Using the BlackBerry Bold...

I've been using a BlackBerry Bold for the four days, and even it's got the Blackberry 6 OS which is dated, I found that it's quite enjoyable to use. The only thing is that bothers me a bit, is that the software is closed source and I'd prefer to use FOSS.

Yet, I'm quite taken with both the software and the hardware. I just find that they work quite well, just with a bit of a lag because of the age of the device. I don't mind it much, since the lag is not that long and I see the device as something that I intend to use just while I save enough to get a new one.

With the experience, with what I've been reading about the new BlackBerry's OS and the Z10 I'm starting to considering them as a serious buy for me. I've enjoying the whole experience with both the software and the hardware, I'm just able to set the phone just as I want it with relative ease.

Now the only two serious contenders I've in mind for my next smartphone is the BlackBerry Z10, and a Nexus device. A distant 3rd would be a Firefox phone, but since I haven't seen one or had a serious experience with it I'm not quite sure about it.

The one thing that would make the BlackBerry 10 and the Z10 the winning combination for me, would be if BlackBerry would make the BlackBerry 10 open source.

The protection of data...

What needs to be protected should be data contained by software, not the software itself. After all, keeping data safe is important to keeping our privacy.

Accessing the internal working of software should be allowed, in a way such action should taken from granted. The study, modification, and redistribution of a piece of software should be something that can be done by any user who wished to do so.

On the other hand, such actions on data shouldn't be allowed. Software and data should be separate things, and data should be protected by default. All data belongs to the original user, as such only that user has the authority on how the data it produces can be used and by who it can be used in what manner.

Individuals have the right to legally own their data, and shouldn't lose that ownership under any circumstance at all. Only permissions are granted on certain parts of our data to a given party, and those permissions can be revoked at the time on which the individual chooses. There is no reason why a third party to use our data without our express permission to do so.

There is a need to have harsh punishments on people who use any data of an individual, for whatever purpose, without the consent of the owner of the data.

Also, data from public entities shouldn't be equated with that of private individuals. Public entities, like governments and companies, should be more readily available than that of private individuals. Even so, there should be clear guidelines on who, when and why a particular piece of data from these entities is shared or made public.

We need to make sure that our data is what the most protected valuable on our modern society.

Women in science and tech...

Like in every other area in human activity, we need women to active in every way on tech and science if we want them to be in good shape. Any woman that wants to come into these areas should be able to do so, on equal terms with her male counter parts.

The fact that women that have a talent for science or tech, are not actively encouraged is both sad and disturbing. We need them to come, actively contribute if we want to advance as a society. Their contributions are as valuable as any one a male can make, and not allowing them to do so has a negative impact not only on a personal level. It also negatively affects society at large, because at the very least we can suffer a minor set back.

Both science and tech need to be stop being viewed as men's turf. It's the turf of any one that wants to work in it, regardless of their gender. What should be taken into account, is the quality of their work and research.

Until both women and men can actually be equally respected on the world of science and tech, there will be a thorn on my side making be aware than we aren't doing enough to make this a better world. There is no reason why women that select to come to science and tech, can't expect to be treated with respect and have the same expectations to be taken into account like men do.

Women have great things to contribute, they have the right to be allowed to do so. Not allowing them to come freely, and do so, we risk the better future we all want to build.

Remain curious...

It's sad to see how curiosity is killed, and replaced with the inability to question the what happens around us. Some just do what they are told, never really thinking about what they are doing and why they are doing it.

Others don't even dare to do even that, they even see any kind of questioning as an act of disloyalty. The idea of an individual thinking by himself, or herself, it's an aberration and something that must be avoided at all costs. There is no higher need than to live a life where they are told what to think and do by those they view as superior to them, they are sheep.

Curiosity is a virtue, one that should be fostered and allowed to grow. There is no age in life where curiosity should be avoided, since it leads us to meet and surpass new challenges.

