Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/

In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/

Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.

It was published as an Ace Double, the B side of "Cyril Judd"'s
_Gunner Cade_. It had a cover featuring a menacing a menacing
armed man with an armband? flag? something representing a
crossed-out pen and notepad.

I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On 2021-08-30 9:12 a.m., jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
> https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>

I remember there was a short story based on naive extrapolation of the
expansion of library book collections so that they threatened to fill
the world.

In article <qynzLM.17EI@kithrup.com>,
Dorothy J Heydt <djheydt@kithrup.com> wrote:
>In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>
>
>Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
>about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
>capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
>interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.
>
>It was published as an Ace Double, the B side of "Cyril Judd"'s
>_Gunner Cade_. It had a cover featuring a menacing a menacing
>armed man with an armband? flag? something representing a
>crossed-out pen and notepad.
>
>I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
>to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>
>http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205
>

There was a story I read years ago set in a future where all books,
except those carefully hidden, had been destroyed. After the fall
of the anti-book regime, the surviving books were all massively copied
and venerated.

I completely forget the main plot after that, but there was a funny bit
of business between two characters that went something like this:

I mean, really Bob, I think everyone knows on some level
that _Punish Me With Scorpions_ was not hidden in the
floorboards to preserve its pungent philosophical analysis
of the problem on pain in a universe with a caring God, no
matter what they say in public.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
> https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>

Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12:15:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:

> I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
> to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>
> http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205

If you click on the thumbnail, you do get a larger version of the cover.

But I can't figure out what that gadget with three buttons under his
chin and apparently attached to his helmet might be.

John Savard

In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>
>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>
>>
>
>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.

Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/
--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On 8/30/2021 3:37 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12:15:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>
>> I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
>> to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>>
>> http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205
>
> If you click on the thumbnail, you do get a larger version of the cover.
>
> But I can't figure out what that gadget with three buttons under his
> chin and apparently attached to his helmet might be.
>
> John Savard
>

It's the future. We'll all be attached to gadgets. Oh, wait....

On Mon, 30 Aug 2021 18:05:46 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>
>Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
>about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
>capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
>interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.
>
>It was published as an Ace Double, the B side of "Cyril Judd"'s
>_Gunner Cade_. It had a cover featuring a menacing a menacing
>armed man with an armband? flag? something representing a
>crossed-out pen and notepad.
>
>I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
>to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>
>http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205

It's on his helmet. A gray roundel with a white scroll and
superimposed on the scroll a black pen, then superimposed on all of it
a red check mark or V, or something similar.

He's carrying a pip gun and a piece of pipe and has a round object on
his chest with 3 cables running over his shoulder and three
buttons--there's semicircular area above the buttons that looks like
an image of pick-up sticks.

In any case his facial expression could be greatly improved with a
Louisville Slugger.

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 5:00:51 PM UTC-4, Jay E. Morris wrote:
> On 8/30/2021 3:37 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
> > On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12:15:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> >
> >> I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
> >> to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
> >>
> >> http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205
> >
> > If you click on the thumbnail, you do get a larger version of the cover.
> >
> > But I can't figure out what that gadget with three buttons under his
> > chin and apparently attached to his helmet might be.
> >

Don't some heavy duty scanners in real life cut off the bindings to speed up the process? Of course, you still have a pile of random pages left over.

John

djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) writes:
>In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>
>Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
>about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
>capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
>interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.
>
>It was published as an Ace Double, the B side of "Cyril Judd"'s
>_Gunner Cade_. It had a cover featuring a menacing a menacing
>armed man with an armband? flag? something representing a
>crossed-out pen and notepad.

_Gunner Cade_ is labeled 'FIRST-GRADE" by the NYT - are
they referring to the prospective audience, or the quality of the
story?

In article <0a24389c-66d2-4add-8f30-b25094862da5n@googlegroups.com>,
Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12:15:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>
>> I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
>> to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>>
>> http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205
>
>If you click on the thumbnail, you do get a larger version of the cover.

Ah! Thanks.
A >
>But I can't figure out what that gadget with three buttons under his
>chin and apparently attached to his helmet might be.

Me neither. But the pen and paper on his helmet are crossed by a
sort of chevron. (It was 1952; the slashed circle was I don't
know how far into the future then. Wikipeda gives several
hundred examples, but declines to tell me when it came in.)

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>
>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>
>>>
>>
>>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>
>Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?

