Editing 743: Infrastructures
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | [[Cueball]] has sent an essay to | + | [[Cueball]] has sent an essay to a friend. While the essay itself was good, his friend was worried because the essay was in the {{w|Doc (computing)|.doc}} format, the {{w|Proprietary Software|proprietary format}} that old versions of {{w|Microsoft Word}} used. The friend advises Cueball to use a format based on an open standard, possibly a format like ODF, ODT, ODS, ODP, or OpenOffice XML. |
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− | + | Cueball, who does not appreciate his friend's contradicting him, argues that he is making petty fights about the details of software instead of simply caring that the software works (which is, in essence, a primordial purpose of software). Given that it can be a challenge to move from a familiar proprietary application to an open-source rival which may lack compatibility, features, support and popularity, Cueball has *some* justification for his stance. | |
− | Seven years later, Cueball runs to | + | The bearded fellow brings up that he is just concerned about the current proprietary software infrastructure that forces users to use software in a specific way, penalizing them for sharing the software or even preventing looking at the source code in order to learn what the program actually does or how it works. Cueball makes a retort that his friend has [http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html an arrogance that crowds out his perspective] while claiming that he is {{w|Autism|autistic}}. However, it is highly unlikely that Cueball truly believes his friend is autistic. Instead, it's much more likely that he's comparing his friend's behavior to that of people with autism(such as his intense fixation on things that seem trivially important to others), similar to the banter used on online forums and imageboards such as 4chan's /g/ board. |
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+ | Seven years later, Cueball runs to the friend, alarmed about Facebook's heavy policies about its complete control about the information its users submit. Since Facebook is like Microsoft in its lack of transparency about their services and taking away a lot of control from the user, the fellow retorts with playing "the world's tiniest open-source violin." This is dubious since "[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WorldsSmallestViolin playing the world's smallest violin]" is a [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=World%27s+Smallest+Violin sarcastic expression] that denotes that the speaker will not give pity to the recipient. | ||
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+ | In response to this comic, a [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3193 3D model for a tiny violin] was released as open source files. | ||
The title text references the following pieces of infrastructure that are compatible with the "free software" ideology: | The title text references the following pieces of infrastructure that are compatible with the "free software" ideology: | ||
− | * [ | + | * [http://www.creativecommons.org Creative Commons licenses] (CC licensed) use existing copyright law to permit someone to share a creative work anywhere so long as the sharer attributes credit to the creator of the work. The particular CC license chosen may also allow for modification, derivative works, and/or commercial usage. The fellow's phrase "you can get it" in the title text is ambiguous: is he offering to share the code for the violin, or the tune that the violin plays? But since CC licenses are not used for software, we can assume "it" refers to the tune: either an audio recording of it, or perhaps source material from which to make modified versions. |
− | * [ | + | * [http://joindiaspora.com joindiaspora.com] (formerly joindiaspora.net) is the central host of {{w|Diaspora (social network)| Diaspora*}}, an open-source alternative to Facebook which puts the user in control of how their information is used. Of course this sort of use of Diaspora would eliminate Cueball's concern over how Facebook handled his information. |
− | * a Diaspora "seed" is a personal web server that interacts in a Diaspora "pod" of servers. It stores all of your information (such as the tune in this case) and shares it with your friends, in a way that respects your preferences around privacy, etc. | + | * a Diaspora "seed" is a personal web server that interacts in a Diaspora "pod" of servers. It stores all of your information (such as the tune in this case) and shares it with your friends, in a way that respects your preferences around privacy, etc. |
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+ | The problem with the lack of open source and Facebook is also the subject of [[1390: Research Ethics]]. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:[Inset, the bearded fellow rubs his index and middle fingers against his thumb.] | :[Inset, the bearded fellow rubs his index and middle fingers against his thumb.] | ||
:Bearded Fellow: ''It's the world's tiniest open-source violin.'' | :Bearded Fellow: ''It's the world's tiniest open-source violin.'' | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
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[[Category:Programming]] | [[Category:Programming]] | ||
[[Category:Social networking]] | [[Category:Social networking]] |