Bruce Sterling on Geeks and Spooks

apsmith writes: "Bruce Sterling's latest Viridian piece is a written version of a talk on why we're in such a mess with crypto, why the computer industry is going nowhere for the next few years, and what Lawrence Lessig, the NSA, Echelon, Oliver North and Abdullah Catli have in common. Thought-provoking stuff, even if you might not agree with quite everything ("Why don't you geeks just sit down with your cheap, crappy plastic boxes, and shut up? Here in the TV biz, our boxes look nicer anyway!")." This is a lunch-time talk, and it's meant to be entertaining, and it is. :)

Comments

Computer Industry

[Renraku]

You know why its not really going anywhere? Because there isn't that much innovation anymore. I mean, you have two options for software. Make it yourself, or get someone elses'. If you can dream it up, its probably been done (within reason). So, basically, the need for the software has to overcome the energy consumed in making the software in order for anything to be done. And the energy to acquire the software is becoming less and less as more and more software is produced. Hardware is the same way, only more closed. Not many people have their own chip fabs that could anywhere near compete with the major players in the chip industry.

Thanks

[czardonic]

I myself don't do much 'best practice' for crypto, because personally, I don't have a dog in that race.

I tend to be kind of pro-geek, myself, because geeks buy a lot of my novels.

Thanks, for your valuable insight. Do I make the check out to Bruce Sterling, or just Self-Absorbed Blowhard?

Boooring

[nusuth]

If you like Mr. Sterling but don't like him so much that you want to spare a good 15 minutes to a pointless monologue, don't read it. Go read something like "hacker crackdown" or "the difference engine." I'm very disappointed, must be one of his worst talks.

Hey mod, I'm just trying to help my fellow /.ers.