3 ms·

Launch of Makers, Cory Doctorow's novel on Hardware Hackers.

14 points by rick_2047 17y ago

rick_2047 17y ago
Haven't read it yet,but I just downloaded the TXT version (which I always do). I am a not-so-long time fan of cory(2 years). I have read all of his novels (someone comes to town someone leaves town). Was attracted to his writings through his podcasts. I love the open touch he adds to his writings by launching them with a creative commons licenses on the same day as the launch of the paper version. He is a revolutionary, and proves that being open is profitable.
daeken 17y ago
Well, there goes a day of work. Seriously though, I've become a huge Doctorow fan. When I first got my Kindle, I didn't have an internet connection at my house for a week or so and decided to grab Down and Out In The Magic Kingdom to give it a shot. I immediately fell in love and over the next week, I read everything available on his site. I'll be reading this over the next day or so, and I'll almost definitely be picking up a dead tree copy for the bookshelf soon after. I can't recommend his work enough, and I'm certain this will be on the same level.
- pavs 17y ago
  I only read "Little Brother" by Cory. For some reason, I didn't really like it as much I hoped I would; after reading many overwhelmingly raving positive reviews and the subject of the book (well, "hackers") I somehow was expecting more. Do you think his other books are better or maybe I am in the minority who thinks "Little Brother" wasn't that good?
  - rick_2047 17y ago
    Well yes to all counts.Cory has better books, like my favorite Eastern Standard Tribe.But by the looks of it, Makers looks like it will beat EST. Also the people who dont like "Little Brother" is a minority but a big one. I liked it very much personal but the points given by some of my online friends for not liking it also appealed to me. As I am a die heart fan I over looked the improbability of having a big network like the Xnet mentioned based on the XBoxs. I also gave cory the benefit of doubt over the issue of government following such hard measures which will forgo the right of privacy of citizens. But having said all that, I liked the plot a lot and whats a Science fiction without some umm... fiction in it. I have already read some of makers, and to tell the truth I am not that much hooked as much I would like. But that may be because there were so distractions then.This novel is also about hackers.But not network hackers but the other kind.Which do not always get that tag now, although the term was invented for them and by them only (the railroad hackers at MIT invented the term "hack" for a cool modification which was too clever). Those are the hardware hackers. It is about a team of hardware hacker which are making Hardware Art for collectors. Only got that much from whatever I have read. May be the second seating will be more hooking.
    - daeken 17y ago
      I'm about 25% through Makers now and I'm downright hooked. I was planning on reading a few pages then going to bed, but now it's looking like I'm going to finish it today. As for Little Brother, it's likely my favorite book of his. With years of government regulations on free speech (specifically the DMCA) causing me direct harm, I felt a connection to Marcus I've rarely felt from any other book. I first read it in a single sitting and I've since read it three or four times. That said, I'm unsure if I would've been so hooked if the story didn't strike such a chord with me personally.
    - pavs 17y ago
      I thought "Little Brother" started off well, after that is just went everywhere and ending was meh. I don't really have problem with the technical aspect of the story, after all it is fictional, but the story lost its fire after the first quarter or so. Anyways, I will give his other books a shot. Whatever it is, it can't be as bad as reading Stephen King or Dan Brown.

14 points by rick_2047 17y ago

rick_2047 17y ago

Haven't read it yet,but I just downloaded the TXT version (which I always do). I am a not-so-long time fan of cory(2 years). I have read all of his novels (someone comes to town someone leaves town). Was attracted to his writings through his podcasts. I love the open touch he adds to his writings by launching them with a creative commons licenses on the same day as the launch of the paper version. He is a revolutionary, and proves that being open is profitable.

daeken 17y ago

Well, there goes a day of work. Seriously though, I've become a huge Doctorow fan. When I first got my Kindle, I didn't have an internet connection at my house for a week or so and decided to grab Down and Out In The Magic Kingdom to give it a shot. I immediately fell in love and over the next week, I read everything available on his site. I'll be reading this over the next day or so, and I'll almost definitely be picking up a dead tree copy for the bookshelf soon after. I can't recommend his work enough, and I'm certain this will be on the same level.

pavs 17y ago
I only read "Little Brother" by Cory. For some reason, I didn't really like it as much I hoped I would; after reading many overwhelmingly raving positive reviews and the subject of the book (well, "hackers") I somehow was expecting more. Do you think his other books are better or maybe I am in the minority who thinks "Little Brother" wasn't that good?
- rick_2047 17y ago
  Well yes to all counts.Cory has better books, like my favorite Eastern Standard Tribe.But by the looks of it, Makers looks like it will beat EST. Also the people who dont like "Little Brother" is a minority but a big one. I liked it very much personal but the points given by some of my online friends for not liking it also appealed to me. As I am a die heart fan I over looked the improbability of having a big network like the Xnet mentioned based on the XBoxs. I also gave cory the benefit of doubt over the issue of government following such hard measures which will forgo the right of privacy of citizens. But having said all that, I liked the plot a lot and whats a Science fiction without some umm... fiction in it. I have already read some of makers, and to tell the truth I am not that much hooked as much I would like. But that may be because there were so distractions then.This novel is also about hackers.But not network hackers but the other kind.Which do not always get that tag now, although the term was invented for them and by them only (the railroad hackers at MIT invented the term "hack" for a cool modification which was too clever). Those are the hardware hackers. It is about a team of hardware hacker which are making Hardware Art for collectors. Only got that much from whatever I have read. May be the second seating will be more hooking.
  - daeken 17y ago
    I'm about 25% through Makers now and I'm downright hooked. I was planning on reading a few pages then going to bed, but now it's looking like I'm going to finish it today. As for Little Brother, it's likely my favorite book of his. With years of government regulations on free speech (specifically the DMCA) causing me direct harm, I felt a connection to Marcus I've rarely felt from any other book. I first read it in a single sitting and I've since read it three or four times. That said, I'm unsure if I would've been so hooked if the story didn't strike such a chord with me personally.
  - pavs 17y ago
    I thought "Little Brother" started off well, after that is just went everywhere and ending was meh. I don't really have problem with the technical aspect of the story, after all it is fictional, but the story lost its fire after the first quarter or so. Anyways, I will give his other books a shot. Whatever it is, it can't be as bad as reading Stephen King or Dan Brown.