diff --git a/zine/distributing.gmi b/zine/distributing.gmi index 641827f..b0fb5f5 100644 --- a/zine/distributing.gmi +++ b/zine/distributing.gmi @@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ ``` # Distributing the Zine -Circumlunar Transmissions is made freely available to distribute on- and offline. To distribute the zine on your own smolnet space, simply clone the repository and either symlink or copy the "zine" folder somewhere into your gopherhole or gemini capsule. A current version of the repo can be cloned from one of the following remotes: +Circumlunar Transmissions is made freely available to distribute on- and offline. To distribute the zine on your own smolnet space, simply clone the repository and either symlink or copy the "zine" folder somewhere into your gopherhole or gemini capsule. +Primary repository: +* git://dome.circumlunar.space/~clt/transmissions.git + +Secondary remotes: * https://tildegit.org/~mieum/circumlunar-transmissions.git * https://namu.blue/~mieum/circumlunar-transmissions.git diff --git a/zine/distributing.txt b/zine/distributing.txt index e7c6043..43b9890 100644 --- a/zine/distributing.txt +++ b/zine/distributing.txt @@ -6,8 +6,15 @@ DISTRIBUTING THE ZINE ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -Circumlunar Transmissions is made freely available to distribute on- and offline. To distribute the zine on your own smolnet space, simply clone the repository and either symlink or copy the "zine" folder somewhere into your gopherhole or gemini capsule. A current version of the repo can be cloned from one of the following remotes: +Circumlunar Transmissions is made freely available to distribute +on- and offline. To distribute the zine on your own smolnet space, +simply clone the repository and either symlink or copy the "zine" +folder somewhere into your gopherhole or gemini capsule. +Primary repository: +* git://dome.circumlunar.space/~clt/transmissions.git + +Secondary remotes: * https://tildegit.org/~mieum/circumlunar-transmissions.git * https://namu.blue/~mieum/circumlunar-transmissions.git diff --git a/zine/issue001/ask-jone-001.txt b/zine/issue001/ask-jone-001.txt index d727eae..a28e384 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/ask-jone-001.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/ask-jone-001.txt @@ -14,60 +14,61 @@ Issue One May 2021 What are some things I can do to help repair it?" -I remember my dad feels like eating Chunk'n'Dunk? Not -and I went through anymore. Although great. And I guess -this patch where that stuff is dad's thinking along -we were both pretty just not very the same lines as me, -pissed off at each nutritious. But because every time I -other, not that I because I'm mad come by he leaves me -remember why at at him, I don't another pair of snow -this point. But bother to bring tires he found. But -sharing is caring, his favorite, the I'm not selling tires -right? So to keep meatball-carrot stew any more by then, -things going, I'm one. Instead, I bring so I don't want -still dropping off him can after can of them. And he knows -cans of Chunk'n'Dunk turkey-a-la-king. You that, but he keeps on -soup for him, because ever try getting tires anyhow. -it's all he ever that one from -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -And so we go on like of cans. And some it I find that -this for weeks: falls on his head co-incidentally the -I come by and put and he falls over, big pile of snow -like 5 more cans of and the rest of the tires out there has -turkey-a-la-king on cans come crashing also fallen over, -his kitchen counter, down on him. Pretty and it's crushed some -and he stacks a few bad scene. So I go unlucky little gnome -more snow tires to help him up, but who must have been -outside his door I slip and trip on a milling around by -for me. And all can on the floor, and there. Those things -this stuff is piling hit the ground hard are so bad at staying -higher and higher and too. And if you've alive, I just can't -higher, and we're ever fallen on a believe it sometimes. -gradually getting pile of Chunk'n'Dunk -madder and madder at turkey-a-la-king Anyways, if you're -each other. Until one cans, you know that looking to patch -day I go over there hurts pretty bad. things up with your -with another box of sister, I would say -cans, and he starts So we're both maybe don't do it -screaming and yelling groaning on the with canned soup, -about how he hates ground, and then or snow tires. It -turkey-a-la-king. And there's this weird sure didn't help us -he gets so mad he sound by the front any. It just wasn't -accidentally knocks door. When I get a good result for -over the stack out there to check anyone, especially -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -for that gnome. Or -if you have to -go with soup, at ________________________ -least stick with |\ /| -the meatball-carrot | \ joneworlds / | -one. It's actually | \ @ / | -not bad. | \ mailbox.org / | - | \______________/ | -Thanks for writing | / \ | -in. I hope that | / \ | -helps. |____/_____________\_____| - -JONE +I remember my dad and I went through this patch where we were both +pretty pissed off at each other, not that I remember why at this +point. But sharing is caring, right? So to keep things going, I'm +still dropping off cans of Chunk'n'Dunk soup for him, because it's +all he ever feels like eating anymore. Although that stuff is just +not very nutritious. But because I'm mad at him, I don't bother to +bring his favorite, the meatball-carrot stew one. Instead, I bring +him can after can of turkey-a-la-king. You ever try that one from +Chunk'n'Dunk? Not great. And I guess dad's thinking along the same +lines as me, because every time I come by he leaves me another pair +of snow tires he found. But I'm not selling tires any more by then, +so I don't want them. And he knows that, but he keeps on getting +tires anyhow. + +And so we go on like this for weeks: I come by and put like 5 more +cans of turkey-a-la-king on his kitchen counter, and he stacks a +few more snow tires outside his door for me. And all this stuff is +piling higher and higher and higher, and we're gradually getting +madder and madder at each other. Until one day I go over there with +another box of cans, and he starts screaming and yelling about how +he hates turkey-a-la-king. And he gets so mad he accidentally +knocks over the stack of cans. And some falls on his head and he +falls over, and the rest of the cans come crashing down on him. +Pretty bad scene. So I go to help him up, but I slip and trip on a +can on the floor, and hit the ground hard too. And if you've ever +fallen on a pile of Chunk'n'Dunk turkey-a-la-king cans, you know +that hurts pretty bad. + +So we're both groaning on the ground, and then there's this weird +sound by the front door. When I get out there to check it I find +that co-incidentally the big pile of snow tires out there has also +fallen over, and it's crushed some unlucky little gnome who must +have been milling around by there. Those things are so bad at +staying alive, I just can't believe it sometimes. + +Anyways, if you're looking to patch things up with your sister, I +would say maybe don't do it with canned soup, or snow tires. It +sure didn't help us any. It just wasn't a good result for anyone, +especially for that gnome. Or if you have to go with soup, at least +stick with the meatball-carrot one. It's actually not bad. + +Thanks for writing in. I hope that helps. + + -JONE + + + ________________________ + |\ /| + | \ joneworlds / | + | \ @ / | + | \ mailbox.org / | + | \______________/ | + | / \ | + | / \ | + |____/_____________\_____| - - - ------------------------------------------------------- - - - diff --git a/zine/issue001/durtal_hearth-of-the-matter.txt b/zine/issue001/durtal_hearth-of-the-matter.txt index d63ac25..627382c 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/durtal_hearth-of-the-matter.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/durtal_hearth-of-the-matter.txt @@ -7,71 +7,69 @@ Issue One May 2021 ====================[ THE HEARTH OF THE MATTER ]=================== by durtal -It seems that Kepler Hobbes brought 'focus' life in unfortunate -first used the Latin into broader English ways. -word 'focus' in 1604 parlance nearly fifty -to refer to 'the point years later. I don't Ironically, the -of convergence' in the know if he did this political philosopher -mathematical sphere. with a magnifying who espoused that -It is possible that glass or not. But, humans are "all take -this is an analogical Hobbes is certainly and little give" used -use of the term and not my favourite a word that belied -may reference the philosopher. With its his contentions in -point of light created particular take on the original. Focus -with a lens. You human nature, he is the Latin -probably know what I published Leviathan equivalent of the Old -mean. I remember about the same time he English word -another child showing popularised a word 'hearth'. People -me a trick with a whose use is still used the latter -magnifying glass ubiquitous but whose term in my youth, -outside one sunny day. original meaning is especially in rural -He quickly adjusted too often unknown. regions. Phrases like -the glass's height Sometimes the "hearth and home" and -over my forearm to abstractions of "keep the home fires -effect a sharp pain as science and a specific burning" catch -the converging rays sort of philosophy something of its -burned a hole in my separate us from the ethos. The hearth was -skin. mundane realities of where household -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -members gathered to it is to wait in them and drink your -cook or to work by the anticipation for the morning coffee. You -hearthstone's warmth of a fire on a smile and share a -firelight. In its cold winter's morning. joke or two with your -warmth, children sat Others gather close to