Comments on: Why I’m No Pen Pal http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/ Frederik Pohl Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:25:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: bobby J. http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-26424 bobby J. Tue, 11 May 2010 04:16:10 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-26424 Dear Mr. Pohl, I've just heard your interview from 2003 with "Hour 25", which I found marvellously entertaining and informative. I thought I would just inform you that the show your mentioned from Britain which adapted your stories for TV was called "Out of the Unknown", and consisted of 49 episodes, two seasons BW, two in colour. The two adaptions from your stories were, 'The Midas Plague', and 'The Tunnel Under the World', which both survived the archieve purges. The first is an enjoyable episode, the second - despite a poor robot - a masterpiece and utterly beguiling. Other classic episodes are 'Level Seven' and 'The Machine Stops, both from the same season, plus a magnificent adaption of John Brunner's 'The Last Lonely Man' in the third season. Half of 'The Little Black Bag' also survives and seems to be perhaps the best of the three adaptions done for tv of that story. All of these are in the public domain, as is much of the '60s and '50s radio and TV output by the BBC. After all, you can't copyright something you think you've destroyed. It is reagrded as "The finest series of it's type to ever have been made" (and may at least have been the equal of the staggeringly good US shows 'The Outer Limits' and 'The Twilght Zone' and got complimentary letters from among others, John Wyndam, on their adaption of 'Random Quest'. You can view it here.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vMfaakrj2o&feature=related I brought a book on the show a year ago. It would be really fascinating to get your impressions of the adaptions for posterity. 'X Minus One', the famous radio show of the '50s, that you mentioned is also in the public domain. After the arrival of TV, radio was discarded and no copyright renewals were placed on material well into the '70s in the US and the '90s, in Britain for much of the BBC's material. Only the advent of digitial has stopped this cultural purging. Most of the 'X minus One' shows can be downloaded with a click of the button, I have three different audio versions of 'The Tunnel Under the World', I can post them to you if you would like, plus some other adaptions. PS: the classics from the show, 'Out of the Unknown' are in my opinion... “The Machine Stops” “Level Seven” “Tunnel Under the World” “The Last Lonely Man” “This Body Is Mine” PS2: Five of your your stories have fallen into the public domain at Project Gutenberg, along with the likes of Phil Dick, Bob Sheckley, Damon Knight, Robert E. Howard, and a host of other giants...(the link is...http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/p#a25413) # The Day of the Boomer Dukes # The Hated # The Knights of Arthur # Pythias # The Tunnel Under The World your readers may enjoy them.....yours sincerely and with much respect, bobby Dear Mr. Pohl, I’ve just heard your interview from 2003 with “Hour 25″, which I found marvellously entertaining and informative. I thought I would just inform you that the show your mentioned from Britain which adapted your stories for TV was called “Out of the Unknown”, and consisted of 49 episodes, two seasons BW, two in colour. The two adaptions from your stories were, ‘The Midas Plague’, and ‘The Tunnel Under the World’, which both survived the archieve purges. The first is an enjoyable episode, the second - despite a poor robot - a masterpiece and utterly beguiling. Other classic episodes are ‘Level Seven’ and ‘The Machine Stops, both from the same season, plus a magnificent adaption of John Brunner’s ‘The Last Lonely Man’ in the third season. Half of ‘The Little Black Bag’ also survives and seems to be perhaps the best of the three adaptions done for tv of that story. All of these are in the public domain, as is much of the ’60s and ’50s radio and TV output by the BBC. After all, you can’t copyright something you think you’ve destroyed. It is reagrded as “The finest series of it’s type to ever have been made” (and may at least have been the equal of the staggeringly good US shows ‘The Outer Limits’ and ‘The Twilght Zone’ and got complimentary letters from among others, John Wyndam, on their adaption of ‘Random Quest’. You can view it here….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vMfaakrj2o&feature=related

I brought a book on the show a year ago. It would be really fascinating to get your impressions of the adaptions for posterity.

‘X Minus One’, the famous radio show of the ’50s, that you mentioned is also in the public domain. After the arrival of TV, radio was discarded and no copyright renewals were placed on material well into the ’70s in the US and the ’90s, in Britain for much of the BBC’s material. Only the advent of digitial has stopped this cultural purging.

Most of the ‘X minus One’ shows can be downloaded with a click of the button, I have three different audio versions of ‘The Tunnel Under the World’, I can post them to you if you would like, plus some other adaptions.

PS: the classics from the show, ‘Out of the Unknown’ are in my opinion…
“The Machine Stops”
“Level Seven”
“Tunnel Under the World”
“The Last Lonely Man”
“This Body Is Mine”

PS2: Five of your your stories have fallen into the public domain at Project Gutenberg, along with the likes of Phil Dick, Bob Sheckley, Damon Knight, Robert E. Howard, and a host of other giants…(the link is…http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/p#a25413)

# The Day of the Boomer Dukes
# The Hated
# The Knights of Arthur
# Pythias
# The Tunnel Under The World

your readers may enjoy them…..yours sincerely and with much respect, bobby

]]> By: Michael Parker http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-17313 Michael Parker Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:26:04 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-17313 As some have mentioned above Dragon Naturally Speaking by Nuance works very well, my mother has carpal tunnel and has been using it for years to dictate student psychiatric evaluations. http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/ If you're a Mac-head like me they also have MacSpeak which does the same thing on a Mac. Looks like they also have an iPhone/iPod Touch app. As some have mentioned above Dragon Naturally Speaking by Nuance works very well, my mother has carpal tunnel and has been using it for years to dictate student psychiatric evaluations.

http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/

If you’re a Mac-head like me they also have MacSpeak which does the same thing on a Mac. Looks like they also have an iPhone/iPod Touch app.

