Disqus - Latest Comments for GlennFleishman

Re: Dig into iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 with My New (Beta) Book!

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 01:49:39 -0000

Unfortunately, we’re using a warehouse so they’re shipping directly, so the price is not easily obtainable. If you email me at glenn@glennf.com I’ll exploration more!

Re: Inky and Determined: In Praise of Writers Who Self-Publish

Glenn Fleishman — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 19:41:32 -0000

This is a lovely essay, and I appreciate that you bring in both the Woolfs and Whitman, who were go-getters in pursuit of their unique artist visions. I want to point out a small error in the first paragraph, however, from someone who started setting type by hands in the 1980s and have for decades erratically.

"Virginia had spent long hours setting the Caslon Foundry type into composing sticks, one line of text per stick, the letters in reverse, of course…" Type would be set into one stick, typically stacking a few lines at a time. As a stick filled and grew too heavy for the compositor, they would take it to a metal galley with a depth exactly the same as the stick, and slide the type over to the bottom of the growing column.

One of my favorite resources for 20th century typographic practices is Hand Composition by Hugo Jahn, available in a 1947 edition at the Internet Archive (linked). Pages 134 and 136 illustrate the standard composition stick practice.

I've been self-publishing my work for many years after a decent success as a computer book writer in the late 90s and early 2000s. In the way of the world, my 2024 book funded on Kickstarter, sold a nice number of copies, and while distribution was underway from the warehouse, a published acquired the rights from me (and my further involvement), and a version will hit the bookstores in 2025! It's very exciting to see how self-published success can now lead a good book back into bookstore distribution.

Re: The Best Compression Socks for Most People

Glenn Fleishman — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:23:49 -0000

I own about two dozen pairs of Sockwell, but they seem to have lost the thread (sorry) recently. Before Thanksgiving, I bought another three pair. The set that arrived had two with weaving problems: huge numbers of unsewn loops inside, making them uncomfortable to wear. I took photos, contacted the company, and then sent a request to warranty. I was told several days later they were running late on replies, and to expect a reply later. I have never heard back despite three or four follow-up emails over the last three months. Previously, whenever I had a problem, they would respond within a few days and arrange a replacement. (I had to replace socks about 1 in 10 pairs—sometimes they would just need to send a single replacement, sock, though, not a pair.)

Weeks after being ignored by warranty repairs, I received an automated requested to review my purchase. I did, giving it 1 star. The review, as it appeared on the site, also came with a reply by the company claiming loose threads are normal (they are; this was a severe weaving problem), and that anyway, I should contact warranty for a return (I did, mentioned in the review). So they not only haven't responded, they have also gaslit me. Wonderful.

Re: $5 Take Control Sale to Celebrate 20th Anniversary

Glenn Fleishman — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 12:14:56 -0000

Ha, ha, well, clearly I was checking to see if anyone read the post. Whoops! Fixed.

Re: High-Res Scans of Peanuts Flongs Now Available

Glenn Fleishman — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 22:43:49 -0000

Goodness! I’d love a picture.

Re: An Initial Look at Washington’s New Anti-SLAPP Statute

Glenn Fleishman — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:36:08 -0000

How do you think this language will play out on fees? I know people personally involved in two expensive cases in which the court ruled in their favor fairly thoroughly and awarded fees. But the court rejected the reasonable customary fees charged by the anti-SLAPP suits’ attorneys and awarded a fairly unreasonably small fraction. The costs were high because of the intensive litigation style engaged in by the parties that lost the anti-SLAPP suit—which makes me wonder if you can win an anti-SLAPP suit if your fees aren’t actually covered.

Re: Elon Musk Got Bored of Bitcoin

Glenn Fleishman — Thu, 13 May 2021 19:50:48 -0000

I would love to see you tackle Tether, which claims to be a stable coin and has assets that relate 1:1 in fungible, tangible value to the Tether it’s issued. Except, uh, https://amycastor.com/2021/...

Re: I Mailed an AirTag and Tracked Its Progress; Here’s What Happened

Glenn Fleishman — Wed, 12 May 2021 13:55:54 -0000

The UK and US allow button cell batteries to be shipped legally without a package being marked as long as they are in devices and with certain other limits. A single AirTag wouldn’t violate that rule:

https://www.gwp.co.uk/guide...
https://pe.usps.com/text/pu...

I was curious and looked up the rules! Larger batteries and larger quantities face other rules.

