permaculture

[sustain_ability@123mail.org]

Greg, 

Having monitored groklaw.net for nearly two years, the Linux option has
only grown in popularity. Proprietary software and OS has not enriched
as many people as you might think, and has not improved access to
computing nearly as much as Linux and its variants. 

I spent several days installing Linux on old hardware (a PowerMac) that
had long been abandoned by its maker. If you were forced to adjust your
(algorithm based) program because of the greed of a proprietary firm and
its obstinate refusal to provide source code and vital architectural
data (thus forcing you to reverse engineer - not always possible), then
that is not, strictly speaking, programming. That's gouging and
chiseling and ultimately, wasting precious resources (both in an attempt
to either retain your SW customers or force them to "upgrade" their
hardware).

Computing by using both recycled abandonware and hardware may help those
stuck and isolated in the cold, northern cities to apply permaculture
principles. We don't have the luxury of living in Belize.

George
http://transitions.stumbleupon.com


On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:26:37 -0700, "Greg" <Greg@UrbanFarm.org> said:
> Sean, all,
> 
> Although your offer of burning a copy of software for Keith is a 
> generous one it is not legal.  Having been in the software business 
> for many years I worked very hard to make my living creating 
> software, I know first hand how hard it is to address software 
> copying.
> 
> Imagine if you created some great doodad and put your mark on it. 
> Then someone came along and took it from you and started making 
> copies.  How might you feel.

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