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It was interesting to learn that Ozark Software is kept alive by Dan Bunten's daughter Melanie.

pessimizer 3y ago
I wish she had kept Bunten's website up; I spent hours reading it. The Seven Cities of Gold really had an effect on me, probably hundreds of hours of play. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725030033/http://www.anticlockwise.com/dani/ https://web.archive.org/web/20110725030033/http://www.anticl...
- Vvector 3y ago
  A funny story about Seven Cities of Gold. My friend and I both had a copy, no manual. The "food" counter showed how many days left before starvation. I was a calculated number based on how many soldiers and food units you had. My friend showed me how to get more food. Just stand in a village and let the natives attack. The food counter would rise. I had to explain it to him that is was rising because his soldier count was decreasing. Once he realized that, he had to restart.
musha68k 3y ago
It’s Danielle Bunten Berry. I think her name should be spelled correctly, especially by fans?
- ofrzeta 3y ago
  I didn't want to bring up the issue but now that you mention it Dan(ielle)'s daughter Melanie seems to prefer to call her dad "Dan" http://ozarksoftscape.com/dans-legacy.html http://ozarksoftscape.com/dans-legacy.html Let's just leave it at that.
  - jmcgough 3y ago
    Dani wanted to be called Dani - she suffered a lot to transition at a time when people weren't very understanding or supportive, and it's disrespectful to refer to her by her deadname.
  - musha68k 3y ago
    Thank you for sharing Melanie's perspective, it's clear she holds deep respect for her parent. It can be more complex from that perspective, let's indeed leave it at that side then. In public discussions it's generally best to use Danielle Berry, the name she chose. This respects her identity, provides accurate historical context, and importantly, offers a role model for those exploring their own gender identity. It also fosters 'trans literacy' - understanding and respect for trans identities. As a fan of both Wendy Carlos and Danielle Berry since childhood, I've not only had the chance to enjoy their boundless creativity but I also learned so much in addition to that. Shouldn't she / we all have our individual rights respected on these matters - the power over how to define one's own identity, both in life and how we are remembered after death? As a fellow fan, I try to respect her autonomy and honour her legacy by using her chosen name: Danielle (Bunten) Berry.
    - boredhedgehog 3y ago
      > Shouldn't she / we all have our individual rights respected on these matters - the power over how to define one's own identity, both in life and how we are remembered after death? Incidentally: No, I think one's legacy is necessarily defined by others, and ignoring Kafka's last will, for example, was a good call. But for the sake of the argument, even if we grant Bunten full control over Bunten's identity, I don't think we'll arrive at any coherent narrative or style guide. Just take the final quote from Bunten's wikipedia entry, where Bunten talks about Mr. Dan Bunten and Ms. Danielle Berry as if they were roles in a play. That's quite compatible with retaining the birth name for acts performed under that name, which includes making MULE and fathering children.
      - musha68k 3y ago
        The 'roles' she mentioned don't negate her transition, but highlight the journey she underwent. Kafka's case differs greatly, as it's about work publication, not personal identity - let's not conflate the two. It’s actually 'Kafkaesque' to use Kafka’s example while overlooking his own struggles with identity and societal norms - issues that resonate deeply with many on a trans journey. You are inadvertently highlighting the importance of understanding and respecting individual identities and experiences.

I wish she had kept Bunten's website up; I spent hours reading it. The Seven Cities of Gold really had an effect on me, probably hundreds of hours of play. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725030033/http://www.anticlockwise.com/dani/ https://web.archive.org/web/20110725030033/http://www.anticl...

Vvector 3y ago
A funny story about Seven Cities of Gold. My friend and I both had a copy, no manual. The "food" counter showed how many days left before starvation. I was a calculated number based on how many soldiers and food units you had. My friend showed me how to get more food. Just stand in a village and let the natives attack. The food counter would rise. I had to explain it to him that is was rising because his soldier count was decreasing. Once he realized that, he had to restart.

musha68k 3y ago

It’s Danielle Bunten Berry. I think her name should be spelled correctly, especially by fans?

ofrzeta 3y ago
I didn't want to bring up the issue but now that you mention it Dan(ielle)'s daughter Melanie seems to prefer to call her dad "Dan" http://ozarksoftscape.com/dans-legacy.html http://ozarksoftscape.com/dans-legacy.html Let's just leave it at that.
- jmcgough 3y ago
  Dani wanted to be called Dani - she suffered a lot to transition at a time when people weren't very understanding or supportive, and it's disrespectful to refer to her by her deadname.
- musha68k 3y ago
  Thank you for sharing Melanie's perspective, it's clear she holds deep respect for her parent. It can be more complex from that perspective, let's indeed leave it at that side then. In public discussions it's generally best to use Danielle Berry, the name she chose. This respects her identity, provides accurate historical context, and importantly, offers a role model for those exploring their own gender identity. It also fosters 'trans literacy' - understanding and respect for trans identities. As a fan of both Wendy Carlos and Danielle Berry since childhood, I've not only had the chance to enjoy their boundless creativity but I also learned so much in addition to that. Shouldn't she / we all have our individual rights respected on these matters - the power over how to define one's own identity, both in life and how we are remembered after death? As a fellow fan, I try to respect her autonomy and honour her legacy by using her chosen name: Danielle (Bunten) Berry.
  - boredhedgehog 3y ago
    > Shouldn't she / we all have our individual rights respected on these matters - the power over how to define one's own identity, both in life and how we are remembered after death? Incidentally: No, I think one's legacy is necessarily defined by others, and ignoring Kafka's last will, for example, was a good call. But for the sake of the argument, even if we grant Bunten full control over Bunten's identity, I don't think we'll arrive at any coherent narrative or style guide. Just take the final quote from Bunten's wikipedia entry, where Bunten talks about Mr. Dan Bunten and Ms. Danielle Berry as if they were roles in a play. That's quite compatible with retaining the birth name for acts performed under that name, which includes making MULE and fathering children.
    - musha68k 3y ago
      The 'roles' she mentioned don't negate her transition, but highlight the journey she underwent. Kafka's case differs greatly, as it's about work publication, not personal identity - let's not conflate the two. It’s actually 'Kafkaesque' to use Kafka’s example while overlooking his own struggles with identity and societal norms - issues that resonate deeply with many on a trans journey. You are inadvertently highlighting the importance of understanding and respecting individual identities and experiences.