Crowdfunding for history book

Jason Howe jason at smbfc.net
Wed Feb 11 11:20:47 CST 2015


On 02/11/2015 08:42 AM, Kelly Leavitt wrote:
>> Your experience compared to the Real Guys on this list (of which I don't qualify to rank as either)
>> barely qualifies you as anything, much less a "talking head" for vintage computing.  You're a talking
>> head for MARCH.  That's it.
> Knowing history and how to write about it does not mean you have created it or even experienced it.  Many of the "Real Guys" I have dealt with on and off this list are egoists that need regular stroking. Who better to write about your history than someone that knows how to research.
>
> Kelly
Right with you there Kelly.   I'm not sure what makes Evan any less 
unqualified to write a book about any particular subject than any one 
else.   Being a professional tech journalist who runs a successful retro 
computing club, probably makes him more qualified than most.  Certainly 
more qualified than folks like me who's publishing prowess is limited to 
spouting off on internet mailing lists.

A college history professor had a great quote, which I'm about to 
butcher, which relates:
"Every historian suffers from one of two fundamental detriments.  He 
either experienced the events of which he writes, or he did not." 
Countless books are written every year about events of which the author 
has had no hand in creating.  As long as the text is well researched and 
documented, it's as valid a source as any other.


--Jason




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