Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

  1. #1
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    The sunny South Coast
    Posts
    272
    Rep Power
    9

    Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Just found out that Arthur C. Clarke has died aged 90.
    He was a giant of the golden age of science-fiction, and I read his work avidly when I was young.
    He was still co-writing sf (with Stephen Baxter) until very recently.

  2. #2
    Commercial Operator Nigel Toast's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Cambridge
    Posts
    66
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Andy View Post
    Just found out that Arthur C. Clarke has died aged 90.
    He was a giant of the golden age of science-fiction, and I read his work avidly when I was young.
    He was still co-writing sf (with Stephen Baxter) until very recently.
    He lived in Sri Lanka, didn't he? Was he still there when he died?

  3. #3
    Commercial Operator StokeBloke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Stoke-on-Trent
    Posts
    2,366
    Rep Power
    10

    Cool Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Sad loss

    He wrote about orbital satellites years before the first one was launched, such was his vision and technical knowledge.

  4. #4
    Registered User Trousers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Posts
    1,349
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    Sad loss

    He wrote about orbital satellites years before the first one was launched, such was his vision and technical knowledge.
    He actually patented the Geostationary Orbit, made him a few bob.

  5. #5
    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    SE London
    Posts
    4,204
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Quote Originally Posted by Nigel Toast View Post
    He lived in Sri Lanka, didn't he? Was he still there when he died?
    Yes he was. From the BBC. Very sad, loved his books when I was younger.

  6. #6
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    The sunny South Coast
    Posts
    272
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    He actually patented the Geostationary Orbit, made him a few bob.
    I don't think he did. I've read that he wished he had patented the idea of communication satellites in Geostationary orbit in order to rake in millions, but there were others who'd also suggested similar ideas, around the same time, so patenting the idea wasn't possible.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Southampton
    Posts
    6,709
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Arthur C.Clarke R.I.P

    You can't patent ideas. You can only patent the practical application of an idea.

    Otherwise any fool can walk into a patent office with 10,000 completely barking ideas and just wait for some genius to invent a practical application for one of them and have to pay a humungous licence fee.

    "I have this idea for a computer display screen which you can roll up like a blueprint and stick in your pocket." "Wow, how's that work then?" "No idea, but it ought to make me a few bob when someone figures it out."

    Clarke was a great s-f thinker but not really a great writer. Bit like Heinlein - you read their stuff to boggle your mind as much as anything.

    Rendezvous with Rama was brilliant; but I've always thought he should have resisted the request to write a sequel. Let alone two.

    Compare Gateway by Frederik Pohl, which touched on similar themes but also had a more-than-ordinary story about people and relationships which was integral to the novel.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Armstrong R.I.P.
    By CJ in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 2nd-May-2007, 01:39 PM
  2. George Best R.I.P.
    By Will in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 29th-November-2005, 09:34 AM
  3. Replies: 24
    Last Post: 19th-May-2005, 06:09 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •