Open science and technology...

In order for science and technology become a driving force that improves our lives, we need to start making them more open and facilitate people ability to get more knowledge about what it's been work on in those areas.

Not only that, communities should be allowed to grow around then to work directly on those projects. That work should be allowed to be within the any set of rules made by the initial group that started the project, or independently by other communities.

There should be some level of interaction, and compatibilities, among what worked by the different communities. Yet at what level of interaction should be left to the members of each community to decide. There should be some ground rules on how the can use, and what levels of compatibilities, should be allowed. But, those restrictions shouldn't interfere with the ability to work with the core technology being work with.

Independent efforts, more often than not, are not as effective as efforts made in conjunction with a community working on different aspects of the same problem. That effect can be multiplied if there are several communities working on it from different angles. It allows some communities to hone to a particular aspect that it's more relevant for them, while other work on other areas.

All the while, people would trust science and technology a lot more if they can see what's going on and are given the opportunity to see what's going on. Support could be more easily harnessed, in a variety of ways, if more people can do so by letting them to easily participate in any way they can.

At the end, we can't be interested or support that we don't understand. So, let's open science and technology to all.

Working on a common goal...

One of the attributes that I like about open source, is that it gives anyone the chance to take a piece of software to work with it. By allowing this, it opens up the chance for people to create versions of the software that wouldn't exist otherwise, because the original developer doesn't have the resources or any other reason.

It also benefits users by allowing to make custom versions of the software they, since it maybe that the software doesn't work as well for them as it comes of the shell. Adding or subtracting capabilities could be as easy as adding modules, since in some cases there is no need to change the source code,or the source code could be modified to better comply to what it's needed by the end user. All this could be made in house, or by third parties if there is no way to do it any other way.

Those changes then could be shared back to the main version of the software, or shared with others with the same needs than the one who made those changes. By doing so, more users benefit from those changes, allowing them to have functionality than they couldn't before, and to perfect or add to it if they see a way to improve on it.

It gives users to make the software they work with, and even love, better and to share the improvements with others. Also, if some users don't agree with how the software is managed or where it's been taken, they can take the source code and fork it to take the software on the road they believe it should go.

In many ways, it stops being a black and white view on how software should work. Open source gives users the freedom to take whatever software better suits what they need or want, and work with it as they choose to do so. It allows to exchange ideas among a wider community, speeding the development while making it easier for more voices to be listened and to contribute to the project.

Open sources give a chance to a lot of people to be heard, people that otherwise wouldn't be able to make their voices heard because there isn't a way for them to speak up.What it seems to be a landscape of disparate and dislocated projects, is in reality a thriving collection of communities working on projects that can actually make a difference.

Supporting, and using, open source software is one of the best ways to make our world a better place.

Education and technology are cornerstones to build a better society...

Education and technology are two of the cornerstones that have to be there in order to build a better and fairer society.

Both are interdependent, since in order to advance technology there needs to be educated individuals and to be able to use technology people need to have a certain level of education. One can not exist without the other,  yet both are needed if we want to advance the quality of life for society at large.

There is no need to be afraid of what technology can bring, if people are given the education to use it to the best possible end. People are the ones who make use of technology, and the choices made by the people is what dictates what will come out of the use being given to any technology. This is why it's so important to give proper education, so people make the best use of technology for the individual and society at large.

Technology is there to serve society, since it's a tool to use for the betterment of society. As with all tools, there needs to be a guideline so it can be used effectively. That guideline is the education that is given to make use of the technology.

At the end, investing in education and technology is something that must be a priority. Investing in them is making an investment not only at the present, but also in the long term. Our best bet to have the best possible future, is to make sure that the investment in technology and educations is substantial and maintained at the top.

So, it's on our best interest to make education and technology our priorities in order to advance society. Society needs to make sure is made as fair as possible, and all society has access to them.

An open environment to work on technology...

It's shortsighted to try to pin all worthwhile innovations to a single company in any area of science and technology, when most innovations require the collaboration of whole teams that span more of one company or institute.

There is a need to create the conscience that modern technologies not the work of a single company, and that individuals can be a part of bringing them forward. Not only that, all of the processes that bring any new technology, or innovation, should be open to be revised by third parties to verify that every step was taken to ensure the safety and that it meets the specifications set by the originators.

Technological advancement is a collective endeavor, which requires the work of many people toward a common goal. Not only that, there could be several answers to a single problem that could work depending on the circumstances where those solutions are to be applied.

