sharing category archive

This Building is a LIBRARY

In case there were any doubts.

Stark, institutional, and maybe we would say ugly, but functional. You can, in fact, find, read, and check out books here.

It is certainly easier to identify from the road than some other buildings, and there is something to be said for that.

There is also a 2816 x 2112 version of the picture.

This photo is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 license, because much like the building, this web site exists to freely share information, knowledge, and culture, while at the same time not necessarily pursuing aesthetics as its highest priority.

Related: Inside the Library

Who will own (and police) our digital future?

So the RIAA and MPAA want the colleges and universities (and corporations and your grandmother and etc.) to enforce our out-of-control copyright laws. It’s disturbing how much power these organizations already wield, and how much more power they think they should have in dictating how free the flow of information should be. Our future is digital, with infinite possibilities for freedom, but these guys would prefer that artificial scarcity rules the game.

(via Against Monopoly)

[…]

Reid’s amendment is a clear illustration of the effectiveness of lobbying. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think the trade groups actually wrote the text of the law. It vests in these groups a vast amount of money–taxpayer money–and, hence, power.

…

For the Love of Problem Solving…

I’ve had a StarTribune op-ed piece by Garrison Keillor sitting on my desk for the past month (or two), waiting to be commented on here. Sometimes if I have an item age that much, I just toss it in the recycle bin, but this one still wants to be written about.

Picture of anthillcourtesy of Global Voices.

Keillor wrote about the passing of Fortran creator John Backus:

These days I’m indifferent to militance and more inspired by the worker ants of science. The patient accumulation of data, the dry formulation of theory, the countless little defeats, then the big leap forward that changes the world. I don’t have the mind for it but I appreciate those who do, such as John W. Backus, who died recently at

…

Makin’ Copies! ‘The Promise of a Post-Copyright World’

Remember the Richmeister character from SNL? One of Rob Schneider’s recurring characters. The sketches were funny, although it was the kind of potent stuff that quickly got overplayed.

The catchphrase–Makin’ Copies!–occurred to me today in the wake of several things I’ve been reading about copying. When I looked around I found this transcript that made me smile. (And made me miss Phil Hartman.)

Anyway, it occurs to me to think about what a great thing it is to be able to make copies. Perfect copies. Today of digital information, tomorrow of physical objects. I’m amazed and dismayed at how threatening this is to so many people, and how they would like to restrict and …

Kids Against Hunger (Feeding Children International)

It’s Thanksgiving and by chance I’ve been presented with an apropos topic to write about: Hunger. I can even tie it to free software, more or less, but it’s really about feeding people.

First, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a great time to get together with friends and family and enjoy a great meal, with very little associated pressure. (In most cases.) Like many people, I’m fortunate to have a four day weekend, and I like that the big day is first so that you can just decompose for the next few days. Er, I meant: “decompress.” You won’t find me shopping on Black Friday, so that becomes just a day to relax. Thanksgiving day itself is mostly relaxing, but it can be a lot …

Reformation of a Visual Basic Programmer

Originally published in Free Software Magazine, 2 October 2006.

Last week I mentioned that I enjoy programming in Visual Basic and suggested that people shouldn’t act so superior and look down at dweebs like me who program in dweeby languages. Today let’s talk about why Visual Basic is an awful programming language and anyone using it should run kicking-and-screaming away. (I’ll admit that kicking and running may be difficult to do at the same time.) Run away, not because it’s lame, but because it’s so horribly unfree.

Who owns this thing?

People sometimes question free software projects because very often no single organization stands behind them. Who are you going to hold responsible for Program X when it is …