This page is designed to help visitors to this site in getting the best possible enjoyment and benefit from their visit.
This site is designed as a quick reference guide to the Miles Vorkosigan universe.
Based on the books written by Lois, I am trying to create an extensive, yet concise, information resource for those that need to quickly jog their memory or are seeking background information.
Use this page if you are missing one or more of Lois' books (or have not read them in a long time) and don't understand a reference or joke about a person, organisation or place.
"Lois" is Lois McMaster Bujold (also abbreviated to LMB), a multiple award winning science fiction and fantasy author. Her greatest creation (IMHO) is the Miles Vorkosigan universe in which most of her stories are set.
An extensive FAQ on Lois -- and other resources and information -- is available at the Official Lois McMaster Bujold Fan Site.
Please feel free to link to this site. Infact, I encourage it.
To help you in this process I have created two images which you can use:
(2k)
(28k)
Use these by downloading them and then linking them to: http://www.geocities.com/impsecdatabase
if you don't want to download the images, you can use the HTML fragment below:
<a HREF="http://www.geocities.com/impsecdatabase" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/impsecdatabase/help/isd_logo2.gif" border=0 alt="Imperial Security Database"></a>
This displays the larger logo (28k) and opens the ISD in a new window.
To display only the smalller logo, change isd_logo2.gif to isd_logo.gif.
The personalisation is done using JavaScript and Cookies.
When you first arrive you will be asked for your name. This will then be stored in the cookie along with the number of times you have visited.
Each time you log in again, the cookie is read and the information updated and displayed.
If you don't enter your name (i.e. you hit return when prompted) then the cookie is updated in such a way that the JavaScript recognises that you don't want personalisation.
If you don't have cookies enabled, you won't even notice that the personalisation feature exists.
If you have your browser set to "ask before accepting a cookie" then at the most you will be asked two times to accept a cookie on loading the page. This happens the first time you visit the site with cookies enabled. Whenever the page is reloaded (this happens after you change your name, log in for the first time or return to the ISDB) you will be asked whether to accept the updated cookie.
This site has been successfully tested on these browsers:
Note for Opera users: Opera occasionally failed to display the StyleSheets properly, showing a white background instead of a black one. This can be corrected by minimising Opera and then restoring it.
The description "Generation 4 browser" is a reference to the version number of the browser.
Hence Netscape 4.x and IE 4.x are Generation 4 browsers.
I personally also consider IE 5.x a Generation 4 browser, as it only has minor enhancements over IE 4.
Opera 3.50 appears to have the basically same functionality as Netscape 4 or IE 4 and can therefore also be considered a Generation 4 browser.
JavaScript is an in-line programming language than can be interpreted by most modern browsers.
It is used to enhance the look-and-feel of a web page. Simple examples of JavaScript usage are:
JavaScript IS NOT Java. Java applets must be compiled (sort of) before they can be used in a web page and must therefore always be stored in a separate file. This is not the case with JavaScript which can be written directly into the web page.
Rumours that JavaScript can cause damage to your computer are just that, rumours. I have never yet heard of even one example where this has happened.
JavaScript is unable to read from or write to client-side files. In english this means it is impossible for JavaScript to read or write information to or from your computer.
StyleSheets are a system by which a web author can easily maintain a consistent look-and-feel for his/her web site.
Just as a Word Processor allows one to define paragraph styles and then use these throughout the document, StyleSheets allow one to do the same for webpages.
Take for example the heading above. In my StyleSheet I have defined that the <H4> headings should all have white text of a medium size and should all be left-aligned. So instead of having to re-define the <H4> properties every time I want a new heading, I just have to do it once for ALL my web pages.
Web Cookies have nothing at all to do with the edible variety.
A cookie is a short amount of text that is stored locally on your computer. These cookies are maintained by your browser, which has control over where the cookies are placed on your computer. IE stores these in the windows directory in the "Cookies" folder, whereas Netscape has a "Cookies.txt" file.
All cookies have an exiry date (a date when are deleted by your browser), those that don't are deleted as soon as your browser is closed. The cookies I place have an expiry date set for one year after they are placed. So if you don't visit this site for a whole year, your access information will be gone.
Even though some people do not trust cookies, they are entirely safe. Since only text is allowed inside a cookie it is impossible to send commands or viruses or anything else that could damage your computer or the files on it.
If you use internet services such as Web-based e-mail or Amazon.com then you will certainly have used cookies. Without cookies these sites could not keep track of whether you are currently logged in or what is in your shopping cart.
This can be tested very quickly.
The entire colour scheme used on these pages is created using StyleSheets. You should be seeing red text on a black background, with links showing up as purple (officially called Fuchsia). But to make sure:
This text is light green (lime) and indented if StyleSheets are enabled.
There is little on these pages that uses JavaScript at the moment, although this may change in the future. If JavaScript is not enabled it should make no big difference to how you view the pages. Let's check all the same:
If you see a sentence above showing the time when this page was loaded (GMT or UTC Format), then JavaScript is enabled. (If you see a sentence starting with the words "now = new Date();" then your browser is too old to recognise JavaScript)
These instructions are based on Netscape 4.6 (but should also work on earlier and later version).
To turn on StyleSheets and JavaScript, select Edit -> Preferences....
From the advanced page, ensure that the "Enable Java Script" and "Enable style sheets" entries are checked, just as in the image below.
To make sure Netscape accepts these changes click the "OK" button.
If you now click "Reload" the changes will take effect.
These instructions are based on IE4.0, but should also work on later versions.
I have been unable to find an option that allows one to disable JavaScript in IE4 (which is what I use), so I assume that it is always enabled.
It is possible to configure IE4 to disregard StyleSheet instructions. To undo this select View -> Internet Options....
Then click on the Accessibility button and make sure that all option in the new window are unchecked, just as in the image below.
Click on the "Ok" button to close the Accessibility window and then "Ok" again to close the Internet Options window. Finally, click on the "Refresh" button the re-load the page and have the changes take effect.
Please send a message reporting the problem to:
with "Feedback Form Broken" as the subject.
Please include the following information in your message:
Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
If you feel you have what it takes to write an entry for the ImpSec Database; one which Illyan won't sent back with little notes for spelling and grammer :) then you will probably want to download the contribution guildlines below.
These should contain (with a bit of luck) all the information you need to write your own entries for the ISD and to submit them to me.
The guidlines are written using MS Word and can be downloaded as a zip file.
An HTML version is now also available. Please note that the Zipped version is the definitive one. The HTML version is simply the Word document saved as HTML and I take no responsibility for its look and layout.
This site is designed using the standards:
These standards were extended as necessary with "Browser Specific Enhancements" to ensure best possible viewing on the most common browsers (Netscape 4+ and IE4+)
Best Viewing Info:
Hosting Info:
This site is hosted at Yahoo - Geocities and can be reached at the URLs:
The author accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information on this page
All graphics and text on this site are
Copyright © 1999 Martin Gill unless stated
otherwise.
All characters, locations and events described herein are
Copyright © 1986-1999 Lois McMaster
Bujold, used with permission.
Created: 11 Sept. 1999
Last Updated: