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Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

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Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#121

Post by rhaker »

chton wrote: post #39
aetherson wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the things that's interesting to me about that quote is the phrase "optical table." I think that there's a presumption (that I've shared) that Magic Leap is trying to make AR goggles or glasses. But, as has been extensively commented upon in the past, that's just crazy. We're just barely at the point of doing semi-decent VR (Oculus Rift) and just barely at the point of doing semi-decent wearable heads-up displ…

It could also be far more revolutionary. They make it sound like they invented a small-scale holodeck. If that is the case, no matter how it works, or how limited it is, the potential is huge. Realistic holograms would be a major step forwards in connecting computers to humans.

i think the major issue is going to be power. the battery requirements for processing a small-scale holodeck will be huge. making something portable that lasts for a sufficient time is going to require an energy breakthrough

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#122

Post by NotOscarWilde »

rasur wrote: post #79
Florin_Andrei wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Snow Crash for old school howling-metal cyberpunk. The Baroque Cycle for a semi-fictional view of the beginnings of science - the Newton and Hooke era. Anathem for an interesting take on the philosophy of science disguised as a sci-fi epic.

Have you not read 'The Diamond Age'? IMO it is one of his best works. Nanotech/Networks/Crypto for the masses to understand. I read, loved and was caught up in the VR fever of the 90's via Snow Crash, and love his other books, but TDA is the one I'll never get rid of.

I loved The Diamond Age as well, although I remember mostly bits and pieces now:

* cult sex scenes

* a forced-participation theater that humiliates you using Occulus Rift-technology

* the Kill Bill-esque ending

* ... and, most of all, the idea of continous education using an immersive Minecraft-like book/world that expands in complexity as your education grows.

Too bad we (the hackers) never completed even a crude version of the Primer (the book in the last bullet point) for the young geeks out there.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#123

Post by ajslater »

mattmanser wrote: post #116
RickHull wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All are fantastic. I was put off by the beginning of Snow Crash initially, as there are some tongue-in-cheek bits that struck me as too campy. But I might not say that now, having read it a few times. The Baroque Cycle is a massive piece of work spanning 3 volumes, comprised of 8 nominally independent books. If it seems intimidating, just try the first one and see if you're not hooked. I'd love it if there was twice…

I'm reading Snow Crash at the moment for the first time. The beginning is actually really tough going as a completely new reader today. It's just so ridiculous. I can see where he was coming from, as I grew up in that era, but it's actually pretty bizarre now given the reality is nation states, religion and banks turned out to be so much more powerful than corporations. Which is one of the perils of predictions in ag…

It was bizarre then. I was very skeptical the first few pages. I did not understand that the adolescent cheese was tongue in cheek until the second chapter.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#124

Post by patcon »

mattmanser wrote: post #116
RickHull wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All are fantastic. I was put off by the beginning of Snow Crash initially, as there are some tongue-in-cheek bits that struck me as too campy. But I might not say that now, having read it a few times. The Baroque Cycle is a massive piece of work spanning 3 volumes, comprised of 8 nominally independent books. If it seems intimidating, just try the first one and see if you're not hooked. I'd love it if there was twice…

I'm reading Snow Crash at the moment for the first time. The beginning is actually really tough going as a completely new reader today. It's just so ridiculous. I can see where he was coming from, as I grew up in that era, but it's actually pretty bizarre now given the reality is nation states, religion and banks turned out to be so much more powerful than corporations. Which is one of the perils of predictions in ag…

Vernor Vinge is another great hard sci-fi author. "A Fire Upon the Deep" is a space opera epic if I've ever read one. Currently finishing up "Rainbows End", and wasn't sucked totally in until maybe 1/3 through, but now I'm hooked :)

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#125

Post by rasur »

NotOscarWilde wrote: post #122
rasur wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you not read 'The Diamond Age'? IMO it is one of his best works. Nanotech/Networks/Crypto for the masses to understand. I read, loved and was caught up in the VR fever of the 90's via Snow Crash, and love his other books, but TDA is the one I'll never get rid of.