fellows. One of them -to hear the stories of you, hoping to absorb ruefully remembers -the family and a little of your that it is his day to -community after dusk. body's heat while they do the dishes; they -Kith and kin wait too. You each rub are piling up as -entertained themselves and blow warm breaths the others finish -with music and onto your hands and and go. This time, -drinking and dance comment on the cold, like its later -nearby. In some and you remark on the double, is -cultures, families day ahead. As the a short space of -kept ancestral bones kindling catches, hope intimacy before -beneath the builds and blossoms as separation. -hearthstone. Here was the flames devour the -a point of convergence larger pieces of wood. By analogy, sunrise -in the human habitat. The fire roars madly is like the birth of - as you back away, a child for whom the -The rising or setting waiting for the wooden family cares. Such -sun reminds me of a pyramid to collapse. brief familial -hearth fire as it When there are coals intimacy is still -converges on the left mostly, you cook most often the case -horizon. I know what your breakfast over for the young. But, -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -not so for the members, nurse the that the world offers -elderly. We fill the frail and wash their in this day when -noon meridians of our bodies late in life hearth fires and home -lives so completely and at its very end. are all but -with striving and Frequently, there is forgotten. We now -drift so far from one only the intimacy of only focus camera -another that, too strangers who alone lenses -often, family members know where the bare (automatically). -no longer live near bones of our final -to one another at the days lie before we Did old Thomas Hobbes -sunset of a loved slip into the deep have a point? -one's life. Now dark of death's -others, not family night. This is all +It seems that Kepler first used the Latin word 'focus' in 1604 to +refer to 'the point of convergence' in the mathematical sphere. It +is possible that this is an analogical use of the term and may +reference the point of light created with a lens. You probably know +what I mean. I remember another child showing me a trick with a +magnifying glass outside one sunny day. He quickly adjusted the +glass's height over my forearm to effect a sharp pain as the +converging rays burned a hole in my skin. + +Hobbes brought 'focus' into broader English parlance nearly fifty +years later. I don't know if he did this with a magnifying glass or +not. But, Hobbes is certainly not my favourite philosopher. With +its particular take on human nature, he published Leviathan about +the same time he popularised a word whose use is ubiquitous but +whose original meaning is too often unknown. Sometimes the +abstractions of science and a specific sort of philosophy separate +us from the mundane realities of life in unfortunate ways. + +Ironically, the political philosopher who espoused that humans are +"all take and little give" used a word that belied his contentions +in the original. Focus is the Latin equivalent of the Old English +word 'hearth'. People still used the latter term in my youth, +especially in rural regions. Phrases like "hearth and home" and +"keep the home fires burning" catch something of its ethos. The +hearth was where household members gathered to cook or to work by +the hearthstone's firelight. In its warmth, children sat to hear +the stories of the family and community after dusk. Kith and kin +entertained themselves with music and drinking and dance nearby. In +some cultures, families kept ancestral bones beneath the +hearthstone. Here was a point of convergence in the human habitat. + +The rising or setting sun reminds me of a hearth fire as it +converges on the horizon. I know what it is to wait in anticipation +for the warmth of a fire on a cold winter's morning. Others gather +close to you, hoping to absorb a little of your body's heat +while they wait too. You each rub and blow warm breaths onto +your hands and comment on the cold, and you remark on the +day ahead. As the kindling catches, hope builds and +blossoms as the flames devour the larger pieces of wood. +The fire roars madly as you back away, waiting for the +wooden pyramid to collapse. When there are coals left +mostly, you cook your breakfast over them and drink your +morning coffee. You smile and share a joke or two with your +fellows. One of them ruefully remembers that it is his day +to do the dishes; they are piling up as the others finish +and go. This time, like its later double, is a short space +of intimacy before separation. + +By analogy, sunrise is like the birth of a child for whom the +family cares. Such brief familial intimacy is still most often the +case for the young. But, not so for the elderly. We fill the noon +meridians of our lives so completely with striving and drift so far +from one another that, too often, family members no longer live +near to one another at the sunset of a loved one's life. Now +others, not family members, nurse the frail and wash their bodies +late in life and at its very end. Frequently, there is only the +intimacy of strangers who alone know where the bare bones of our +final days lie before we slip into the deep dark of death's night. +This is all that the world offers in this day when hearth fires and +home are all but forgotten. We now only focus camera lenses +(automatically). + +Did old Thomas Hobbes have a point? - - - ------------------------------------------------------- - - - diff --git a/zine/issue001/preface.txt b/zine/issue001/preface.txt index 58b2fa6..f794440 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/preface.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/preface.txt @@ -6,57 +6,53 @@ Issue One May 2021 ===========================[ PREFACE ]============================= -Back in February, Anyone who has had The strategy of this -around the time of the pleasure of first run has been to -the ogre incident, perusing the many just get it out -Jone wondered out phlogs and gemlogs there. Rather than -loud on the here at prematurely -circumlunar.space circumlunar.space exhausting our energy -BBS, telem, about the will be aware of the on determining what -possibility of a CS impressive diversity it should be, or -zine. The idea was of interests, pidgeonholing -well-received by the talents, and ourselves into a -rest of us sundogs, backgrounds of the niche or format -and for some time, sundogs residing without actually -talk of the zine here. It will be having produced any -flooded telem as we interesting to see content, we elected -proceeded to howl at how these influence to first just give it -the moon in the zine over time, a go and see what we -excitement. Amidst but currently what get. So for this -this jubilee, I the zine is and how first issue, we have -somehow ended up it will be produced what has been -wearing the is largely still up endearingly termed a -proverbial editor in the air. It's "topic salad." And I -pants--for this really just a fun believe it has turned -inaugural issue, at experiment, and this out to be quite a -least. first issue is a kind nutritious one at - of pilot episode. that. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Circumlunar printable formats have otherwise. It is -Transmissions will be that readers can with profound -distributed easily print-and-bind gratitude and pride -exclusively over for their own for this habitat and -Gopher and Gemini by enjoyment offline its inhabitants, -whoever would like to or to distribute and the smolnet -host a copy on their locally. ecosystem at -own gopherhole or large, that I -capsule. That is, It has been a present to you -anyone can clone the pleasure to this first issue -git repo of the contribute something of our smolzine, -project and serve its to this wonderful Circumlunar -contents from their community of Transmissions. -own smolnet space. thoughtful and -This kind of creative individuals -"newstand" method of whom I respect and -distribution solves a admire sincerely. -lot of the logistical During my relatively ~mieum -issues of where and brief inhabitation of April 25, 2021 -how to bi-host such a the Zaibatsu, I've Incheon, Korea -thing in an learnt a great many -accessible way. In things and have been -addition to Gopher inspired to create -and Gemini editions, and wonder about -we intend to provide things I would not +Back in February, around the time of the ogre incident, Jone +wondered out loud on the circumlunar.space BBS, telem, about the +possibility of a CS zine. The idea was well-received by the rest of +us sundogs, and for some time, talk of the zine flooded telem as we +proceeded to howl at the moon in excitement. Amidst this jubilee, I +somehow ended up wearing the proverbial editor pants--for this +inaugural issue, at least. + +Anyone who has had the pleasure of perusing the many phlogs and +gemlogs here at circumlunar.space will be aware of the impressive +diversity of interests, talents, and backgrounds of the sundogs +residing here. It will be interesting to see how these influence +the zine over time, but currently what the zine is and how it will +be produced is largely still up in the air. It's really just a fun +experiment, and this first issue is a kind of pilot episode. + +The strategy of this first run has been to just get it out there. +Rather than prematurely exhausting our energy on determining what +it should be, or pidgeonholing ourselves into a niche or format +without actually having produced any content, we elected to first +just give it a go and see what we get. So for this first issue, we +have what has been endearingly termed a "topic salad." And I +believe it has turned out to be quite a nutritious one at that. + +Circumlunar Transmissions will be distributed exclusively over +Gopher and Gemini by whoever would like to host a copy on their own +gopherhole or capsule. That is, anyone can clone the git repo of +the project and serve its contents from their own smolnet space. +This kind of "newstand" method of distribution solves a lot of the +logistical issues of where and how to bi-host such a thing in an +accessible way. In addition to Gopher and Gemini editions, we +intend to provide printable formats that readers can easily +print-and-bind for their own enjoyment offline or to distribute +locally. + +It has been a pleasure to contribute something to this wonderful +community of thoughtful and creative individuals whom I respect and +admire sincerely. During my relatively brief inhabitation of the +Zaibatsu, I've learnt a great many things and have been inspired to +create and wonder about things I would not have otherwise. It is +with profound gratitude and pride for this habitat and its +inhabitants, and the smolnet ecosystem at large, that I present to +you this first issue of our smolzine, Circumlunar Transmissions. + + ~mieum + April 25, 2021 + Incheon, Korea - - - ------------------------------------------------------- - - - diff --git a/zine/issue001/sloum_circumlunar-mixtape-001.txt b/zine/issue001/sloum_circumlunar-mixtape-001.txt index fda6652..3addfb7 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/sloum_circumlunar-mixtape-001.