I need to get back to earth even if the ringing in the ears has yet to completely die down...so some random observations:
- I got a call from the US from a lawyer friend who needed a document roughly translated from a language. I suggested someone I have not met behind one of the PWP buttons to the right. Apparently polite and intellegent, it reminded me about this article about the new world of the shared and free. By ensuring that everything is not commiditized, capability can be shared rather than exchanged: Stallman and the creative commons. It requires consent and also requires respect for what is not free so that folks may feed themselves as they choose to earn a living. Where is your line? What would you give away for free. I'd brew. Who will help me get to the place that I can? How is that creative commons exercised? I'd also sing, draw, play third-base or outside-right. I suppose I should cook, reach things which are high up and give guys on the street twoonies, too. Instead of
joggingrunning, wouldn't it be nice if the energy went into saved seed community food gardens. Aren't these the all same thing? - Are you a wee bit tired of the Jean Chretien fairwell tour? What is the legacy that we have needed the longest transition in political history? Now, after arsing around Asia there might not be not quite enough time to legalize marijuana or criminalize corporate homicide. Read this, you self-absorbed dork, before you hand over power to more suits.
- Will a digital camera and a new computer change my life when I have done without a watch for 30 of the last 40 years? Since I got rid of that watch in grade 4 I have seen 8-track, pong, pocket calculators, europop, faxes, bank machines, cassette decks, VCRs, digital watches, video games, 12 inch video discs, personal computers, telephone answering machines, Ataris, CDs, cell phones, wireless remote control, wireless telephone, dot matrix printers, walkmen, wig-wags, scanners, disposable cameras, bubble jet printers, laser printers, cable TV, digital TV satellite TV, internet, the web, email, webpages, usenet, blogs and any number of other things come and many of them go. Do I really need a better computer and a digital camera?
Comments
Ken - October 29, 2003 5:23 pm
I am also unhandcuffed from time, when I am going somewhere I will get there at the same time wether I constantly glance at my watch on the way or not. Besides the time is everywhere anyway, in your cellphone, on that reciept, and even on the watch worn by the guy sitting next to you.
Alan - October 29, 2003 5:56 pm
You are right - I am a great time snooper when I need to. Others hould be required to wear highly contrasting big dial watches, especially during presentations. "To the right and a row behind" is the motto of such watch sniffery.
Arthur - October 29, 2003 9:22 pm
I suggested someone I have not met behind one of the PWP buttons to the right.
That was me. Thanks. During work hours I hardly check my e-mail (out of respect for the managing creatures) so wasn't able to reply sooner.
What would you give away for free.
I think that if you're talking about 'free speech' it's not literally giving away things for free. As an open source programmer I don't 'give away' my sources out for free because I prefer to live in extreme poverty. The important thing is that (at the end) I think I might benefit from actually sharing my knowledge. Sharing knowledge should not be bound bylimitations because after all, it benefits everybody :-).
Do I really need a better computer and a digital camera?
No :-).
Alan - October 29, 2003 10:52 pm
Thanks - I don't actually even know if you were able to help but thanks for even entertaining the idea. The language by the way was Dutch.
Your statement on open source motivation is interesting me. Is it because you might benefit or it benefits everybody? Maybe both motives in different measure for different people. But what is the knowledge that this could work for and what is not? Tomorrow I speak to eastern ontario municipal GIS administrators about privacy aspects of data sharing agreements. There is no fee to me and not hope or need for marketing (unlike by necessity my earlier private practice incarnation). Am I not doing open source legal education by sharing my knowledge?
I am apparently a set of one-ish on this stuff as I have answered calls from Ontario to Saskatchewan recently on the privacy stuff from folks. It is interesting as it is all for free - unless you have to ship me somewhere then you pay my train - and it is without hope or expectation of future reward (again unlike by necessity my past private legal practice) as I am happily working in a pensioned position which encourages the sharing of each of our knowledge sets throughout and beyond the City.
What can you share?
Arthur - October 30, 2003 4:25 am
<p>Thanks - I don't actually even know if you were able to help but thanks for even entertaining the idea. The language by the way was Dutch.</p>
<p>That was the language, yes.
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Your statement on open source motivation is interesting me. Is it because you might benefit or it benefits everybody?
<p>In open source terms: if it benefits everybody, it benefits the programmer too. I've seen good examples in projects, where third parties surprisingly donated (or contributed) good code. Clearly this helped me in defining what was next on the plan. Now the tricky part for most programmers is how an open source project should translate into money, or say an exchange of products or services.
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<p>Am I not doing open source legal education by sharing my knowledge?
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<p>I think you do yes.
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<p>and it is without hope or expectation of future reward (again unlike by necessity my past private legal practice) as I am happily working in a pensioned position which encourages the sharing of each of our knowledge sets throughout and beyond the City.
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<p>I think (from a programmer's point of view) that I'm in a lucky position that I can call my hobby my work.
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