How many of my friends recognize this

[drwex]

"The sky was the color of a television tuned to a dead channel. "

Without looking it up, do you recognize the quote?

Posted via LjBeetle

Comments

[rigel.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure I do. (Not sure if you want this spoilered for others, though.)

[marius23.livejournal.com]

I recognize the quote--it's from some science fiction novel--but I don't recall exactly which one. Without googling or looking at the other comment I'm going to guess first "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and second "Snowcrash", though that seems so obvious as to be wrong.

I will also note that it's one of those metaphors the current generation probably doesn't get.

ETA: might also be "Neuromancer". I should go find out so I can get on with my life....

[scherzoid.livejournal.com]

William Gibson, I think? Opening line to either Burning Chrome or Neuromancer, if memory serves.

[mangosteen]

Gibson, Neuromancer.

[rigel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that. XD

[drwex]

You two were among the group I figured would be most likely to know it.

[marius23.livejournal.com]

Ha, the original has mutated in the re-telling. The correct quote is "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

[drwex]

Yeah I knew I didn't have it precise at the time I posted.

[sariel-t.livejournal.com]

Neuuuuuuuuuuuuromancer. Hells yes.

[drwex]

Ha. OK, so it's not purely an age thing.

[dcltdw]

Yup.

There's a witty joke in here about a fictitious title authored by Abrahan Lincoln, but I want food, so I won't work on the joke. :)

[sunstealer.livejournal.com]

heck yeah.

[mrw42.livejournal.com]

Yes, I remembered it...

Oddly, the "dead" channels on my TV are now blue, which changes the meaning quite a bit. :-)

[drwex]

That seems to be a common experience.

[mizarchivist]

I was going to guess Snowcrash. I've never read Neuromancer, so I'd not have gotten it anyway.

[drwex]

I continue to be surprised which of my friends have and have not read it.

[mizarchivist]

Despite what people assume, I have never really been that into the old school scifi. Or really much of any scifi. Inevitably (and sadly cliche?) I gravitate more towards the fantasy.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Of course Neuromancer - but then also Neverwhere, at which point dead channels were blue.

[dr-memory.livejournal.com]

Not only do I recognize it, but I found myself considering a while ago that in the aftermath of the NTSC to ATSC transition, it's now part of the Gernsback Continuum: a future that belongs only to the past. These days, a dead channel is solid blue. :)

(Although hilariously, some crafty embedded systems programmers seem to be trying to keep it alive.)

[drwex]

Yes, exactly. I'll post a follow-up shortly.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

Sure. Then it talks about the East German dental work on the bartender, iirc. Of course, now there's no East Germany, and a sky that's the "color of a television tuned to a dead channel" would be bright cheerful blue rather than grey with static.

ETA: heh, I posted before reading other comments and I notice the change in what a 'dead television channel' is a popular thing to note.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

What made you decide to ask people this?

[drwex]

See next post.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

OH GAWD I know I know it, it's totally ringing a familiar bell, but I can't place it just now. This is going to DRIVE ME NUTS. It's something I heard recently too...

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

It was originally from the novel with the initial "N", by "WG". I believe Gaiman has used it too, but to mean "blue" instead of "static-y gray".

[drwex]

Indeed. I counted you among those who would get it.

[heinleinfan.livejournal.com]

I recognized it, but couldn't name it without looking it up.

Are there 'dead channels' anymore on TVs?

[drwex]

See above.

[lsl.livejournal.com]

yes!