Probably realistic. A commonplace way to store a book electronically
is to clamp it between a couple of pieces of plywood, saw the spine
off, then run the separated pages through a scanner. Of course the
book isn't good for much after that. I guess it could be rebound but
it wouldn't be a very strong binding.

djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
>In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>
>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>
>>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>
>Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?

Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.
--
pyotr filipivich
This Week's Panel: Us & Them - Eliminating Them.
Next Month's Panel: Having eliminated the old Them(tm)
Selecting who insufficiently Woke(tm) as to serve as the new Them(tm)

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 7:19:15 PM UTC-4, pyotr filipivich wrote:
> djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
> typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
> >In article <sgjc46$qec$1...@dont-email.me>, Titus G <no...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> >>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdni...@panix.com wrote:
> >>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
> >>>
> >>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
> >>
> >>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
> >>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
> >>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
> >>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
> >
> >Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
> Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
> the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
> and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.

I honestly think Vinge spent some time coming up with the scanning
method which would maximally offend book lovers.

The book also contains a faction known as The Librarians Militant, who
aren't happy about this.

Remember when the FBI got wound up over "Radical Miilitant LIbrarians"
protecting readers privacy?

https://www.buttonmuseum.org/buttons/radical-militant-librarian

pt

In article <gUcXI.36055$Kv2.27204@fx47.iad>,
Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
>djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) writes:
>>In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>>Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>
>>Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
>>about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
>>capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
>>interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.
>>
>>It was published as an Ace Double, the B side of "Cyril Judd"'s
>>_Gunner Cade_. It had a cover featuring a menacing a menacing
>>armed man with an armband? flag? something representing a
>>crossed-out pen and notepad.
>
>_Gunner Cade_ is labeled 'FIRST-GRADE" by the NYT - are
>they referring to the prospective audience, or the quality of the
>story?

The latter, in my opinion.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

In article <dimqig9av6d78ce7q9r7shigcmu3eg4127@4ax.com>,
J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>>>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>>
>>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>>>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>>>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>>>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>>
>>Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
>
>Probably realistic. A commonplace way to store a book electronically
>is to clamp it between a couple of pieces of plywood, saw the spine
>off, then run the separated pages through a scanner. Of course the
>book isn't good for much after that. I guess it could be rebound but
>it wouldn't be a very strong binding.

I have several paperback books that have reached that condition
without having been sliced: just read a lot. They can still be
read, and I still read them.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

In article <tlpqig9t9ceqjl49j7d2vtflcs3sv86cfh@4ax.com>,
pyotr filipivich <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:
>djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
>typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
>>In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>>>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>>
>>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>>
>>>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>>>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>>>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>>>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>>
>>Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
>
> Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
>the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
>and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.

Which makes no sense. See above about the practice of removing
the pages from the spine and scanning those.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

In article <93ed72fa-c373-43ce-aca8-1f13083e7a60n@googlegroups.com>,
pete...@gmail.com <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 7:19:15 PM UTC-4, pyotr filipivich wrote:
>> djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
>> typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
>> >In article <sgjc46$qec$1...@dont-email.me>, Titus G
><no...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>> >>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdni...@panix.com wrote:
>> >>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>> >>>
>>
>>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>> >>
>> >>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>> >>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>> >>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>> >>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>> >
>> >Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
>> Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
>> the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
>> and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.
>
>I honestly think Vinge spent some time coming up with the scanning
>method which would maximally offend book lovers.
>
>The book also contains a faction known as The Librarians Militant, who
>aren't happy about this.
>
>Remember when the FBI got wound up over "Radical Miilitant LIbrarians"
>protecting readers privacy?
>
>https://www.buttonmuseum.org/buttons/radical-militant-librarian

Nope, that passed straight over my head without even an audible
whoosh.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 10:50:03 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <93ed72fa-c373-43ce...@googlegroups.com>,
> pete...@gmail.com <pete...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 7:19:15 PM UTC-4, pyotr filipivich wrote:
> >> djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
> >> typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
> >> >In article <sgjc46$qec$1...@dont-email.me>, Titus G
> ><no...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> >> >>On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdni...@panix.com wrote:
> >> >>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
> >> >>>
> >>
> >>>https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
> >> >>
> >> >>Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
> >> >>procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
> >> >>eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
> >> >>every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
> >> >
> >> >Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
> >> Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
> >> the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
> >> and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.
> >
> >I honestly think Vinge spent some time coming up with the scanning
> >method which would maximally offend book lovers.
> >
> >The book also contains a faction known as The Librarians Militant, who
> >aren't happy about this.
> >
> >Remember when the FBI got wound up over "Radical Miilitant LIbrarians"
> >protecting readers privacy?
> >
> >https://www.buttonmuseum.org/buttons/radical-militant-librarian
> Nope, that passed straight over my head without even an audible
> whoosh.