Re: I Mailed an AirTag and Tracked Its Progress; Here’s What Happened

Glenn Fleishman — Wed, 12 May 2021 12:17:38 -0000

Apple could really improve its explanations here. The difference is what thing is noticing a change:

* The moving with you alert comes from a relaying device. Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac maintains a list of Bluetooth IDs from Find My items and devices it's relaying. These IDs change rapidly (to avoid your own devices being trackable by a persistent ID), so if the relaying device is in motion and an AirTag's Bluetooth ID can be tracked over time with it, then you get that alert. I think there's a threshold of distance and time, which we haven't seen yet. (Imagine someone carrying a borrowed device in a bag with an AirTag on a train—would you get an alert about that? Maybe signal strength is figured in, too?)

* The AirTag has a timer that tracks how long it has been away from its owner. After three days, and only when it's moved after that, it does that beep.

From what I can tell, in no other circumstances will it make a sound: if it's not moving, say, or someone sticks an AirTag on you and you return near them every day…

Re: M1 Apple Silicon Book Teaches You All About It

Glenn Fleishman — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:07:18 -0000

Yes, for the same edition number. Take Control generally has a major release policy: if you buy version 1.x of a book, all 1.x updates are included. The publisher tends to only update the edition number when there’s a significant change that requires rewriting a good portion of the book. Even then, there’s a discounted update.

With the M-Series book, we expect to make updates across 2021 that will be included. I can’t imagine having a new edition of the book, a 2.0, until 2022. We might raise the price if the book expands substantially during 2021, but all 1.x buyers would still receive 1.x updates free.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 18:47:36 -0000

There are general guidelines, but as with fair use, they have to be interpreted and lawyers and courts may be involved in disputes, which can render it cost-prohibitive to defend against. Broadly, there are educational uses; narrowly, only some uses are generally seems as defensible with little or no effort. (See the University of California’s general guidelines.)

However, with the public domain, there is no question whatsoever about the use of the material. That means a teacher can photocopy entire chapters, distribute an ebook, make enlargements of photographs, whatever, with no concern about a legal or financial issue arising.

There's a long history of lawsuits related to photocopied coursework packets, for instance.

More generally, for academics, many publishers and literary estates are so jealous and litigious, that it is impossible to publish a work of analysis or criticism about a writer’s words that includes nearly any of them.

Re: Music, Poems, And Other Copyrighted Material To Enter Public Domain After A Two Decade Lull

Glenn Fleishman — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 12:54:35 -0000

FYI, I didn't have to time to dig into the difference between published work and recorded audio in the interview—though we got into a lot of depth on the published side—but the brief answer for those interested is that a law passed with broad bipartisan and industry support last fall reformed a complicated set of rights around "audio fixed in a medium": vinyl records, MP3s, CDs, wax cylinders, and the like. Before the Music Modernization Act passed, old audio was under one set of rules, which changes decades ago. But it left nearly all audio from Edison through the 1970s under copyright (a special "phonogram" right) until 2065.

The MMA changed that, and now all recorded audio first released in the U.S. in 1922 or earlier enters the public domain on Jan. 1, 2022. Audio from 1923 enters the public domain Jan. 1, 2024. After that, it's a routine annual event mostly lagging the entry of published work (books, art, plays, movies, and printed musical compositions) by five years. So in Jan. 1, 2024, everything first published in the U.S. in 1928 (including Steamboat Willie with Mickey Mouse) enters the public domain, and everything first released as audio in the U.S. in 1923 enters the public domain.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:36:53 -0000

That is not correct, sorry. Copyright in the U.S. is a fixed term, whether pre-1978 from the creation of a work (with proper niceties and notice) or 1978 and onward, from the death of the creator. The 20-year extension was an extension of term, not a renewal.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:36:01 -0000

The life-plus-50 rubric was extended by 20 years under the Sonny Bono copyright extension act.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:34:44 -0000

1. Fair use is a doctrine, not a right. Copyright holders have an absolute right to sue for any citation or use, and courts almost never find legitimate rights holders to be frivolous even in pursuing something that's ultimately found to be fair use—even if millions of dollars are spent to get that way. Fair use is effectively the result of either passive allowance (a rights holder doesn't sue) or a court decision. It's a problem that the US Copyright Office and many others have created proposals to help solve.

