Net Neutrality and SOPA...

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 problems. The Internet is a tool that makes such exchange easier, and mainly allows people to connect with other than in other ways wouldn't be possible.

In many ways, I agree that the copyright laws that exist now inhibit innovation by making it easy for established companies attack smaller, or new, companies that threaten their leader position. Instead of making their own innovations, they sue in order to preserve the status quo.

If you put the copyright laws and SOPA together, I find it that rather that it would make more damage than good. If you want to really to stamp out piracy, make the Internet a really neutral place, where ideas and information can be easily shared.

Instead, focus on fixing the copyright law so it actually motivates competition by innovation. Not by suing or threating the smaller players.

Behaviors matter...

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 to make those outcomes happen. The most important question us why things happen as they do, if we don't attack those root causes the solution to our problems will elude us.

So, if you want to have lasting solutions to your problems attack the root causes. If you don't do so, you are setting yourself for failure.

#Occupy movement...

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 pressuring for change, and doing from several different points. Most importantly, there is a need for more people speaking up on what needs to be changed. The people at power wont do much if they don't see the need, if they don't feel the pressure to make the changes we want and need to move forward as a nation.

Also we need to understand that quicker these changes come, the quicker we are going to see the effects. If stall on them, or do nothing at all, those changes wont give the results we want and need.

Having a just and fair country is a shared responsibility between society and government. Neither can do it by itself. In a sense big changes come from small actions, but we all need to act together in order our small actions to sum up to be able to make the big change.

If you want change, do something. And if those actions don't bring the change you wanted, do things in a different way.

There is always a way out, we just need to figure out how to get there.

Hacking...

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 order to make it work in a way they believe it would be more useful.

Instead of trying to ban or discourage hacking, we should be directing the effort of the various hackers into positive avenues of work. Give hacker incentives to work legally, and enable them to share their work not only with other hackers, but with the public at large.

If you treat hacking as a problem, and something to be eradicated, it will be a problem.

So, treat it as the tool that foster innovation. Then, and only then, hacking can bring the full benefits it can give us.

My Ubuntu 11.10 experience so far...

I've been using Ubuntu 11.10 since yesterday that it became available for download, and I'm very pleased with it.

The user interface is a lot cleaner, and easier to use. I really like the look of it, in my opinion is a big step forward for Ubuntu and it has cemented it as my favorite Linux distro. I've been using Ubuntu on regular basis since the 10.04 LTS version, though I used for a while the 8.04 LTS before, I've found it to be easy to use and very stable.

And since the 10.04 LTS version, I've like the look and feel of the user interface a lot better than the one in Windows and I like it as much as the Mac OS X one. But, with the current Unity shell, I like it even more. I find the design to be clean, and easier to use than the previous ones. You could say that Unity has won me over, and I plan to stick with it.

I can't recommend Ubuntu enough if you want to make the jump to Linux, specially if you are new to the world of open source software.

There are still a few rough edges, but as with the two previous versions I've used these will be fixed rather quickly. Besides, these aren't that big and are on par with any new release of an OS and knowing me I most likely found them because I like to go deep when I personalize my OS to my taste.

So, if you are an average user you are unlikely to find them.

At the end, if you want to make the jump to Linux Ubuntu 11.10 is a great distro to start from.

Do what's right for you...

It's sad to see how many people don't question themselves why they believe what they do, or if those believes are a valid platform to stand on.

Many just accept what is told to them, without really analyzing what's is told to them. Some won't see the contradictions on the information given to them, because they don't bother to actually pay attention. It seems that they don't want to take the responsibility and face the consequences of their own actions.

Some seem to have the need to be told what to believe, and how to act.

It's important to understand that what's good for some doesn't make it so for others. The idea that something will work for us, just because it works for someone we know is not true. Yes, we should consider several paths before one is chosen. But, at the end each of us needs to choose what is best for us as an individual.

More often than not, it's hard to be completely certain if what was chosen will work out the way it was intended to do. If it does, that's great. If it doesn't, don't blame others.

Learn from what happened, and move on. The blaming game is not really useful, since most of the time it doesn't help anyone to move on with life.

As humans, we are fallible. We make mistakes, but we can overcome them to make things right.

At the end, do what's right for you to the best of your abilities. Remember that you are the one you must answer to at the end of each day. You're the one who must feel comfortable on your own skin, and live your life the way you believe is the best way to do so.

Give yourself more credit.

End of an era...

When I read the news that Steve Jobs had died yesterday afternoon, at first I couldn't bring myself around it.

I mean, even if I disagree with how things are done in Apple, the man was a visionary. He did make great products, easy to use and with exquisite design. Products that just work, and perform in many cases better than advertised.

Is easy to see why people want Apple products, and why Apple has such a large and loyal group of base users.

Personally, I don't use Apple's products because of philosophical reasons. I do like the design of both of the software and hardware, they are pleasing to the eye and easy to use. Mac OS X is stable as OS's come, and it's really user friendly.

But, at the end Steve Job is someone that I admire, and respect. He was a visionary, that showed us that technology can be sexy and easy to use. His innovations managed to keep putting the bar higher and higher.

I remember being pleased when he putted Apple's might behind open web standards.

In my opinion, to pay tribute to Steve Jobs, the best way to do it is keep improving and making better things. Keep innovating. Never to stand still, and always bring forth new ideas.

I do believe that's what he would want.