Comments on: The Sounds of METAtropolis — Free For a Limited Time http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:24:53 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: B. H. Giza http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-148669 B. H. Giza Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:15:42 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-148669 Thanks for making the story free although I would be glad to pay for it if it wasn't DRM'd. Since it is, I guess most people will pick it up off the torrent sites after it is converted to MP3. It is a pity, since releasing it as a regular MP3 would increase readership and build the respect for paying for things. Sad that Audible is so misguided and is damaging the audiobook industry with its DRM. Hope to hear this book someday if it is ever on MP3. Best wishes, B. H. Giza Thanks for making the story free although I would be glad to pay for it if it wasn’t DRM’d. Since it is, I guess most people will pick it up off the torrent sites after it is converted to MP3. It is a pity, since releasing it as a regular MP3 would increase readership and build the respect for paying for things. Sad that Audible is so misguided and is damaging the audiobook industry with its DRM. Hope to hear this book someday if it is ever on MP3. Best wishes, B. H. Giza

]]> By: Chacha http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-139673 Chacha Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:16:28 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-139673 Thanks for the heads-up! It was very generous of Audible to offer it free. I happily downloaded it and just started the second story - great so far! BTW, I nearly walked straight into traffic when I finally realized that the very-familiar-sounding-narrator of the first story was "Colonel Tigh." I clearly missed at least some of the earlier posts on this topic (a quick search revealed "made of awesome" etc.), but I don't think you ever told how you managed to get three BSG actors to narrate these stories. There must be *something* interesting behind that - according to Audible, none of the three seem to make a regular living from audiobook narration - I'd love to hear how that came about. Thanks for the heads-up! It was very generous of Audible to offer it free. I happily downloaded it and just started the second story – great so far!

BTW, I nearly walked straight into traffic when I finally realized that the very-familiar-sounding-narrator of the first story was “Colonel Tigh.”

I clearly missed at least some of the earlier posts on this topic (a quick search revealed “made of awesome” etc.), but I don’t think you ever told how you managed to get three BSG actors to narrate these stories. There must be *something* interesting behind that – according to Audible, none of the three seem to make a regular living from audiobook narration – I’d love to hear how that came about.

]]> By: Jon http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-139496 Jon Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:08:34 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-139496 @Nick: I live in the UK but lied and I managed to buy it, maybe only certain IP blocks are known (or maybe it's a cookie thing)? @Nick: I live in the UK but lied and I managed to buy it, maybe only certain IP blocks are known (or maybe it’s a cookie thing)?

]]> By: Jon http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-139495 Jon Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:04:45 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-139495 Booted a windows machine, installed the downloadware and used IE after several false starts (another Linux user here). Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this is one of the reasons stealing stuff is so appealing: it's easy. Booted a windows machine, installed the downloadware and used IE after several false starts (another Linux user here). Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this is one of the reasons stealing stuff is so appealing: it’s easy.

]]> By: Nick http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-139444 Nick Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:36:29 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-139444 You can't download it in the UK. Even if you lie and say that you live in the US, you still get IP detected and sent to the UK site. Even if you actually live in the US, but Audible think your IP address is somewhere else (or you are in fact somewhere else on holiday), you can't download it. You can’t download it in the UK. Even if you lie and say that you live in the US, you still get IP detected and sent to the UK site. Even if you actually live in the US, but Audible think your IP address is somewhere else (or you are in fact somewhere else on holiday), you can’t download it.

]]> By: ruzkin http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-138992 ruzkin Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:09:24 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-138992 Worked like a breeze with iTunes, so I'm already listening. Thanks tons for alerting us to this, John. I haven't had something worthwhile on my iPod since I got rid of all 11 cd's of The Shining. Worked like a breeze with iTunes, so I’m already listening. Thanks tons for alerting us to this, John. I haven’t had something worthwhile on my iPod since I got rid of all 11 cd’s of The Shining.

]]> By: jrbooth http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-138974 jrbooth Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:54:12 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-138974 Re @37 - Thanks for the heads-up. Also, yeah, while I *did* managed to download it, the file itself is unplayable on this computer. Fortunately, I still keep a Windows machine around that's got iTunes on it, so if I'm reading the Audible instructions right (which isn't a given, I'll admit) I should be able to put the book on that computer and burn CDs from it. Re @37 – Thanks for the heads-up.

Also, yeah, while I *did* managed to download it, the file itself is unplayable on this computer. Fortunately, I still keep a Windows machine around that’s got iTunes on it, so if I’m reading the Audible instructions right (which isn’t a given, I’ll admit) I should be able to put the book on that computer and burn CDs from it.

]]> By: Irene Delse http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-138971 Irene Delse Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:33:21 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-138971 Couldn't download at first, and once I managed to download, I couldn't get it to play on my Linux system... Even after installing Audible Manager with Wine. *sigh* Obviously, Audible doesn't care for Linux users. Well, I don't care for Audible, now. Even for free, their product is too annoying to bother with. Sorry for the authors, but Audible is becoming as bad as Microsoft for corporate cluelessness. Couldn’t download at first, and once I managed to download, I couldn’t get it to play on my Linux system… Even after installing Audible Manager with Wine.

*sigh*

Obviously, Audible doesn’t care for Linux users. Well, I don’t care for Audible, now. Even for free, their product is too annoying to bother with.

Sorry for the authors, but Audible is becoming as bad as Microsoft for corporate cluelessness.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-138970 John Scalzi Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:32:08 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-138970 I don't recall any explicit sex, although there is adult language. I don’t recall any explicit sex, although there is adult language.

]]> By: jrbooth http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/04/02/the-sounds-of-metatropolis-free-for-a-limited-time/#comment-138958 jrbooth Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:46:30 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=6902#comment-138958 RE: Linux - FWIW, I had to call Audible for a little hint, but even as we speak, I'm downloading METAtropolis just fine onto my Ubuntu desktop. The timing of this offer is perfect: We're heading out of town this weekend, and with a 16-hour drive (which I'm not complaining about - I love road trips) ahead of me, I'm looking forward to hearing this. Which raises this question: I've got a 12-year-old daughter in the car (a sci-fi fan in her own right), and while she's likely to be asleep and/or deeply lost in her own CDs/books/DVDs/window-gazing, I don't want to get surprised by anything inappropriate while I'm listening - so, any particular warnings, or is this cool for her, too? RE: Linux – FWIW, I had to call Audible for a little hint, but even as we speak, I’m downloading METAtropolis just fine onto my Ubuntu desktop.

The timing of this offer is perfect: We’re heading out of town this weekend, and with a 16-hour drive (which I’m not complaining about – I love road trips) ahead of me, I’m looking forward to hearing this.

Which raises this question: I’ve got a 12-year-old daughter in the car (a sci-fi fan in her own right), and while she’s likely to be asleep and/or deeply lost in her own CDs/books/DVDs/window-gazing, I don’t want to get surprised by anything inappropriate while I’m listening – so, any particular warnings, or is this cool for her, too?

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