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Traveller-digest    Thursday, December 23 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1562<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>
All rights reserved.<BR>
<BR>
The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR>
<BR>
Closedown<BR>
Re: England<BR>
Re: American Football (was: Re: [OT] War of 1812)<BR>
Re: Football( was Re: [OT] War of 1812)<BR>
Re: 3I Sports<BR>
Re: Drawing Program<BR>
Re: Geographical idiocy (was re: perception of distance)<BR>
Re Christmas Ultra-Violence<BR>
Re: Geographical idiocy (<BR>
Microsoft=MONOPOLY (Was Re: Re Subsidies)<BR>
Re: England<BR>
Re: In Jokes<BR>
Re: England<BR>
Re: Gunnery<BR>
Book review - For the Greater Good [longish]<BR>
Design systems<BR>
RE: Traveller roadshows<BR>
RE: [OT] War of 1812<BR>
Re: Terran polities<BR>
Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 11:03:40 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: Closedown<BR>
<BR>
<XMAIL> With immediate effect, this station is shutting down for <BR>
annual overindulgence in alcohol, rich food and family fun.<BR>
<BR>
Have a great Christmas and New Year period, no matter what your <BR>
beliefs. </XMAIL><BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
"We tell the tales of heroes to remind ourselves that we too<BR>
can be great" - John Wick, 7th Sea<BR>
http://www.cybergoths.u-net.com   http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:24:48 +1300<BR>
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: England<BR>
<BR>
Date sent:      	Thu, 23 Dec 1982 21:14:50 -0800<BR>
From:           	"Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
<BR>
> If that's a typical attitude, it's no wonder someone (i.e., the USA) has<BR>
> had to bail your country out of two major wars in this century.  You<BR>
> know, I'm going to chop off your toe -- it's not an attack to you, just<BR>
> to a very small part of you.<BR>
<BR>
I had a response to this all typed up, but I think I'll just sit on my hands<BR>
and suggest you may wish to read some history books instead.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Andrew etc<BR>
Homepage http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/<BR>
Traveller http://www.downport.com/amv/<BR>
 "What do you expect from a species who's females are<BR>
 always in heat" Ko of the Ilui clan on Humans and honour<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 03:20:04<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: American Football (was: Re: [OT] War of 1812)<BR>
<BR>
At 09:21 PM 12/21/1999 -0600, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>> <Giles> I've always found it odd that a nation which prides itself on its<BR>
>> virility feels it has to strap on forty pounds of body armour just to play<BR>
>> Rugby....</Giles><BR>
<BR>
I will gladly forward a tape of 49ers' Defensive Lineman Bryant Young<BR>
having his lower leg broken in two places when another player landed on it,<BR>
or Steve Young being knocked unconscious when his head hit a players knee.<BR>
<BR>
From what I've seen, AmFootball differs from rugby in the level of<BR>
violence. <BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 03:25:31<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Football( was Re: [OT] War of 1812)<BR>
<BR>
At 04:30 PM 12/22/1999 +1100, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>    Actually, we (Rugby) don't slam into each other any more, or they're not<BR>
>supposed to. They've altered the rules drastically in favour of safety and a<BR>
>good thing I'd have to say. In Gridiron the player's crunch into each other<BR>
>frontally in a way that would get you suspended in Rugby, that and the fact<BR>
>that Rugby tackles only occur if your holding the ball so your not liable to<BR>
>be flattened from "Out-left-field" because your ready for it.<BR>
<BR>
Interesting pouint on that last sentence.<BR>
<BR>
In the NFL, you cannot hit the quarterback once he's thrown the ball.<BR>
That's called "roughing the passer", and is a fifteen yard penalty.<BR>
<BR>
If the defending team intercepts the pass, that quarterback suddenly is a<BR>
defender, and can be blocked legally.  I've seen quarterbacks just get<BR>
levelled by defenders who see the chance to take a free shot.<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 06:22:44 -0500<BR>
