Opening a business

I have often said that I am not a merchant. I write Bespoke Codepoetry (custom scripting) I don't sell stuff. Often one will try to entice my services or lower my fee by entreating that I could resell thier project and make *. (where * can be "a mint" "lots of money" "a million linden dollars" etc.) When I suggest a license where THEY sell it, and give me a percentage, thier enthusiasm seems to diminish.

Well Then there was SteamSkyCity, and it got me to thinking about things steampunk. I always thought it would be nice to have a shoppe, and I started going through my inventory and trying to see what scripts I could put into steampunk inspired builds. I was inspired, and I got on the waiting list for SteamSkyCity, and started work. SteamSkyCity was delivered, and I opened my doors to ZenMondo's CodePoetry & Steamworks.

The Proud CodePoet in front of his shoppe

My first repackaging of a Script in a steampunk housing is the ZenMondo's Steam-Powered Clockwork Kinotoscope. The script is based on the TVs I scripted for Sun Microsystems, that you can see at thier pavilion. The Build is by the Talented Cornelia Rothschild, based on a sketch I gave her. She did a fantastic job realizing my vision. She wanted to do it first for trade for a script, but then she got what she needed elsewhere, and she would not think of charging me for the build! Well I showed her, I set up my vendor to pay her a comission with ever sale.

The SPCK is configurable by notecard and can hold 22 videos or streams. It sets up your media texture automaticaly. All controls are done with a menu you get simply by touching the SPCK.


The next invention to get the SteamPunk Treatment is ZenMondo's Clockwork Quizaphone. Again this is based on a script I was originaly hired by Sun Microsystems to write. They wanted a Java Quiz, and instead of hard-coding a quiz, I made a modular, configurable system. The upside is that I have a quiz system that is infinatly upgradable, able to conduct any quiz fed to it via notecard. I provide a small handful of quizzes to get one started as well as instructions on how to write your own. As more quizzes become available I will provide them in my shoppe free of charge. ALSO I will pay a L$100 bounty for any quiz submitted to be distributed with the Quizaphone.

The Build is by Professor Alfonso Avalanche. Based on a Wax Cylinder Gramaphone he had previously built, adding a microphone horn and a bell (which lead me to adding the ringing of a bell in the script!). The Professor also wanted to donate the build for free, but I convinced him to allow me to pay him a commission with every sale. (What is it with Caledonians and wanting to work for free?)


My third housing is an old script in a new steampunk housing. My "talking body part" attachment Becky's Heart has been transformed into a creation of brass and gears and is now Becky's Clockwork Heart. The original was a gift for my then Girlfreind, Becky Book. This was in my time B.C. (Before Caledon). Basicaly its a little menu driven emote system, letting ones "heart" speak for you. It also listens on a channel relaying what is said, allowing you to make the heart say whatever you want.

This build was made by the talented Drystan Knight (who also did all these signs). Becky as co-inventory gets a fifty percent comission, and Drystan gets a cut as well, and whats left over I keep.









This one doesn't need steampunk housing, as its an invisible product. You wear ZenMondo's No Touchy Parts, in lieu of the more intimate offerings by xcite et. al. If someone chooses to get fresh with you and click your person in a most untoward manner, they will be pushed away (in push enabled land) and a message, "No Touchy " will be said. Letting everyone know just what kind of cad they are.






Thats all the products I have downstairs. More will be on the way. I have a Cheshire cat in my shoppe, (invisible most of the time, but will appear for you if you come near) I am unsure if I will be selling him or not, I am letting him hang out in my shoppe to see if there is any interest, but I fear he is unnoticed by many. I need to make some kind of visible draw to bring people to that part of the shoppe I guess. More thought about it. I mean, why would anyone walk up to an apparantly empty crate?

So comes what I sell Upstairs.

Namely, Myself. Though the products seem fun and all, my real joy is writing Bespoke CodePoetry for people. Its my bread & butter. I always say the hardest part of programming is the ideas, and I am more than happy to bring other people's ideas to life. I have done small quick jobs, and jobs that have taken a month to realize, and everything in between. I am thinking the stuff I sell downstairs though good stuff, is really more of an advertisement for my scripting prowess. When it comes down to it, I am the real product.

So I am quickly running out of prims (I fear I have to get rid of my 23 prim winged leather chairs upstairs) but I hope to have more product in the upcoming weeks, including two "freebies" A Mailbox and a tip jar (steam-powered ofcourse), as well as my A-Life Goldfish, if I can find a good build to house them in (read lower prim).

I am not looking to become rich as a merchant, its just for fun, and a fun thing to do in a very fun space that is SteamSkyCity. If I make enough to cover rent I am happy, and even if I don't, I am content.