Re: Correction, I hope, of M/C URL

On Thu, 16 Mar 2000 15:53:26 -0600, Matt Pearson
<jmpearson@...> wrote:

>Conlanging, it seems to me, is part of a larger family of pastimes
>involving detailed created worlds.  You mention dollhouses and model
>railroading.  But even if one restricts one's attention to projects which
>exist solely 'on paper', there are a variety of other pursuits just
>as abstract, elaborate, and audienceless as conlanging.  For instance,
>I once met someone who spent all his free time designing luxury cruise
>ships.  His designs were meticulously drafted and technically informed,
>but he had no hope that any of them would ever be built--or even that
>his blueprints would ever be exhibited.  That wasn't the point.  What is
>the cultural and social significance of such projects?  How do they relate
>to other forms of creativity?
I guess this probably fits into the general category of simulations, which
relates to popular computer games like Sim City and Roller Coaster Tycoon.
Conlanging falls somewhere in between the model amusement park type of
active simulation and the construction of static models such as car kits or
ships in bottles. It also may have some elements in common with
collection-type hobbies, since conlangers often accumulate libraries of
reference material, but that's a less central aspect.

--
languages of Kolagia---> +---<http://www.io.com/~hmiller/languages.html>---
      Thryomanes        /"If all Printers were determin'd not to print any
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   moc.oi @ rellimh <-/  there would be very little printed." -Ben Franklin