No the word "post-modern" has a relatively precise and definite meaning. Its precise meaning does depend upon its context. Also, the notion of "post-modernity" like the notion of "modernity" 500 years ago presupposes a view of history. If you are unfamiliar with the developments that have led people to theorize a break in history at the end of modernity my suggestion would be to educate yourself. The seminal "Post-modern Condition" by Lyotard would be a good place to begin.
The word "post-modern" I would suggest is actually an adjective formed from the noun "postmodernity," rather than an adjective formed from the adjective "modern." Modernity denotes a specific historical epoch, in the same way that "antiquity" does. I think you are confusing the root meaning of the word "modern" (which you are correct means contemporary) with the meaning of "modernity" which denotes an historical epoch. The adjective "postmodern" then means having the character of the epoch denoted by "postmodernity."
Undoubtedly now that the word has passed into colloquial english its meaning has been diluted (like the word "deconstructed" which now means "analyzed" for most people without a strong background in the humanities). In the context of the review it seems to me that the word has very specific meaning operating in at least two dimensions: stylistic/aesthetic and cultural/social.
One hundred years ago, Mayor Tom Johnson of Cleveland set the stage for the establishment of a municipally owned electric company. His credo: "I believe in the municipal ownership of all public service monopolies, for the same reason that I believe in the municipal ownership of waterworks, of parks, of schools, I believe in the municipal ownership of these monopolies because if you do not own them they will in time own you. They will rule your politics, corrupt your institutions and finally destroy your liberties."
Expropriate the network. Make it truly public, like our streets. Even though the FCC is a bunch of corporate hacks, the internet is a telecommunciation systems (look the word up you FCC hacks!). Free wireless is the way to go! P2P the wholly fricking internet! To hell with the cable companies.
The real game is being played out in the FCC. The cable companies are not looking at short term problems like p2p or declining subscription rates for broadband. The real goal is long-term. There will be a breakthrough application that will make broadband desirable for average users. The cable companies need to position themselves for that day. Thus watch the FCC decision soon. The FCC has classified cable broadband as an "information service" rather than as a "telecommuncations service." This means that it may not be covered by the Telecommunications act of 1996 (anyone who laughed at Clinton for saying "it all depends upon what "is" means" should realize that politics is 75% about the meaning of words and who gets to define the words.) This means that the cable companies will not be required to provide access to the networks for competitors. This means that cable companies will be granted monopolies (and who thought this sort of stuff only happened under "Banana-Dictatorships." This is politics for the Repubocrats.) Thus "competition" will be suppressed (the destruction of competition justified by appeals to increased competition--the hypocrisy of big business and its ideologues. Or is it he inherent contradiction of "free market" capitalism rearing its ugly head once again?) This is the opening salvo in the price gouging of the internet monopolies.
for another couple of years. Mandrake 8.0 is a wonderful product that has a good chance of getting a toe-hold on the desktops of Microsoft/America.
But all of the whinging about the failure of GPL is really getting a little too much. The problem is that the product isn't really ready for the herd yet (not the hurd). There isn't a fully operational office suite with all of the bells and whistles necessary for everyday use. I do everything in Mandrake, but I come back to Windows for serious writing.
Also, Gnome 2.0 later this year should help the situation.
Maybe a little bit of austerity and if Mandrake can ride out this storm they should be poised for some serious microsoft-fscking. You can buy this thing anywhere!
I dunno. Instead of the chorus of "we told you so's." Why don't we put this in a new light (assuming it's true). Some people with more money than they needed funded a project that benefits the world at large. Sort of like what academic research is all about. People working not simply for their own narrow selfish interests but for the advance of knowledge and technology. 13 million dollars later the linux community has a nice looking file manager that we can use to sell this operating system to the microsuck infatuated world at large.
It's sorta like state "asshole taxes." You know like vanity license plates. People pay 50 bucks in order to get something stupid on their license plate and that $50 bucks can get spent on useful for the rest of us.:)
I'm sure it sucks if it is your company, but the rest of us have a sweet looking interface to seduce potential linux users with. Thanks Eazel! (Oh and you V-C people too).
