Friday, April 16, 2010

I'll sue if you dont marry me...

I received an email from a friend, which debated my statement, "Before, cutting-edge technology and the writing industry were rarely seen hanging out."  We ended up discussing the inventions that have been derived from modern Publishing. The truth is, compared to other industries; publishing hasn't generated many advanced technologies.

So today, we'll look at the creator of the publishing industry: The Printing Press.

Circa 1440 AD, in Strasbourg, Germany, a crafty and often sued gentlemen named Johannes Gutenberg invented the mechanized printing press. There is little doubt, from a historical context, that this was the true beginning of the Publishing Industry. It also aided and began many other advancements of science and technology.

Mr. Gutenberg, who later published the Gutenberg Bible, redefined the way we produced written thought. Prior to his creativity, copying (without giving credit to author) was rampant, mistakes and mistranslations were widespread as everything was done by hand.

Ironically, three to four years before Mr. Gutenberg invented the printing press, he was sued by a woman named Ennelin. She took him to court, claiming he had promised her marriage. Great inventions that create a whole industry, and... men making promises they can't keep.

Some things never change do they? :)

~John Kurt.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The first, of many...

If a blogger posts something on the web, and there's no one there to read it... is it really a blog?...Hello?

Greetings and Salutations.

This is the first of many posts for a new blog where I and others will attempt to merge the world of writing (novels and short stories), the publishing industry, and the vast and complicated world of technology. 

Before, cutting-edge technology and the writing industry were rarely seen hanging out. But as you have most likely noticed, these worlds are colliding in a big way. Here, we will attempt to seek answers to the great mysteries of writing, publishing and new technology. How they all relate, how they will work together, and how they will conflict with one another.

I hope you enjoy.  Thank you for reading this first post.

~John Kurt.