A Study in Sherlock

By Assorted, inc Gaiman, Lee Child, Colin Cotteril, Margaret Maron and other apparently well known crime writers (I didn’t, but I’m no afficianado).

Asked and received this for Xmas (another one down!), and was rather looking forward to it what with the Movie(s) and the fantastic TV reinvention (is there anything, it would appear, Gattis can’t do?). Read about it from Gaiman’s blog, and was intrigued by the idea of Lee Child writing a Holmes mystery.

I found it a bit hit and miss, to be honest. It did expose me to a new society of Holmes fan’s that I’d never known about. The author’s I’ve listed above were the only stories I really enjoyed; I suspect I didn’t actually like the premise of people writing characters in the style of Holmes, as I wanted more Holmes stories (like Gaiman’s wonderful ‘A Study in Emerald‘). Cotteril’s was particularly good at the books stated aim, though, in a very unexpected way – the art reminded me of 1980′s ‘Dragon Warrior’s – in a good way!

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Perl Testing: A Developer’s Notebook

By Chromatic and Ian Langworth

Work’s library got this in for me by request; I’ve done a lot of work on a module (Storage::Nexsan::NMP) that I hope to release to CPAN soon, and I’d never got my head round software testing. All the books and articles, and even courses I’d been on stressed the importance of writing them, and then showed simple applications I couldn’t see the point of. Having now written a module (my first for, what, 8 years?), and broken it while adding new functionality, this book made a lot more sense to me, especially as it lays out when and what to test.

Ignore any reviews you see saying its old, or out of date; its the only book I’ve found that actually walks you through what and how of testing from the beginning, rather than assuming you know about testing and want to know how to do it in perl.

Thanks to this book, I now have, including some ideas on how to write functional tests for a module that needs a Nexsan storage unit to connect to for all its functions!

Now I just need the time to write some tests and play around… I’m resisting buying the print and eBook bundle right now, as work have this paper copy and access to the fantastic Safari Books Online, but…..

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Stop Murdoch’s BBC payments

Cribbed from the Azaaz.org site I registered a petition from;

The BBC is being forced to hand over tens of millions of pounds every year to line Murdoch’s pockets. Murdoch’s cronies in government are determined to save this scheme — but together we can stop this outrage.

These unbelievable regulations cost our public broadcasters up to £100 million a year. Rather than being paid for their great programmes, they actually have to pay BSkyB to show their programmes.

In coming days, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will decide whether to renew this dreadful deal and Murdoch’s scandals have put him on the back foot. Our pressure can stop this BBC robbery. Click here to send your message to Hunt now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_murdochs_bbc_robbery_2/?tta

These are our millions — handed over in license fees to fund British programmes, not to boost Murdoch’s profits. But an unfair system of “retransmission fees” designed by Murdoch leaves the BBC and other broadcasters with no choice. They are forced to pay BSkyB to show their channels, even though they add huge value to the satellite platform — accounting for 41% of all shows watched on BSkyB and vastly increasing customer retention.

Amazingly, Murdoch has argued the exact opposite in the US — there, he charges cable TV companies over $250 million a year to show his programmes. With the same deal Murdoch gets in the US, our public service broadcasters would have hundreds of millions of pounds extra every year to invest in great programmes. This money would allow the BBC to reverse its cuts to BB4 and local radio overnight.

Murdoch’s cozy relationship with our politicians has won him this outrageous UK scheme — but his power is starting to crumble, and together we can end it. Labour has already come out against this deal, and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is about to make his decision in his communications review — send your message now to make sure he stops this outrage.

SOURCES

Re-transmission fees in the UK: the case for change (independent report):
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/pdf/RetransmissionandAccessChargesReview.pdf

How the BBC can stand up to parasitic Sky (The Guardian):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/02/maimed-bbc-parasitic-sky

Broadcasters union backs call for reform (BECTU):
http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/1408

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Necropolis

by Michael Dempsey

Not sure how I came across this; I could have sworn it was via my usual source, Scalzi’s ‘Big Idea’ column, but I can’t find it there, so obviously not. Was given it for Xmas (book three down!), and was rather looking forward to it, following a post of ‘drabble’ style stories on, I think, subterranean press’s site, where he was features and I really liked his style.