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No the word "post-modern" has a relatively precise and definite meaning. Its precise meaning does depend upon its context. Also, the notion of "post-modernity" like the notion of "modernity" 500 years ago presupposes a view of history. If you are unfamiliar with the developments that have led people to theorize a break in history at the end of modernity my suggestion would be to educate yourself. The seminal "Post-modern Condition" by Lyotard would be a good place to begin.
The word "post-modern" I would suggest is actually an adjective formed from the noun "postmodernity," rather than an adjective formed from the adjective "modern." Modernity denotes a specific historical epoch, in the same way that "antiquity" does. I think you are confusing the root meaning of the word "modern" (which you are correct means contemporary) with the meaning of "modernity" which denotes an historical epoch. The adjective "postmodern" then means having the character of the epoch denoted by "postmodernity."
Undoubtedly now that the word has passed into colloquial english its meaning has been diluted (like the word "deconstructed" which now means "analyzed" for most people without a strong background in the humanities). In the context of the review it seems to me that the word has very specific meaning operating in at least two dimensions: stylistic/aesthetic and cultural/social.
One hundred years ago, Mayor Tom Johnson of Cleveland set the stage for the establishment of a municipally owned electric company. His credo: "I believe in the municipal ownership of all public service monopolies, for the same reason that I believe in the municipal ownership of waterworks, of parks, of schools, I believe in the municipal ownership of these monopolies because if you do not own them they will in time own you. They will rule your politics, corrupt
your institutions and finally destroy your liberties."
Expropriate the network. Make it truly public, like our streets. Even though the FCC is a bunch of corporate hacks, the internet is a telecommunciation systems (look the word up you FCC hacks!). Free wireless is the way to go! P2P the wholly fricking internet! To hell with the cable companies.
The real game is being played out in the FCC. The cable companies are not looking at short term problems like p2p or declining subscription rates for broadband. The real goal is long-term. There will be a breakthrough application that will make broadband desirable for average users. The cable companies need to position themselves for that day.
Thus watch the FCC decision soon. The FCC has classified cable broadband as an "information service" rather than as a "telecommuncations service." This means that it may not be covered by the Telecommunications act of 1996 (anyone who laughed at Clinton for saying "it all depends upon what "is" means" should realize that politics is 75% about the meaning of words and who gets to define the words.) This means that the cable companies will not be required to provide access to the networks for competitors. This means that cable companies will be granted monopolies (and who thought this sort of stuff only happened under "Banana-Dictatorships." This is politics for the Repubocrats.) Thus "competition" will be suppressed (the destruction of competition justified by appeals to increased competition--the hypocrisy of big business and its ideologues. Or is it he inherent contradiction of "free market" capitalism rearing its ugly head once again?)
This is the opening salvo in the price gouging of the internet monopolies.
for another couple of years. Mandrake 8.0 is a wonderful product that has a good chance of getting a toe-hold on the desktops of Microsoft/America. But all of the whinging about the failure of GPL is really getting a little too much. The problem is that the product isn't really ready for the herd yet (not the hurd). There isn't a fully operational office suite with all of the bells and whistles necessary for everyday use. I do everything in Mandrake, but I come back to Windows for serious writing. Also, Gnome 2.0 later this year should help the situation. Maybe a little bit of austerity and if Mandrake can ride out this storm they should be poised for some serious microsoft-fscking. You can buy this thing anywhere!
I dunno. Instead of the chorus of "we told you so's." Why don't we put this in a new light (assuming it's true). Some people with more money than they needed funded a project that benefits the world at large. Sort of like what academic research is all about. People working not simply for their own narrow selfish interests but for the advance of knowledge and technology. 13 million dollars later the linux community has a nice looking file manager that we can use to sell this operating system to the microsuck infatuated world at large. It's sorta like state "asshole taxes." You know like vanity license plates. People pay 50 bucks in order to get something stupid on their license plate and that $50 bucks can get spent on useful for the rest of us. :)
I'm sure it sucks if it is your company, but the rest of us have a sweet looking interface to seduce potential linux users with. Thanks Eazel! (Oh and you V-C people too).