Summer 2019

Welcome to the 2019 Summer Playground Book Club!

Our Book(s)

This summer we read two books. The first is our people's choice winner from our earlier survey, True Names by Vernor Vinge. 

True Names and the Opening of the Cyberspace Frontier (TN) by Vernor Vinge (Edited by James Frenkel)

Cult of the Dead Cow (CDC) by Joseph Menn

and each week there we'll be additional material and fun!

Communications:

We will be doing discussion in two different places in the discussion forum of ISTE Games and SIms Network forum and also on the EDUCAUSE Games and Learning constituency listserv (GAMESANDLEARNING@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU). 

Before  Week 1 as an Intro, we'd suggest you start with

True Names: Pages 11 to 124 (Skim) 

These pages will provide you with background on the key technology underpinnings described in True Names. The collected pieces also talk about how True names written in the 1980s influences or touched on the technology developed in the following twenty years. The key here is to skim.

We'll get you to the immersive virtual reality story that is the headline in this book.

Cult of the Dead Cow : Chapters 1 through 3

Some Videos to get you started

The Singularity and schools: An interview with Vernor Vinge

DEF CON 9: Cult of the Dead Cow - Activism Panel

Extension for motivated learners - here were the other books that earned votes in case you might be interested in reading them later.

Accelerando by Charles Stross

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Donnerjack by Roger Zelanzy and Jane Lindskold

Rainbows End by Verner Vinge

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

Tea from an Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan

The Terminal Connection by Dan Needles

True Names by Verner Vinge

Winter (The Demi-Monde Saga #1) by Rod Rees