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/sloum_circumlunar-mixtape-001.txt @@ -6,18 +6,24 @@ Issue One May 2021 ===================[ THE CIRCUMLUNAR MIXTAPE ]===================== - - - -[ sloum's covid-year playlist ]- - - - The Circumlunar Mixtape is an ongoing series for Circumlunar Transmissions where one user per issue shares 10 tracks they have -been listening to. .------------------------. Y'all have all -kinds of ways to | CT001 | stream music, or -otherwise find and | __ ______ __ | listen to music, so -tracks are just | /. \|\.....|/ \ | listed and it is on -the reader to locate | \__/|/_____|\__/ | them. As a court- -esy, when a weblink | sloum | to streaming is -available, playlist | ________________ | curators may choose -to supply it. |___/_._o________o_._\___| +been listening to. Y'all have all kinds of ways to stream or +otherwise find and listen to music, so tracks are just listed and +it is on the reader to locate them. As a courtesy, when a weblink +to streaming is available playlist curators may choose to supply +it. + + - - -[ sloum's covid-year playlist ]- - - + + .------------------------. + | CT001 | + | __ ______ __ | + | /. \|\.....|/ \ | + | \__/|/_____|\__/ | + | sloum | + | ________________ | + |___/_._o________o_._\___| These are songs I have listened to at various points throughout the last year. Some are old some are new. It has been a weird year and diff --git a/zine/issue001/solderpunk_whats-the-deal-with-leapseconds.txt b/zine/issue001/solderpunk_whats-the-deal-with-leapseconds.txt index 963b087..2395d7e 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/solderpunk_whats-the-deal-with-leapseconds.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/solderpunk_whats-the-deal-with-leapseconds.txt @@ -10,301 +10,292 @@ Issue One May 2021 ASTRONOMICAL SECONDS -Why is a second as didn't, so you're "why is a day as long -long as it is, and not stuck reading this, as it is?" - one day -a little shorter or a instead: a brief, is the time it takes -little longer? This incomplete, possibly the Earth to complete -is a seemingly simple slightly inaccurate a single revolution -question which leads overview based on my about its axis. And -down a deep and own characteristically since there are 60 -delightfully twisted obsessive reading on seconds in a minute, -rabbit hole. It's the topic over the 60 minutes in an hour -something that I wish past week or so. and 24 hours in a day, -Neal Stephenson had a second is simply one -written an epically For most of the time 86,400th of the time -long, inexplicably that the concept of it takes the Earth to -compelling 1990s Wired the second has been rotate once. Or, if -article about, in the around, its length has you like, a second is -spirit of his "Mother been defined the time it takes for -Earth, Mother Board" implicitly by that of the Earth to rotate -or "In the Kingdom of the day. Everybody one 240th of a degree, -Mao Bell". But he knows the answer to out of the full 360. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End of story, right? observatories tracking enough to notice - the movement of this). In fact, the -Well, no. This is a distant radio sources Earth's rotation is -perfectly sensible way across the sky as the slowing down. Very -to define time - for Earth rotates. This slowly, of course. -some applications, is easier than making Every century, a -it's the best way to precision measurements complete rotation -do it. This of the sun, but is takes about 2 -astronomically still measuring the milliseconds longer -defined time scale is exact same thing. than it used to. The -still in use today in rate of slowing down -certain contexts. The EARTH IS A NICE PLACE is not steady. Some -official name of its TO LIVE, BUT IT'S NOT years the change is -modern incarnation is THE BEST CLOCK more and other years -Universal Time, or UT it's less. In fact, -(technically, there The problem with an even though the -are a few subtly astronomical overall trend is one -different variants, definition of the of slowing down, some -denoted UT0, UT1 and second is this: the years the rotation -UT2, but we'll gloss Earth doesn't actually actually speeds up. -over that here). The rotate at a perfectly The dynamics of the -official determination constant rate (it process are -of UT nowadays is wasn't until the 19th complicated, and we -based mostly on century that we could can't make accurate -measurements made at build clocks accurate long term forecasts. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Gravitational small, random was going to be late -interaction between fluctuations in their to lunch because of -the Earth and the moon duration over long the Earth's unsteady -is the primary driver, time spans. If you rotation. But by the -but the movement of define the second by 20th century, sci- -tectonic plates and looking into the entific and techno- -friction between skies, no two seconds logical progress -Earth's surface and are exactly the same. meant these tiny -its atmosphere and fluctuations started -oceans have their say, That's a pretty to matter, as we -too. The Indian Ocean inconvenient property began measuring -Earthquake in 2004 was for the official natural phenomena and -powerful enough to definition of a building machines -shorten the length of fundamentally which operated on -a day by 2.68 important unit like very small time -microseconds. There the second to have. scales. A 10 mega- -are even periodic For most of the time hertz radio -variations in the rate this definition was oscillator, for -of rotation that we used, the fluctuations example, has a period -just don't understand were smaller than we of 0.0000001 seconds -the cause of yet. But could reliably --only 100 nano- -the take home message measure. Certainly, seconds! Gigahertz -is that, whatever the they weren't enough to radiation, which is -causes, astronomical have an impact on important in radio -seconds actually have everyday life. Nobody astronomy and was -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -used for communi- Fortunately, in the The new atomic second -cations and radar 1950s, atomic clocks was defined such that -during WWII decades were invented which it had the same -before it came to kept time better than length as the -underpin modern any previous astronomical second -technology like GPS, mechanism. I'll gloss in use before it, as -WiFi, and mobile data right over the far as measurements -networks, has periods details, but suffice at the time could -measured in it to say, we came up tell, but it had the -*picoseconds*. Even with a new way to added bonus that the -very, very small define the second length of the second -variations in the which involved was then fixed and -length of a second are measuring the unchanging. Caesium -enough to make the properties of caesium atoms at a given -measured frequency of atoms instead of temperature "vibrate" -radio waves change, looking at things (very loosely -even if the *actual* moving through the speaking) at a -frequency is fixed. sky. In 1967, the frequency which, as -Modern technological relatively young far as we can tell, -society simply International System is completely and -couldn't be built (or SI, for the French perfectly stable, and -using a wobbly clock "Système which can be measured -like the Earth. International") of very accurately in a - units redefined the sufficiently advanced -ATOMIC SECONDS second on this basis. laboratory. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -With the arrival of until now is a little other hand, is -atomic seconds, a new less than 40 seconds, fundamentally -time scale was also but it will continue divorced from it. -defined: International to grow, without Thousands of years in -Atomic Time (or TAI, limit. And while the the future, there -for the French "Temps perfectly uniform will come a day when, -Atomique Inter- seconds of TAI make it according to TAI, the -national"). At mid- the perfect tool for sun rises in -night on January 1st some tasks, this drift Greenwich at -in 1958, TAI and UT apart from UT makes it midnight. -were perfectly problematic for -synchronised. Ever others. If you go This isn't just an -since then, they have outside at noon UT in abstract concern for -slowly but surely Greenwich, England (or the distant future. -drifted apart. The anywhere else at 0 In the late '50s when -seconds of TAI are of degrees longitude), TAI was defined, it -perfectly unchanging the sun will *always* was still common for -length (as measured by be high in the sky. ships at sea to -averaging hundreds of This is true today and figure out where they -atomic clocks all over it will be true in a were by using a -the world), but the thousand years, sextant to record the -seconds of UT Because UT is position of the sun -fluctuate with the fundamentally linked above the horizon at -Earth's rotation. The to the Earth's a certain time and -accumulated drift up rotation. TAI, on the consulting a printed -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -table of conversions. increasingly less International de -For this purpose, accurate as TAI l'Heure", but today -ships carried the most drifted further out of the torch has been -accurate clocks they synch with the Earth passed to a -could afford, and and the stars. This combination of the -compared them meant that the "new International Bureau -regularly against true and improved" TAI time of Weights and -UT time using time scale wasn't actually Measures, or BIPM, -signals broadcast by an improvement for for the French -radio stations all everybody. "Bureau International -over the world. des Poids et Mesures" -Celestial navigation COORDINATING CHAOS and the International -works very well when Instead of Earth Rotation -using a timescale broadcasting two Service, who have the -which is tightly different time signals gall to abbreviate -linked to Earth's for different the *English* version -rotation, and hence purposes, which could of their name and go -the position of things easily lead to by IERS) defined yet -in the sky. But if the confusion, on January another time scale, -radio time signals 1st in 1960 the powers in an attempt to -switched to that be (back then achieve the best of -broadcasting TAI that was the both worlds and make -instead of UT, International Time everybody happy. -celestial navigation Bureau, or BIH, for Enter Coordinated -would become the French "Bureau Universal Time, or -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - UTC - at last, allowing scientists technical - something normal and engineers around compromises, using - people have heard of! the world to ugly hacks. It cannot - calibrate their be any other way, as - The abbreviation UTC instruments and UTC is a stubborn - is a strange reliably measure time attempt to reconcile - compromise between intervals and two desirable but - the English frequencies very fundamentally - abbreviation CUT and precisely. But incompatible - the French whereas TAI is properties of a - abbreviation TUC (for destined to drift timescale: perfectly - "Temps Universel ever further away regular seconds, and - Coordonné"). This is from UT, to the synchronisation with - somewhat fitting, chagrin of sailors a spinning globe - because UTC itself is and astronomers, UTC whose rate of - a strange compromise is kept synchronised rotation is - time scale between UT closely enough with unpredictably - and TAI. Like TAI, UT that it allows irregular. - UTC is an atomic time seafarers to perform - scale. Every second celestial navigation The precise nature of - of UTC is exactly as with sufficient the ugly hack - long as any other, accuracy for safe underlying UTC has - using the SI standard ocean passage. This changed somewhat - second based on synchronisation is since it was first - caesium atoms, achieved, like all defined, but for -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -almost 50 years now, not absolutely fixed rather than removals. -starting in 1972, the at 86,400 by They don't happen on -ugly hack of choice definition. There a regular, -has been the leap almost always *are* predictable basis, -second. The way it 86,400 seconds in a like leap years -works is this. The UTC day, but 86,401 (which are an -difference between and 86,399 are also adjustment for the -UTC and UT - a allowed when fact that the time it -quantity denoted DUT necessary to keep the takes the Earth to -- is carefully time scale locked to orbit the sun once, -monitored. Any time the movement of the defining a year, is -it looks like that sun across the sky. not perfectly -difference is on divisible by the time -track to exceed 0.9 So far, there have it takes the Earth to -seconds, in either been 27 leap seconds rotate once, defining -direction, UTC is defined, although UTC a day). Because the -kicked back into and ATI are today Earth's rate of -alignment by either exactly 37 seconds rotation fluctuates -inserting or removing apart - the other 10 randomly, sometimes -a single second on seconds come from slowing down and -one particular day. hacks applied before sometimes speeding -This makes UTC the leap seconds were up, astronomers need -*only* time scale established in 1972. to be actively on the -where the number of All of them to date lookout for excessive -seconds in a day is have been insertions values of DUT. When -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -it's decided a leap precise time technology means that -second is needed - synchronisation celestial navigation -it's the IERS who should be caught by at sea is now rarely -makes that call - surprise when a leap a matter of life or -they are announced at second rolls around. death (although some -least six months in In practice, it's not sailors still -advance. They're always so simple. appreciate the -allowed to occur on relative simplicity -either June 30th or INCREASING of the technology it -December 31st, and IMPLEMENTATION BURDEN relies on), removing -are inserted or AND AN UNCERTAIN some of the argument -deleted at midnight FUTURE for making sure UTC -UTC (which is the stays in lock step -middle of the day in Leap seconds have with the Earth's -some time zones, of always had their rotation. At the same -course) on those critics, but at the time, the internet -days. At the time of time they were has come along: a -writing, the last adopted, their massive network of -leap second happened benefits arguably computers talking to -on December 31st, balanced their each other, with the -2016. In principle, associated hassle. 50 frequent need for -six months is enough years later, this hack activity on one to be -advance warning that is starting to show synchronised with -nobody doing anything its age. The advent of activity on another -which depends on cheap and reliable GPS (hence tools like the -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Network Time Protocol, added to software as Some systems, of -NTP). Computer an afterthought - if course, forget to do -programmers *hate* they are added at all. anything at all. -leap seconds, for the Some systems represent Because all the leap -same reason they hate the extra second using seconds to date have -Daylight Saving Time: the timestamp been insertions -they complicate time 23:59:60, but others rather than removals, -calculations (you instead repeat the it's a safe bet that -can't accurately timestamp 23:59:59 there's plenty of -calculate the number twice (since some software out there -of seconds between two software will fail to which has worked -UTC timestamps without parse a timestamp correctly so far but -consulting a table of ending in :60). Other will fail the first -when previous leap systems "smear" the time a second is -seconds were inserted) leap second out over removed. And the -and are a frequent longer time periods, Earth's rotation is -cause of confusion and like 24 hours, to going through a bit -errors, when one avoid problems of a fast phase right -system implements them associated with sudden now, so the first -differently from discontinuities. This negative leap second -another its trying to just leads to a whole might be looming on -interoperate with. day of small, slowly the horizon. - varying errors -Affordances for leap compared to The software -seconds are often non-smearing systems. interoperability -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -situation at the time option. It's one thing cause are only likely -of a leap second is to shut down the New to get worse. The -bad enough that York Stock Exchange atomic definition of -several major stock for an hour, but Air second likely isn't -exchanges simply Traffic Control has to going away any time -agreed to voluntarily stay up 24/7. It's no soon, though, and -shut down for an hour surprise that that means that -around midnight UTC in increasingly many getting rid of leap -2016, rather than risk voices in the tech seconds entirely -problems by continuing industry are calling means abandoning the -to trade during the for leap seconds to be millennia old notion -leap second. Given abolished. Plenty of that the way we -that a number of major people are very represent time is -web services, unhappy with that intimately linked -including Amazon, idea, of course, not with the natural -Instagram, Netflix and to mention there's no cycle of night and -Twitter, experienced consensus on what to day. Assuming we're -outages around this do instead. not willing to do -time, this was that, there are only -probably not a bad It's far from clear two alternatives: -idea. Of course, what the future holds coming up with a new -simply shutting time for the leap second. ugly hack which is -critical services off As software continues somehow less -for every leap second to eat the world, the problematic, or -isn't always an headaches leap seconds giving up on a "one -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -size fits all" time recommend the article time scales like -scale. "The leap second: its Ephemeris Time (ET), - history and possible GPS Time (GPST) and -BUT WAIT, future", which you can Terrestrial Time -THERE'S MORE! easily find on the web (TT), and discover - (full citation below), that the SI system of -If you think this along with, as always, units defined the -story has been following Wikipedia second based on -needlessly fiddly and links wherever they something other than -complicated, rest take you. Along the Earth's rotation when -assured