Stuff I've read lately

"H is for Homicide" (Sue Grafton)(audio) - I was surprised. Kinsey actually managed to get through the book without plugging anyone. It was a close thing; she had her chance but preferred not to, apparently. It was interesting to hear all the details for auto insurance fraud. Seems like more work than regular work.

Stuff I've read lately

"Quantum Generations" (Helge Kragh) - This is a history of physics in the 20th century. It covers quite a lot of territory, and attempts to give a little taste of everything. This means there is a lot of material that isn't as interesting as other parts (but everyone should find something interesting).

I particularly liked learning more about some of the personalities behind the discoveries (especially people I didn't know much about like Dirac). Also, I like hearing about what problems people were trying to solve when they made a discovery (like how investigations into blackbody radiation led to quantum physics).

Stuff I've read lately

"U is for Undertow" (Sue Grafton)(audio) - Here we are some twenty books in, and only a few left (unless she is going to go Excel on us "AA is for Aardvark", "AB is for Abbey Someone - Abbey Normal", through "BB is for BB Gun").

Grafton is definitely getting better at creating a real mystery (if that's what these books are for). We had several suspects, and it all started to come together slowly. You eventually figure out who done it, but not why or exactly how. Until it all makes sense and the book is over.

I must complain about the "undertow". Yes, there was a mention of it (the hapless mook's mother died in an undertow). Still, pretty weak.

A Starkit of Stars

I just sent out the first user-ready version of NewStars!

The main concern I had with using Tcl was that when it came time to distribute, every player would need to install Tcl.

However, there is a handy technology called "Star kit" (or in this case, "Star Package").

There are three components:

1. Tclkit
2. Starkit
3. Star package

Tclkit is the program that does all the work. It is a single file Tcl/Tk interpreter.

A "Star kit" is a single file archive (like a jar) which contains all the Tcl files and DLL's needed, in whatever directory structure you like.

The Star package is a star kit, with tclkit wrapped in with self-extraction and execution.

I had used Freewrap before (which is another single file Tcl interpreter), but couldn't make it work.

Tclkit is very easy.

Starting from the base stars.tcl (in a scratch area):

sdx wrap stars.tcl
This creates a skeleton kit, with just the main script.

sdx unwrap stars.kit
Expand the kit virtual directory structure into a real directory structure - which we are going to populate and experiment with.

tclkit stars.vfs/main.tcl
Try and run from the real directory structure (for testing)

sdx wrap stars.kit
All done, make the kit (can test the kit with tclkit stars.kit).

sdx wrap stars -runtime tclkit
Bundle Tclkit into the Stars star kit, making a star package - which is executable on its own.

Mail out the executable!

Stuff I've read lately

"Bloom" (Wil McCarthy) - McCarthy is fast becoming my favorite current SF writer. I need to check the library for more of his work.

Bloom is a near future universe dominated by grey goo. Survivors are in two groups: one in the Belt, and one at Jupiter.

The story follows a reporter aboard an Immunity (who are charged with fighting goo invasions) ship. Their mission is to deploy sensors on Mars and Earth (both covered in goo).

McCarthy does a good job with characterization, and tension (some survivors believe the goo to be sentient).

The major technology is called "ladder down". It is basically alchemy, allowing the conversion of matter to energy (iron being the cusp of the reaction). Minerals are valued based on reaction products, making uranium the most valuable.

Stuff I've read lately

"T is for Trespass" (Sue Grafton)(audio) - Trespass was probably chosen because it sounds better than "T is for Torn-off arm". Best to let her have it, not wise to upset Kinsey.

Slope

(continuing my review of Facebook games, particularly the phenomenon of "open ended" games)

Most people think of games in terms of winning and losing. Even the longest games, like Axis and Allies or the Russian Campaign, eventually end. There are objectives along the way, by which one can measure progress.

In an open ended game, these objectives are illusory. People might complain about some group receiving a special item, or even getting it first.

However, in the long run this is irrelevant.

The most important aspect of an open ended game is your "slope". Slope is the rate of change.

As long as your slope is higher than your opponents, you will eventually get ahead (there is no winning or losing, only ahead or behind). If your slope is lower, even if you are currently ahead, you will (eventually) always be behind.

Even special items have only temporary value. Inflation will eventually degrade them. As long as your slope of acquiring new items is good, you will have new and better items.