[hidden.platypus]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

It's not, because of only one thing: you do stuff the Apple way, or you don't do them. That's the only argument I need for not buying an Apple computer.

@Katsunami: Just so. As I said before, I want my computer to do precisely what I tell it even when I don't know what I'm talking about. At least then when I know better I only have one level of ignorance to surmount. I once tried to move an mp3 that belonged to me from my computer to a friend's iPhone. That was enough validation for me that in the PC v. Apple wars I'd not sided with the forces of darkness (or at least tyrannical ineptitude which in all honesty might actually be worse.)

Originally Posted by Katsunami

[Y]ou could read the Otori series, by Lian Hearn, starting with "Across the Nightingale Floor."

Thank you for that. I'll try to get myself a copy.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

If you are into fantasy a bit and don't shy away from novels categorized as Young Adult...

I have no problem with YA books. Anything written well tends to transcend genre. I have a serious issue with YA movies (oh how I hate that my daughter loves them--if I have to watch another Hunger/Divergent anything. . .and I will. . . oh I'm sure I will ) but I have issues with most of the garbage Hollywood puts out so that's not saying much. I don't mind the storylines, but why do they find it so difficult to make their stories at least internally consistent?

Spoiler:

Ok the greatest general (greatest military strategist, highly trained in hand to hand combat, tactics, planning, protracted campaigns, world colonization--has successfully led the charge to annex worlds, and just the other day proved he was sufficiently politically astute to successfully lead a coup and usurp the highest office in the land) comes to Earth, ostensibly to capture a combat neophyte; and he doesn't come alone comes with trusted members of his army; and just coming to Earth grants him super powers; and somehow fails to scout or recon? And the alien who has pledged to protect the people of his adopted planet fails to consult the all seeing/all knowing computer intelligence that personally, and professionally knew the general until after a half of the Earth's population has already been destroyed? Really?

However, I have no problem telling people that the Harry Potter series is one of the best orderly organized series of words written in the English language since apes began scratching scribbles into paper.

This from a person who lists A Prayer for Owen Meany and Of Human Bondage among my favorite books .

I like to tell the story that I was introduced to JK Rowling (after I'd turned up my nose at her for at least 4 years by that time) by one of the most intelligent people I've ever met in my life. A gentleman who happens to weigh just slightly south of 300 lbs and needs to duck each time he walks through a normal heighth doorway.

Harry Potter is wonderful he said, after you get past the first two books. The first two are a little juvenile he said. And he said it in a sort of guilty/bashful way, you know? But when a giant says things guiltily somehow he also communicates that you'd best keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you. It may be the towering over you thing. He also happened to be serving a triple life sentence at the time...well is still serving the sentence now to the best of my knowledge--each life sentence a consequence of each of his three "bodies" as he would put it.

Spoiler:

And when I say most intelligent person I ever knew: A) I'm certain that had he not wished to be incarcerated, he could very easily have avoided it (the only evidence at trial was his full confession volunteered when he turned up at the police station and advised them he had committed the murders. As an aside he only reluctantly went to trial because the DA sought public office and apparently believed that the best vehicle with which to announce his self-nominating candidacy was a very public, very loud, high profile death penalty trial--a bit of hubris the jury rewarded him for by rendering not-guilty verdicts on all the greater offences) 2) he taught himself to program in C++ and Visual Basic in prison without the aid of a computer--as in with pen and notebook. He later lobbied the prison system to allow inmates to attend computer classes, and persuaded them to install computers for that very purpose but that's another story.