Update amazon affiliate links for the last time hopefully...

org/_posts/2021-07-28-summer_books_2021.org

@@ -11,16 +11,16 @@ tags: books retro-computing
 
 Summer is a great time to read some books and releax! A lot of us have vacation time or similar where we can enjoy our time in the sun, or inside on a rainy day. So without further ado, today I will give you ideas for some fun books to read this summer!
 
-*NB! This article contains Amazon affiliate links, aka paid links.*
+*NB! This article contains Amazon affiliate links, aka paid links. This means I earn from qualified purchases.*
 
 
-** [[https://amzn.to/3ysvSUX][Hackers: Heroes of the computer revolution]]
+** [[https://amzn.to/45hXwCm][Hackers: Heroes of the computer revolution]]
 
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-<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Heroes-Computer-Revolution-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B003PDMKIY?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1665311982&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=themkat05-20&linkId=5560b8ae2ae756080050252b8c6c2907&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0"  class="blogfloatleftimg" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003PDMKIY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themkat05-20&language=en_US" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themkat05-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B003PDMKIY" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
+<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Heroes-Computer-Revolution-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B003PDMKIY?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1691244571&sr=8-1&linkCode=li3&tag=themkat0f-20&linkId=a98b4006f61a1f008cd9a9c0da64f4bd&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="blogfloatleftimg" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003PDMKIY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themkat0f-20&language=en_US" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themkat0f-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B003PDMKIY" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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-To me, this book is two things: A history book about the early pioneers in software, and a proof to enthusiasts/nerds that you are not alone. This book is about the entusiast who think using and playing with computers are an end-goal in itself. From the early hackers in the Railroad club at MIT (60s) to the game developers at Sierra On-Line in the 80s and 90s. Common to all of them is the love for technical details and the want to do technologically awesome things! Many famous and less famous people are mentioned throughout the book, Richard Stallman, Bill Gosper, Mark Zuckerburg (updated edition), Ken Williams to name a few! Expect model trains with a twist, Conways Game of Life, PDP-1s, home computeres, computer games, and more! Never feel alone as a rockstar programmer again!
+To me, this book is two things: A history book about the early pioneers in software, and a proof to enthusiasts/nerds that you are not alone. This book is about the entusiast who think using and playing with computers are an end-goal in itself. From the early hackers in the Railroad club at MIT (60s) to the game developers at Sierra On-Line in the 80s and 90s. Common to all of them is the love for technical details and the want to do technologically awesome things! Many famous and less famous people are mentioned throughout the book, Richard Stallman, Bill Gosper, Mark Zuckerburg (updated edition), Ken Williams to name a few! Expect model trains with a twist, Conways Game of Life, PDP-1s, home computers, computer games, and more! Never feel alone as a rockstar programmer again!
 
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@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ To me, this book is two things: A history book about the early pioneers in softw
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-** [[https://amzn.to/3fVMeze][Game Engine Black Book: Wolfenstein 3D]]
+** [[https://amzn.to/3OTPSJ3][Game Engine Black Book: Wolfenstein 3D]]
 
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-<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Game-Engine-Black-Book-Wolfenstein-ebook/dp/B0768B3PWV?crid=12KLUA8DCCWDC&keywords=wolfenstein+3d&qid=1665309560&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjE2IiwicXNhIjoiMi4zNyIsInFzcCI6IjEuMjQifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sprefix=wolfenstein+3%2Cdigital-text%2C140&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=themkat05-20&linkId=e50c673a820fb4bd9a876ca659f9afe8&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="blogfloatleftimg" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0768B3PWV&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themkat05-20&language=en_US" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themkat05-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0768B3PWV" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
+<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Game-Engine-Black-Book-Wolfenstein/dp/B0BMSKYV5R?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=Z9GlG&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=142-1744162-5144610&pd_rd_wg=s9pl7&pd_rd_r=f4de957d-6efd-4cf7-b615-441c7912dcc4&linkCode=li3&tag=themkat0f-20&linkId=b1e8faf6e52251464f38f1d1f4d68862&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="blogfloatleftimg" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BMSKYV5R&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themkat0f-20&language=en_US" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themkat0f-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BMSKYV5R" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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-Love older game engines? Or maybe you are just fascinated with the early days of 3D graphics? Maybe you just also have a crush on John Carmack (and his code off course!)? No matter the reason, as long as you are fascinated by technical details, I would really recommend reading this book. The old ray casting algorithm is fascinating, and the hurdles of MS DOS and early X86 is intersting to read about. If you are less intersted in the technical details, but LOVE to hear about the story of Id Software then [[https://amzn.to/3RLAQ6g][Masters of Doom]] is also an excellent read :)
+Love older game engines? Or maybe you are just fascinated with the early days of 3D graphics? Maybe you just also have a crush on John Carmack (and his code off course!)? No matter the reason, as long as you are fascinated by technical details, I would really recommend reading this book. The old ray casting algorithm is fascinating, and the hurdles of MS DOS and early X86 is intersting to read about. If you are less intersted in the technical details, but LOVE to hear about the story of Id Software then [[https://amzn.to/45aXpsF][Masters of Doom]] is also an excellent read :)
 