I have skipped way you can learn the it was established in -over a tonne of difference between 1960, seven years -details. If you're UT0, UT1 and UT2, meet before the caesium -actually interested to other exciting definition was -learn more, I highly astronomic and atomic adopted. +Why is a second as long as it is, and not a little shorter or a +little longer? This is a seemingly simple question which leads +down a deep and delightfully twisted rabbit hole. It's something +that I wish Neal Stephenson had written an epically long, +inexplicably compelling 1990s Wired article about, in the spirit of +his "Mother Earth, Mother Board" or "In the Kingdom of Mao Bell". +But he didn't, so you're stuck reading this, instead: a brief, +incomplete, possibly slightly inaccurate overview based on my own +characteristically obsessive reading on the topic over the past +week or so. + +For most of the time that the concept of the second has been +around, its length has been defined implicitly by that of the day. +Everybody knows the answer to "why is a day as long as it is?" - +one day is the time it takes the Earth to complete a single +revolution about its axis. And since there are 60 seconds in a +minute, 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day, a second is +simply one 86,400th of the time it takes the Earth to rotate once. +Or, if you like, a second is the time it takes for the Earth to +rotate one 240th of a degree, out of the full 360. End of story, +right? + +Well, no. This is a perfectly sensible way to define time - for +some applications, it's the best way to do it. This astronomically +defined time scale is still in use today in certain contexts. The +official name of its modern incarnation is Universal Time, or UT +(technically, there are a few subtly different variants, denoted +UT0, UT1 and UT2, but we'll gloss over that here). The official +determination of UT nowadays is based mostly on measurements made +at observatories tracking the movement of distant radio sources +across the sky as the Earth rotates. This is easier than making +precision measurements of the sun, but is still measuring the exact +same thing. + + +EARTH IS A NICE PLACE TO LIVE, BUT IT'S NOT THE BEST CLOCK + +The problem with an astronomical definition of the second is this: +the Earth doesn't actually rotate at a perfectly constant rate (it +wasn't until the 19th century that we could build clocks accurate +enough to notice this). In fact, the Earth's rotation is slowing +down. Very slowly, of course. Every century, a complete rotation +takes about 2 milliseconds longer than it used to. The rate of +slowing down is not steady. Some years the change is more and +other years it's less. In fact, even though the overall trend is +one of slowing down, some years the rotation actually speeds up. +The dynamics of the process are complicated, and we can't make +accurate long term forecasts. Gravitational interaction between +the Earth and the moon is the primary driver, but the movement of +tectonic plates and friction between Earth's surface and its +atmosphere and oceans have their say, too. The Indian Ocean +Earthquake in 2004 was powerful enough to shorten the length of a +day by 2.68 microseconds. There are even periodic variations in +the rate of rotation that we just don't understand the cause of +yet. But the take home message is that, whatever the causes, +astronomical seconds actually have small, random fluctuations in +their duration over long time spans. If you define the second by +looking into the skies, no two seconds are exactly the same. + +That's a pretty inconvenient property for the official definition +of a fundamentally important unit like the second to have. For +most of the time this definition was used, the fluctuations were +smaller than we could reliably measure. Certainly, they weren't +enough to have an impact on everyday life. Nobody was going to be +late to lunch because of the Earth's unsteady rotation. But by the +20th century, scientific and technological progress meant these +tiny fluctuations started to matter, as we began measuring natural +phenomena and building machines which operated on very small time +scales. A 10 megahertz radio oscillator, for example, has a period +of 0.0000001 seconds - only 100 nanoseconds! Gigahertz radiation, +which is important in radio astronomy and was used for +communications and radar during WWII decades before it came to +underpin modern technology like GPS, WiFi, and mobile data +networks, has periods measured in *picoseconds*. Even very, very +small variations in the length of a second are enough to make the +measured frequency of radio waves change, even if the *actual* +frequency is fixed. Modern technological society simply couldn't +be built using a wobbly clock like the Earth. + + +ATOMIC SECONDS + +Fortunately, in the 1950s, atomic clocks were invented which kept +time better than any previous mechanism. I'll gloss right over the +details, but suffice it to say, we came up with a new way to define +the second which involved measuring the properties of caesium atoms +instead of looking at things moving through the sky. In 1967, the +relatively young International System (or SI, for the French +"Système International") of units redefined the second on this +basis. The new atomic second was defined such that it had the same +length as the astronomical second in use before it, as far as +measurements at the time could tell, but it had the added bonus +that the length of the second was then fixed and unchanging. +Caesium atoms at a given temperature "vibrate" (very loosely +speaking) at a frequency which, as far as we can tell, is +completely and perfectly stable, and which can be measured very +accurately in a sufficiently advanced laboratory. + +With the arrival of atomic seconds, a new time scale was also +defined: International Atomic Time (or TAI, for the French "Temps +Atomique International"). At midnight on January 1st in 1958, TAI +and UT were perfectly synchronised. Ever since then, they have +slowly but surely drifted apart. The seconds of TAI are of +perfectly unchanging length (as measured by averaging hundreds of +atomic clocks all over the world), but the seconds of UT fluctuate +with the Earth's rotation. The accumulated drift up until now is a +little less than 40 seconds, but it will continue to grow, without +limit. And while the perfectly uniform seconds of TAI make it the +perfect tool for some tasks, this drift apart from UT makes it +problematic for others. If you go outside at noon UT in Greenwich, +England (or anywhere else at 0 degrees longitude), the sun will +*always* be high in the sky. This is true today and it will be +true in a thousand years, Because UT is fundamentally linked to the +Earth's rotation. TAI, on the other hand, is fundamentally +divorced from it. Thousands of years in the future, there will +come a day when, according to TAI, the sun rises in Greenwich at +midnight. + +This isn't just an abstract concern for the distant future. In the +late '50s when TAI was defined, it was still common for ships at +sea to figure out where they were by using a sextant to record the +position of the sun above the horizon at a certain time and +consulting a printed table of conversions. For this purpose, ships +carried the most accurate clocks they could afford, and compared +them regularly against true UT time using time signals broadcast by +radio stations all over the world. Celestial navigation works very +well when using a timescale which is tightly linked to Earth's +rotation, and hence the position of things in the sky. But if the +radio time signals switched to broadcasting TAI instead of UT, +celestial navigation would become increasingly less accurate as TAI +drifted further out of synch with the Earth and the stars. This +meant that the "new and improved" TAI time scale wasn't actually an +improvement for everybody. + + +COORDINATING CHAOS + +Instead of broadcasting two different time signals for different +purposes, which could easily lead to confusion, on January 1st in +1960 the powers that be (back then that was the International Time +Bureau, or BIH, for the French "Bureau International de l'Heure", +but today the torch has been passed to a combination of the +International Bureau of Weights and Measures, or BIPM, for the +French "Bureau International des Poids et Mesures" and the +International Earth Rotation Service, who have the gall to +abbreviate the *English* version of their name and go by IERS) +defined yet another time scale, in an attempt to achieve the best +of both worlds and make everybody happy. Enter Coordinated +Universal Time, or UTC - at last, something normal people have +heard of! + +The abbreviation UTC is a strange compromise between the English +abbreviation CUT and the French abbreviation TUC (for "Temps +Universel Coordonné"). This is somewhat fitting, because UTC +itself is a strange compromise time scale between UT and TAI. Like +TAI, UTC is an atomic time scale. Every second of UTC is exactly +as long as any other, using the SI standard second based on caesium +atoms, allowing scientists and engineers around the world to +calibrate their instruments and reliably measure time intervals and +frequencies very precisely. But whereas TAI is destined to drift +ever further away from UT, to the chagrin of sailors and +astronomers, UTC is kept synchronised closely enough with UT that +it allows seafarers to perform celestial navigation with sufficient +accuracy for safe ocean passage. This synchronisation is achieved, +like all technical compromises, using ugly hacks. It cannot be any +other way, as UTC is a stubborn attempt to reconcile two desirable +but fundamentally incompatible properties of a timescale: perfectly +regular seconds, and synchronisation with a spinning globe whose +rate of rotation is unpredictably irregular. + +The precise