From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
Subject: Re: 3I Sports<BR>
<BR>
On 12/22/1999 23:02, Jim & Peta Lawrie wrote about "Rollerball":<BR>
> <BR>
> The book the script was lifted from was very good, it's called<BR>
> "Killerbowl" and it's Gridiron in hi-tech plastic armour and bloody big<BR>
> knives. The players live in a society where skill is emphasised and the fans<BR>
> only want blood, so the networks arrange it so the fans get what they want.<BR>
> I personally think it was the first ever cyberpunk book.<BR>
> <BR>
Actually, Rollerball is based on a short story by Harry Harrison, ISTR.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Josh<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 11:29:40 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
At 16:24 23/12/1999 +1100, you wrote:<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>>If you use a Mac, I have to recommend Claris Works.<BR>
>>Amazingly enough, I have used it for floor plans and such and my Fantasy GM<BR>
>>uses it<BR>
>>to create excellent terrain maps.<BR>
>>It isn't too fancy, but it damn well works.<BR>
>><BR>
>>TV<BR>
><BR>
>    Anything for PC though?<BR>
><BR>
I use "Artworks" on the RISC PC (formerly by Acorn).<BR>
<BR>
This is available as "Corel Xara" on the PC<BR>
(I don't know the current cost/availability though)<BR>
<BR>
Of course, if you had a RISC PC, you could use "Draw" which is free and even<BR>
supports hex grids. (The main advantage of Artworks was the print on multiple<BR>
pages facility which I used for the Pioneer Ecks, since it has 30 decks.)<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 06:31:02 -0500<BR>
From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Geographical idiocy (was re: perception of distance)<BR>
<BR>
On 12/23/1999 02:19, GypsyComet@aol.com wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
> One look at how the NFL (to bring this and the football<BR>
> thread together) assigns its teams to divisions makes it<BR>
> clear that "successful" is pretty good at utter ignorance<BR>
> as well...<BR>
> Fortunately, sports in Traveller are much less likely to<BR>
> have such problems, since travel times go WAY up if<BR>
> your "local" divisions get out of whack.<BR>
<BR>
Once Houston's expansion franchise begins operating in the 2002 season, the<BR>
NFL will realign each conference (National and American) into four divisions<BR>
of four teams each. One AFC team will go to the NFC, much like Pittsburgh,<BR>
Baltimore (Colts) and Cleveland went to the AFC when the NFL and American<BR>
Football League merged in 1970.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Josh<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1982 03:39:45 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Re Christmas Ultra-Violence<BR>
<BR>
> From: SFC Groth <wombat@premier.net><BR>
I had written:<BR>
> > Well, what's it going to be then, eh, droogies?<BR>
you replied: <BR>
> Moloko plus for me....<BR>
<BR>
and I think that would rather better than eggnog at this time of year!<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1982 03:44:54 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Geographical idiocy (<BR>
<BR>
> From: SFC Groth <wombat@premier.net><BR>
<BR>
> ISTR reading about a college in San Francisco testing its students on<BR>
> geography.  About half of the students, at a _San Francisco_ college,<BR>
> couldn't locate the Pacific Ocean on a map.  (Sorry, I don't have a<BR>
> cite.)<BR>
<BR>
I don't doubt it.  My girlfriend's honor student teen age daughter can't<BR>
even name the capitals of adjacent states -- in fact, she's not even<BR>
sure which states are adjacent to California.  <BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 06:48:51 -0500<BR>
From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
Subject: Microsoft=MONOPOLY (Was Re: Re Subsidies)<BR>
<BR>
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net><BR>
> ><BR>
>> As for his "Monopoly", it would probably have made a tidy profit.<BR>
>> Monopolies are not technically illegal in the US... they are only illegal<BR>
>> when they prevent the rise of competition by unfair buisiness practice. For<BR>
<BR>
Then Glenn M. Goffin responds:<BR>
> <BR>
> Moreover, the issue of legality of monopolies did not even arise until<BR>
