Tsikbal: from my perspective

I've been using Ubuntu for over a year now, and it is my favorite OS by far. In one way or another, I've been using open-source software for quite sometime. Yet, until last year I made up my mind to use a Linux distro and get rid of Windows for good. After doing some research, and asking around, I decided to use Ubuntu since it was one of the most user friendly distro out there. So, the first version I used was the 9.10. And since then, I've have no intention what soever to return to using Windows, or to start using the Mac OS. And now with the Unity UI, I enjoy using Ubuntu even more. For me, I find that I like the way it looks and it works for me. I find it easier to get around, so I can do my work with it. I just enjoy it much. Most importantly, it's open-source software. Which is important for me, since the philosophy that come with the open-source software community is the same that I have. I do believe that we all should have the ability to fr...

I feel rather frustrated how many companies, and some individuals, seem to look down to community driven projects. And, for better or for worse, many people seem to buy into idea that if a company isn't behind a given product or service, it can't be trusted or it couldn't be any good. Yet, I don't buy into that. Community driven projects can be as good, or better, as those driven by companies. But, most people don't seem to be willing to give community a chance, because they are afraid that there is no support if or, when, they run into problems. This idea is perpetuated by companies, in order to make weary about moving to community driven project. But, finding support is as easy, and sometimes easier, when compared to company driven projects. It's just a matter of a way to contact the support. As a matter of fact, contacting support on community driven projects is easy. Most often than not, when you reach for help you'll find someone willin...

It's important for society at large to understand that telling others how to spend the money they have earned for their work. After all, we are entitled to spend the money we earn in any way we see fit. The truth is that, since we earn that money with the efforts of our labor its fair that we can use it to reward ourselves. Yes, there are people have more money than most. Yet, this is just life; and life is not fair. There'll always be people that have more, and people that have less. What we should strive for, is a society in which the powerful where the powerful can't step on the people below them. The key for a fair society is that everyone earns the same, or has the same of everything, is one where the individuals have the same rights and access to have their basic need meet. If the individuals living at a society, don't have equal rights it becomes a society that won't be self sustaining. Wealth alone is not enough to make society prosperous,...

After using GNOME 3 for three days, I just couldn't take it any more and came back to using Unity as my user interface on Ubuntu 11.10. Even though I do like GNOME 3 in general terms, I do feel that Unity is better suited to the way I interact with the user interface. I don't only like Unity looks, but also the way it works. When I started using Unity with the release of Ubuntu 11.04, I did come across several bugs. But, at the end there weren't that important and for the most part those bugs have been ironed out. So, I expect that with the release of Ubuntu 12.04 Unity will be fully mature. But, this rises something that I really like about Linux in particular, and the FOSS movement in general. What I like is that there is always a choice. If there is something doesn't work for you, or you just don't like it, you can always choose another distro or app that suits you. Of course one can has the right what one likes or not, yet I don't see the po...

One should always avoid dealing in absolutes. Most things in life are not black or white, but rather a shade of gray. But often than not, is better to judge things relative to the context on which those things occur. What is appropriate on one situation in one place, might not apply to the same situation in another place. There are many factor that makes anything that is done acceptable or not. There is only a really few things that are almost universally accepted. Yet, the vast majority of our actions fall in a gray area. Most often or not, there will be someone that finds what you do objectionable and other that agrees with the way you view it. Instead of lashing out when someone tells you that what you so is not the thing to do, instead of attacking back try to understand where they come from. In many cases, the person who disagrees with your position doesn't have the whole context, or information, on why you act the way you do. Once they understand why you do, ...

