"They" are a group of graduates over a 10 or 12 year span who all happen to play in a band together, and recently got an indie deal; first two albums now available for purchase on iTunes. Songs for the third album are currently in production, with some of the tracks cut at Sun Records. (If you are a music nerd of a certain age, this is Godhead - but if you're that age, you're not likely hanging out at wikipedia. This is part of the problem of a self-selecting "Board of Authority.") None of them are my family - I'm an old acquantance living 1,000 miles away who happens to be a fan.
Now, contrast them with the sleezeball wanna-be "sports agent" who lists himself as a "prominent graduate" on the same page, even though he has no clients and is totally unheard of in recruiting circles (at least the ones I participate in - does that make me an expert? No, of course not. He can stay up there if he wants. Or more accurately, if "they" want.) He's practically advertising to current student ball-players. But guys who make music I can purchase on iTunes? "Oh, they're not good enough."
Please note: I am now engaged in the same "debating picayune subjects with anonymous people" situation that I *didn't* want to be in, in the first place! It's ridiculous! I'm quitting!
Defend the wikipedia all you want, it's still a human endeavor... and human endeavors will always be swayed by cliques, groupthink, self-selection, etc, whether those endeavors are trivial "notable graduates from our HS" lists, or management of a collectivist nation. All the self-imposed "rules" in the world can't get around this immutable fact; the rules themselves carry the taint of human endeavor.
Perhaps we can agree on this at least: One day, the Robot Overlords will worry about this stuff for us! What was it Perry Ferrell said? "We'll make great pets?"
I agree 101%, blincoln - coincidentally I once nearly got into a flamewar about what a person had to do, to be worthy of inclusion of a 'notable alumni' section of a high school's wikipedia entry. Then I remembered, "I'm a grown adult. Why do I want to fight with the teenage 'gatekeepers' of this random web document?" For them it was practically a religious fight - I just thought my friend deserved to be added to the list of names. It's groupthink at its worst.
I think maybe wikipedia won't be "killed off or crippled" so much as it'll become 'just another wiki about things.' And maybe that's okay.
On a broader note, I hope others in this thread have recommended "The Wisdom of Crowds," which contains a lot of insight about the Open-to-all vs. So-called-expert-panels issue. They both have their place in a culture; the issue for me seems to be "When do I trust collective wisdom (and it's inherent fools on the edges) and when I do accept a 'panel of experts' (and their susceptibility to groupthink and self-selection)?"
Does Red Hat have any near-term strategies for gaining more of a foothold in the government sector? I don't just mean back-end software sales, but pushing for law & rule changes, at both the Federal and State levels, that would give RH and other MS alternatives a better shot at winning government sales.
I guess my question is, "How big is your administrative law staff?!"
Interesting update. Looking at the tips and advice at the end, I'm thinking, "Those are good tips ALL the time, for EVERYTHING." Always keep notes with times, dates, names. Always use a credit card if you can, and always get miles or cashback or points - whatever suits your needs (whole 'nother post, there). Always follow up with managers (with praise too, if deserved). Etc etc etc...
I would think the Slashdot crowd (if I may generalize) would be (i) savvy enough to shop for the best deal, whether a rebate was involved or not, and (ii) more apt to get the details right, and thus be more likely than the average consumer to actually receive the hoped-for check.
I've filled out a few of those forms in the last year and gotten the money -- and the only one I didn't, the rebate company sent me an email saying, "you didn't send in the original UPC; if you have it, mail it to us and you'll get the rebate." I looked in the attic (where we throw all boxes) and sure enough, I'd forgotten to clip it. Still waiting for that check. Granted, they don't come fast, but at least they're honest enough to tell you, "This... is gonna take a while."
Not everyone agrees with Nicholson Baker though, not even the Society of American Archivists, but it sure is fascinating. Even more so than the current trendy paranoia about privacy.
Ironically, Baker's Vox is probably one of those books most of you are afraid of getting caught with. It's so naughty, Monica gave it to Bill, and we all found out, thanks to the pre-existing police state (but of course we had a benevolent dictator for 8 years).