> the early twentieth century, after they decided to start using the<BR>
> Sherman Anti-Trust Act against its actual intended targets, trusts in<BR>
> restraint of trade.  Prior to that, the Act was a union-busting tool.<BR>
> I've forgotten when the Act became law; it seems to me 1890-something.<BR>
<BR>
Another great example of a legal monopoly was AT&T. Local phone calls were<BR>
cheap, long distance was expensive, but the public didn't seem to mind.<BR>
Until 1984, when Reagan decided to sue, and the judge who oversaw that case<BR>
broke them up. Fast forward 15 years, the Baby Bells are slowly coming back<BR>
together. Only Bell Atlantic was just granted a license to offer long<BR>
distance service to New York state. They all sitll stifle AT&T, Sprint and<BR>
MCI from the local markets.<BR>
<BR>
We'll all find out soon enough what parts of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act<BR>
MICROSOFT violated when Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson issues his "Findings<BR>
of Law" in February. He issued his Findings of Fact in November which stated<BR>
clearly the Microsoft is a MONOPOLY and used its Monopoly Power to<BR>
intimidate potential rivals from competing in the operating system and<BR>
browser markets.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Josh<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1982 03:55:43 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Re: England<BR>
<BR>
> From: "Rupert Boleyn" <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz><BR>
 <BR>
> Not many. OTOH how many wars have the Germans killed sh*tloads more <BR>
> Brits than the Brits killed Germans? Two this century, for starters.<BR>
<BR>
These statistics probably exist.  I'm sure the Germans lost more<BR>
soldiers and more civilians in WW 2 than Britain.  I'm not sure how many<BR>
of those Germans were actually killed by Brits.  Lots of Soviets and<BR>
Americans participated in killing Germans, as did more than a few<BR>
French, although not as effectively as the three Us (UK, USA, USSR).  <BR>
<BR>
I believe that most Germans (civilian and military) died as a direct or<BR>
indirect result of aerial bombardment.  The USA bombed during the day,<BR>
and the UK by night.  I don't remember any significant difference in<BR>
tons of ordnance dropped, but I remember seeing some figures on it when<BR>
I was in college.<BR>
<BR>
That war has been extensively analyzed, so there are probably studies of<BR>
just this set of questions.  <BR>
<BR>
WW 1 has also been subject to considerable analysis, but not as much I<BR>
think as WW 2.  <BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 21:34:08 +1000<BR>
From: "Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au><BR>
Subject: Re: In Jokes<BR>
<BR>
> From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au<BR>
> - - but the 1% inspiration hit me when I decided that a _Vargr_ owned the<BR>
> long-haul grav-bus company, "G-Hound"!!!<BR>
<BR>
Yes.  Borrowed.  Now appearing in my campaign.  <BR>
<BR>
I was thinking about ways to get my players away from their ship to bash a<BR>
bit of wilderness.  They'll catch a bus - it's nice and inconspicuous.  And<BR>
if the bus gets stopped by the local freedom fighters, or the army,<BR>
then....<BR>
<BR>
Cool.<BR>
<BR>
Alan Bradley<BR>
alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 20:44:57 +1000<BR>
From: "Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au><BR>
Subject: Re: England<BR>
<BR>
> From: Steven Hudson<BR>
> >Er, the challenge was so taken up, in Ireland. That's a part of what all<BR>
> >this stuff in Ulster is about (or at least part of the tradition of<BR>
> >troubles). As to "then-current-regime" - the King was removed by<BR>
> >Parliament and replaced with someone with better protestant credentials.<BR>
> >In the modern sense, the best description would be a coup.<BR>
> <BR>
>   Sure, but once the option of military resistance in England proper was <BR>
> foregone the issue was settled; Ireland could at best hope to secure its<BR>
> own liberty over a period of years, not to overthrow the new regime.<BR>
<BR>
I'm not so sure about that.  First, there was resistance in Scotland too<BR>
(the battle of Killiekrankie, amongst others), plus, the war in Ireland was<BR>