Open source is something that I really hold close to my ethics system. The core values of sharing knowledge, ways to do things and builds things, in a free and open way is a way to innovate faster and in an easier way. If all can see how something is done, it makes it easier to people actually knowing how to actually do something from the blueprints themselves. This has the added benefit that people can modify according to the needs of the people who are going to use it. Or, people can make modifications that actually make it better and being open they can share those modifications back to the community so that the benefits as a whole. But, since there are more people actually seeing and using the blueprints there is a greater chance that if there are any defects, those can be addressed a lot earlier than they would if it was Closed sourced. Open source gives all the people who actively participate on each project a sense of ownership. This is a good things, since it g...

Let's keep something clear, I do agree that Apple produces great hardware and software. Most of the products that Apple releases are great in design, and technology. Their products are innovative, and bring new things to the table. Or at least they are a flesh implementation of a technology that's already out there. My problem with Apple is their philosophy. I don't mind that their software is proprietary, though I rather see in being open. And, I don't agree how they managed the hacking of the iPhone. Once I buy a product, I expect to be able to do whatever I want with it, and I don't appreciate a company telling me what I should do with my phone. And I just had to roll my eyes, when many of the features that came from hacking the iOS where later integrated into it. I didn't expect Apple to thank, or acknowledge, those came first from the coders that hacked it. But, why fight so hard to avoid having people to hack your product, just to end up addin...

I've been reading about the SOPA act, which aim is to protect the copyright holders from piracy. I agree on the principle that everyone has the right to receive payment for any work that they do, after all it takes time and effort to do so. But, I've a problem with how the SOPA act intends to protect the copyright holders from piracy. The idea that just by accusing someone of piracy brings about the kind of actions SOPA proposes are, for me, disturbing. I believe that the Internet should be an open and even field for the exchange of information and ideas. I do agree on the proponents of Net Neutrality, there shouldn't anyone that can stop the exchange. Having access to information, and being able to exchange your ideas with other people is a fundamental right. And is specially important to bring forth innovation. Sharing ideas, and comparing notes freely, can lead to new ideas. The more people contribute and share ideas, the easier it is to solve proble...

It can be really depressing how many people actually expect that someone else to come to solve their problems, and it that doesn't happen they just moan on how bad things are for them. If more people came to realize that the key to solve most of the problems, if not all, is in their own hands the world would be a different place. Most of the changes needed to solve the problems each person have is within. Of course some problems are harder to solve that other, but there is no problem that can't be solved in one way or another. The only thing that it's needed to fix whatever we want, is the will to find the way to do so. The key to arrive to a solution, resides in being able to pay attention on what is what behaviors are the ones that take us to the outcome that we want to change. All is in what actions are the ones that make things happen the way they do, not the outcomes. By fixing on the outcomes, we don't see the complete picture of what is going on ...

I've been following the several #Occupy movements that have sprung up on several cities around the world. It has make me wondered if such a movement could occur in any of the mayor cities of Mexico, to call for peace and to prompt politicians to take actions in the matters that most interest Mexican society. Yet, I've some doubts that there will be any such movements at any city in Mexico. Most of the people here are not that politically active. There is a view that any one that is politically active is not to be trusted. And, after 70 years in which most people came to expect that no mater what they did or said nothing come happened because our voices just wouldn't be heard. Things have slowly beginning to change, but most of the time when we rally we don't stay at it for long. More are more people are becoming aware that they can do something to change how the system works, but we haven't gotten a critical mass as of yet. We need more people pressurin...

As much as hacking is being depicted as something bad, and that should be avoided at all times, I can't find a reason why people shouldn't be able to hack their own software and hardware. Granted, rules should be put in place to punish those who hack into places, or things, they are not wanted. But, if anyone wants to hack their own computer, mobile phone or software to work in a way they deem they need; they should be able to do it legally. And, if they want to share it with other people they also should be able to do so if they choose to do so. Face it, hacking is not bad in itself. It also brings benefits to the larger community of users. Hacking fosters innovation, and makes good motivator for companies to do things better. Most of the hackers are curious people, who just want to know how something works or who wants to make whatever product they use do something they believe it should be able to do. In some cases, they modify the behaviour, or look, in...