If not, keep such inflammatory statements to yourself. If *you* have not recieved your payments yet, fine, announce it to the world if that will make you feel better. I will personally flame our publisher to a crisp if you haven't received a cheque when payment was due. But next time, try contacting me personally first so I at least have a chance to try to set things straight. Transactor for the Amiga pays it authors in the calendar month *following* the month of publication. Nick, Chris and I don't like this policy and continue to lobby Croftware Publishing Inc. (the publisher, who pays the authors) to change it to conform at least to the more usual standard of payment on publication. However, Croftward has so stuck to its current payment policy. If there are any of our authors out there who have not received payment according to Croftward's schedule, please let me know. We have some of the finest programmers writing for us; we obviously wouldn't want to jeopardize that with a bad payment record. You have written some excellent articles for us, Eric. I hope you continue to do so. But the kind of statement you have made doesn't exactly help to keep the magazine that publishes your articles flourishing. > >Eric Giguere 268 Phillip St #CL-46 >For the curious: it's French ("jee-gair") Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6G9 >Bitnet : GIGUERE at WATCSG (519) 746-6565 >Internet: giguere@aries5.UWaterloo.ca "Nothing but urges from HELL!!" Tim Grantham. Editor, Transactor for the Amiga. -- timg@ziebmef.UUCP {uunet!mnetor!lsuc,utgpu}!ncrcan!ziebmef!timg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How many Amiga users does it take to change a light bulb?
giguere@aries5.uucp (Eric Giguere) (06/06/89)
In article <1989Jun4.100538.25055@ziebmef.uucp> timg@ziebmef.UUCP (Tim Grantham) writes: >In article <226@maytag.waterloo.edu> giguere@aries5.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere) writes: >> Well, at least it means that the TransAmi is being read, >>even if its authors aren't being paid... *sigh*.... >^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >Oh, are you in touch with all of our authors, Eric? Are you keeping records Not all. But I have talked to a couple and that seems enough of a sample size to me. >to back up this kind of allegation? If not, keep such inflammatory statements >to yourself. I can show you my phone log. I can show you my article log. >If *you* have not recieved your payments yet, fine, announce it to the world >if that will make you feel better. I will personally flame our publisher to a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >crisp if you haven't received a cheque when payment was due. But next time, ^^^^^ Please do so. I doubt it will do anything. >try contacting me personally first so I at least have a chance to try to set >things straight. Well I've been talking to Nick & Chris for a couple of months now... why don't you check it out with them? The problem is that none of you on the editorial staff have control over the money. Personally I think you guys are doing a great job. The publisher... well, I can't even get in touch with the person who handles the money. >Transactor for the Amiga pays it authors in the calendar month *following* >the month of publication. Nick, Chris and I don't like this policy and I know this. It's overdue. Strange way to run a business. Also, I've had an article each month in the last five or six TransAmis... so I should be getting the cheques regularly, after an initial lead time. That hasn't happened, which is what I'm really frustrated about. Payment is definitely non-periodic. >continue to lobby Croftware Publishing Inc. (the publisher, who pays the >authors) to change it to conform at least to the more usual standard of >payment on publication. However, Croftward has so stuck to its current >payment policy. > >If there are any of our authors out there who have not received payment >according to Croftward's schedule, please let me know. We have some of >the finest programmers writing for us; we obviously wouldn't want to >jeopardize that with a bad payment record. It already IS being jeopardized. That's sad, because the TransAmi is such a wonderful publication. >You have written some excellent articles for us, Eric. I hope you continue to >do so. But the kind of statement you have made doesn't exactly help to keep Thank you, I hope to continue as well. It depends on Croftward, doesn't it? >the magazine that publishes your articles flourishing. The truth does hurt, but it's the truth. I brought the situation out in public because my frustration level keeps increasing. Not only with the payments, but the distribution. The university bookstore here only gets the magazine irregularly. I prefer to buy a copy of the magazine at a bookstore than get a subscription copy because the mailman has to stuff it into my small mailbox and I can't stand a warped magazine... but right now I'm forced to wait for my complimentary copy... which comes with the cheque... >Tim Grantham. >Editor, Transactor for the Amiga. >timg@ziebmef.UUCP {uunet!mnetor!lsuc,utgpu}!ncrcan!ziebmef!timg I'm glad to see that the editorial staff has net access now. Sorry to bring this up on the net for all you non-writers, but it has been bugging me for some time. Unfortunately it seems to be a prevalent problem among computer magazines in general according to other writers on BIX. There is apparently another Amiga magazine that is very slow in paying. So for those of you on the net who might be thinking of writing for one of them, this is your warning.... Eric Giguere 268 Phillip St #CL-46 For the curious: it's French ("jee-gair") Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6G9 Bitnet : GIGUERE at WATCSG (519) 746-6565 Internet: giguere@aries5.UWaterloo.ca "Nothing but urges from HELL!!"
protcoop@bnr-public.uucp (Joel Avery) (06/07/89)
On a bit of a size note with this TransAmi thing, I would like you all to know what happened to me recently. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE the magazine and there simply is no other mag for the Amiga that comes even close to it. But as for the people who handle my money .... wellllll ..... In March I got my notice that my subscription was run out and that I should renew. So about a week or so later I sent in my check for $86 Canadian for the disk and mag. .... I waited about 2 months or so. The other day I phoned them and they said they did not have record of receiving my check. But my bank statement said it was cashed almost 2 months ago! Everything is straigtened out now but I hate to think what would have happened if I had not phoned them! ------------------------------- Alan W. McKay | My opinions are mine, yours are yours. | Eat Food | NEPEAN, Ont. | I in no way pretend to represent the | and | 613-763-8980 | the options of my employer. So there. | LIVE !! |
donw@zehntel.zehntel.com (Don White) (06/10/89)
In article <8242@killer.DALLAS.TX.US> elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) writes: >in article <226@maytag.waterloo.edu>, giguere@aries5 (Eric Giguere) says: >> To quote a letter in the Transactor for the Amiga, May 1989, > >Actually, Jerry Pournelle isn't a bad science fiction writer. Not a >great one, but there's plenty worse (Piers Anthony, anybody?). Perhaps >-- > Eric Lee Green P.O. Box 92191, Lafayette, LA 70509 Hey, Piers Anthony is my favorite writer. He's unabashedly creative. For just plain fun try some of his Xanth novels!! Or the Cluster series.!! (He does tend more towards fantasy then science fiction, but he's good.) I thought Pournelle was relatively dry.