GeekLimit

Just let the Geeks handle it

Posted by The Technocrat | Filed under Web

I’m not even going to start on Sony, RIAA, etc. We’ve all heard the stories, and Techdirt does a better job at covering the legal tech news than I can. But the latest news is something I really have a soft spot for: using technology for what is right, and refusing to take compensation for it. If something I did isn’t working correctly, I regard it as my Geekly duty to make it work correctly. it’s good business, and the right think to do.

It’s funny when people view technology as being all evil or all good. Technology is a tool, the way a hammer is a tool. You can use the hammer to build a house for charity, or to beat someone to death. Along these same lines, there have been a few stories this week that are nice to see, primarily because people (and media) are starting to see the technology for what it is, and are holding the people, not the tech, responsible.

Here are my main 2 candidates for the past week to show what I’m talking about. Feel free to post your own.

Using Technology to promote Good

Outing theives of a Sidekick via the digg and ‘moral mob’ effects
Using Technology to promote Evil

Using Patents to stifle innovation

Astroturfing (Hiring people to act like grassroots organizations)

Selling yourself as ‘of the people’, when you’re not

The Gray Area

Admitting that what you’re wrong…but not doing anything about it…yet

Right now, it looks like the evil side is winning. :-\ However, it seems like if you leave it up to the Geeks, they’ll usually do the right thing. Usually…

Comments (1) | June 7th, 2006

One Response to “Just let the Geeks handle it”

1. AtariBoy Says:
   June 7, 2006 at 2:07 pm

   You beat me to it, I love the Sidekick site, I’ve been watching it closely. Very interest, and I am on the side of the mob

   I am very much against the patent issue, the industry seems to keep kicking itself in the face!