By doing so, it allows great discoveries that make our lives richer fuller. What's better, the benefits are not only for the individual that followed his curiosity to it's satisfaction. It benefits the community where the individual lives, because the results can be shared with others without losing any of the value they posses. Quite the contrary, sharing those results actually add to the value they already carry by allowing others to use them or to add more to the results.

Humans by nature are curious, and have the need to fulfill that curiosity. Instead of taking it out at young age, we need to hone and sharpen it so it can be a valuable tool for both the individual and society. What we need is to teach how to question all what we see, so we can get to the relevant parts while we leave out all the noise out.

There is no sin in asking, but only a great sadness of not fulfilling ourselves in learning something new.

Copyright and repairs...

It's both sad and enraging that copyright laws are used to prevent people to repair devices they own, and effectively enforce planned obsolescence since there is no way to actually keep any of your devices up and running.

Since service manuals can be copyrighted, it means that companies can deny access to them by independent repair shops or just users that want to have the information. Which means that people outside the company, can't make any repair at all. Thus, giving the companies the chance to enforce planned obsolescence by making their products unrepairable after a certain point in time.

This is unacceptable, since the products we buy are our owned by us. We should have unrestricted access to the information needed to service the products we own, either by ourselves or by independent repair shops if we choose to take them there.

Most importantly, by allowing to those products to have a longer life-cycle expectancy the impact they have on the environment will be a lot less. By allowing the service manuals available to the public, it would greatly help to make electronics more sustainable since their life will be higher and there will be less need to buy replacements more often.

There is a real need to reduce as much as possible our waste footprint on our environment as much as possible, and planned obsolescence doesn't help at all. By making companies release their service manuals, we are ensuring that human activity becomes more sustainable over time by allowing longer life cycles and reducing waste.

Not only that, we are empowered to choose when to change our devices for new ones and what to do with them other than throwing them away. Donation of electronics can be more viable, since they could be serviced and put back into action for people that can't afford to buy new ones. This is specially true with computers, refrigerators and the like, where the price of a new one and a second hand one can be quite significant.

So, making repair manuals available for everyone to use is of the up-most importance in order to make human activities more sustainable, and to give access to more modern devices to people that otherwise would be left out.

If companies don't make their service manuals available freely available to all, we have to make them do it. The common good is far more important that their private profits.

Endless possibilities...

As the world becomes smaller thanks to the Internet, and other communication technologies, it allows for a faster exchange of ideas and information directly among the people themselves.

We are becoming less depending on intermediaries to hand us information, or to share with others what we love. In many ways, people are coming together to form communities around their common interests or to share tips how to make whatever they need or want. Modern communications technologies are empowering the people, so that they can do more by themselves or receive the information they need on timely manner.

Now, more than ever before in history, humanity can build a fairer and equal society. A society in which where people can aspire more based on their personal merits, by allowing them to meet the people they need to in order to make their goals come to fruition.

By allowing the world to become smaller, people gets to know more about other cultures and becomes to exposed to new ideas in ways. Not only that, people get to give back to the world their perspective, allowing for a real interaction where one is influenced by what they see while they can influence others at the same time. It's a two way road, where all take something while giving something in return.

We need to keep building so that the Internet keeps being the platform where people can come to meet as equals, and where we all can build a better world for everyone.

Time to replace...

It seems that I'll have to change my current smartphone is going to quit sooner than I expected, so I'm going to have to select a new one before it dies.

So, it seems that an Android handset is going to be the one I'm going for since one running Firefox OS or Ubuntu Touch are not viable because they are still some time away.

I've been keeping an eye on Samsung and Motorola smartphones for quite some time, and a couple of Sony's, and I've made out my mind that the selection will come out of whichever offers the best deal for me.

What I'm looking for, is one of the more compact size since I mainly want it to check my social media accounts and email. If I compose anything at all on the phone, it would be some short status updates or texts. The only other app I use constantly other than the browser, it's WhatsApp.

At the end, I need it to be portable while it allows me to keep connected to with those I care about. For me, a small to medium size smartphone does the job for me.

Bact to Linux Mint...

I've being using the Cinnamon version of Linux Mint for a couple of days now, and I've to admit that the whole experience has been a lot more enjoyable than I expected. So much so, that it's now my favorite Linux distro.

So far, I've found it easy to use and all the software I use on regular basis work well. Whatever didn't come with Linux Mint out the of the box was easy to find either on the web or on the software manager. Most importantly, it was easy to install. In fact is so easy, that anyone could do it without having any prior experience working on a Linux distro.

Another thing that I liked, is the fact the are several themes already installed if you want to change how the desktop looks. What I really liked it's accessible from the panel, along with other settings like settings for the panel itself.

I like how the Cinnamon version of Linux Mint is coming along, and I'm enjoying the user experience that it gives quite a lot. It's solid, quite easy to use, and with several options of user customization from the onset. I'd recommend Linux Mint to beginners and people who want to have a solid OS, that's easy to use and robust.

Most importantly, to anyone who wants to have a come to and join FLOSS movement.

Jumping to another distro...

I've been considering giving another Linux distro a try, and one that I haven't used before. The main reason to do so, is that I want to try something new while still using Linux.

Pear Linux is the one I'm the most interested in, mainly because it's based on Debian and Ubuntu. Which means that the main software I like is available, and it would be easy to install with my current know how. Also, jumping to it would mean that I've to learn some new ways to do things without to have to relearn how to do everything.

I'll look if another distro that catches my eye, if that doesn't happen Pear Linux will be the one I'll install. If any one has a recommendation, post it on the comments please.

After 2 years using Ubuntu, it'll be nice to use and experience another distro for a change. Which is one of the great things about Linux, there are new distros to discover if you ever feel the need for a change and new things to discover.

There is no single way to do things, there are several way to get to the same place.

Users should decide how many OS's are enough...

There are some people that don't see the point of having Firefox OS, or Ubuntu for phones, on the marking it to the market. They say that Android and iOS are more than enough, even going to the extent of saying that the Blackberry OS might be doomed to disappear out of irrelevance.

I disagree, I think that there is some room for more OS's. The real question is how many more can make it, and how make sure that all of them are built around a common set of open standards that allow for apps to run on whichever OS the users choose to use them with ease. Let the users be the ones who decide what OS is best for them, and to be free to jump from one to another as the user seems fit for his interests.

Android and iOS aren't likely to lose their dominance on the market, yet that doesn't mean that there isn't room for more OS's which are better suited for some users needs and tastes. Instead of asking if there is a need for a certain new OS, the question that should be asked is who might need or use it.

It isn't over until the market actually gives it's verdict, until then all is pure speculation. In my case, until recently Android was the OS I wanted to power my next smartphone, with Blackberry being a close second. Now, after seeing the first reviews of Firefox OS and Ubuntu for phones reviews Android is no longer the clear winner. Having the ability to choose from three OS's for the one that best suits me, is always a good thing to have.

So, let's stop all the pessimism about the having several OS options for our mobile devices. Let's start make it so users can have different offers at their disposal.

Open standards are the best option for the people's interest...

If we want to keep the Internet, and all computer related technology, free and open for everyone to have equal access to them we need to keep building on free and open standards. If not, we will run into a situation on which whoever has a patent over a standard can have the power to keep people out that at their will.

All standards should be open and freely available for everyone to use, even though some of the software using them isn't and people has to pay to use it. But even that software has to make use of those standards, so it can use files created using competing software. There is no valid reason for users to be locked into using a particular software at all, since the use of any software is something that has to be decided by the user itself.

Software developers should be competing by giving extra value, not by making users content or files incompatible to use on other platforms.

Just because some individuals might make wrong use of open and free standards, it doesn't mean that the majority of users which are doing the right things should be punished along by not allowing them to use their files on the software they prefer. Most of won't do anything illegal if we are given a way to do things legally, and open standards are the best way to give users that chance.

So, let's make the rules of the game clear using open and free standards. There is a need to let the people to be the ones deciding by themselves what they want.