Back from WorldCon
Posted August 29th, 2006 by Howard TaylerWe still haven’t enabled the dynamic blog content on the Schlock Mercenary home page, because we found the memory leaks and they appear to be permanent holes in the FreeBSD implementations of php and MySQL. Plugging said holes means switching to another operating system, and that has to wait another week or so.
(If you’re a FreeBSD zealot, by all means complain about my nigh-libelous description of your bestest little devil-friend TO SOMEONE ELSE. I’m just repeating what the server guys have told me. No, I don’t want your offer of technical help. No, I’m not printing an apology or a retraction. Yes, you’ll get over it. I promise.)
I’m back from WorldCon. You can read my reports on the event starting here. Upshot, it was wonderful. And thank you for buying books while I was gone. You covered my expenses AND allowed us to sock away about $100 besides.
This raises an interesting point — one which a number of readers have raised with me privately: I probably ought to redesign the Schlock Mercenary home page so that Schlock books (of which there will soon be TWO) are more prominently advertised. I’m going to hold off on that until after we’ve gotten the blog working, but until then I’m leaving the Store link right here.
By the way, Under New Management got reviewed in Analog in this last issue. I haven’t seen it myself. As soon as I have I’ll post the relevant bits. Mostly all I know is that the review was positive.
Finally, be sure to check out my updated convention schedule. Late-breaking news! I’ll be speaking at ApacheCon on October 12th or 13th down in Austin, and I’ve accepted an invitation to be a guest at A-Kon in Dallas next June. Both of these schedule bits came in this week. The fans in Texas have spoken. I shall visit them twice in twelve months.
Explore posts in the same categories: Conventions, Merchandise, Site News
August 29th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
Hi,
I’ve been busy and didn’t notice that you were going to be at WorldCon (should have known). I didn’t know until I saw your name, and Shlock, on the board. You’re a young pup (or a late bloomer).
August 29th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
Late bloomer. I’ve been a SF fan since sometime in 1983, but wasn’t hard-core enough to come to conventions. I was at ComicCon in 2001, and Penguicon (which is closer to being a SF convention in 2004.) I counted Penguicon for purposes of the board there at Worldcon… though in retrospect it would have made more sense to roll back to 2001.
–Howard
August 29th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
I’ve accepted an invitation to be a guest at A-Kon in Dallas next June
WooHoo! Akon! Now you’re in my neck of the woods. Welcome to Dallas! If you need anything while you’re here let me know and I’ll see what I can do!
CUAgain!
August 29th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Welcome back from WorldCon! Hope I’m not being a bother, but have you decided whether you are going to make an appearance in New Jersey, around the time of the Swarthmore lecture?
August 29th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
AAAAaaahhhhhhh!!! You’ll be at Akon!
I’ma have to reward you by coming and buying something. = D Thanks for deciding to visit the “Big D.” ; ]
August 30th, 2006 at 12:55 am
I’m not a FreeBSD zealot, but I’ve heard a lot of bad things about MySQL (on *any* operating system). Still, I suppose if you’re using PHP – well, it’s generally easier to switch OSes than languages.
Umm… FreeBSD can run Linux apps. (Well, that depends on how it was installed, but why would you turn that option off?) How well do the Linux versions of PHP and MySQL (or perhaps another DBMS) run on FreeBSD, and would that be easier than switching OSes?
(No, I’m not offering to help. No, I don’t expect a retraction – you clearly said “the FreeBSD implementations of” two widely-criticised applications. *No*, what’s to get over?)
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22every%20operating%20system%20sucks%22
August 31st, 2006 at 6:46 am
hmm. Austin, eh? Might be worth a weekend drive-up from Houston….
August 31st, 2006 at 6:47 am
Or, rather, taking Friday off and driving up Thursday night. Helps if you look at the calendar first, don’t it? ha!
August 31st, 2006 at 8:43 pm
I guess that means I won’t be seeing you at my wedding on October 21st, then :)
September 1st, 2006 at 9:13 pm
You’re switching off FreeBSD because it leaks memory. Keenspot switched TO FreeBSD because linux kept getting bogged down on their forums. I guess both of them have strengths and problems. :)