_big_.  The armies involved were much larger than those involved in the<BR>
Civil Wars in the 1640s.<BR>
<BR>
The Jacobite forces were supported by France, and included some elements of<BR>
the regular British army, namely, those originally posted in Ireland.  <BR>
<BR>
William III's army was an odd mixture.  It was a hybrid of the British<BR>
army, the Dutch army, and a great chunk of "allies", many financially<BR>
subsidised.  This included Danish troops, and sundry Germans, and Swedes,<BR>
and all kind of odd bods.  Oh, and of course there were local Protestant<BR>
Irish recruits, too.<BR>
<BR>
Both armies included French troops - William's were Protestants who had<BR>
gone into exile after Louis XIV started persecuting them again.<BR>
<BR>
The armies themselves were actually commanded by the rival Kings in person<BR>
at the Battle of the Boyne.  This was the last time in English history when<BR>
this occurred.  William won.  James subsequently ran off back to France. <BR>
His armies fought on for another couple of years.  <BR>
<BR>
Basically, if William had lost at the Boyne, he would have been in serious<BR>
trouble.  <BR>
<BR>
OBTrav:  What if Strephon, rather than Lucan, had ended up leading the<BR>
opposition to Dulinor's coup?  If Strephon was discredited enough, Dulinor<BR>
might have got away with it.<BR>
<BR>
Alternatively, Strephon attempts to reclaim the throne, backed by _the<BR>
Solomani_.  I'd shoot him myself.<BR>
<BR>
Alan Bradley<BR>
alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:21:46 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Gunnery<BR>
<BR>
SFC Groth <wombat@premier.net> wrote:<BR>
>Bruce Macintosh wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
>>         Although I believe this model is the most realistic, it actually<BR>
>> doesn't<BR>
>> fit all that well with TNE rules, in which gunnery skill is a crucial<BR>
>> determining<BR>
>> factor in odds of hitting - the above model has little room for skill<BR>
>> variations. ("The ship shuddered under the impact of Vargr missiles.<BR>
>> Commander Thompson snarled as his hand slipped on the mouse. Only<BR>
>> years of training allowed him to focus enough to push his index finger<BR>
>> forward. 'Must...push...left...button...' he thought. All around him,<BR>
panicked<BR>
>> trainee crewmembers were desperately pulling down the 'help' menus.")<BR>
><BR>
>It's a good thing that I have had the chance to learn from my fellow<BR>
>TMLers.  As a result, I use the "sip, set glass down, swallow, _then_<BR>
>open new TML post" routine.  Without that iron discipline, instilled by<BR>
>many long months of TML subscription, I would now need a new keyboard<BR>
>(and at 1:20 AM local, that's a bit of a bother).<BR>
<BR>
Soon I'll recover enough to reply to the next bit...<BR>
<BR>
>I prefer that Gunnery skill, at least at the turret level, should more<BR>
>closely resemble Han and Luke on the Millennium Falcon in SW:ANH.  Less<BR>
>realistic, but more dramatic.  (With sentiments like that, now you see<BR>
>why I haven't yet progressed beyond "Journeyman Gearhead.")<BR>
<BR>
"The spinal mount operator's seat - the wildest rollercoaster ride on the<BR>
ship!"<BR>
<BR>
IIRC, The T4 Naval Architect's handbook<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:35:52 +0000<BR>
From: Timothy.Collinson@solent.ac.uk<BR>
Subject: Book review - For the Greater Good [longish]<BR>
<BR>
Martin Dougherty wrote:<BR>
>Also; everyone who got a copy of FTGG for review purposes; after<BR>
monumental<BR>
>hiccups, it's due for release April. Anything you may like to say on the<BR>
>subject... please do.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Yes, I read this and enjoyed it.  I wrote the following review back in<BR>
September when I finished the book but understand that an updated version<BR>
has been created, and should be released as an Ebook through Warehouse<BR>
Publishing:<BR>
http://members.xoom.com/warehousepub<BR>
<BR>
I believe this version should have corrected the typos mentioned in the<BR>
review below.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Also, if anyone likes the author's work (he had a hand in Behind the Claw,<BR>
Missions of State, Star Mercs and a favourite of mine, The Khiidkar<BR>
Incident) you might like to know that I understand a real paper book:<BR>