nature of the ugly hack underlying UTC has changed +somewhat since it was first defined, but for almost 50 years now, +starting in 1972, the ugly hack of choice has been the leap second. +The way it works is this. The difference between UTC and UT - a +quantity denoted DUT - is carefully monitored. Any time it looks +like that difference is on track to exceed 0.9 seconds, in either +direction, UTC is kicked back into alignment by either inserting or +removing a single second on one particular day. This makes UTC the +*only* time scale where the number of seconds in a day is not +absolutely fixed at 86,400 by definition. There almost always +*are* 86,400 seconds in a UTC day, but 86,401 and 86,399 are also +allowed when necessary to keep the time scale locked to the +movement of the sun across the sky. + +So far, there have been 27 leap seconds defined, although UTC and +ATI are today exactly 37 seconds apart - the other 10 seconds come +from hacks applied before leap seconds were established in 1972. +All of them to date have been insertions rather than removals. +They don't happen on a regular, predictable basis, like leap years +(which are an adjustment for the fact that the time it takes the +Earth to orbit the sun once, defining a year, is not perfectly +divisible by the time it takes the Earth to rotate once, defining a +day). Because the Earth's rate of rotation fluctuates randomly, +sometimes slowing down and sometimes speeding up, astronomers need +to be actively on the lookout for excessive values of DUT. When +it's decided a leap second is needed - it's the IERS who makes that +call - they are announced at least six months in advance. They're +allowed to occur on either June 30th or December 31st, and are +inserted or deleted at midnight UTC (which is the middle of the day +in some time zones, of course) on those days. At the time of +writing, the last leap second happened on December 31st, 2016. In +principle, six months is enough advance warning that nobody doing +anything which depends on precise time synchronisation should be +caught by surprise when a leap second rolls around. In practice, +it's not always so simple. + + +INCREASING IMPLEMENTATION BURDEN AND AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE + +Leap seconds have always had their critics, but at the time they +were adopted, their benefits arguably balanced their associated +hassle. 50 years later, this hack is starting to show its age. +The advent of cheap and reliable GPS technology means that +celestial navigation at sea is now rarely a matter of life or death +(although some sailors still appreciate the relative simplicity of +the technology it relies on), removing some of the argument for +making sure UTC stays in lock step with the Earth's rotation. At +the same time, the internet has come along: a massive network of +computers talking to each other, with the frequent need for +activity on one to be synchronised with activity on another (hence +tools like the Network Time Protocol, NTP). Computer programmers +*hate* leap seconds, for the same reason they hate Daylight Saving +Time: they complicate time calculations (you can't accurately +calculate the number of seconds between two UTC timestamps without +consulting a table of when previous leap seconds were inserted) and +are a frequent cause of confusion and errors, when one system +implements them differently from another its trying to interoperate +with. + +Affordances for leap seconds are often added to software as an +afterthought - if they are added at all. Some systems represent +the extra second using the timestamp 23:59:60, but others instead +repeat the timestamp 23:59:59 twice (since some software will fail +to parse a timestamp ending in :60). Other systems "smear" the +leap second out over longer time periods, like 24 hours, to avoid +problems associated with sudden discontinuities. This just leads +to a whole day of small, slowly varying errors compared to +non-smearing systems. Some systems, of course, forget to do +anything at all. Because all the leap seconds to date have been +insertions rather than removals, it's a safe bet that there's +plenty of software out there which has worked correctly so far but +will fail the first time a second is removed. And the Earth's +rotation is going through a bit of a fast phase right now, so the +first negative leap second might be looming on the horizon. + +The software interoperability situation at the time of a leap +second is bad enough that several major stock exchanges simply +agreed to voluntarily shut down for an hour around midnight UTC in +2016, rather than risk problems by continuing to trade during the +leap second. Given that a number of major web services, including +Amazon, Instagram, Netflix and Twitter, experienced outages around +this time, this was probably not a bad idea. Of course, simply +shutting time critical services off for every leap second isn't +always an option. It's one thing to shut down the New York Stock +Exchange for an hour, but Air Traffic Control has to stay up 24/7. +It's no surprise that increasingly many voices in the tech industry +are calling for leap seconds to be abolished. Plenty of people are +very unhappy with that idea, of course, not to mention there's no +consensus on what to do instead. + +It's far from clear what the future holds for the leap second. As +software continues to eat the world, the headaches leap seconds +cause are only likely to get worse. The atomic definition of +second likely isn't going away any time soon, though, and that +means that getting rid of leap seconds entirely means abandoning +the millennia old notion that the way we represent time is +intimately linked with the natural cycle of night and day. +Assuming we're not willing to do that, there are only two +alternatives: coming up with a new ugly hack which is somehow less +problematic, or giving up on a "one size fits all" time scale. + + +BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! + +If you think this story has been needlessly fiddly and complicated, +rest assured I have skipped over a tonne of details. If you're +actually interested to learn more, I highly recommend the article +"The leap second: its history and possible future", which you can +easily find on the web (full citation below), along with, as +always, following Wikipedia links wherever they take you. Along +the way you can learn the difference between UT0, UT1 and UT2, meet +other exciting astronomic and atomic time scales like Ephemeris +Time (ET), GPS Time (GPST) and Terrestrial Time (TT), and discover +that the SI system of units defined the second based on something +other than Earth's rotation when it was established in 1960, seven +years before the caesium definition was adopted. - - -[ REFERENCES ]- - - diff --git a/zine/issue001/tfurrows_granular-ideologue.txt b/zine/issue001/tfurrows_granular-ideologue.txt index 101c88c..a14b0f3 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/tfurrows_granular-ideologue.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/tfurrows_granular-ideologue.txt @@ -9,21 +9,22 @@ Issue One May 2021 - - -[ Passing Thoughts of an Impractical Idealist ]- - - -Our ancestors stood on Permanence dammed the This is not the -the banks of the river, a logjam of manifesto to end all -Euphrates and cast ideas tossed in as if manifestos. It is a -their ideas into the each was a consummate message in a bottle -inexhaustible current. standard. Life-giving that few will find. It -First they cast in waters slowed, is a loose model for -words, ephemeral. Then intelligence waned, dealing with the -they learned the elastic mind mountainous dam of -permanence; epochs seized and crumbled. manifestos that stop -brought clay tablets The word manifesto the flow of -and papyrus, script dates to the creativity, passion, -and type, bits and fourteenth century, and progress. At the -clouds. but the notion dates risk of making the - to our earliest problem worse, I - written conclusions. proffer: +Our ancestors stood on the banks of the Euphrates and cast their +ideas into the inexhaustible current. First they cast in words, +ephemeral. Then they learned permanence; epochs brought clay +tablets and papyrus, script and type, bits and clouds. + +Permanence dammed the river, a logjam of ideas tossed in as if each +was a consummate standard. Life-giving waters slowed, intelligence +waned, the elastic mind seized and crumbled. The word manifesto +dates to the fourteenth century, but the notion dates to our +earliest written conclusions. + +This is not the manifesto to end all manifestos. It is a message in +a bottle that few will find. It is a loose model for dealing with +the mountainous dam of manifestos that stop the flow of creativity, +passion, and progress. At the risk of making the problem worse, I +proffer: From a Message in a Bottle, Sitting Atop the Dam of Manifestos .............................................................. @@ -50,8 +51,8 @@ clouds. but the notion dates risk of making the * Find, purify, share, repeat * To conclude means to cease to grow - - + tfurrows@circumlunar.space + tfurrows@sdf.org - - - ------------------------------------------------------- - - - diff --git a/zine/issue001/wholesomedonut_why-i-still-game-proprietary.txt b/zine/issue001/wholesomedonut_why-i-still-game-proprietary.txt index 8308c39..84d7ea6 100644 --- a/zine/issue001/wholesomedonut_why-i-still-game-proprietary.txt +++ b/zine/issue001/wholesomedonut_why-i-still-game-proprietary.txt @@ -7,195 +7,196 @@ Issue One May 2021 ==================[ WHY I STILL GAME PROPRIETARY ]================= by wholesomedonut -PROPRIETARY GAMING in the market. thou angereth me!" I -ISN'T ALL BAD hear in the imaginary - I agree with all of comments section -Since getting into the those observations. because this is -FOSS community, I see They tire me. They Gemini and you