I loved The Diamond Age as well, although I remember mostly bits and pieces now: * cult sex scenes * a forced-participation theater that humiliates you using Occulus Rift-technology * the Kill Bill-esque ending * ... and, most of all, the idea of continous education using an immersive Minecraft-like book/world that expands in complexity as your education grows. Too bad we (the hackers) never completed even a crude ve…

Someone endowed of clue should get going with a kickstarter for at least a film version of TDA, if not a lot of what was described therein :)

Damn, I'm going to have to read it again now. Still, it's about time for a refresh...

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#126

Post by walterbell »

mattmanser wrote: post #116
RickHull wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All are fantastic. I was put off by the beginning of Snow Crash initially, as there are some tongue-in-cheek bits that struck me as too campy. But I might not say that now, having read it a few times. The Baroque Cycle is a massive piece of work spanning 3 volumes, comprised of 8 nominally independent books. If it seems intimidating, just try the first one and see if you're not hooked. I'd love it if there was twice…

I'm reading Snow Crash at the moment for the first time. The beginning is actually really tough going as a completely new reader today. It's just so ridiculous. I can see where he was coming from, as I grew up in that era, but it's actually pretty bizarre now given the reality is nation states, religion and banks turned out to be so much more powerful than corporations. Which is one of the perils of predictions in ag…

Have you read R.A. Lafferty?

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#127

Post by tekromancr »

searine wrote: post #75
eco wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What/who is Clang (apart from the compiler)?

A kickstarter scam by Stephenson.

Fuck that scam noise. When you back a kickstarter, you are trying to help make something happen that isn't real yet. You are sharing in the risk.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#128

Post by tekromancr »

patcon wrote: post #124
mattmanser wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm reading Snow Crash at the moment for the first time. The beginning is actually really tough going as a completely new reader today. It's just so ridiculous. I can see where he was coming from, as I grew up in that era, but it's actually pretty bizarre now given the reality is nation states, religion and banks turned out to be so much more powerful than corporations. Which is one of the perils of predictions in ag…

Vernor Vinge is another great hard sci-fi author. "A Fire Upon the Deep" is a space opera epic if I've ever read one. Currently finishing up "Rainbows End", and wasn't sucked totally in until maybe 1/3 through, but now I'm hooked :)

Rainbow's End is one of my favorite books. I have probably read it 4 or 5 times since 2007. I find the ideas in it have gotten more accurate as time goes on.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#129

Post by Florin_Andrei »

billyhoffman wrote: post #109
Fuzzwah wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would also highly recommend: The Mongoliad semi-fictional view of mid-thirteenth century Mongol invasion of Europe Reamde MMO gold farming, social networking, criminal methods of the Russian mafia, Islamic terrorists

ugh. Reamde. Reamde starts off with a lot of interesting ideas, and then morphs into quite possibly the worst watered-down, airport-paperback, fourth-rate-Tom-Clancy-triller nonsense I have ever read. Avoid it at all costs. Unbelievable plot and character motives. ick.

The Russians were fun, if a bit cartoonish.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#130

Post by geoelectric »

pfisch wrote: post #94

This sounds so fake it is ridiculous. They hired a sci-fi author...come on.

Stephenson has some roots in tech too. Second Life, arguably the most successful modifiable MMO-environment, was based on his vision of the Metaverse. One Laptop Per Child was influenced by his ideas in The Diamond Age (and a side project, Nell, was directly inspired by it). In the Beginning was the Command Line was an excellent non-fiction work of his surveying OS evolution. His books in general have a heavy technological focus.

I mean, I hear you, but this is more like Arthur C. Clarke joining a spaceflight organization. Yes, he's coming at it from a different direction, but plainly he's got some valid ideas because other people keep implementing them, directly or otherwise.

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