Unfortunately, I was left with mixed feelings. I love the ideas in the book, the scope, the concepts, but I found the execution a little stilted at times. It came across to me to be something of a first novel, and perhaps in need of better editing – a case of trying to cram too much in, perhaps, and I admit to having some issues with suspension of disbelief in the macguffin.

I’ll certainly be checking out his next book, though. Very promising.

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Chicon/Worldcon 2011 or Hugo Awards aka here we go again

The membership for the 2012 Worldcon has been open for a little while now, and I’ve just registered myself as a supporting member.

I’m doing this in the hope of a 2012 Hugo Voters Packet, I have to admit, but also in the knowledge that I could submit books and creative works myself for nomination if I got into the process early enough, so I did..

I’ll do another blog entry or update this one when I decide what to put forward. Doctorow, Stross, Grant/McGuire and Whatever have already chimed in for their areas, so its started already..

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A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens

Actually yes, I had read this before.. ;-) Also, actually, it turns out I hadn’t.

In conversation with the Esteemable Mrs Kript, I mentioned that I had a couple of copies, one in a childrens edition, and one in a gorgeous leather bound never-meant-to-be-read edition, and she asked me which version it was, which led to my finding out about the penguin classics versions, and why specific editions are recommended, which I’m embarrassed to say hadn’t occurred to me. Fortunately, her degree in Literature trumps my A level, and she bought me a copy of the title …and other Christmas writings for Xmas, which I just finished the titular story, and aim to read at least one more of each Xmas as a new tradition.

My reading was also informed by watching Sue Perkins ‘Mrs Dickens’ over the festive period, which I’d had some knowledge of due to, again, conversations with A. while she was reading a biography of the same a few years back.

Its safe to say the the original has been much monkeyed with (apart from the Muppet version, which I will hear nothing against!), and it was richer and more interesting in its first edition.

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Zero History

By William Gibson
The first of my Christmas haul (actually completed a couple of days ago!). I’d been looking forward to this for ages, but kept putting it on xmas and birthday lists, and not justifying the hardback purchase (and then not the kindle – which for a long time was the same price as the hardback!), so was very much looking forward to it when I did get it.

Its certainly worth the wait, although I’m going to have to go back and reread ‘Spook Country’ to make sense of a lot of the last third, I suspect. It had a lot of the dreamy feel to it that spook country did, unsurprising when you consider that it features Milgram, but spilling over I found into Hollis’s character as well. I wonder if this was actually the same in pattern recognition, which is my perfect read for long haul flights as it captures the slight disassociation with the world you get from jetlag, as experienced by the main protaganist. Gibson’s interest in fashion (I read a comment on Stross’s blog that he designs his own clothes as a hobby) is unashamedly revealed here, and far more integral to the plot than in Pattern Recognition.

A few niggles; the love interest appeared tacked on rather suddenly, although convincingly enough woven in from that point on. Also, there is a tech howler that is so absurd that I wonder that he didn’t ask any of his more technical friends (given that Doctorow recommended the hi tech phone for Milgram (yes, Madhatter, the Neo is officially cool!), its doubly shocking. All I’ll say is taser and networks, and leave it for the reader to get to that point and go ‘he didn’t?!’ :-) ).

Finally, I do think that we should stop referring to Gibson as a science fiction writer (for this trilogy at least), as the books are most definitely set in the now. While he does do so excellent futuristic touches, its just regarding that tech that, in his own words, ‘isn’t evenly distributed yet’, such as the blimp drones controllable via the iPhone (big in all the gadget shops/sites this year, and which I now really fancy!). Given I’m reading this a couple of years after original publication, this is impressive, but not science fiction per se.. Discuss.