_Behind the Throne_, is due out in May.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Finally, I've appended some comments on reading an e-text which some may<BR>
find of interest.<BR>
<BR>
Best wishes for the time of year to all fellow Travellers, may all your<BR>
bugs have legs on!<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
tc<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
******************************************<BR>
<BR>
For the Greater Good - a review.<BR>
<BR>
"For  the  Greater  Good", an e-novel by Martin Dougherty is an interesting<BR>
read.   Dougherty,  known to Traveller RPG enthusiasts as co-author of such<BR>
excellent  GURPS:  Traveller  volumes as "Behind the Claw" and "StarMercs",<BR>
tells  a  curious  tale  that  mixes a Napoleonic setting with fantasy in a<BR>
convincing  manner.   The  setting isn't Earth - unless it's the Earth of a<BR>
far  distant,  post-holocaust  future  - but along with cannon and muskets,<BR>
sabres  and  duelling,  sailing  ships  Lord Nelson would have been at home<BR>
with,  there  is  also Thaumaturgy.  This is Dougherty's term for the magic<BR>
present  in  the  book,  but  it is well thought out, suitably fearsome and<BR>
handled differently to much 'mainstream' fantasy magic which is refreshing.<BR>
It is also essential to the story and raises lots of interesting questions.<BR>
<BR>
The  story  concerns  one  Jervon Dessartes, a cavalry dragoon who is quick<BR>
tempered  and  yet  loyal  to  what  he perceives as his duty.  Loyal to an<BR>
extreme  which  causes  no  end  of  problems.  Accompanied by his faithful<BR>
batman  Camille  -  a  crusty old sergeant hiding from his past life in the<BR>
military  -  Dessartes  goes  through  various  adventures  in an effort to<BR>
restore  the  honour of his family.  In trouble with his superiors from the<BR>
outset  over  duelling,  he's  sent  on  a secret and exceedingly dangerous<BR>
mission to try to find long lost artifacts that might be used as weapons in<BR>
an  upcoming  military conflict.   Through the people they meet and the<BR>
trials they<BR>
encounter,  both  the  main  characters  discover much about themselves and<BR>
undergo  profound  changes.   Indeed, characters in the book comment on how<BR>
unrecognizable  they  become.  However, as we see all that they go through,<BR>
we're drawn into their lives and come to understand why they were what they<BR>
were and why they both choose to leave that behind.<BR>
<BR>
All  this  is  set against a background of political strife amongst several<BR>
nations  as various politicians, generals and thaumaturges (or wizards) vie<BR>
for power in a struggle that results in intrigue and war.  The politics are<BR>
reasonably  complex  but  well  thought  out and contribute to the reader's<BR>
involvement  in  the  book.   However,  they are not helped by occasionally<BR>
bland  and undifferentiated names that can make the plot hard to follow.  A<BR>
little  more time spent giving the reader more of a sense of place - before<BR>
introducing  other factions - would have worked wonders here.  (A map would<BR>
have been useful and certainly in the tradition of fantasy novels but given<BR>
the  nature  of  an  e-text  distributed  in ASCII format, somewhat hard to<BR>
implement.)   Having  said  that  -  and  it may be a function of a lack of<BR>
familiarity  with this type of reading material - it does all work together<BR>
and  once  the  various  pieces are in place the book moves along at a good<BR>
pace.   Whether giving glimpses into goings on in high places, dealing with<BR>
the  grand  scale  of  events,  or  following  the more personal actions of<BR>
individuals,  the author seems equally at home.  He is able to interest the<BR>
reader in what is going on with a fine attention to detail that doesn't get<BR>
too  bogged  down  and yet conveys a good sense of the 'period'.  The fight<BR>
scenes  are well handled and exciting whether grand scale land warfare, sea<BR>
battles  or  the  personal  combat  of  duels.   There  are a lot of - very<BR>
relevant - 'jargon' terms that are used and to this untutored eye at least,<BR>
seemed very accurate.  A short glossary would have helped however for those<BR>
who aren't so accustomed to armour, weapons, and troop dispositions of this<BR>
