Project: Community Computers, an example to follow...

One in a while I come across projects like Project: Community Computers really make my day. But this project in particular peaks my interest more than usual, because it's an example on how open source can be a great tool to make a difference on peoples life by providing them with the tools they need to have a better future.

The freedom that FOSS(Free and Open-source Software) gives to organizations like Project: Community Computers, is quite impressive and not easily dismissed. It grants them the opportunity to do great things, be the agent of change they need to be in our society.

The combination of people doing something to help other and FOSS, is one that I want to see being replicated a lot more. We need to give those people the tools they need to build themselves a better future, without chaining them to a particular software or hardware. They already face to many obstacles, so why burden them with another if we can avoid it?

All software, and the hardware it runs on, should be at the service of the people who use it. If it imposes any restriction on how, and where, it can be used it doesn't fulfill  the service it should be doing for the people who use it. The people who actually use it, should be the one making all decisions in every respect on the software.

In other words, people should completely own the software they run. Companies can't have a say on how we use the software once it's on our hands.

That's why projects like Project: Community Computers are so important. If you can, please help the project to reach their goal.

Firefox OS finally comes to Mexico...

This weekend I saw that a two smartphones using the Firefox OS just arrived to Mexico, via Movistar. They are priced at $999.00 MXN, or about $75.79 USD, which is priced quite well for someone like me.

Yet, what I like the most about having a couple of smartphones running the Firefox OS, is that now there are two open source mobile OSes available on the market. Which is great news for people like me, like want open source software to power their devices.

Until now, if you wanted an open source OS you had to go to Android. The only choice was which make and model you could pick, which is not that bad but not enough for my taste. With Firefox OS, you get more room to select what's better for you. Yes, there are only two devices running it on a single carrier, but I hope that it soon will extend to more manufactures and other carriers.

At least now, I'm pretty sure I'll make the jump to Firefox OS on the Alcatel One Touch Fire model.

The Internet does not solve anything, it enables the solution...

One of the main reasons why the Internet should be free and open all humanity, is because it has become one huge library of human knowledge. As such, it's one of the most important tools to share and access that knowledge in the easiest and efficient way by all.

While it's true that the Internet in itself won't ever solve anything, it gives people access to the necessary information to be able to solve what they need to. Also, by allowing people to share information with each other in an while not having to be at the same place at the same time it empowers individuals to be an agent of change.

As with books, television and radio, the Internet is just a channel by which information flows. The main difference is that the Internet that flow goes not only to the person consuming that information, the person can actually interact with that information in many ways. And many of those interactions can be in ways that the originator didn't intended.

The Internet is constantly evolving, changing and adapting to what and how people. It's a reflection of what the humanity does in real time, and many respects that Internet is as chaotic as we. We change the Internet as much as the Internet changes us, each passing day Internet and humanity are becoming ever more integrated. It's hard, almost impossible, to say where any of this is going to take us.

I only hope we can master the greatest tool for change for the better.