]]> By: fs http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-10264 fs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:24:05 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-10264 I'm sorry to hear about your hand. There are some devices like the Twiddler [http://www.handykey.com/] (which I kind of want, for the novelty of it) and the Frogpad [http://www.frogpad.com/] that might make typing faster and easier for you. I know there are also some software solutions, though I can't think of any off the top of my head. (Googling "one-handed typing" or "one-handed keyboard" should probably produce them.) I’m sorry to hear about your hand. There are some devices like the Twiddler [http://www.handykey.com/] (which I kind of want, for the novelty of it) and the Frogpad [http://www.frogpad.com/] that might make typing faster and easier for you. I know there are also some software solutions, though I can’t think of any off the top of my head. (Googling “one-handed typing” or “one-handed keyboard” should probably produce them.)

]]> By: MorganJLocke http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-9744 MorganJLocke Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:30:10 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-9744 Another big fan here, who doesn't need a reply but is delighted to have discovered your blog. Your words have given me much pleasure and I'm glad you are online. As others have reported, my mom also uses Dragon Naturally Speaking and finds it works well for her. Looking forward to more postings! Another big fan here, who doesn’t need a reply but is delighted to have discovered your blog. Your words have given me much pleasure and I’m glad you are online.

As others have reported, my mom also uses Dragon Naturally Speaking and finds it works well for her.

Looking forward to more postings!

]]> By: magikquilter http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-968 magikquilter Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:34:19 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-968 Very interesting reading about how you used to write your novels and how you are now adapting to your spinal stenosis. I too have this and find blogging really distracting...especially from the pain. Ironically we who love science fiction so much for the hope that tomorrow may bring are living now with the definite knowledge of our own degeneration. But such is life and it is what we do with the now that counts so am thrilled to see you have taken up blogging. My son sent me this link, his love of science fiction exceeds my own and he writes it too! Very interesting reading about how you used to write your novels and how you are now adapting to your spinal stenosis. I too have this and find blogging really distracting…especially from the pain. Ironically we who love science fiction so much for the hope that tomorrow may bring are living now with the definite knowledge of our own degeneration. But such is life and it is what we do with the now that counts so am thrilled to see you have taken up blogging. My son sent me this link, his love of science fiction exceeds my own and he writes it too!

]]> By: Rob Anderson http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-121 Rob Anderson Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:51:56 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-121 Read your interview in Locus where you mentioned getting this blog up and running. Am happy you did and am enjoying the content and commentary. Have you tried any voice recognition software? Not sure what your technology tolerance is but it might help. I have many of your books and am reading JEM now. Loved Man Plus. Have been reading all you 'old guys' the past couple of years and collecting you too! Stay well. Best wishes. Read your interview in Locus where you mentioned getting this blog up and running. Am happy you did and am enjoying the content and commentary.
Have you tried any voice recognition software? Not sure what your technology tolerance is but it might help.
I have many of your books and am reading JEM now. Loved Man Plus. Have been reading all you ‘old guys’ the past couple of years and collecting you too!
Stay well. Best wishes.

]]> By: Raven Daegmorgan http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-115 Raven Daegmorgan Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:53:48 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-115 Greetings! I am overjoyed to have discovered (through Bruce Baugh) that you have a blog. The first book I checked out with my library card once I'd renewed it after a ridiculous number of years was "Platinum Pohl", and I loved every minute I spent reading it. Fannish gushing aside, have you considered trying to teach yourself to write with your left hand? It's bit of a crazy notion, but I haven't seen it suggested yet, and it is within the realm of possibility (on a lark in high school I taught myself to write with either hand; though the print from my left was never of any laudable quality, it was readable). I realize that won't solve the keyboarding problem (unless you happen to be able to grow a spare left hand or have one lying about), but it may perhaps help with the first draft issue. Greetings! I am overjoyed to have discovered (through Bruce Baugh) that you have a blog. The first book I checked out with my library card once I’d renewed it after a ridiculous number of years was “Platinum Pohl”, and I loved every minute I spent reading it.

Fannish gushing aside, have you considered trying to teach yourself to write with your left hand? It’s bit of a crazy notion, but I haven’t seen it suggested yet, and it is within the realm of possibility (on a lark in high school I taught myself to write with either hand; though the print from my left was never of any laudable quality, it was readable). I realize that won’t solve the keyboarding problem (unless you happen to be able to grow a spare left hand or have one lying about), but it may perhaps help with the first draft issue.

]]> By: Fathercrow http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/01/why-im-no-pen-pal/#comment-97 Fathercrow Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:18:40 +0000 http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/?p=94#comment-97 I hate Dragon. Its just not intuative enough. Writing for me was always a fluid thing, hand to pencil, pencil to paper. Its more natural for my thinking process to use my hands to express my thoughts. Then I became a quadriplegic and they gave me Dragon Dictate and I could not write a word. Now I write with a stylus strapped to my hand. Its not as high tech as talking to the computer, but then talking is not writing, at least not for me. So pluck away, friend, as best you can. I hate Dragon. Its just not intuative enough. Writing for me was always a fluid thing, hand to pencil, pencil to paper. Its more natural for my thinking process to use my hands to express my thoughts. Then I became a quadriplegic and they gave me Dragon Dictate and I could not write a word. Now I write with a stylus strapped to my hand. Its not as high tech as talking to the computer, but then talking is not writing, at least not for me. So pluck away, friend, as best you can.

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