kind of era.<BR>
<BR>
The  e-text is not perfect yet. There are typographic errors - particularly<BR>
in  the  last  third of the book which suggest a certain lack of attention,<BR>
but  these  are  easily fixed.  Slightly harder to deal with are occasional<BR>
lapses  in  the  dialogue  that  don't  seem  to  quite ring true.  The odd<BR>
'modern'  expression  at first seems out of place but is sparingly used and<BR>
once  the  reader is accustomed to it, acts as a useful and subtle reminder<BR>
that  this  is  *not*  the past.  Dessartes and Camille are the only really<BR>
memorable  characters.    Although  others  are present through much of the<BR>
story,  there  is  a lot of ground to cover and little time to develop them<BR>
all in detail.  On the other hand, minor characters may only appear briefly<BR>
but can be well delineated - one example will have to suffice - a librarian<BR>
character  with  a  minor  role  isn't caricatured stereotypically but made<BR>
believable  and yet interesting.  This seems to be a particular strength of<BR>
the author.<BR>
<BR>
In  all,  "For the Greater Good" was an intriguing and enjoyable book which<BR>
kept  up  the  interest till the end.   Dougherty has left the way open for<BR>
either  sequels  or  stories  set in the same world and this reviewer would<BR>
certainly welcome them.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
     Timothy Collinson<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
******************************************<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
*Notes on reading an e-novel:*<BR>
For  the  Greater  Good  was  the  first e-book I'd ever read and proved an<BR>
interesting  experience.   At first I had assumed that it would be a simple<BR>
matter  to  read  the  ASCII text file on an ordinary desk PC either during<BR>
lunchbreaks  at work, at home of an evening or both.  For a short time this<BR>
worked  although  I've  never found reading large amounts of text on screen<BR>
very  comfortable and much prefer reading print on paper for ease and speed<BR>
of  reading experience.  Obviously, however, in an increasingly digital age<BR>
this  is not always practical or convenient.  The cost and time of printing<BR>
out  an  entire  novel  was  one such occasion and at this point it becomes<BR>
self-evident why there is still a book trade.<BR>
<BR>
Then,  only  four chapters into the book, I was advised by my doctor not to<BR>
spend  so  much  time at the computer and in effect had to give up with the<BR>
novel.   Not  for lack of interest but I found I was reading too little too<BR>
infrequently  to  stay  involved  with  the  plot.   I had also come to the<BR>
conclusion  that  e-texts were unlikely to really take off until reading an<BR>
electronic  version  of  something  was  as  comfortable  and convenient as<BR>
reading a regular book.<BR>
<BR>
Just  a  few  weeks ago, however, I obtained a PDA that could easily handle<BR>
the  size  of  file an ASCII novel occupies (a 3com Palm IIIx for those who<BR>
are  interested but any of the similar brands would no doubt have worked as<BR>
well).   It  then became clear that I could restart the book using a device<BR>
that  was a lot easier to read than text on a PC screen and was also as<BR>
portable<BR>
as  a  book  -  meaning  that I could fill in those odd moments waiting for<BR>
transport,  travelling,  tucked  up  in  bed and so on to read whenever and<BR>
wherever  I  felt  like.  (I even had the advantage of being able to search<BR>
for  particular  words  or  phrases,  find  the  place I'd left off reading<BR>
immediately and read in the dark with the aid of the backlight so as not to<BR>
disturb  the  spouse!)   OK,  so  it's still not *quite* as easy to read as<BR>
black  print on white paper - though the IIIx screen should be complimented<BR>
on its extreme readability in a variety of lighting conditions - but it was<BR>
certainly  well  within  the  margin  of  comfort  that  made  the exercise<BR>
worthwhile.   Indeed,  I  now have several other e-texts - both fiction and<BR>
non-fiction and fully plan on continuing reading in this fashion.  (The PDA<BR>
takes  up  less room in the pocket too!)  It will be interesting to see how<BR>
long  it  is before you can buy mainstream books on sale in bookshops in an<BR>