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-** [[https://amzn.to/3CKfstI][Spying on Whales]]
+** [[https://amzn.to/43VMfq6][Spying on Whales]]
 
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+<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spying-Whales-Present-Awesome-Creatures-ebook/dp/B076GPY9LT?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1691244847&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=themkat0f-20&linkId=7332303a8bfa13ecd7dfa3351b9469cb&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="blogfloatleftimg" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B076GPY9LT&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themkat0f-20&language=en_US" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themkat0f-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B076GPY9LT" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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 I'm not a marine-biologist, but have always been fascinated by the ocean. Whales have an almost majestic beauty, and also have a lot of mystery surrounding them. Did you know that the earliest whales were land-dwelling creatures who habited close to lakes? Or the true extents on whaling on the whale-population? Or that certain rorquals have a sensory organ in their chin to control how much their jaws are able to open? (probably to not rapture their pouches, as they are baleen whales). Marine biologist Nick Pyenson tells his stories of excevations, research and more. If you need some different books than tech and fiction, then I would whole-heartedly recommend this one!
@@ -65,4 +65,4 @@ I'm not a marine-biologist, but have always been fascinated by the ocean. Whales
 
 ** Bonus..?
 *Update 2022: Nevermoor and its sequels are amazing! Can't wait for book 4 in October! Well worth the read. The mystery of the wundersmith is unraveled more and more in unexpected ways throughout the series :)*
-Considering including a fiction book above, but decided to postpone that to a future article :) If you still really want one from me, then this will do... I'm currently listening to the audiobook of [[https://amzn.to/3ecNhud][Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend]]. It's a childrens fantasy book, but is still a fun listen! (Gemma Whelan is a great reader/performer!). It is about a cursed child called Morrigan Crow who finds herself caught up in an magical adventure! (don't want to spoil too much, this isn't a book review after all ;) ).
+Considering including a fiction book above, but decided to postpone that to a future article :) If you still really want one from me, then this will do... I'm currently listening to the audiobook of [[https://amzn.to/44VXvUO][Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend]]. It's a childrens fantasy book, but is still a fun listen! (Gemma Whelan is a great reader/performer!). It is about a cursed child called Morrigan Crow who finds herself caught up in an magical adventure! (don't want to spoil too much, this isn't a book review after all ;) ).

org/_posts/2021-09-22-essential_ayn_rand.org

@@ -26,9 +26,14 @@ Before I begin, I have to admit I dreaded writing about this for a long time. Wh
 
 Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let us continue. What are my criteria here. I've picked out 3 books I think is essential to get to know Ayn Rand's writings and her philosophy. Most of the books are fictional, but still have philosophical under-tones. I think this should be the beginning for exploring her works.
 
-(like Ayn Rand, I will use the term man to mean human. The headings are also Amazon affiliate links!)
 
