Gharlane of Eddore (Pen-name)
Encyclopedia
David G. Potter was a computer technician at California State University, Sacramento
who was widely known for acerbic, scathingly humorous and knowledgeable postings to Usenet
science fiction newsgroups. He assumed the name of Gharlane of Eddore
as a Usenet
pseudonym
for Usenet postings and carefully guarded his true identity for many years before his death. He is best known for authoring the Lensman
FAQ and voluminous Usenet postings. He "passed into the next plane of existence", as E. E. Smith
wrote of many of his characters, on June 13, 2001 following a heart attack.
said "no one will doubt that he was not backward in coming forward, the fact remains that he was a witty, well-read, traveled and caring man. In short, a good human being." David Langford
wrote in Ansible that he was a "knowledgeable and opinionated... fan who posted copiously on Usenet as Gharlane of Eddore."
He is known to have posted as Gharlane from gharlane@nextnet.csus.edu and gharlane@ccshp1.ccs.csus.edu. Up until 1992 he often posted as "potter@csusac.ecs.csus.edu (Carl Kolchak
)". Gharlane made his first appearance Sep 25 1992 in a posting to rec.arts.sf.written about the movie Sneakers
. On May 7, 1993 he announced his Lensman FAQ in rec.arts.sf.written.
His pseudonyms in print publications included E. K. Grant and Gordon F. Shumway.
Fantasy author Tom Holt
has dedicated two books to him. Alexander at the World's End (1999) is dedicated to "Gharlane My Imaginary Friend." Falling Sideways (2002) is dedicated "In memory of David Grant Potter (1947-2001) --And thanks for all the fish."
In 2001, after Gharlane's death, Holt wrote: "A request for information usually produced an immediate and definitive answer. As for his opinions, he fired them like cannon-shells; they were incendiary, capable of piercing the toughest armor, and they scattered their shrapnel right across the group, often starting flames that would flicker on for weeks after the original salvo. A point-blank broadside from the Eddorian was devastating. Return fire seemed to glance harmlessly off him, or else it overshot the mark and sailed harmlessly into the distance. [...] he lives on in the minds he opened, the people who came to fight and stayed to debate, listen and learn. Correspondences that started with anger and outrage from some victim of Eddorian grapeshot mellowed into long, fruitful correspondence. Hundreds of people swapped mails with him, part of a network of friendship that reached right across the world. The centre of that network is silent now, we can no longer draw from it the information, wisdom and joy we've become accustomed to. But Gharlane survives in each member of that network as a perspective, a way of seeing things, an ability to notice things of value that previously were overlooked or not recognised for what they are. We are no longer one, but at least we're many."
in English Literature
and Mathematics
from Immaculate Heart College
of Los Angeles
; and another in Linguistics
from the State University of New York
in Buffalo, New York
; and a degree in
Electrical
and Electronic Engineering
from California State University, Sacramento. Potter continued to take graduate courses until his death.
Potter was employed by CSU Sacramento as a computer technician for many years prior to his death. Upon his death he was reportedly still driving the 1966 Volkswagen
he got for his high school graduation.
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento, popularly known as Sacramento State, is a public university located in the city of Sacramento, California. It is part of the California State University system...
who was widely known for acerbic, scathingly humorous and knowledgeable postings to Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
science fiction newsgroups. He assumed the name of Gharlane of Eddore
Gharlane of Eddore (Fictional alien)
Gharlane of Eddore was a character in Doc Smith's Lensman novels, Master Number Two of the Innermost Circle of the All-Highest of Eddore. Gharlane was the Eddorian responsible for inhibiting/halting the Arisian-directed progress on the planets Sol III, Velantia III, Rigel IV, and Palain VII...
as a Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
for Usenet postings and carefully guarded his true identity for many years before his death. He is best known for authoring the Lensman
Lensman
The Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by Edward Elmer "Doc" Smith. It was a runner-up for the Hugo award for best All-Time Series ....
FAQ and voluminous Usenet postings. He "passed into the next plane of existence", as E. E. Smith
E. E. Smith
Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others...
wrote of many of his characters, on June 13, 2001 following a heart attack.
Reputation
The RegisterThe Register
The Register is a British technology news and opinion website. It was founded by John Lettice, Mike Magee and Ross Alderson in 1994 as a newsletter called "Chip Connection", initially as an email service...
said "no one will doubt that he was not backward in coming forward, the fact remains that he was a witty, well-read, traveled and caring man. In short, a good human being." David Langford
David Langford
David Rowland Langford is a British author, editor and critic, largely active within the science fiction field. He publishes the science fiction fanzine and newsletter Ansible.-Personal background:...
wrote in Ansible that he was a "knowledgeable and opinionated... fan who posted copiously on Usenet as Gharlane of Eddore."
