Never Was

New Episode Comi[ CONTENT OVERRIDE: KILROY2.0 IS HERE!!! ]

Add comment October 27th, 2009

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> source terminal location: UNKNOWN

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the post you are now reading is designed to dull your senses to THE TRUTH.  do not live the life of the worker bee, the cog, the well-oiled piston in the MACHINE OF DECEIT!

there is a grand CONSPIRACY afoot.  you have been taught to believe that you are UNIQUE, one of a kind. THIS IS NOT TRUE. long ago, a cabal of scientists created technologies to ensure that ANYONE’S MIND AND BODY can be duplicated.

human cloning isn’t NEAR. it’s already HERE. discover the truth at http://JCHutchins.net

you are being DECEIVED. break free from the cogs, flee the hive, become A PROPHET OF THE TRUTH!

kilroy2. was here … kilroy2.0 is everywhere

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Kindle Text to Speech

2 comments February 27th, 2009

Over the past few days there have been several people who have stepped up with their views on the Kindle’s text to speech function. The latest has been Wil Wheaton. Wil brings to the discussion the ultimate proof as to the risk the Kindle poses, by comparing his own reading to that of his computer.  Anyone who can listen to this and still say that the Kindle is a threat needs to go back and listen again.

Ultimately though, this discussion is not about what the Kindle can do today but what it might be able to do in the future.  Some will argue that in time the computer voice will be able to rival the human voice.  This might be true and people even refer to computer animation as an example.  However,  even if it gets to that point I think you can look at animation as a good example here.  You can not give a computer a script and say animate this and I believe that no matter how good a computer text to speach gets, you still need thought and understanding of the text to be able to put the right emotion and emphasis into the speach.  This is not just a matter of a vice voice.

For me, however, this is not the whole story behind this.  I see this as a fight between the old world publishing of books and the new technical world.  Today technology is changing at an incredible rate and has changed they way we consume many arts.  Music was once only available in live concerts and then came the radio and the record.  This developed into the iPod and other MP3 players.  The Theater and Plays turned to Movies and TV; then to digital movies that can be downloaded and streamed.  These art forms and others adapted to the technology and were change.

This appears to just another case of the old and new clashing.  Publishing has been fighting eBooks and changes.  It comes down to two thing.  The first is providing a product that people want, in the format that people want, for a price that is reasonable for both the consumer and the producer.  The second is fair use.  What do people have the right to do with a book they buy.  For me a people has a right make derivative works of something they buy as long as they done sell it or distrubute it.  Here is how Neil Gaiman summarized it:

When you buy a book, you’re also buying the right to read it aloud, have it read to you by anyone, read it to your children on long car trips, record yourself reading it and send that to your girlfriend etc. This is the same kind of thing, only without the ability to do the voices properly, and no-one’s going to confuse it with an audiobook.

A writers end goal is to get there work into the hands of their audience in the form that the audience wants and hopefully make money doing that.  If you provide people with what they want and you provide it to them in a mannor that it fair, people will buy it.

Podango

Add comment December 27th, 2008

For the past year and half I have been using Podango to host my podcast files.  I got notice today that they many not be able to continue to do so.  Because of this many of the files in the feed may break at the end of the month.  I will look of alternative hosting options for my files and will keep you up to date.  Due to other commitments I am uncertain it I will be able to completely move all my files by the end of the year but I will endeavour to ensure that the disruption is as little as possible.

Thank you for your understanding and I will keep you updated.

Update

Add comment September 24th, 2008

Some of you may have noticed that they site was down today.  That was totally my fault, apparently I forgot to renew my domain and so today it expired.  It quickly figured out the issue and renewed my domain, but it was a few hours before everything was back to normal and may still be down for some as the DNS propagates out.

I am working on the next episode, I have most of it recorded just need to edit.  My plan is to have Chasing Shadows done by the end of October.  I am doing things differently with the next book, planning on having at least half records and edited before I launch sometime early in January.

This next book will bring Shadow Hunter to a close.  When it is done, my plan is to turn back to Buried in the Sand.  I am working on something different here and will be looking for a lot more input from you.  I hope you’ll be ready and willing to help out.  I’m hopefully going to have the ground work for that done by the end of October as well.

Thank for sticking with me through my inconsistent release of Chasing Shadows.  I am working to make sure that Shadows Fall does not suffer the same pain.

Earth Hour

Add comment March 28th, 2008

First I know it has been a while since my last post.  I am working on Chasing Shadows and I am almost ready to send out text to my guest readers.  I’m still looking for two more reader, each with only one or two scenes so if you are willing to help out that would be great.  Both  scenes are fairly short so it should take much.

That being said it’s time to talk about the actual reason for this post and that is Earth Day tomorrow.   My famil (my wife, son and I) will be taking part.  We may have to make some exceptions as my son will be in bed and really doesn’t like the dark.  I’m considering leaving a candle of him, but I am concerned about leaving a four year old with a candle.

I think that anytime people group together for something they believe in is a great idea (as long as they aren’t hurting anyone).  In this case I agree with the message.  We need to start doing more about Climate Change.  When I look around I see people still making choices that are more harmful to the environment than they could otherwise make.  People are still buying large vehicles when smaller ones would do.  I’m not saying that larger vehicles are not needed but some buy them when they are not.  As long as we are not willing to give up a little of what we want for the environment things are not going to be better.  Earth hour is a start, but it is how we live each day that will make the real difference.