More details:

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/us/nationalspecial3/at-fbi-frustration-over-limits-on-an-antiterror-law.html

pt

In article <qynzLM.17EI@kithrup.com>,
djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) wrote:

> In article <sgishd$md3$1@panix1.panix.com>, <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> >Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
> >https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-book
> >s/
>
> Another candidate might be McGuire and Piper's _Revolt in 2140_,
> about which I remember very little, except that Literates (with a
> capital L) are a privileged minority and the Illiterates are
> interested in wiping them out. And their little books, too.

I will point out that the story takes place in 2142 (past Presidential
election was in 2140, mid-term election coming up). Also, AFAICT, it was
the only Piper story that wasn't reprinted by Ace in the late 70s and
early 80s.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

On 31/08/21 12:24 pm, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <tlpqig9t9ceqjl49j7d2vtflcs3sv86cfh@4ax.com>,
> pyotr filipivich <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:
>> djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) on Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:36:34 GMT
>> typed in rec.arts.sf.written the following:
>>> In article <sgjc46$qec$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>> On 31/08/21 3:12 am, jdnicoll@panix.com wrote:
>>>>> Five Works About Preserving or Destroying Books
>>>>>
>>>> https://www.tor.com/2021/08/30/five-works-about-preserving-or-destroying-books/
>>>>
>>>> Although not the main theme, Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End" details the
>>>> procedures whereby every book in a library is destroyed by an
>>>> eviscerating machine which photographs every torn piece and reproduces
>>>> every book electronically. So, both preserving and destroying.
>>>
>>> Does he give any reason why it's necessary to do it that way?
>>
>> Because they can, essentially. They're scanning the books, but
>> the easiest way is by shredding them, photographing all the fragments,
>> and reassembling the image of the page from those fragments.
>
> Which makes no sense. See above about the practice of removing
> the pages from the spine and scanning those.

The specialised machine turns every book into confetti whilst
photographing in high resolution every scrap from every angle. I recall
that speed was important because of cost and secrecy. The machine
operates in the library travelling down aisles sucking books off shelves
so it is incredibly efficient compared to spine removal and scanning.

On 2021-08-30 2:37 p.m., Quadibloc wrote:
> On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 12:15:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>
>> I found a thumbnail of both covers, but I can't expand it enough
>> to see what he's got besides weaponry and a scowl.
>>
>> http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?16205
>
> If you click on the thumbnail, you do get a larger version of the cover.
>
> But I can't figure out what that gadget with three buttons under his
> chin and apparently attached to his helmet might be.

What it might be is a radio with the cables running into earphones built
into his helmet.

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 4:25:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:

> Me neither. But the pen and paper on his helmet are crossed by a
> sort of chevron. (It was 1952; the slashed circle was I don't
> know how far into the future then. Wikipeda gives several
> hundred examples, but declines to tell me when it came in.)

As it was originally used for traffic signs in Europe, so that people could
drive from one country to another without being unable to obey the
rules of the road expressed in a foreign language, I suspect that the
slashed circle was _not_ in the future, even in 1952.

John Savard

On Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 3:59:34 AM UTC-6, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 4:25:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:

> > Me neither. But the pen and paper on his helmet are crossed by a
> > sort of chevron. (It was 1952; the slashed circle was I don't
> > know how far into the future then. Wikipeda gives several
> > hundred examples, but declines to tell me when it came in.)

> As it was originally used for traffic signs in Europe, so that people could
> drive from one country to another without being unable to obey the
> rules of the road expressed in a foreign language, I suspect that the
> slashed circle was _not_ in the future, even in 1952.

I came across one site which said European road signs were governed
by the Vienna Convention, which dated from 1978. However, that let me find
_this_ Wikipedia article,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Signs_and_Signals

which notes that the 1978 agreement was negotiated in 1968, even if it came
into force ten years later, and it was a successor to previous agreements in
1949 and 1931. I will need to look some more to see if the slashed circle dates
from 1949 or 1931.

John Savard