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« the one that I couldn't come up with a good title for (one in a series) | Main | his black shirt cries while his shoes get cold »
August 30, 2005
MAKE cool stuff with MAKE
So they really blew it with Just A Geek, and I won't work with them again . . . but O'Reilly still publishes some incredibly cool stuff, like MAKE magazine, which has a supermegaawesome blog that I read in Bloglines.
A lot of the stuff that MAKE talks about is over my head (making my own crystal radio from scratch is cool in theory, but I'll take that time and play Destroy All Humans, thank you very much) but occasionally something comes up that I absolutely love and can't wait to do on my own . . . like the errupting volcano cake!
MAKE is fun to read, even if you're never going to make (har.) any of the stuff they demonstrate, because on the same day that they link to the volcano cake, they show us how to use old 5" floppy discs as ultra-cool CD covers, and build a Lego computer.
Check it out, and if you like the blog, pick up the print version — it's a nice companion to 2600.
The cake sounds fun but can you eat it?....I have made some cakes before but nothing that blows its top....
Posted by: Daryl![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wilwheaton.net/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 30, 2005 11:28 AM
Wil... next time you get the "sigh/roll eyes", just say, "Hey... wanna make a volcano?"
Watch that aloof, teenage sneer melt into...
... \m/
You're lucky to have geekiness on your side. It's an excellent weapon against the unapproachable coolness of teenagers.
Game on.
Posted by: AJ at August 30, 2005 11:41 AM
Thanks for this find Wil. Right up my alley.
The MAKE Magazine RSS feed is excelent too.
Posted by: PhilMPU at August 30, 2005 11:47 AM
You've mentioned before that O'Reilly messed up with JAG but I'm not sure I ever saw a posting outlining what went wrong. I'm curious. Care to expand (or post a link to an existing expansion)?
Posted by: bpb at August 30, 2005 11:55 AM
Hey, so how did O'Reilly blow it with Just A Geek? I didn't realize they'd done something. I probably just missed the post about it, so if you want to just point me back to it, that's fine, I'd still appreciate it.
Posted by: Quix at August 30, 2005 11:55 AM
Thanks for the blog link! I've been sick the past few days with no voice (no point in going to work when you work at a call center with no voice!)... some of these ideas look super fun! My afternoon may be spent a little bit more productively today :)
Posted by: Amber J at August 30, 2005 12:09 PM
Hey Wil, I too think i missed what O'Reilly did.
Does anyone have a link to the old post?
Oh, and i think you should totally start Audio and Photo blogging more!
I listen to your podcasts on my *long* bus trip into the city and back every day and it makes the ride a hell of alot faster, and more fun. I do get weird looks when i laugh out loud though...
at August 30, 2005 12:22 PM
The cake is COOL. Though I don't know why you need a bundt pan to make it. If you stack small cubes of chocolate sheetcake around the glass you should be able to build up a good mountain! This would enhance the rocky effect. Then you use the melty frosting stuff and pour it all down the outside.
Hey, does "Make" need a domestic goddess to consult? Because I'm game.
Posted by: Becky at August 30, 2005 12:31 PM
Looks like a very interesting magazine. I did find a promo code M5ZXML. If this is used you get 5 issues instead of 4.
Posted by: Gary F. at August 30, 2005 12:39 PM
If I'm not mistakened, I think the O'Reilly mess had something to do with the fact that they tried to market Just A Geek as a Star Trek book, even though it had little-to-nothing to do with the show. Don't remember which post it was, but I remember reading something to that effect. Am I right?
Posted by: ing at August 30, 2005 01:14 PM
I have been reading hte MAKE blog for a few months now and I agree - it's great. Another related one is http://hackaday.com - good stuff.
Brian
http://myvogonpoetry.com
at August 30, 2005 01:27 PM
how did they blow it with Just A Geek? bad distribution? i had to order mine from amazon after not being able to find it anywhere in Houston.
Posted by: jared at August 30, 2005 03:58 PM
I happened upon an excerpt of the slashdot interview where Wil talks about JAG and O'Reilly. Check out
http://www.zhangzhung.net/blog/2005/06/wil_wheaton_on_creating.html
Probably a good article (well, excerpt) to read in general.
Posted by: Dr. Alarmo at August 30, 2005 04:26 PM
Destroy all Humans is kewel!
I couldn't get enuff of it till I finished it. Lost a lot of sleep on that one.
at August 30, 2005 04:48 PM
Cool! I want to make that cake! Excellent!
Pooh on O'Reilly... I'm sorry you went through that. But it brought you back to your own publishing house, and isn't that 10000000 times cooler, and even more satisfying?
Posted by: Jeannette311 at August 30, 2005 05:53 PM
Here's MY question: How many copies did DB sell over, say, 6 months? And JAG? Now, how much $ did you make per book for DB? JAG? And how much time did you put into promoting (and shipping) DB? JAG?
Once you've done that math, you can know if they're really right to work with. Or someone else.
And, no, of course, I don't expect a public answer. None of our business. I'd just be interested in finding out if DB was more profitable per copy, assuming a reasonable wage ($15/hr?) for shipping and whatnot that you had to do for that.
Posted by: Gandalfe at August 30, 2005 09:45 PM
OK...this is officially cool. I have 5 sons,ages 10-3 years old, so the idea of a volcano cake both excites...and scares the crap outta me. But still cool. Nice site. L8r g8r!
Posted by: Jaded_Gemini_Star at August 31, 2005 09:59 AM
Volcano cake? Yes please! My birthday is the 18th and this cake is definitely on the agenda.
Posted by: nilblogette at September 1, 2005 03:50 PM
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