alternative  format  suitable  for PDAs - or will dedicated e-book machines<BR>
get  into  the  lead  first?   The  only real snag has been the decrease in<BR>
battery  life  for  the  PDA  doing  really  solid reading involves but the<BR>
convenience is worth it and battery life will no doubt improve with time.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
tc<BR>
<BR>
******************************************<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 13:55:24 +0100<BR>
From: Florian Merx <flow523@gmx.de><BR>
Subject: Design systems<BR>
<BR>
Aloha!<BR>
<BR>
I just signed up and already have a question.<BR>
<BR>
Here goes: <BR>
While surfing the net to get material for my new campaign (set in 1114,<BR>
Spinward Marches) I found a great variety of ship designs. This is good;<BR>
not so good is the fact that they are also made in several different<BR>
design systems. <BR>
Since I want to make use of the MT rules, it seems to me that at least<BR>
3/4 of the designs are unusuable for me. Or are they?<BR>
<BR>
What it comes down to is this: <BR>
Where can I find a description of the differences between the design<BR>
systems along with some notes on how to convert them? <BR>
<BR>
Have fun,<BR>
<BR>
Flow<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 13:05:07 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: RE: Traveller roadshows<BR>
<BR>
"i Steve" <isteve1967@hotmail.com> wrote:<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>>From: "Trevor, Peter" <Peter.Trevor@rb.cwplc.com><BR>
><BR>
>>or is Traveller a Northern game?<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>Oh god, Yorkshiremen in space!  "We've bloody misjumped, you daft bugger!"<BR>
><BR>
>Or a special combat rule for Yorkshire Travellers, a la Saint Geoff <BR>
>Boycott...ignore normal rate of fire, shoot once per hour, roll 8+ to avoid <BR>
>hitting another member of your own squad, else hit target for 1 point of <BR>
>damage....<BR>
<BR>
75% of enemy fire is directed at you but has no effect.<BR>
<BR>
The rest of the PCs shoot and die according to the normal rules,<BR>
almost as if they're playing an entirely different game.<BR>
<BR>
Dad's from  Yorkshire and is a fan of GOD. Me, I'm from Essex where we<BR>
don't worship cricket - we just used to play it better than everyone else.<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 13:02:47 -0000<BR>
From: "Trevor, Peter" <Peter.Trevor@rb.cwplc.com><BR>
Subject: RE: [OT] War of 1812<BR>
<BR>
Chris Seamans wrote:<BR>
> It's the American way to shoot movies where they're nice and<BR>
> cheap to shoot. Sheesh. Most of Escape from New York was shot<BR>
> on the streets of St. Louis! Yeah, that's right, over in France!<BR>
<BR>
Trivia:  There used to be a cop show called  (IIRC)  Night  Heat.<BR>
It was set in an unspecified  US  city  but  actually  filmed  in<BR>
Toronto.  To get the authentic US city look the film crew had  to<BR>
add extra litter to the outside scenes.  At one  time  they  were<BR>
doing a night shoot and stopped for lunch at 3am: while away  the<BR>
city cleaners wandered by, saw  all  the  litter,  and  dutifully<BR>
removed it  ...  the  continuity  problems  ment  they  lost  the<BR>
"mornings" work!<BR>
<BR>
Regards PLST<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 14:09:42 +0100 (MET)<BR>
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk><BR>
Subject: Re: Terran polities<BR>
<BR>
William F. Hostman writes:<BR>
<BR>
>>There is no evidence that they did, though. And evidence that at least one<BR>
>>old nation-state (Nepal) survived to 1109 -- as a district, not a nation.<BR>
>>See AM6, pp. 45-48.<BR>
>><BR>
>>When the United Nations became a world government, nations became renamed<BR>
>>disticts (AM6, p. 46). The District of Nepal remained a constitutional<BR>
>>monarchy until a referendum in -2030, so clearly the UN, the Terran<BR>
>>Confederation, and the Rule of Man allowed these former nations wide<BR>
>>lattitude in internal governing structure.<BR>
> <BR>
>I doubt there is a continuity there. For example, Egypt, which was nation<BR>
>3-5000 years ago, is a nation now; for well over 100 years it was NOT a<BR>
>nation. Only China has survived 5000 years with a clear national identity.<BR>
<BR>
There is some continuity at least. The government of 1109 is bound to some<BR>
extent by a legal decision made by the "World Court" a few years after<BR>
- -2030. It appears that the 3 millenia between -2000 and 1100 are a little<BR>
different from the 3 millenia between -1000 BC and 2000 AD. Perhaps analogies<BR>
drawn between the two periods are not altogether sound.<BR>
<BR>
>The only reason a region such as nepal would remain a single entity would<BR>
>be that such an area is culturally, geographically, and politcally isolated.<BR>
 <BR>
Well, I said the evidence wasn't conclusive. If you are bound and determined<BR>
that there shall be a break in continuity for most former nations, then you<BR>
could certainly use this argument to explain away the survival of Nepal as an<BR>
abberation. But as far as the available evidence goes, a certain amount of <BR>
continuity is indicated. At the very least the rules for all Earth governments<BR>
from the United Nations to the government of 1109 has allowed one nation (or<BR>
rather, district) to survive. I don't see why other districts cannot have<BR>
survived too.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
      Hans Rancke<BR>
University of Copenhagen<BR>
     rancke@diku.dk<BR>
- ------------<BR>
- - "You don't like the Goths?"<BR>
- -  "No! Not with the persecution we have to put up with!"<BR>
- -  "Persecution?"<BR>
- -  "Religious persecution. We wont stand for it forever."<BR>
- -  "I thought the Goths let everybody worship as they pleased."<BR>
- -  "That's  just  it!  We Orthodox are forced to stand around and<BR>
   watch Arians  and Monophysites  and Nestorians  and Jews going<BR>
   about  their  business  unmolested,   as  if  they  owned  the<BR>
   country. If that isn't persecution, I'd like to know what is!"<BR>
<BR>
                -Martin Padway and stranger in bar in<BR>
                         "Lest Darkness Fall"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 08:55:11 -0500<BR>
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
If you have a cable modem I'll unload my copy of Viso on you.  I NEVER used<BR>
it and now no longer even bother installing it.  Not because its bad, but<BR>
because I'm into too many other things and don't have the time for it.  I<BR>
have Viso 3.0 business and Viso 3.0 Scientific.<BR>
___________________________________________________________<BR>
 J-Man<BR>
 ICQ# 2843475<BR>
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.<BR>
 Email : j-man@iname.com<BR>
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/<BR>
___________________________________________________________<BR>
<BR>
- ----- Original Message -----<BR>
From: <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com><BR>
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 1:17 AM<BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
> >>    Anything for PC though?<BR>
><BR>
> Yes.<BR>
><BR>
> 1.  Try to find an old copy of Viso, you don't need the latest, so an old<BR>
> version 3 that someone is unloading would do.  I bought mine new for<BR>
> 79.95.  I did my deckplans for the /Mae Lee/ and the /Random Walk/ with<BR>
> Viso, but I included some parts I had made in...<BR>
><BR>
> 2.  FloorPlan Plus (3d, if you want 3d effects).  It ranges in price from<BR>
> under $10 for the DOS version to about $40 for the Win9x Plus version.  I<BR>
> was going to do my deckplans in 3d, but it was taking too long and I<BR>
> thought I needed the plans quick.<BR>
><BR>
> 3.  I'll echo Campaign Cartographer as a good choice, but any inexpensive<BR>
> CAD program also works, though they aren't going to have the templates and<BR>
> such already built.<BR>
><BR>
> 4.  Corel Draw can be had cheaply.<BR>
><BR>
> 5.  Star Office can be had free (or for next to nothing) and it includes a<BR>
> Drawing component.<BR>
><BR>
> Before that I always did deckplans by hand, and I still think that is a<BR>
> viable way to go.  Draw your plans then scan them with an inexpensive<BR>
> scanner, and you can use the scanner for other stuff too. Cheap scanners<BR>
> are well under $100 now.<BR>
><BR>
> Eris<BR>
> --<BR>
> -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
> eris@pcola.gulf.net    using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>
> -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1562<BR>
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