Dave Lane @lightweight@mastodon.social
I'm a FOSS and OER advocate and developer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Have many other interests besides https://davelane.nz
The litmus test for gov't putting taxpayer funds into business incentives or subsidies should include "does this only benefit NZers if we assume Trickle Down Economics is valid?" If the answer is yes, kill it immediately.
Just published this new Docker-based Limesurvey howto: https://tech.oeru.org/installing-limesurvey-docker-ubuntu-1604-nginx-and-mariadb
Limesurvey is a superb #FOSS replacement for SurveyMonkey and Google Forms). If you want a mature full-featured solution, to manage your own data/questions & protect both your survey designers' and respondents' privacy, I highly recommend it.
If you're familiar with #Drupal and have never heard of #Grav, then this is what you need to read: https://www.mikecr.it/ramblings/grav-cms-for-drupal-developers/ This old Drupal nerd is both impressed and intrigued... my first Grav projects are already underway.
Google tries to patent something (a) they don’t own (well, that’s not new for Google) and (b) which the creator already released into the public domain. #evilasfuck http://techrights.org/2018/06/10/stop-swpats-google/
Hat tip to @schestowitz.
I /really/ need to add http://n-gate.com to my rss reader because it’s *so good*. This is the best description I’ve ever seen of the Microsoft acquisition of Github.
I'm referring to things like the "Linux subsystem" for Windows - making a closed platform more palatable by adding some open to it, but in the process just entrenching the grip of closed on people. The better approach is to adopt Linux and then, if you absolutely must run nasty old Windows-only software (ask yourself why it's "Windows-only" and whether that's the *real* problem) do it with an emulation layer (WINE) or a VM (use virtualbox).
No matter which social network you're on, following a diverse group of people helps you taking a peek at the other side of your personal filter bubble.
You don't have to agree with everything and everyone, but please, at least try to listen to people and their opinions.
It will help you appreciate your own life, and may just make you a little wiser.
Open just tastes better. We need to be open by default. We should NOT be trying to make close more palatable by sprinkling a little open sauce on it. We should focus on principle: open first, and then, if necessary, spike it sparingly and temporarily with a bit of closed, but keep the preponderance open to make sure you don't capitulate to the dark side (because, apparently, it's easier to do so).
Heh, actually, that's almost like Watching the Detectives, one of my fave Elvis Costello songs to perform...
Watching The Detectorists over dinner. My wife and boys are having sausages... cooked myself a venison Gulasch with Kartoffelknödel... yum. Not pretty, but yum.
Turns out open source is developing serious sex appeal here in New Zealand... https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/104100927/a-view-to-a-kill-making-nz-predator-free-with-an-autonomous-killbot And how can you resist getting involved in a project that's building something called a "cacophonator"?
Microsoft are an open source company just like Donald Trump is a man with a tan.
One of the cool implications of people setting up their own Gitlab instances is that we might break the dominance of *English* in software development. This will empower other language speakers to create spaces for their cultures, and I'm excited to see what comes of it.
Well, this is pretty shit: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-03/microsoft-is-said-to-have-agreed-to-acquire-coding-site-github although I've never been a fan of "almost" open source Github... they have simply been enjoying the network effect.
In this day and age it should be much easier to import/export course content from LMS to LMS. I mean, we have standards for a reason but nooooooo #VendorLock-in #BusinessStrategy
This long-form post from the EFF about #Efail is really very good and explains their strategy clearly https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/05/not-so-pretty-what-you-need-know-about-e-fail-and-pgp-flaw-0
@mgifford you mentioned on D.O that Canada has moved to Rocket.Chat! This welcome news (they join France in selecting a #FOSS rich messaging platform - https://matrix.org/blog/2018/04/26/matrix-and-riot-confirmed-as-the-basis-for-frances-secure-instant-messenger-app/ ) - do you have any online references on that Canadian decision that I can promote here: https://davelane.nz/why-slack-better-and-why-open-communities-shouldnt-use-it?
Last November, I interviewed @menn0, the project lead for the #CacophonyProject ( https://cacophony.org.nz ), about how they're using open source, AI, and Moore's Law to control introduced mammalian predators in NZ and restore the gorgeous cacophony of the NZ's native bird "Dawn Chorus" - here's the interview: https://www.accessgranted.nz/episodes/2018/4/3/menno-finlay-smits-blending-of-tech-and-environment
Sooo... lil' old New Zealand became a spacefaring nation yesterday! http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/348550/rocket-launch-marks-new-era-of-access-to-space
in the airport, seeing professionals hunched over computers in the lounge. desperately hunting and pecking on their keyboards. Painful to watch. One would think these folks would be motivated to invest the energy to learn how to use their primary tool... But apparently not. They prefer to limp along.