Regulations need to be placed that allow open collaboration, where all process can be joined by those who are interested in working on a project. Also, there should ways that allow third parties to review the processes that allowed the arrival to a new technology or innovation. There shouldn't be an option to allow anyone to work behind closed door, where there can't be a way to make sure that people won't get what they are offered.

We need technology that runs on open standards, with which any interested party can work without worries about the performance of the standard or if there is a danger of a lawsuit.

A truly open environment, that gives everyone the same tools to work with is beneficial for everyone. It becomes a place where everyone can work toward the their own gaols knowing that their effort will pay of with a product that will work as they intend it to.

At the long run, having an open field for everyone to participate is on the best interest of everyone.

Open source is the path toward keeping our freedoms intact...

The only thing that can make things riskier for the user than closed source, is when the software they depend on for anything they do is control just be one vendor. Being dependent on one vendor means that your data it's tied to the faith of that company, if it ever goes down your data goes down with it.

The argument that a company is to big to fail has been demonstrated to be shaky at best, since in the past decade there have been at least a couple of companies with big names going down. And some others that had dominant positions on their fields are having trouble staying afloat.

This is why we must push to have all important, specially fundamental, technologies to be open sourced so that those technologies can be worked on not only by companies. Individuals should be allowed to work on them freely as well, to make sure that those technologies don't fall in hands on just a few powerful companies, or groups, but they remain free for the benefit of us all.

It's specially important when you realize how integrated technology has become with almost every aspect of our daily lives, we use it without a second though. To give a single company control over any technology is dangerous, since we would be dependent on the continued existence of that company, and we would be forced to never allowing it to go under not matter what.

Our freedoms could be jeopardized, since we wouldn't be able to really make those companies to account for their actions.

Open source gives us as users the power to choose what company we want to buy our technology from, with the real option to go to anther if the company we picked fails to deliver or it goes under for whatever reason.

At the end of the day, open source is not just about innovation. Open source is about protecting our freedoms and interests from third parties.

Open source software should be the core of all tech...

It's hard no to see how many people don't realize that going to closed gardens to find some level of protection isn't that good idea, since being on a closed gardens isn't the same same thing as having software with robust security. The same goes to the idea that a software being open source makes it insecure is false, since that anyone can see the source code doesn't mean that they can put malicious code into it without someone else noticing it and removing the code.

As the matter of fact, open source tends to be safer because there are several people combing the code and knows what's suppose to be there. Those people also know what part of the code is supposed to do, so any part of the code that is new to them can be expected to be reviewed to make sure it does as advertised. It becomes harder to put malicious code into it, because of the nature of source code means that if someone misses the code there will be several other that have a chance to see it.

In the source code software there needs to be the trust that the people that are supposed to keep the code safe do, because they are the only one that can see the source code to make sure that there is no malicious code.

Personally, I don't mind having some closed sourced part in the software I use. But, those closed source parts shouldn't be at the core of the software or be at hearth of it so I can't run my computer properly without them. All closed source should be optional, and the user should be able to turn in off at any time if she or he chooses.

The foundations, and the core, of all the software available should relay on open source technologies. User will be truly free only this way, and there is no way around it.

Free and open to all...

I've often wondered if people are aware of the power that the Internet gives them, when it's truly free and open. Curtailing Internet's free and open nature is in detriment of the people, since it cuts from reach any information that's behind the block.

The Internet is, by is nature, one of the greatest forums for the exchange of ideas and information between people regardless of their location, age, sex, or beliefs. The only thing you need, other than an Internet connection, is to be interested in the subject and the will to participate.

That's why, we as users of the Internet need to do as everything in our hands to keep the Internet free and open to all. Most importantly, we need to find ways that allow even more people to connect to the Internet so they can be part of, and use, all the resources that come with it. It's vital to do all this, since knowledge is power than can help us all to advance forward and enhance our quality of life.

Also, the whole Internet should be open to access from any point in the planet. So, we all have a leveled playing field. One on which everyone can access the same information and ideas, so we all can debate and benefit from them. Even put forward new ideas, or share with others the pieces of information we have.

Another thing that the Internet should be is neutral, allowing users to give it the use that each of them wants to give it or to share the content they find relevante with who they want to share it with.

Most importantly, it most be know that the Internet is the property of every user. So, it's up to us to take care of it and to make sure that it serves our interests before any private interest. It most remain so as long as it exist, and those who manage it should be accountable to the people.

The Internet is the one technology that can bring everyone together, making it possible to really create a global village. Is up to us to make it so.