Slashdot Mirror
Bazaars in the Government Cathedral
guanxi writes: "This article by James Fallows in The Atlantic is one of the most interesting I've read all year. It describes how innovators in government are applying the concept of the Bazaar: The many eyes of 'Open-Source Intelligence' movement that provides better intelligence than classified sources, and a b2b-like marketplace created by World Bank employees that distributes aid more efficiently than the bureaucratic process."
...buzzword compliant.
I just hope the information isn't passed through too many hands (or too many languages):
> They will strike the White House on the 27th of September.
> Ils heurteront Maison Blanche sur le 27ème septembre.
> Sie werden sich weißes Haus auf 27. September stoßen.
> ih biti njoj samoj bjeloa dom da 27. rujan aktivnost.
> áü á áëçí îí÷ííé îí âî ä äëü 27. íáü äí ü.
> ay 27. .
> Their close amplitude modulation her six flower bone territory ay reservation 27. September attack.
Bah, I'll probably get modded down for this.
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
One of the discoveries that led to the open source intelligence gathering methods was the discovery (by the Washington Post, IIRC) that they could get several hours advance notice on U.S. military operations merely by asking local pizza delivery shops to inform them when late-night pizza orders from the pentagon and the White House skyrocket.
It's like when the studios release movies in January, then blazon across their advertisements "One of the best movies of the year."
Obviously, some secrets are worth keeping: for example, the code for the President's briefcase that launches the nukes is something best kept off Slashdot, or the open-source intelligence listserv.
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