If you're a perv, be a perv. If you're into homemade bombs, be into homemade bombs. If you still read Beverly Cleary even though you're a 45 year old single man... okay, I want you locked up!!
I don't know if anyone else mentioned it (and apologies if they did - I didn't read the whole thread), but Salon.com ran a series of articles last year (roughly) that exposed the extent of this radio silliness... Much more info than this article, and an uglier painting too.
The zillions of dollars of debt, it seems to me, are going to be the downfall of clearchannel. Okay, so they aggregated 30% of the US market for a while... after another while, it all falls apart. Lather, rinse, repeat. Isn't there a Norse myth like this?
I think maybe 'tragedy' is in the eye of the beholder. Heat and electricity are good, but go to the "WORLD'S LARGEST MCDONALDS!!!!" in Orlando, and watch the aging Brits wait in line after line for a fetid quarter-pound of meat on a stale bun. The tragedy is that the idea of "WORLDS LARGEST MCDONALDS!!!!" is more important to these people than edible food product. The same is true of everything in O-town. It's all hype, whiz, glitz, etc. At the end of the day people didn't really have a lot of fun; but they have a little litany of words and photos to impress the folks back home. And sadly, the folks back home *are* impressed, so next year they'll be here, standing in line, fighting for next year's crop of McMeat.
Witness also the tattered "T-2" billboards on I-4. It was such a huge project; the massive "T-2" ride at Universal (or MGM or whatever studio-thrill-ride-company). It's still there, depreciating away before the accountants' eyes, but nobody gives a rat's ass about T-2 anymore... after the hype-fest is over, it's just another aging hunk of junk.
Slashdot Mirror
...and I did not mean to post this anonymously. C'est moi.
"They" are a group of graduates over a 10 or 12 year span who all happen to play in a band together, and recently got an indie deal; first two albums now available for purchase on iTunes. Songs for the third album are currently in production, with some of the tracks cut at Sun Records. (If you are a music nerd of a certain age, this is Godhead - but if you're that age, you're not likely hanging out at wikipedia. This is part of the problem of a self-selecting "Board of Authority.") None of them are my family - I'm an old acquantance living 1,000 miles away who happens to be a fan.
Now, contrast them with the sleezeball wanna-be "sports agent" who lists himself as a "prominent graduate" on the same page, even though he has no clients and is totally unheard of in recruiting circles (at least the ones I participate in - does that make me an expert? No, of course not. He can stay up there if he wants. Or more accurately, if "they" want.) He's practically advertising to current student ball-players. But guys who make music I can purchase on iTunes? "Oh, they're not good enough."
Please note: I am now engaged in the same "debating picayune subjects with anonymous people" situation that I *didn't* want to be in, in the first place! It's ridiculous! I'm quitting!
Defend the wikipedia all you want, it's still a human endeavor... and human endeavors will always be swayed by cliques, groupthink, self-selection, etc, whether those endeavors are trivial "notable graduates from our HS" lists, or management of a collectivist nation. All the self-imposed "rules" in the world can't get around this immutable fact; the rules themselves carry the taint of human endeavor.
Perhaps we can agree on this at least: One day, the Robot Overlords will worry about this stuff for us! What was it Perry Ferrell said? "We'll make great pets?"
What?? given the fundamental premise of Wikipedia, how can *anyone* "not be the right one" to add something?
I agree 101%, blincoln - coincidentally I once nearly got into a flamewar about what a person had to do, to be worthy of inclusion of a 'notable alumni' section of a high school's wikipedia entry. Then I remembered, "I'm a grown adult. Why do I want to fight with the teenage 'gatekeepers' of this random web document?" For them it was practically a religious fight - I just thought my friend deserved to be added to the list of names. It's groupthink at its worst.
I think maybe wikipedia won't be "killed off or crippled" so much as it'll become 'just another wiki about things.' And maybe that's okay.