can't -a lot of pushback concern me. They do that. I am certain -towards the gaming frustrate me daily. you will find -industry as a whole. I peace through -can see why: DRM runs However! There are measured -rampant, terrible still reasons -not- to contemplation and -business practices go the route of some I a cup of whatever -regularly conflagrate see in the FOSS world warm or cold -internet forums, and eschew gaming liquid you enjoy. -anti-cheat programs altogether on anything -are basically but a FOSS platform, WHY DO I USE STEAM? -consensual (and with FOSS games, -mandatory for official because.... FOSS. That Well.... everyone -online play in some argument is just as else that isn't a -cases) trojans, and to dumb in practice, computer nerd -make it all worse it because it's an usually does too. -costs a mint to get artificial limitation And the overhead -into the hobby that stands on for getting -nowadays due to somewhat subjective, people of minimum -scalpers and crypto opinionated reasoning. technical under- -miners running rampant "But wholesomedonut, standing (that like -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -playing video games) PS/Xbox or some-other download, to playing -into FOSS gaming thing, there is a the game with their -generally is much more solid 90% chance I'm friends needs to be -costly in terms of going to lose that understandable, -mental and social argument unless they unobtrusive and -capacity than the are very specifically transparent. That is, -clout I usually have interested in that if the overall -with my friends or particular kind of userbase is to -family on such game, its' content, grow and sustain -matters. or have a better itself on a - socially-driven higher magnitude -King's English: If I reason. This comes than current. -have to instruct them from years of trying -to download the latest and f'nagling with GIVE PEOPLE THE -version of the game people from many BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT -directly from Github walks of life; the UI -in the Releases tab, and UX of FOSS gaming People are -or from some random needs to be on-par intelligent, -website they've never with modern generally. They're -heard of (even if it commercial offerings; very skilled in a -looks nice and is this means all the multitude of things -HTTPS secure) instead way from landing on a that aren't -of just adding it on page, to funneling computers. But asking -Steam or Epic or through a sales someone who -isn't- -Microsoft Store or conversion or free tech savvy to figure -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -out how to pull down mentality commercial combined-arms -the right version of systems have strategy on a hex -a FOSS game from a fostered. board that involves -code repo (or heaven groups of multi-ton -forbid build it ENTER THE MECH MAN robots, tanks, -themselves with cmake airplanes and -or whatever) is like A good example of a infantry taking and -asking ME to diagnose FOSS game that has giving damage to -a car's problems plenty of good and individual -using nothing but a bad would be MegaMek. components, weapons -flashlight and a It's basically a and armor locations -screwdriver. I have fully computerized in a somewhat -no idea what the hell version of the realistic and highly -I'm doing anyway in Classic Battletech detailed simulation -that department. rules, which is a of 31st-century -Without the proper board game that's warfare. -tools and education existed since the -too? I'm screwed. 1980s and is going on To alleviate the -Therefore I urge 40 years of issue of significant -empathy and patience conniving, calculational -in introducing others number-crunching overhead for -to FOSS gaming. It's tomfoolery that only every-single-action- -a bit more finicky a particular subset attack-or-damage- -than the of people even enjoy. roll-ever, this -plug-and-play All in the name of program does all -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -of the math, the game in their in that regard. A -calculations, and head: they're game of Classic -rules proofing for obviously not the Battletech that could -you. So you can enjoy target of this easily take 5 or 6 -the game with others, article. hours in person -wherever they may be, without any sort of -instead of reaching I shiver at the calculator apps or an -for your G.A.T.O.R. thought of doing all otherwise breakneck -card for the that stuff manually pace of gameplay and -tenth time to if I don't have to. rules-lawyering will -show the newbie That kind of only take an hour or -of the group what tedium takes away two maximum with -happens when an from the Megamek. It's a -SRM-6 missile moment-by-moment godsend for a hobby -spread hits a gameplay, forcing that would otherwise -light vehicle everybody to get be relegated to local -whose armor is ox-in-the-mired play over -already exposed over details that predetermined days, -on its' left don't matter not a "Hey want to -flank. There are overall instead play a match? Sure!" -plenty of of letting their kind of casual pickup -grognards out big stompy robots on a boring -there who know blow each other up. afternoon. -these rules well -and can do half Megamek works wonders -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -BUT IT ISN'T ALL progresses smoothly. that the much easier -SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS But it's still just and more recent Alpha - as much a spaghetti Strike ruleset isn't -Nope! Megamek is, in plate in terms of included at all by -my humble and user experience: default, to my -donut-shaped opinion, configuration options knowledge. You might -a terrible example of laid out in long be able to configure -UI and UX. I played a lists of check boxes something like that -round recently, and organized by multiple using plugins, but -another aficionado of top-window tabs; a we're already putting -the series played decidedly the cart before the -against me. Quoth my 15-years-old design horse at that point. -opponent: "This language that clashes -program looks like with modern TO BE FAIR -something out of perceptions of UI and -Windows 95." Neither UX (which is bad The project started -of us had played the considering that in 2000. It's 21 -most recent version taking in new blood years old in some -of the game. I hadn't is crucial for both places, if only in -touched it in a year userbase and logic and not literal -at least. developer syntax. It's written - contribution in Java. And it's -Some changes were reasons); and the been a community -welcome, and the final nail in the effort by dozens of -development coffin is the fact talented people over -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -the decades. The fact that does a better a relic of an earlier -that it's alive at job, in proportion to time of online -all is impressive, the complexity of the gaming, where dial-up -but so's the fact physical source connections were -that the franchise material and gameplay still common. That's -whose boardgame it flow. a given. And it is -emulates even has a what it is. I won't -fanbase still. BT So considering it was waste time bemoaning -fans aren't quitters, made in the waning those facts that are -certainly. And this days of Win98 immutable in this -is all considering (because Windows ME context. I'm only -the fact that trying doesn't exist and you stating them to set -to automate, can't convince me the stage. -obfuscate and otherwise) it's -de-FUBAR the mountain expected that it's I'M LEFT AT AN -of minutiae that ugly as most things INTERESTING IMPASSE -Battletech's rulesets were back then. It -and technical data was written in Java There is no other way -(on a per unit and (yea verily, begone I could ever play -per variant basis no foul JVM!), which for Battletech with -less) is a monumental all its' foibles friends from all over -task. I can hardly makes a very easy the world in such a -think of a video-game cross-platform great degree of -adaptation of a more distributable fidelity. Megamek -complex board game program. It's solidly serves its' purpose -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -very well for what it So, I leave it to you make my hobby free -is: a highly detailed to put the pieces and open if there -computerization of a together here. I can isn't a platform for -niche franchise that choose to play with those newcomers to -has a fanbase average people that even stand on and -spanning generations. A) aren't technically explore once (or if -However, it also inclined, B) don't ever) they choose to -stands out to me as have a heart that get involved in FOSS -one of the prime beats for gaming of their own -examples of a FOSS free-as-in-freedom, volition. -project being and C) want something -understandably opaque that "just works," or AT THE END OF THE DAY -to newcomers. It's confine myself to a -hard to use at first, much smaller content I encourage people -hard to look at base with an even who play video games -always, and sometimes smaller playerbase to which are also -hard to find other share it with. interested in free -people to play it and open source -with. Those three Call me the gaming software to consider -things will nail the nerd Whore of the prospect of -coffin of any Babylon, but I don't inviting others into -fledgling game shut. see the point in this world of -That concept is true beating my head free-as-in-freedom/ -regardless of genre, against the wall beer/whatever -art style, or UI/UX. overtly trying to with a grain of salt. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Until we make it not be seen. And growth in production -easier to onboard new therefore we will not quality, variety, and -people from all walks see the requisite competitiveness in -of life, significant uptick in talent, the market space of -adoption of FOSS contribution and people's free time. -systems or the games playerbase that will -that run on them will consequently drive a + +PROPRIETARY GAMING ISN'T ALL BAD + +Since getting into the FOSS community, I see a lot of pushback +towards the gaming industry as a whole. I can see why: DRM runs +rampant, terrible business practices regularly conflagrate internet +forums, anti-cheat programs are basically consensual (and mandatory +for official online play in some cases) trojans, and to make it all +worse it costs a mint to get into the hobby nowadays due to +scalpers and crypto miners running rampant in the market. + +I agree with all of those observations. They tire me. They concern +me. They frustrate me daily. + +However! There are still reasons -not- to go the route of some I +see in the FOSS world and eschew gaming altogether on anything but +a FOSS platform, with FOSS games, because.... FOSS. That argument +is just as dumb in practice, because it's an artificial limitation +that stands on somewhat subjective, opinionated reasoning. "But +wholesomedonut, thou angereth me!" I hear in the imaginary comments +section because this is Gemini and you can't do that. I am certain +you will find peace through measured contemplation and a cup of +whatever warm or cold liquid you enjoy. + + +WHY DO I USE STEAM? + +Well.... everyone else that isn't a computer nerd usually does too. +And the overhead for getting people of minimum technical +understanding (that like playing video games) into FOSS gaming +generally is much more costly in terms of mental and social +capacity than the clout I usually have with my friends or family on +such matters. + +King's English: If I have to instruct them to download the latest +version of the game directly from Github in the Releases tab, or +from some random website they've never heard of (even if it looks +nice and is HTTPS secure) instead of just adding it on Steam or +Epic or Microsoft Store or PS/Xbox or some-other thing, there is a +solid 90% chance I'm going to lose that argument unless they are +very specifically interested in that particular kind of game, its' +content, or have a better socially-driven reason. This comes from +years of trying and f'nagling with people from many walks of life; +the UI and UX of FOSS gaming needs to be on-par with modern +commercial offerings; this means all the way from landing on a +page, to funneling through a sales conversion or free download, to +playing the game with their friends needs to be understandable, +unobtrusive and transparent. That is, if the overall userbase is to +grow and sustain itself on a higher magnitude than current. + + +GIVE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT + +People are intelligent, generally. They're very skilled in a +multitude of things that aren't computers. But asking someone who +-isn't- tech savvy to figure out how to pull down the right version +of a FOSS game from a code repo (or heaven forbid build it +themselves with cmake or whatever) is like asking ME to diagnose a +car's problems using nothing but a flashlight and a screwdriver. I +have no idea what the hell I'm doing anyway in that department. +Without the proper tools and education too? I'm screwed. Therefore +I urge empathy and patience in introducing others to FOSS gaming. +It's a bit more finicky than the plug-and-play mentality commercial +systems have fostered. + + +ENTER THE MECH MAN + +A good example of a FOSS game that has plenty of good and bad would +be MegaMek. It's basically a fully computerized version of the +Classic Battletech rules, which is a board game that's existed +since the 1980s and is going on 40 years of conniving, +number-crunching tomfoolery that only a particular subset of people +even enjoy. All in the name of combined-arms strategy on a hex +board that involves groups of multi-ton robots, tanks, airplanes +and infantry taking and giving damage to individual components, +weapons and armor locations in a somewhat realistic and highly +detailed simulation of 31st-century warfare. + +To alleviate the issue of significant calculational overhead for +every-single-action-attack-or-damage-roll-ever, this program does +all of the math, calculations, and rules proofing for you. So you +can enjoy the game with others, wherever they may be, instead of +reaching for your G.A.T.O.R. card for the tenth time to show the +newbie of the group what happens when an SRM-6 missile spread hits +a light vehicle whose armor is already exposed on its' left flank. +There are plenty of grognards out there who know these rules well +and can do half the game in their head: they're obviously not the +target of this article. + +I shiver at the thought of doing all that stuff manually if I don't +have to. That kind of tedium takes away from the moment-by-moment +gameplay, forcing everybody to get ox-in-the-mired over details +that don't matter overall instead of letting their big stompy +robots blow each other up. + +Megamek works wonders in that regard. A game of Classic Battletech +that could easily take 5 or 6 hours in person without any sort of +calculator apps or an otherwise breakneck pace of gameplay and +rules-lawyering will only take an hour or two maximum with Megamek. +It's a godsend for a hobby that would otherwise be relegated to +local play over predetermined days, not a "Hey want to play a +match? Sure!" kind of casual pickup on a boring afternoon. + + +BUT IT ISN'T ALL SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS + +Nope! Megamek is, in my humble and donut-shaped opinion, a terrible +example of UI and UX. I played a round recently, and another +aficionado of the series played against me. Quoth my opponent: +"This program looks like something out of Windows 95." Neither of +us had played the most recent version of the game. I hadn't touched +it in a year at least. + +Some changes were welcome, and the development progresses smoothly. +But it's still just as much a spaghetti plate in terms of user +experience: configuration options laid out in long lists of check +boxes organized by multiple top-window tabs; a decidedly +15-years-old design language that clashes with modern perceptions +of UI and UX (which is bad considering that taking in new blood is +crucial for both userbase and developer contribution reasons); and +the final nail in the coffin is the fact that the much easier and +more recent Alpha Strike ruleset isn't included at all by default, +to my knowledge. You might be able to configure something like that +using plugins, but we're already putting the cart before the horse +at that point. + + +TO BE FAIR + +The project started in 2000. It's 21 years old in some places, if +only in logic and not literal syntax. It's written in Java. And +it's been a community effort by dozens of talented people over the +decades. The fact that it's alive at all is impressive, but so's +the fact that the franchise whose boardgame it emulates even has a +fanbase still. BT fans aren't quitters, certainly. And this is all +considering the fact that trying to automate, obfuscate and +de-FUBAR the mountain of minutiae that Battletech's rulesets and +technical data (on a per unit and per variant basis no less) is a +monumental task. I can hardly think of a video-game adaptation of a +more complex board game that does a better job, in proportion to +the complexity of the physical source material and gameplay flow. + +So considering it was made in the waning days of Win98 (because +Windows ME doesn't exist and you can't convince me otherwise) it's +expected that it's ugly as most things were back then. It was +written in Java (yea verily, begone foul JVM!), which for all its' +foibles makes a very easy cross-platform distributable program. +It's solidly a relic of an earlier time of online gaming, where +dial-up connections were still common. That's a given. And it is +what it is. I won't waste time bemoaning those facts that are +immutable in this context. I'm only stating them to set the stage. + +## I'm left at an interesting impasse. There is no other way I +could ever play Battletech with friends from all over the world in +such a great degree of fidelity. Megamek serves its' purpose very +well for what it is: a highly detailed computerization of a niche +franchise that has a fanbase spanning generations. However, it also +stands out to me as one of the prime examples of a FOSS project +being understandably opaque to newcomers. It's hard to use at +first, hard to look at always, and sometimes hard to find other +people to play it with. Those three things will nail the coffin of +any fledgling game shut. That concept is true regardless of genre, +art style, or UI/UX. + +So, I leave it to you to put the pieces together here. I can choose +to play with average people that A) aren't technically inclined, B) +don't have a heart that beats for free-as-in-freedom, and C) want +something that "just works," or confine myself to a much smaller +content base with an even smaller playerbase to share it with. + +Call me the gaming nerd Whore of Babylon, but I don't see the point +in beating my head against the wall overtly trying to make my hobby +free and open if there isn't a platform for those newcomers to even +stand on and explore once (or if ever) they choose to get involved +in FOSS gaming of their own volition. + + +AT THE END OF THE DAY, + +I encourage people who play video games which are also interested +in free and open source software to consider the prospect of +inviting others into this world of free-as-in-freedom/beer/whatever +with a grain of salt. Until we make it easier to onboard new people +from all walks of life, significant adoption of FOSS systems or the +games that run on them will not be seen. And therefore we will not +see the requisite uptick in talent, contribution and playerbase +that will consequently drive a growth in production quality, +variety, and competitiveness in the market space of people's free +time. - - -[ CONTACT ME ]- - -