Dan Cox

Did you know the Electronic Literature Collection, Volume 5 now has a blog?

As we we hit milestones, we will be doing short posts to update what is happening and our next goals.

February 2026 Update: eliterature.github.io/elc5-info/bl...

GitHub - videlais/u-unpack: A command-line tool for unpacking Unity Package (.unitypackage) files A command-line tool for unpacking Unity Package (.unitypackage) files - videlais/u-unpack

U-Unpack finally moves to 1.0.1, which is the first public release.

github.com/videlais/u-u...

Release SFA-Get 1.3.3 (February 2026) · videlais/story-formats-archive Updates dependencies and adds a CHANGELOG. Full Changelog: v1.3.2_sfa_get...v1.3.3_sfa_get

Story Format Archive (SFA) Get tool was updated to 1.3.3 (with updated dependencies) and a CHANGELOG.md file was added to the repo.

github.com/videlais/sto...

GitHub - videlais/snowman: An advanced Twine 2 story format designed for people who already know JavaScript and CSS An advanced Twine 2 story format designed for people who already know JavaScript and CSS - videlais/snowman

Snowman has been updated across its branches.

3.X: github.com/videlais/sno...

2.X: github.com/videlais/sno...

1.X: github.com/videlais/sno...

Story Grammar updated to 1.2.3. (github.com/videlais/sto...)

I also added a CDN Example of how to load and use the library in a single, static HTML file.

CDN Example: videlais.github.io/story-gramma...

Release v1.5.2 (February 2026) · videlais/simple-qbn Maintenance release for February 2026 Full Changelog: v1.5.1...v1.5.2

Simple QBN (github.com/videlais/sim...)

Minor release for dependencies.

Online ink Editor (OiE) has reached 1.0.0 status.

Site: videlais.github.io/online-ink-e...

Repo: github.com/videlais/onl...

I'd like to do more on this project soon, but it is connected to other projects that need to be updated first.

Release v1.0.4 (February 2026) · videlais/cm-packer This update adds a new web build (https://videlais.github.io/cm-packer/) for uploading an IMSCC file and downloading specific files as long as the entire file is less than 100 MB. What's Changed B...

CM-Packer (github.com/videlais/cm-...)

New update includes a web build (videlais.github.io/cm-packer/) for uploading an IMSCC file and accessing files within it as long as the packed (zipped) file is less than 100 MB.

Quis (github.com/videlais/qui...)

No major changes.

Release 2.3.14 (February 2026) · videlais/extwee I got sick around the end of 2025 and was not able to do a regular maintenance update on GitHub. (NPM was updated.) This minor update brings both back in-line with each other. What's Changed Chore...

Slowly updating things for this new month.

First up, Extwee (github.com/videlais/ext...)

Last couple of days to submit to the ELC Vol 5. @eliterature.bsky.social
Deadline Jan 31st!

There's still a few days left to submit something for the Electronic Literature Collection, Volume 5!

We recently updated the FAQ to include a spreadsheet form to email us for submission as well!

eliterature.github.io/elc5-info/fa...

CCSWG26 CFP Call for Participation: CCSWG ‘26 9th biennial Critical Code Studies Working Group Jan 12 - Feb 6, 2026 To apply: Fill out this form Apply by January 7, 2025 20 years after the publication of the ma...

Reminder: Extended deadline Jan 7 to register for the 2026 Critical Code Studies Working Group. online January 12 to February 6.

bit.ly/ccswg26

#critcode

I'm still recovering from being sick for going on a week, so things are slow right now.

I'm working through updating dependencies for most of my software projects today and will be publishing minor project (monthly) updates soon.

A home-made "heating pad" of sewed cloth containing elements to heat up in a microwave.

My helpful niece remembered how I explained that I often don't run the heat in my apartment even when it is really cold outside last year. (I do run it if the temperature is below zero degrees F.)

This year, she sewed a "heating pad" for me that I can use at the computer under my wrists.

UNIX V4 tape successfully recovered : Crucial early evolutionary step found, imaged, and ... amazingly ... works

I'm mostly saving this for me, but I did write about the infamous "You are not expected to understand this" UNIX comment in my dissertation using critical code studies and static analysis.

www.theregister.com/2025/12/23/u...

Micro QuickJS Engine Compiles & Runs JavaScript With As Little As 10kB Of RAM Very talented open-source developer Fabrice Bellard who already is well known for his work on QEMU, the Tiny C Compiler, and FFmpeg, has another accomplishment: Micro QuickJS

I love this stuff. I have no use for it, will probably never use it, but will continue to be delighted by really tiny compilers for languages (that probably shouldn't be on embedded devices).

www.phoronix.com/news/Micro-Q...

Lua 5.5 Released With Declarations For Global Variables, Garbage Collection Improvements Five years after releasing Lua 5.4, Lua 5.5 debuted today as the newest version of this lightweight and embeddable scripting language.

Oh, hey. New Lua version!

Many years ago, I got into Lua and was even thinking of potentially teaching it, but the ecosystem wasn't quite there for low-end student users. I'm interested to see what's improved.

www.phoronix.com/news/Lua-5.5...

☃️☃️ Good news everyone! ☃️☃️

The Electronic Literature Collection call for submissions has been extended to **January 31st.**

That means you can enjoy the holidays *and* still have time to submit your work.

Questions? Email us at elcvol5 [at] gmail [dot] com

The deadline for Electronic Literature Collection 5 has been extended from 6 January 2026 to 31 January 2026!

eliterature.github.io/elc5-info/

ELO 26: (un)supervised - graphic by PD Edgar

The submissions portal for our next @eliterature.bsky.social conference, which will be fully online including performances and a hypertext electronic literature exhibition, is now open at stars.library.ucf.edu/elo2026/ - please submit an abstract by January 15th to join us!

NarraScope 2026 | A Hybrid Conference on Interactive Narrative NarraScope is a conference that brings together the writers, developers, scholars, and players of interactive narrative.

The 2026 Narrascope website is live!
narrascope.org

libtwee has now been updated to 1.0.3.

github.com/videlais/lib...

Story Grammar is now updated to 1.2.2 (December 2025).

github.com/videlais/sto...

Quis is now updated to 1.3.7 (December 2025)

github.com/videlais/qui...

The call for proposals is posted for the Electronic Literature Organization 2026 conference. It will be hosted fully online July 15-18, 2026 by a team based at the University of Central Florida with collaborators around the world.

(Submissions will open soon!)

projects.cah.ucf.edu/elo2026/cfp....

Great opportunity to get all the titles in the (if I may say so) fabulous Text Technologies series at 40% off

I'm also up for this. I'd be happy to chat about making tools, writing documentation, and the struggles with trying to preserve electronic literature.

After a few days of slow work, I have resolve all 41 new monthly dependabot notifications. Extwee has had its December 2025 maintenance release, and now I'm slowly working through my other projects for their own.

New month + updated dependencies= new minor Extwee version.

v2.3.12: github.com/videlais/ext...

I'm trying to use a CHANGELOG.md approach to tracking things. Extwee was the first, but I'll be updating other projects with the same file.