This passage would have been very welcome as an explanation of code as expression at the 2600/DeCSS trial last month:
Software As Art
The other measurement for success of a software project, is somewhat less tangible. Some have tried to explain this factor by claiming that software is an art form. They say that software is a creative outlet for programmers to express themselves. While I don't like using this type of rhetoric, I think it's useful to describe software as an art form in the same sense that architecture is considered an art. (I suppose that's why it's called "software architecture.") Both architecture and software are unique "arts" in that they have a primary goal of being functional (a house is built to shelter and a spreadsheet is built to compute) with a secondary goal of "expressing emotion" (or whatever claim artists make towards motivation). Since we are talking about software, I want to use "functionality" for the second gauge of success.
Politicians, when asked about campaign contributions from corporate donors, typically say "there's no quid pro quo". So perhaps, people should merely "pledge" to vote for someone, not be held liable to do so by contract.
As an aside, this points to perhaps a more interesting idea- sell out for corporate money to your favorite cause. What I mean is, if you agree to vote in a way that supports a "special interest" for which you have no special love or hatred, they agree to donate some amount of money to a cause you love. For instance, I agree to Microsoft's request that I vote for Bush on the condition that they donate $20 to the Free Software Foundation. Well, maybe that's not the best example, but hopefully you get the idea. What do you think?
First, Orrin Hatch seemed disgusted with the way that the record companies were trying to eliminate fair use in the Senate hearings on the matter a few weeks ago. You may recall that he was a primary architect of the DMCA.
Second, it appears as if Judge Kaplan may rule that DeCSS is protected under the first amendment- and he was just as rude to the alleged "pirates" at first as Judge Patel has been to Napster's attorneys so far. The fact that she didn't even know that Gnutella was a free service shows that she's not necessarily evil, just ignorant.
Let's win this case in the court of public opinion so that we can shift the focus of the debate from "piracy" to fair use and consumer rights!
Technology is killing boredom. Between my palm pilot and the internet, I am NEVER bored. Bank line? Palm. 4AM, girlfriend and all acquaintances are asleep? Internet. I have not been bored in years. Technology has ridden us of the curse of boredom.
Property is a natural right, but redistribution is theft? That certainly is appealing to those who have more property than others, but doesn't seem particularly reasonable. Maybe you should alter the claim that "your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose" to "your right to swing your fist ends at the edge of my land, you communist!"
I'm all for freedom and anonymity, but in my mind this flight into Randian dogmatism endangers the credibility of this project.
Musicians have no god-given right to compensation. If there's no money in music, the market will adjust and fewer people will make music. Boo-hoo. How many artists do you actually listen to? There must be millions. The market is saturated to sickness. Many artists make music because they love to do it, not because they expect to be compensated. See my web page, or look for my music on gnutella- everything I record I make available there whenever I'm on line. I make music because I like doing it, I like what I create, and I want others to hear it. If I make money off of it, cool, but that's not why I do it.
If you were trying to make a living as a rock star, you had to expect hard times to begin with. Well, the market is changing, adapt.
Finally. What are the implications of fewer musicians? Well guess who we're weeding out? The ones who are in it for the money alone. again, Boo-hoo.
C'mon, give the man a break. I'm tired of everyone picking on Katz, he has some good things to stay. If you don't like it, don't read. On point, no, McDonald's is not Hitler or the Mongols. But your argument becomes: oppression today is not as bad as it used to be, so quit whining. WTF? Sausage King of Chicago
People in this space are always talking about the amount of money focus groups must spend to come up with names like "agilent" and "duron". This is intel's way of competing with AMD, they're cutting down on the cost of *naming* the thing and passing the savings to you. So quit whining already! "Sausage King of Chicago"
Slashdot Mirror
I guess lazyness is a joke.
Ferlman is intentionally misspelled. It comes from a college nickname.
Of course not - "x" is just a windowing system!
Sausage King of Chicago
Etymology involves the search for the historical roots of a word.
I'm not sure what Eyntomology is. Not trying to be a dick, but when you're talking about language precision is important.
Sausage King of Chicago
Software As Art The other measurement for success of a software project, is somewhat less tangible. Some have tried to explain this factor by claiming that software is an art form. They say that software is a creative outlet for programmers to express themselves. While I don't like using this type of rhetoric, I think it's useful to describe software as an art form in the same sense that architecture is considered an art. (I suppose that's why it's called "software architecture.") Both architecture and software are unique "arts" in that they have a primary goal of being functional (a house is built to shelter and a spreadsheet is built to compute) with a secondary goal of "expressing emotion" (or whatever claim artists make towards motivation). Since we are talking about software, I want to use "functionality" for the second gauge of success.
Sausage King of Chicago
As an aside, this points to perhaps a more interesting idea- sell out for corporate money to your favorite cause. What I mean is, if you agree to vote in a way that supports a "special interest" for which you have no special love or hatred, they agree to donate some amount of money to a cause you love. For instance, I agree to Microsoft's request that I vote for Bush on the condition that they donate $20 to the Free Software Foundation. Well, maybe that's not the best example, but hopefully you get the idea. What do you think?
Sausage King of Chicago
Sausage King of Chicago
Vote Nader
"So, you went down there, specifically, to protest something.
You placed yourself in a group specifically designed to get arrested.
You decided to be both belligerent and evasive to the officer involved.
You declined to provide identification when asked for it.
You implied, on camera, that the officers involved might steal your money."
What DIDN'T he do? He didn't do anything ILLEGAL!
Do you want police protection or not? Not happy with your police? ... Become a cop.
Can't. Why? Too smart. Look here and here.
Sausage King of Chicago
Sausage King of Chicago
First, Orrin Hatch seemed disgusted with the way that the record companies were trying to eliminate fair use in the Senate hearings on the matter a few weeks ago. You may recall that he was a primary architect of the DMCA.
Second, it appears as if Judge Kaplan may rule that DeCSS is protected under the first amendment- and he was just as rude to the alleged "pirates" at first as Judge Patel has been to Napster's attorneys so far. The fact that she didn't even know that Gnutella was a free service shows that she's not necessarily evil, just ignorant.
Let's win this case in the court of public opinion so that we can shift the focus of the debate from "piracy" to fair use and consumer rights!
ARRGHH! AHOY, MATEYS! Sausage King of Chicago
Michael Ovitz owns a big share in Scour. I'd like to see him marshal some of his resources in its legal defense, hehe. Sausage King of Chicago
Sausage King of Chicago
Oh how I wish it weren't so...
Sausage king of chicago
Sausage King of Chicago
I'm all for freedom and anonymity, but in my mind this flight into Randian dogmatism endangers the credibility of this project.
Sausage King of Chicago
that's just sick.
amazingly, these are all free and our society has yet to crumble.
If you were trying to make a living as a rock star, you had to expect hard times to begin with. Well, the market is changing, adapt.
Finally. What are the implications of fewer musicians? Well guess who we're weeding out? The ones who are in it for the money alone. again, Boo-hoo.
Sausage King of Chicago
C'mon, give the man a break. I'm tired of everyone picking on Katz, he has some good things to stay. If you don't like it, don't read. On point, no, McDonald's is not Hitler or the Mongols. But your argument becomes: oppression today is not as bad as it used to be, so quit whining. WTF? Sausage King of Chicago
People in this space are always talking about the amount of money focus groups must spend to come up with names like "agilent" and "duron". This is intel's way of competing with AMD, they're cutting down on the cost of *naming* the thing and passing the savings to you. So quit whining already! "Sausage King of Chicago"