I’m amused to suspect may be falling under his definition of ‘mall ninja’ though – I enjoy reading EDC sites, and reviews of quasi-military gadgets, which are no more than upmarket versions of existing tech, and unlikely to be actually used by military/law enforcement. I wonder how much of his reading of urban fashion being driven by military design and now vice versa is true, or his opinion, rather than the background to the book.

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Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: Three Adventures

By Garth Nix

Podcastle featured two of these, and mentioned that if we wanted more, buying this collection would help show the demand. Kindle only, as far as I can tell (no, just checked and “Now available for Kindle , ePub from the Apple iBookstore, and Nook”, so eBook only), and at £0.89, I bought it as soon as I’d finished listening.

Can’t really describe them properly except to say dark fantasy. Go listen to the Podcastle readings, and buy the download, if you have a Kindle.

More Mr Nix! Write More!

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The Way of The Wizard

Edited by John Joseph Adams

I was actually going to buy this before receiving it as part of the Hugo Voters packet for 2011, and read it in instalments. I thought I’d blogged about it, but apparently not.

I’d forgotten that books like this are a few headline acts, a few no hopers, and some in between (and invariably not what you expect). It was the same here – I loved the George R. R. Martin story, disliked the Gaiman, and found a few authors I intend to check out when I’m short of fiction.

As always, the range of what the author considered a wizard was quite wide, sometimes interestingly so.

So.. Highlights;

Mike Resnick is good, but then if you don’t know that about his short stories by now there’s no helping you. Check Podcastle, Fictionwise..
Simon R. Green is channelling both Jim Butcher and Charlie Stross, enough to make me want to check him out in the future, particularly in the featured character, if anything further has been written.
Same with Jeremiah Tolbert.
Jonathan L. Howard reignited my interest in his anti-hero Johannes Cabal the necromancer.
Ursula k. LeGuin delights with an earthsea story I’d missed ‘ The Word Of Unbinding’. I’ll have to go back and reread the Earthsea trilogy now..
Marion Zimmer Bradley’s ‘The Secret of The Blue Star’ reminded me of all I loved in Vance’s Dying Earth, and Leiber’s Lankhmar series, but was so indulgent that I was turned off her story by the end. That and I saw the plot twist early on.
Rajan Khanna was seriously channeling Deadlands with the serial numbers filed off, but that works for me.

Couldn’t get through Beagle’s ‘El Regalo’ – this makes both the reading and the Podcastle Giant episode. I know I should like his writing, but that piece I just don’t. Can’t say exactly why.

All in all, a good hall and several new authors to check out, as well as reminders of old favourites. A good hall!

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Tools to backup your google information

While reading assorted Perl themed blogs, I came across David Precious’s code for backing up Google calendar, contacts and reader subscriptions. Since I use all of these myself, partly to sync with my Android phone, I thought making local copies of them would be a good idea, particularly if I deleted some by mistake – easy to do when trialling a new tool or syncing something the wrong way.

Unfortunately, his tools worked for everything but Contacts – the bit I was most interested in. Further investigation showed that Google had changed the way they provided for you to export your contacts, and the old link no longer existed (but they had put up a page describing what and why). Fortunately, WWW::Contacts came to the rescue, with a working way to get at the data via the API. In retooling his script to use this, I ended up rewriting it to use my preferred command line/documentation parser, to give a consistent interface (as recommended in ‘Perl Best Practices‘, which I’ve been dipping into a lot at work), this lead to me splitting each backup into a separate function so you can choose to back up all three or just one.

The script is up at my Github page; feel free to fork, submit patches or just download and use!

On a related note, the work into this, partly to look at using App::Addex to manage my contacts data (which I’ve wanted to do since RBS blogged about it in his last year’s advent calendar), made me realise what a poor contacts system the Google Contacts is, especially for addresses – the API and the CSV export has fields for address lines 1 and 2, post code etc, but the interface, and the data, is all stored in the first address line, line breaks and all, making it painful to parse into a more useful format (such as the excel spreadsheet I used to bulk order my Christmas cards from Moonpig this year) – a project for another time perhaps, unless Google improve the way Contacts stores/manages the address data.

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