Ahoy me mateys, it be too late to alter course...

Last night was the Pirate Rave in Carntaigh. It was a very fun time, but where words fail to describe, a fine kino will do fine



A wonderful time was had by all, and ofcourse Her Grace, Gabrielle Riel did a great job spinning the pirate inspired tunage.

A late night encounter and musings on the same

The other night, I was up late as insomnia hit me, and who comes to FreeFlow, but the Vicereine herself. She was going to reset Caledon On Sea, as something was amiss, the texture cache I think.
Her Excelency, Her Lyonesse, Kamilah is so so nice. We actually sat and chatted for 40 minutes. It was probably wrong of me to keep her from her rounds, but I can't help myself. I do like to chat -- and charm. Yes, I am shameless I flirted with the Vicereine. One of these days, flirting with my betters is going to get me in trouble.

It was also the first time I flirted with a furry. I love that about Caledon, that everyone is accepted as who they are. Whether we be furry, or human, or neko or even mechanical, fey or other, we are still all Caledonians. Being in Caledon has really taught me that its not one's appearance but one's soul is that which shines through. I guess that can be a lesson in Second Life in general, but being in Caledon made it easier for me to learn. In Caledon we had a shared culture, something in common linking us, making any differences, well, trivial.

I think most people here are sincere in thier presentations of themselves. Our avatars capture us, some more than others, but we all get to live some form of idealized us. I beleive even those playing a "role" are actually just shining the light on a paticular facet of their true gem of personality. How someone presents in Second Life is good enough for me, regardless of what sits on the other side of the screen, the soul still shines through.

Social Happenings for the CodePoet

This friday past, was the Tournament for Life in Loch Avie. There were many events leading up to the Tournament, but I didn't seem to get past the kissing booth. I was quite surprised at my first kiss, as a lady said "I will pay L$200 to kiss Mr. Wormser!" I was not scheduled to work the booth, but it was for charity, so I straightened my posture, and agreed to the lady's request and bravely marched to the pose ball.

I also spent L$600 on kisses, going three rounds. Oh the sacrifices I am known to make for RFL Charities! Though my contribution wanes in comparison to the the L$40,000 kiss purchased by Mr. JJ Drinkwater! Even puts my bid at the renaisance rave for the Duchess Sandwich to shame. Three Cheers for Mr. Drinkwater!

The tournament itself was very interesting, the first cross-cultural event between Caledon & Gor. Caledon was represented by Mr. Hostpur O'Toole and much cheering was given him, alas, he did not win. Though the conditions of Lag and such it was a wonder anyone could fight at all!

-=[The Next Day]=-

The Next Day was the final ball of the Spring Season, and the second use of the Dance Card System. This was version 2.0 of the Dance Card as, 2.5 was not ready yet, but could have been useful. I am sure I will have some more suggestions for the Dance Card, and version 3 will be in making in the next few weeks.

Speaking of the Dance Cards I'd like to say publicly that I could not have done it without the assistance and guidance of Miss Virrginia Tombola. She is the one that taught me what Dance Cards were, and was there to bounce Ideas off of how to implement a system in Caledon. She also provided the texture we have been using on the Dance Card.

I probably would have said more at the dance, but the night before I forgot to sleep. Meanwhile in the real world, my user was shaking from exhaustion.

The dance itself was very pleasant, I danced with a total of 9 Ladies having missed the first dance due to lag and my partner crashing. I danced with some new ladies as well as some familiar partners. Sir Red Caliber did a fantastic job in his debut of DJing the event.

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.

How the National Anthem Contest Came to be

Mr. JJ Drinkwater requested this essay of me for inclusion with the Archives relating to the National Anthem Contest.

-=[How the National Anthem Contest Came to be]=-
By Sir ZenMondo Wormser, ORR

Sometimes I feel I will always see myself as a recent arrival to Caledon. I had accquired my estate in Caledon on Sea some months previous, and I decided that I wanted to be more active in Caledonian society -- I wanted to contribute.

I began to make known my intentions to those who seemed active in the community, and before long Her Grace of Loch Avie formed the Caledon Boosters.

I soon found myself providing CodePoetry for a variety of functions, I was contributing, and my love for my nation only grew.

As a patriotic fervor swept over me, I remembered that when Mr. Desmond Shang welcomed me to Caledon, I got a folder of things, and one of these things was a flag. I decided to plant it prominantly on my estate.

I planted the flag, and the love for my nation welled up inside of me, I wanted to sing -- only to realize that I had no words with which to express my patriotic pride.

At the next Caledon Booster Meeting I proposed that we would hold a contest to write and select a National Anthem. My proposal was met with much enthusiasm.

