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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

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11–20 of 92 posts

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#11
post #9

Pro tip: Because of the smallish text size and full-screen layout (which gives some of us absurdly unfriendly line lengths), I find Safari's "Reader" feature to be indispensable in reading this fic.

Or just increase your font size and use a window that's not full screen. Ctrl-+ increases font size in Chrome, shift-WheelScrollDown in Firefox, Shift-WheelScrollUp in Konqueror.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#12
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

As someone who also reads a lot of fiction, I think this fic is in great need of a good editor... but that after the normal publication process it would be as good as anything Asimov or Heinlein wrote.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#13
post #9

Pro tip: Because of the smallish text size and full-screen layout (which gives some of us absurdly unfriendly line lengths), I find Safari's "Reader" feature to be indispensable in reading this fic.

Or just increase your font size and use a window that's not full screen. Ctrl-+ increases font size in Chrome, shift-WheelScrollDown in Firefox, Shift-WheelScrollUp in Konqueror.

Or use bookmarklets like Readability: http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#14
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

If you like his writing, see also "Three Worlds Collide":

http://lesswrong.com/lw/y4/three_worlds_collide_08/

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#15
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

"I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best."

There's also a healthy dose of Pratchett, acknowledging the fundamental silliness of magic.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#16
post #9

Pro tip: Because of the smallish text size and full-screen layout (which gives some of us absurdly unfriendly line lengths), I find Safari's "Reader" feature to be indispensable in reading this fic.

The row of buttons on the top right allows you to decrease the measure and increase leading as well as font size. Your setting will be remembered (presumably only if you allow cookies).

Why they give you this ability but have absolutly horrible defaults will probably be forever their secret.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#17
post #14
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

If you like his writing, see also "Three Worlds Collide": http://lesswrong.com/lw/y4/three_worlds_collide_08/

Huge, huge, HUGE upvote. Three Worlds Collide is amazing.

And if you like that, check out "Life Artificial":

http://lifeartificial.com

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#18
post #14
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

If you like his writing, see also "Three Worlds Collide": http://lesswrong.com/lw/y4/three_worlds_collide_08/

I love HP and the Methods of Rationality, and absolutely hated "Three Worlds Collide" because

a)It was very contrived, and

b)Rape will never be legal, sorry, unless it's an anti-feminist society similar to some Arab countries, which that society wasn't. I know it's just one little thing, but that completely killed the suspension of disbelief for me.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#19
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just increase your font size and use a window that's not full screen. Ctrl-+ increases font size in Chrome, shift-WheelScrollDown in Firefox, Shift-WheelScrollUp in Konqueror.

Or use bookmarklets like Readability: http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/

Or send it to Instapaper.

There are very few websites that I prefer reading in the original form, as opposed to in one of the above formats. I wonder what that says about the state of web design.

Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

#20
post #7

It sounds crazy, but as someone who reads a lot of fiction (and very little fan fiction, because most of it's crap), I sincerely think this is one of the best things I've read in years. I'd personally rank it up with Asimov or Heinlein at their best. If you're the kind of person, upon discovering a 'wizarding world' would: - Look into establishing arbitrage between the wizards' fixed ratio of Gold/Silver currency and…

As someone who also reads a lot of fiction, I think this fic is in great need of a good editor... but that after the normal publication process it would be as good as anything Asimov or Heinlein wrote.

Sadly, because it is fan fiction, it will never be published.
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