[dundee] Understanding FLOSS

Tue May 12 21:24:38 UTC 2009

Heheh, fair enough. I've never been to Orkney but I've been in Shetland a
few times. As you said, not quite a galactic distance but still decent :)

On 12/05/2009, Digit (SG) <digit.siljrath at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> to do the courtesy of answering "How far away is "far far away"? :-)"
>
> Orkney.
>
> i tried suggesting an Orkney Linux User Group, but didnt take off yet.
>
> i was on the shetland lug mailing list too, but it kinda died off.  so that
> didn't bode well for the orkney lug idea.
>
> so, i stuck with the dundee lug, not only because of my previous
> familiarity with dundee and my possible return... but also because, frankly,
> the quality of content from you folks on the mailing list.  often more
> intriguing info than i get from my rss feeds, better than the other mailing
> lists, and at a comfortable number of emails appearing in my inbox so as not
> to dislodge my other emails.  all round sweet deal.
>
> oh.. and because no one shouted at me to get off the mailing list since i
> wasnt local.  ...yet.  :D
>
> so, yeah, if you were thinking galactically "far far away" as in star wars,
> sorry to disappoint.  :)  i just kinda meant, "further than walking
> distance."
>
> so anyways.. my "talks" will be in email form for the time being. heh. ;D
>
> 2009/5/12 christopher wyllie <cgwyllie at googlemail.com>
>
>> How far away is "far far away"? :-)
>>
>> On 12/05/2009, Digit (SG) <digit.siljrath at googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> "This is practically a talk - are you volunteering?"
>>>
>>> if i was still in dundee, or moved back down there again, that'd likely
>>> be an affirmative (a "yeah sure"), but as it is... i just piggieback on your
>>> mailing list from far far away.  hehe.  guessing my physical presence would
>>> be required.   maybe someday, once adequately provisioned....
>>>
>>> 2009/5/11 Robert Ladyman <it at file-away.co.uk>
>>>
>>>> This is practically a talk - are you volunteering? (and that's a
>>>> please).
>>>>
>>>> On Sunday 10 May 2009 11:41:13 Digit (SG) wrote:
>>>> > hi dundo luggers. :)
>>>> >
>>>> > to respond to donna's inquiry  regarding artists and floss...
>>>> >
>>>> > well, speaking as an artist,
>>>> >
>>>> > i "get" FLOSS ideology/methodology.
>>>> >
>>>> > but i also see the differences between art and software, and why there
>>>> may
>>>> > be reluctance to release works of art under copyleftishness.  software
>>>> can
>>>> > be so much more sterile and pragmatic, where works of art often have
>>>> an
>>>> > even greater sentimental preciousness.  artists can often be quite
>>>> > emotionally involved with their creations, where often, software is
>>>> there
>>>> > for the practical benefits it confers.  thats not to say software is
>>>> > excluded from being artistic though.
>>>> >
>>>> > music seems to be leading the way a little further ahead than the
>>>> visual
>>>> > arts, and i've no idea really where the rest (writing for example)
>>>> fall
>>>> > into the picture.
>>>> > services like http://www.jamendo.com/en/ (which i intend to get
>>>> around to
>>>> > uploading loads of my stuff to) show how the principles so familiar to
>>>> > software creations can be applied to music creations.
>>>> >
>>>> > i think alot of artists are still stuck on bill gate's open letter to
>>>> > hobbyists from the 70s (
>>>> > http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/gateswhine.html ), and i know
>>>> why,
>>>> > the need to eat food etc, and food being most readily available only
>>>> with
>>>> > money, is quite the reinforcement of this.
>>>> >
>>>> > creative commons may think they are helping, but its a complex mine
>>>> field
>>>> > that can be a bit off-putting to those who have a sole focus in life
>>>> to
>>>> > create (not to navigate legalities).
>>>> >
>>>> > it's something i'm striving towards solving, by cutting out the
>>>> necessary
>>>> > obliged financial outgoings, so that art can once again become
>>>> detatched
>>>> > from profit motive, and all the great works of art, both complete and
>>>> > unfinished, horded by artists all over for sake of their future
>>>> potential
>>>> > financial riches, can become liberated and enter the public view, as
>>>> well
>>>> > as the re-churning of ideas as best represented/protected by the likes
>>>> of
>>>> > the GPL and FLOSSology.
>>>> >
>>>> > now i realise you may have only been meaning the topic here to be the
>>>> > software side of it, but i see no foul in highlighting that the
>>>> product of
>>>> > artist's creative endeavors could one day be as well shared and
>>>> > distributed, bazaar style, as software.
>>>> >
>>>> > "which one is it?"
>>>> >
>>>> > both.  you already had your answer.  some get it, some dont yet.  some
>>>> have
>>>> > all their stuff released freely in recognition that copyright is not
>>>> only a
>>>> > farce, but illegal.  some have never heard of richard stallman, and
>>>> dont
>>>> > yet realise that everytime they view a copyrighted content on a
>>>> computer
>>>> > they are "breaking copyright".
>>>> >
>>>> > as powerful an allure photoshop has with all it's bells n whistles, i
