[Nottingham] Considering the last talk...

[Martin]

On 01/05/2011, Duncan <notlug at pendinas.org.uk> wrote:
> On 01/05/11 01:34, stripes wrote:
>> ... George Orwell's
>> nightmare vision of 1984. I find it sad that the only person on the
>> list that seems to be able to see this is Sergiusz Pawlowicz,
>
> Being off topic on a _Linux Users Group_ mailing list doesn't make you a
> visionary.
> It just makes you off topic.
>
> Discussions about (non-Linux) literature, police states and Japanese
> whaling should
> be directed to a more appropriate forum.

I guess then that includes the draconian 1984 legislation for BT
telephone poles also... :-/

And here's hoping for the freedom (and free living) of Antarctic
whales (and all other whales) for evermore!

(Sorry, couldn't resist! :-) )


Going back on-topic...

I agree with the /ideals/ of Richard Stallman for a 'Utopian'
passwordless and completely free computer world. Unfortunately,
corporate and criminal reality appears to completely abuse and trash
that idea for all practical purposes.

Spammers are another example. At one time, most mail relays were
completely open. Unfortunately, the spammers have since made such
openness unworkable.

Unfortunately, allowing in even just one bad apple can spoil the party
for everyone...


There's rather a lot of the use of the word 'unfortunate' in there...
Is 'Open Source' and 'Linux' the last academic/geekie 'village' of
friendly cooperation that is left? All surrounded by a 'Mad Max'
bad-lands of the cyberworld around us?

An awful lot hangs on defending the GPL.


A second thought is that in small communities such as a village,
everyone is accountable in person to the peer pressure of all others
in that village. Whereas the vastness of the internet and the
impression of anonymity can act to make possible scams and other
nastiness that just isn't practical by other means...

As a 'good neighbor' I go to great lengths and trouble to make sure
none of my hosts/connections are abused to send spam or worse. I would
hope that my neighbors are similarly considerate. (As it is, there are
continually millions of zombie machines and their internet connections
being exploited to pollute the internet for everyone...)


To add my opinion: There is enough easily/cheaply/readily available
mobile internet connectivity available without tempting unnecessary
silliness from an unguarded WiFi connection, even if the problem is
just a very small few people.

Cheers,
Martin


(Please email offlist, or post a link to a more appropriate forum for
any off-topic comments/discussion.)