-* 1. [[https://amzn.to/3fY9MUc][Atlas Shrugged]]
+(like Ayn Rand, I will use the term man to mean human.)
+
+
+*NOTE! I use Amazon Affiliate links in the headers below. This means I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.*
+
+
+* 1. [[https://amzn.to/3OMFVNu][Atlas Shrugged]]
 Who is John Galt? This is the essential question in all of the book. Often mentioned in times of despair, and for questions that people think it's meaningless to ask (because they are in a way impossible to answer). The book follows several characters in a near future where government creates more and more irrational rules and regulations, all posed as acts for the common good, but lobbied through by cronies (people who use government favors to gain special privileges). Dagny Taggart is our main heroine, and we see her fighting to keep her railroad company alive while all of the productive people around her slowly disappear. "What is wrong with the world?". Why ask useless questions? How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? Who is John Galt? 
 
 
@@ -41,7 +46,7 @@ Atlas Shrugged is probably the best book I've ever read, and it inspired me to w
 If you disagree with the books message, that is completely fine! You have your own conviction and I have mine. Let's respect each other in a polite tone without the character attacks we often see today. Even if I'm one of those "wacky libertarians" (other peoples words), I understand that someone who is on the other side also works for a world that they perceive to be the best one.
 
 
-* 2. [[https://amzn.to/3Mm4yOa][The Fountainhead]]
+* 2. [[https://amzn.to/3Qt5W5w][The Fountainhead]]
 Howard Roark is a young idealistic architect who has his own vision, but is forced to choose between it or adapting to what others think is great. At first glance, you may think he sounds like a lunatic, but that is not true. Indeed, he is a visionary. No one who has innovated has ever done what everybody else is already doing. This book deals with themes such as being true to your own ideals, reason, public perception and deception (through media), romantic love, and hate for people being different. We see Roark struggling through life as he unapologetically follow through on his own vision, trying to get the buildings he want to build into reality. He enjoys doing it immensely, and with great passion. From the book we have this exchange between him and the dean of the architect school he is expelled from:
 
 #+BEGIN_VERSE
@@ -68,14 +73,14 @@ Does that mean that this person is without feelings? No. A man of great passion
 
 
 
-* 3. [[https://amzn.to/3T4Vhfo][The Virtue of Selfishness]]
+* 3. [[https://amzn.to/45cFIs8][The Virtue of Selfishness]]
 The two previous books on this list were works of fiction, but this one is different. This book contains a collection of essays on Objectivist ethics. Why do I like this book so much? This book provides answer to a lot of questions relating to morality (i.e, the concept of ethical selfishness), and the introduction of capitalism as the only moral system (and why).
 
-This is NOT the book you should start with. I would first read the fiction books above, enjoy the spectacle and see if you are more curious to learn more about the philosophy. If you are, I would start with this book, then read [[https://amzn.to/3EtnBUP][Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal]], and then go to the rest of her books based upon your interest in the subjects. Whether it is the books about [[https://amzn.to/3VpvFMm][writing fiction]], [[https://amzn.to/3CJsQ1j][writing non fiction]], reading more about [[https://amzn.to/3SNUHTH][why we need philosophy]] (we as in everyone), her other fiction ([[https://amzn.to/3Vh1A1t][Anthem]] and [[https://amzn.to/3SOr2ts][We The Living]]) or something else. 
+This is NOT the book you should start with. I would first read the fiction books above, enjoy the spectacle and see if you are more curious to learn more about the philosophy. If you are, I would start with this book, then read [[https://amzn.to/3DJcXHL][Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal]], and then go to the rest of her books based upon your interest in the subjects. Whether it is the books about [[https://amzn.to/47hCZQ2][writing fiction]], [[https://amzn.to/3Og941W][writing non fiction]], reading more about [[https://amzn.to/3KRbxz9][why we need philosophy]] (we as in everyone), her other fiction ([[https://amzn.to/3DKwbwQ][Anthem]] and [[https://amzn.to/3Og98ic][We The Living]]) or something else. 
 
 
 * Final remarks
-Ayn Rand is both an interesting character, as well as having written great works. If you want to learn more about her as a person (she is far from perfect, but no one is!), then I suggest reading the biography called [[https://amzn.to/3VgmnC4][Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right]].
+Ayn Rand is both an interesting character, as well as having written great works. If you want to learn more about her as a person (she is far from perfect, but no one is!), then I suggest reading the biography called [[https://amzn.to/3Og9dm0][Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right]].
 
 
 Would you have picked any other books as a starting point for someone new to Ayn Rand? Love the books? Hate them? Feel free to share in the comments below :)