2. The Constitution states that the exclusive right is granted for "limited times." The 20-year delay in 1998 is part of the "finally" part here. The broad intention was to allow two generations’ worth of heirs to have the benefit of a creator’s output.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:32:01 -0000

The compulsory license doesn't require contacting rights holders.

Re: For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:31:41 -0000

Correct about the compulsory license. However, a song recorded and released in this fashion must adhere closely to the original melody (though it may involve a new arrangement) and words. Those who veer on covers too far can be shut down. And the compulsory part requires a regulatory set fee for each steam or unique copy.

With the public domain, that putative dubstep version is subject to no fee, oversight, prohibition, or license.

Re: The Passing of Roland Hoover, a Design Mentor

Glenn Fleishman — Sat, 17 Nov 2018 13:06:18 -0000

Oh! Thank you for catching that!

Re: The Best Hand Warmer

Glenn Fleishman — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 16:51:06 -0000

Some EnergyFlux models have been recalled (CPSC says 12,700 units). I purchased mine on the Wirecutter recommendation, so I'm posting here as a public service:

“In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Beanworthy LLC is voluntarily recalling about 12,683 Human Creations EnergyFlux and EnergyFlux Slim hand warmers. Because of possible battery defects, the hand warmers can overheat and pose a fire hazard. Beanworthy has received two reports of fire. No injuries have been reported.”

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recall...

This was issued in mid-March, but I only received an email via the company using some Amazon system to contact buyers yesterday (April 1).

Re: Blockbuster’s last stand: Inside one of the iconic video rental chain’s final U.S. stores

Glenn Fleishman — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 22:32:27 -0000

Two different Blockbuster late fee stories are conflated here. In 2002, they settled an inflated late fees suit for $450 million in coupons, most of which required additional purchases. Then they a few years later settled the no late fees investigation, but it only cost them millions in cash.

Re: London Kerning ebook now available!

Glenn Fleishman — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 22:22:09 -0000

The book is very illustration heavy and relies heavily on references to photographs, so I’m afraid as a regular MOBI, it wouldn’t work very well. I made sure not to promise a particular format, because of past experiences in which I've had to devote tens of hours to get a tweaked EPUB and MOBI that work.

However, I’ve been experimenting with a fixed-layout EPUB, and if I can get that work without investing a week, I should also be able to make a KF8 version that preserves layout.

The book layout is 4.5 by 7 inches, and I designed the narrow column both for what I thought would work as a wee print book, but also to be mobile friendly for reading.

Re: Three books: disease, a canal, and typesetting races

Glenn Fleishman — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 13:02:47 -0000

Ah ha ha, the autocorrect won. It should be afternotes, which I've now fixed above, but autocorrect really wants afternoons!

Re: Dash-dash it all! Apple’s bad beta decision on em and en dashes

Glenn Fleishman — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 13:43:55 -0000

I was writing the first portion with a bit of mock outrage, which I’m afraid I did poorly, as people thought it was real outrage. In reality, I see the use of varying lengths of dashes as a combination of design decision, periodical/publisher/personal style guide, and local language practices. I frankly love the en dash in most faces much more than the em dash, which strikes me as often horsier. (I was delighted to discover the three-em dash was a thing, though, and I’ll be writing an essay about my research on that in the future.)

However, the point I’d make in particular that I was serious about was a user-experience one: Apple changing expected behavior, based on standard American usage, in such a way that it was creating a change by fiat and breaking those expectations, rather than providing a rationale or an option.

I did study German for seven years, so I’m familiar with many German-language conventions. I particularly like the way in which phonemes are broken by hyphenation into different letters, if that’s still done—like “schmecken” into “schmek-” and “ken”? I still use a ß at times, and am reminded by contemporary speakers that it’s no longer a thing. I’ve also written extensively for a UK-based publication, so had to learn some of the slightly different rules it follows for punctuation and sentence forming.

Re: Is Seattle too expensive for its cooks? A quick look at a restaurant crisis

Glenn Fleishman — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 13:13:52 -0000

I don't want Seattle to become Aspen!

Re: Letterpress, in-app tracking, QR Codes, and more recent writing

Glenn Fleishman — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 20:57:22 -0000

2D laser cutting and letterpress is the most exciting frontier to me. I'm cutting some type on Tuesday, in fact!

And I worked for Kodak in 1991. We had a saying: "film will be a viable medium well into the future." That was true for at least several more years!