So I got to work, drafting the rules, and creating the Mechanisms to run the contest, both to collect submissions, and finally to vote.

I was proud to serve my nation in this small way facilitating not only the creation of our National Anthem, but of a Civic Anthem as well.

-- Sir ZenMondo Wormser, ORR

Reconciliation Ball, and dastardly rumors

Note: I am raiding my 1st life Livejournal for content, this is one of those entries. ~ZMW

Last weekend there was a Reconcilliation Ball between Caledon and Neualtenburg, which was interrupted with dramatic effect.

See Exhibit A:






(You can spot me about 4 times. I am the handsome avatar with a blue ponytail wearing a kilt)

The Villian of the peice on Mr. Hotspur O'Toole has implicated me in the shenanigans. To quote from an Intercepted Dispatch:


Had a few words with the Duchesses-- they were threatening dire consequences to your humble servant. At this point I had to execute the malicious code worm for Carntaigh or that would have been the end of things right then and there. Again, as predicted, the code bomb did exactly as Agent Wurmser predicted. Estate controls crashed within seconds. Well worth the money you invested in the Code Poet's skills, sir!


Along with this spreading capricious rumors that I had a dealing with the bad guys, and they BOUGHT my services. So I have been forced to file the following affidavit:

In a recently intercepted dispatch from the Traitor O'Toole over the events
at the reconcilliation ball, to my horror I have found myself implicated in 
a part of what happened that night.

To quote from the dispatch:

"Had a few words with the Duchesses-- they were threatening dire 
consequences to your humble servant. At this point I had to execute the 
malicious code worm for Carntaigh or that would have been the end of things 
right then and there. Again, as predicted, the code bomb did exactly as 
Agent Wurmser predicted. Estate controls crashed within seconds. Well worth 
the money you invested in the Code Poet's skills, sir!"


First I must protest that I am not an member of any Agency, as O'Toole 
doesn't even know how to spell my name correctly.  But I must admit, with a 
heavy heart that the codebomb is indeed my work.


I was approached by Col. O'Toole then in good standing with the Caledon 
Militia, and a state of war existing between Caledon and Neualtenburg, with 
no news of reconciliation on the horizon.  The code bomb was to be used as a
 weapon against Neualtenburg, and I was assured to be used only in the 
direst of circumstances.


That it was used against Her Graces of Carntaigh and Loch Avie has caused me
 to lose much sleep, seeing my creation used against those I am well known 
to serve wholeheartedly. 


As to the second accusation against my good name, I took no money in the 
creation of this weapon.  As I had thought I was serving my nation as a 
patriot, I donated the code, as I do all Code Poetry for free.  I did not 
profit this in any way.  Those of you who have used my services for the 
betterment of Caledon know this about me.


As a pennance (though I fear it may be too late) I am trying to construct a 
codeshelter that will will make future uses of the codebomb inefficient.   
It may be an impossible task, because of the fine craftsmanship of the 
original codebomb but I will at least put my sleepless nights to some use.


Signed,


Colour Sgt. ZenMondo Wormser, CodePoet.

Hopefully these rumors will soon be put to rest.

About CodePoetry

-=[ About Code Poetry ]=-

A tenet of the Hacker Ethic is, "You can create art and beauty on a computer." This is abundantly clear in Second Life, but not so much when I was learning to program on very limited resources. The first computer I programmed on (at age 6!) was an Apple II+ with 48Kb of RAM, and a processor running at 1 Mhz. Even in High School, we were still in the land of 640k of RAM on PCs. It's true that even then you could create art and beauty on a computer, that others could appreciate, but the real art, the real beauty, could be the underlying code -- the CodePoetry.

Creating CodePoetry, is not simply programming, it is programming in a certain mindset, focusing on elegance, efficiency, and ingenuity. It is programming as an artistic pursuit, not as a technical science.

Though the writing of CodePoetry is an artistic pursuit, it is by no means extravagant or sloppy. It is based on certain rules (as all programs are) so the foundation must be extreme technical skill, once mastering the rules, one can learn to bend them, but never to the point of breaking (for if you break a rule, your program won't compile!).

I see writing CodePoetry as akin to playing improvisational jazz, or the architecture of someone like Frank Lloyd Wright, with a strong foundation of technical skill, going in an unexpected direction, and ariving at beauty.

If you chose to hire me for your project, you are not just hiring another scripter, I will approach your assignment with an artist's eye, and a poet's soul, and deliver you a thing of beauty.

All my scripts come with lifetime technical support, and I am not done until you are satisfied!

-- ZenMondo Wormser