On a broader note, I hope others in this thread have recommended "The Wisdom of Crowds," which contains a lot of insight about the Open-to-all vs. So-called-expert-panels issue. They both have their place in a culture; the issue for me seems to be "When do I trust collective wisdom (and it's inherent fools on the edges) and when I do accept a 'panel of experts' (and their susceptibility to groupthink and self-selection)?"
Does Red Hat have any near-term strategies for gaining more of a foothold in the government sector? I don't just mean back-end software sales, but pushing for law & rule changes, at both the Federal and State levels, that would give RH and other MS alternatives a better shot at winning government sales.
I guess my question is, "How big is your administrative law staff?!"
Interesting update. Looking at the tips and advice at the end, I'm thinking, "Those are good tips ALL the time, for EVERYTHING." Always keep notes with times, dates, names. Always use a credit card if you can, and always get miles or cashback or points - whatever suits your needs (whole 'nother post, there). Always follow up with managers (with praise too, if deserved). Etc etc etc...
I would think the Slashdot crowd (if I may generalize) would be (i) savvy enough to shop for the best deal, whether a rebate was involved or not, and (ii) more apt to get the details right, and thus be more likely than the average consumer to actually receive the hoped-for check.
I've filled out a few of those forms in the last year and gotten the money -- and the only one I didn't, the rebate company sent me an email saying, "you didn't send in the original UPC; if you have it, mail it to us and you'll get the rebate." I looked in the attic (where we throw all boxes) and sure enough, I'd forgotten to clip it. Still waiting for that check. Granted, they don't come fast, but at least they're honest enough to tell you, "This... is gonna take a while."
Just one person's experience...
Not everyone agrees with Nicholson Baker though, not even the Society of American Archivists, but it sure is fascinating. Even more so than the current trendy paranoia about privacy.
Ironically, Baker's Vox is probably one of those books most of you are afraid of getting caught with. It's so naughty, Monica gave it to Bill, and we all found out, thanks to the pre-existing police state (but of course we had a benevolent dictator for 8 years).
If you're a perv, be a perv. If you're into homemade bombs, be into homemade bombs. If you still read Beverly Cleary even though you're a 45 year old single man... okay, I want you locked up!!
Agreed. Wholeheartedly agreed.
The RIAA stands in front of Congress and purports to represent artists AND labels.
Uh. No?
The MPAA doesn't represent actors... SAG does. Artists will never have any rights until they find a way to join together and fight the RIAA.
Tell your band to form a union. Get every other rocknroller in this country to join. Boom. Instant power.
It's true, even though I generally consider myself a capitalist and I hate unions.
I don't know if anyone else mentioned it (and apologies if they did - I didn't read the whole thread), but Salon.com ran a series of articles last year (roughly) that exposed the extent of this radio silliness... Much more info than this article, and an uglier painting too.
The zillions of dollars of debt, it seems to me, are going to be the downfall of clearchannel. Okay, so they aggregated 30% of the US market for a while... after another while, it all falls apart. Lather, rinse, repeat. Isn't there a Norse myth like this?
There's not nearly enough bloom county stuff on the net. dunno why. maybe because Oliver was using an Apple Lisa?
I think maybe 'tragedy' is in the eye of the beholder. Heat and electricity are good, but go to the "WORLD'S LARGEST MCDONALDS!!!!" in Orlando, and watch the aging Brits wait in line after line for a fetid quarter-pound of meat on a stale bun. The tragedy is that the idea of "WORLDS LARGEST MCDONALDS!!!!" is more important to these people than edible food product. The same is true of everything in O-town. It's all hype, whiz, glitz, etc. At the end of the day people didn't really have a lot of fun; but they have a little litany of words and photos to impress the folks back home. And sadly, the folks back home *are* impressed, so next year they'll be here, standing in line, fighting for next year's crop of McMeat.
Witness also the tattered "T-2" billboards on I-4. It was such a huge project; the massive "T-2" ride at Universal (or MGM or whatever studio-thrill-ride-company). It's still there, depreciating away before the accountants' eyes, but nobody gives a rat's ass about T-2 anymore... after the hype-fest is over, it's just another aging hunk of junk.