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Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

whatever.scalzi.com

1–10 of 52 posts

Re: Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

#2
I think the solution here would be to write a hand-written letter.

Sure, someone can make AI write a letter with some kind of contraption holding a pen (I think StuffMadeHere did something adjacent to this). But it would likely be more obvious, plus it requires physical actions and a stamp. All things that low-effort AI spammers aren’t going to bother with.

Re: Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

#3

I think the solution here would be to write a hand-written letter. Sure, someone can make AI write a letter with some kind of contraption holding a pen (I think StuffMadeHere did something adjacent to this). But it would likely be more obvious, plus it requires physical actions and a stamp. All things that low-effort AI spammers aren’t going to bother with.

Physical letters do not obviate scams, nor is the cost that prohibitive. I remember actual 419 scams on blue airmail all-in-one letters back in the 80s. And that was international post too.

Re: Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

#6
> If you’re a scammer who uses “AI” to try to defraud actual humans, please die in a fucking fire, thanks.

Refreshingly direct and unfiltered, despite Scalzi being a well-established writer.

If you are looking for a refreshingly fun light read to brighten up your day¹, try Scalzi's When the Moon Hits Your Eye (2025), in which the moon turns into actual cheese.

1: It includes the horrific death of a Musk/Bezos-like tech-bro with more money and tech than sense. Good fun!

Re: Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

#7
post #3

I think the solution here would be to write a hand-written letter. Sure, someone can make AI write a letter with some kind of contraption holding a pen (I think StuffMadeHere did something adjacent to this). But it would likely be more obvious, plus it requires physical actions and a stamp. All things that low-effort AI spammers aren’t going to bother with.

Physical letters do not obviate scams, nor is the cost that prohibitive. I remember actual 419 scams on blue airmail all-in-one letters back in the 80s. And that was international post too.

They don't remove it but they do reduce it.

I have an inbox, and I do not receive a lot of scam post. In fact, I don't think I received any since I lived at this address (~10 years ). We do get a few promotional leaflets every other week.

OTOH, I get hundred of spam emails every day.

The former is something which I can handle manually easily, the other is not.

Re: Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

#8
post #3

I think the solution here would be to write a hand-written letter. Sure, someone can make AI write a letter with some kind of contraption holding a pen (I think StuffMadeHere did something adjacent to this). But it would likely be more obvious, plus it requires physical actions and a stamp. All things that low-effort AI spammers aren’t going to bother with.

Physical letters do not obviate scams, nor is the cost that prohibitive. I remember actual 419 scams on blue airmail all-in-one letters back in the 80s. And that was international post too.

If you are targetting a list of well-known authors I guess outsourcing the writing of a couple of hundred handwritten letters shouldn't be too hard. I'm sure they they can find a school class in Nigeria or Kenya who would gladly do it for a few dollars — or a struggling teacher willing to get creative with the homework assignments.
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