He is known to have posted as Gharlane from gharlane@nextnet.csus.edu and gharlane@ccshp1.ccs.csus.edu. Up until 1992 he often posted as "potter@csusac.ecs.csus.edu (Carl Kolchak
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974-1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter — Carl Kolchak, played by Darren McGavin — who investigates mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly ones law...
)". Gharlane made his first appearance Sep 25 1992 in a posting to rec.arts.sf.written about the movie Sneakers
Sneakers (film)
Sneakers is a 1992 caper film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, written by Robinson, Walter F. Parkes, and Lawrence Lasker and starring Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier and David Strathairn...
. On May 7, 1993 he announced his Lensman FAQ in rec.arts.sf.written.
His pseudonyms in print publications included E. K. Grant and Gordon F. Shumway.
Fantasy author Tom Holt
Tom Holt
Tom Holt is a British novelist.He was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel Holt, and was educated at Westminster School, Wadham College, Oxford, and The College of Law, London....
has dedicated two books to him. Alexander at the World's End (1999) is dedicated to "Gharlane My Imaginary Friend." Falling Sideways (2002) is dedicated "In memory of David Grant Potter (1947-2001) --And thanks for all the fish."
In 2001, after Gharlane's death, Holt wrote: "A request for information usually produced an immediate and definitive answer. As for his opinions, he fired them like cannon-shells; they were incendiary, capable of piercing the toughest armor, and they scattered their shrapnel right across the group, often starting flames that would flicker on for weeks after the original salvo. A point-blank broadside from the Eddorian was devastating. Return fire seemed to glance harmlessly off him, or else it overshot the mark and sailed harmlessly into the distance. [...] he lives on in the minds he opened, the people who came to fight and stayed to debate, listen and learn. Correspondences that started with anger and outrage from some victim of Eddorian grapeshot mellowed into long, fruitful correspondence. Hundreds of people swapped mails with him, part of a network of friendship that reached right across the world. The centre of that network is silent now, we can no longer draw from it the information, wisdom and joy we've become accustomed to. But Gharlane survives in each member of that network as a perspective, a way of seeing things, an ability to notice things of value that previously were overlooked or not recognised for what they are. We are no longer one, but at least we're many."
Personal life
Potter earned a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
from Immaculate Heart College
Immaculate Heart College
Immaculate Heart College was a private, Catholic college located in Los Angeles, California.The college was established in 1916 by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ten years after they had founded Immaculate Heart High School on the property....
of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; and another in Linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
from the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
; and a degree in
Electrical
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
and Electronic Engineering
Electronic engineering
Electronics engineering, also referred to as electronic engineering, is an engineering discipline where non-linear and active electrical components such as electron tubes, and semiconductor devices, especially transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, are utilized to design electronic...
from California State University, Sacramento. Potter continued to take graduate courses until his death.
Potter was employed by CSU Sacramento as a computer technician for many years prior to his death. Upon his death he was reportedly still driving the 1966 Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
he got for his high school graduation.
Notable Usenet postings
- First posting as potter@csusac: “HOGAN/Inherit The Stars”. May 23, 1990.
- First posting as Carl KolchakKolchak: The Night StalkerKolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974-1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter — Carl Kolchak, played by Darren McGavin — who investigates mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly ones law...
: “Bradbury/Dark Star”. Nov 22 1990. - First posting as Gharlane of EddoreGharlane of Eddore (Fictional alien)Gharlane of Eddore was a character in Doc Smith's Lensman novels, Master Number Two of the Innermost Circle of the All-Highest of Eddore. Gharlane was the Eddorian responsible for inhibiting/halting the Arisian-directed progress on the planets Sol III, Velantia III, Rigel IV, and Palain VII...
: “Sneakers: Moral Confusion? (SPOILERS).” Sep 25 1992. - Lensman FAQ: Gharlane of Eddore post - May 7 1993
- On the correct spelling of Gray LensmanGray LensmanGray Lensman is a science fiction novel by author E. E. Smith. It was first published in book form in 1951 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 5,096 copies. The novel was originally serialized in the magazine Astounding in 1939....
(see footnote). Mar 23 1996.