Just a quick note that TrailBlazer, while very cool, is almost exactly like a program called HistoryTree, which I used in 1996. It was designed by a company called "Smartbrowser", (whose web site I can no longer find). The same programming team developed "MacBrain" (the first desktop Neural Network program)in 1997, and "Evolver" (the first commercial genetic algorithm software) in 1992. If anyone knows what they're doing now... please let me know.
After listening to countless geeks try to explain to me why "open source" software is better, and why a neighborhood "free wi-fi cafe" is better than a Starbucks, the guy in this video from the Drinkmore Cafe finally explained it in a way that makes sense to a die-hard capitalist like myself.
A major reason for making (or saving) money is presumably that you can use that money to increase your hapiness. That hapiness could be in the form of security, or entertainment, or improved health. The Drinkmore Cafe owner said that his decision to give away wireless was not to gain more customers or more money, but rather to bring more people together to form more of the type of community in which he wishes to live.
Starbucks cannot reap any direct benefit to enhancing a community in this way, because "Starbucks" is not a person living in the community it creates. The owner of the cafe is merely "cutting out the middleman" of saving money, then spending it again, opting instead to enhance his quality of life directly by changing his own environment.
I am relatively new to this community, and I feel stupid that I never actually thought about this before, but I am so used to nerds with chips on their shoulders explaining how the open and free world creates better products and grows the industry. That may be true, but improving our quality of life of seems like a more straightforward, more practical argument for open and free projects.
This past election, I ran for Mayor of Seattle, suggesting, among other things, that the city adopt a more streamlined data policy to help citizens get access to city data. I would gladly forward you the text of this proposal.
I suggest that you write out exactly how the process will save money, afford greater access to information, and run the city more efficiently. Then give it a catchy name ("iTOP" : The Information Technology Overhaul Policy") and send out press releases with a cover note explaining how this policy would be good for the city (and trgherefore worthy of coverage) regardless of who becomes elected to office.
Then refer to the iTOP in every speech, and get your volunteers to publically ask other candidates "What is your position regarding iTOP?"
Scott Kennedy
scott@bitstar.com
Slashdot Mirror
Just a quick note that TrailBlazer, while very cool, is almost exactly like a program called HistoryTree, which I used in 1996. It was designed by a company called "Smartbrowser", (whose web site I can no longer find). The same programming team developed "MacBrain" (the first desktop Neural Network program)in 1997, and "Evolver" (the first commercial genetic algorithm software) in 1992. If anyone knows what they're doing now... please let me know.
Thanks,
Scott
After listening to countless geeks try to explain to me why "open source" software is better, and why a neighborhood "free wi-fi cafe" is better than a Starbucks, the guy in this video from the Drinkmore Cafe finally explained it in a way that makes sense to a die-hard capitalist like myself.
A major reason for making (or saving) money is presumably that you can use that money to increase your hapiness. That hapiness could be in the form of security, or entertainment, or improved health. The Drinkmore Cafe owner said that his decision to give away wireless was not to gain more customers or more money, but rather to bring more people together to form more of the type of community in which he wishes to live.
Starbucks cannot reap any direct benefit to enhancing a community in this way, because "Starbucks" is not a person living in the community it creates. The owner of the cafe is merely "cutting out the middleman" of saving money, then spending it again, opting instead to enhance his quality of life directly by changing his own environment.
I am relatively new to this community, and I feel stupid that I never actually thought about this before, but I am so used to nerds with chips on their shoulders explaining how the open and free world creates better products and grows the industry. That may be true, but improving our quality of life of seems like a more straightforward, more practical argument for open and free projects.
This past election, I ran for Mayor of Seattle, suggesting, among other things, that the city adopt a more streamlined data policy to help citizens get access to city data. I would gladly forward you the text of this proposal.
I suggest that you write out exactly how the process will save money, afford greater access to information, and run the city more efficiently. Then give it a catchy name ("iTOP" : The Information Technology Overhaul Policy") and send out press releases with a cover note explaining how this policy would be good for the city (and trgherefore worthy of coverage) regardless of who becomes elected to office.
Then refer to the iTOP in every speech, and get your volunteers to publically ask other candidates "What is your position regarding iTOP?"
Scott Kennedy
scott@bitstar.com