>>>> still
>>>> > understand that the race is won by open source's exponentials, leaving
>>>> the
>>>> > limitations of proprietary in the dust, and so i stick with the gimp.
>>>> > (excellent link from gordon the other day btw.)
>>>> > better to be onboard earlier methinks, rather than waste time keeping
>>>> > one'self hog tied to being dumbed down by proprietary treating the end
>>>> > users like helpless noobs who need to keep suckling gratefully on the
>>>> > proprietor's machinations (however alluring they may be).
>>>> >
>>>> > i actually tried going back to photoshop for a little taster recently
>>>> after
>>>> > hearing my cousin rave on about it's wonders, and to my surprise, i
>>>> felt
>>>> > more at a loss for the features it didnt have than marveled at what it
>>>> did.
>>>> > * cant help but think of sugar coated turds *  so i stick with the
>>>> gimp.
>>>> > no point either forking out hundreds, or breaking the law, just for a
>>>> > couple of features, which are only likely to show up in gimp in a
>>>> better
>>>> > developed form in good time.  also, besides having a plateful to deal
>>>> with
>>>> > already, theres nothing holding me back from learning what i need to
>>>> to add
>>>> > these features myself, gaining total control over my tool, tailoring
>>>> it to
>>>> > my exacting needs.   oh yes, i "get" FLOSS.  full intent to be a
>>>> greater
>>>> > contributor.  full appreciation for the contributions of others to our
>>>> > collective tools.
>>>> >
>>>> > anyway, that's about enough rambling on for now.  :)
>>>> >
>>>> > -Digit.
>>>> >
>>>> > ps, i still have an idea on the backburner for a lightweight artist's
>>>> > distribution based on Slitaz, which i might have actually got around
>>>> to
>>>> > completing had my lenovo x60 not needed to go to the shop to be fixed
>>>> > again.
>>>> >
>>>> > pps, ya just have no idea how amazing blender is until you get through
>>>> some
>>>> > tutorials.   wow.   seriously, wow.  (that coming from someone trained
>>>> in
>>>> > softimage|xsi)
>>>> >
>>>> > 2009/5/8 Donna Holford-Lovell <d.holford-lovell at abertay.ac.uk>
>>>> >
>>>> > >  HI
>>>> > >
>>>> > > I have been thinking .... Which sometimes hurts.... You may know
>>>> that I
>>>> > > have been looking at the ideology/methodology of FLOSS and applying
>>>> this
>>>> > > to an art practice. I have had some excellent responses but I am
>>>> still
>>>> > > getting the impression that the art world are just not getting it.
>>>> > >
>>>> > > Obviously there are differing cultures and philosophies within the
>>>> term
>>>> > > FLOSS but both could offer a very new and productive way of working
>>>> > > within the art sector. Some in the art sector say that it already
>>>> exists
>>>> > > in the practice and from the other camp that artists just don’t
>>>> > > understand. ???? My question is ‘which one is it’?
>>>> > >
>>>> > > I was wondering if anyone was up for helping to organise a small
>>>> series
>>>> > > of talks that would cover this area and go someway to clarifying it.
>>>> Try
>>>> > > to come at from the philosophical side, yes the product is important
>>>> but
>>>> > > really try to understand its process. How can we learn and implement
>>>> it
>>>> > > to other areas.
>>>> > >
>>>> > > We can run it at the HMC, maybe as part of the Linux meetings? Happy
>>>> to
>>>> > > look at providing funding etc ..... Be good to hear your thoughts
>>>> > >
>>>> > > Best Donna
>>>> > >
>>>> > >
>>>> > > ---------------------------------------------
>>>> > > *Donna Holford-Lovell
>>>> > > Cultural Projects Officer
>>>> > > *
>>>> > > University of Abertay Dundee
>>>> > > Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG
>>>> > > Tel: 0044 (1)382 308 777
>>>> > > www.abertay.ac.uk/exhibitions
>>>> > >
>>>> > > The University of Abertay Dundee is a
>>>> > > charity registered in Scotland, No: SC016040
>>>> > >
>>>> > > _______________________________________________
>>>> > > dundee GNU/Linux Users Group mailing list
>>>> > > dundee at lists.lug.org.uk  http://dundee.lug.org.uk
>>>> > > https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dundee
>>>> > > Chat on IRC, #tlug on dundee.lug.org.uk
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Robert Ladyman
>>>> File-Away Limited, 32 Church Street, Newtyle
>>>> Perthshire, PH12 8TZ SCOTLAND
>>>> Registered in Scotland, Company Number SC222086
>>>> Tel: +44 (0) 1828 898 158
>>>> Mobile: +44 (0) 7732 771 649
>>>> http://www.file-away.co.uk
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> Chat on IRC, #tlug on dundee.lug.org.uk
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
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>>>  prints available to buy.  digital images available for price at your
>>> discression.
>>> http://tinyurl.com/gaudiepodforum
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> http://www.gaudiepod.org.uk gaudiepod.org.uk website gallery and forum.
>  prints available to buy.  digital images available for price at your
> discression.
> http://tinyurl.com/gaudiepodforum
>
> _______________________________________________
> dundee GNU/Linux Users Group mailing list
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