4 ms·

I miss those days too. Computing was a lot more fun. But the way things were back then depended on peoples' attitudes, and those have all changed, for the wors

by Arizhel 10y ago

I miss those days too. Computing was a lot more fun. But the way things were back then depended on peoples' attitudes, and those have all changed, for the worse. You might as well give up; those days are over. People don't care about FOSS, GPL, Linux, etc., except as a means to an end (more profits). The corporations have won, and we might as well get used to constant spying. Also worth mentioning is that this is part of a bigger problem in society. Everything in western (particularly American) society is going downhill, and has been for the last 16 years. We just need to realize that this is inevitable and unavoidable: all societies collapse and fail at some point. The Roman Empire didn't last forever, nor did the British Empire. Internal stresses, corruption, etc. eventually take their toll and it becomes impossible to reverse course. Every big society has collapsed at some point, or at least turned into a has-been, and it's our turn next.

pdelbarba 10y ago
People don't care about FOSS -> society is going to collapse. I would argue that if "western" society collapses, it's pretty much the end of humanity. I don't think the Roman Empire was responsible for half the world's GDP and at least half the world's nuclear arsenal... Also, the British are still around. They just gave up trying to control the whole world in an era before speed of light communication.
- Arizhel 10y ago
  I never said that people not caring about FOSS was going to lead to societal collapse, I said that it was a symptom of a much larger problem in society that will lead to collapse. As for the British, they're completely irrelevant these days, and becoming even less so with Brexit.
  - pdelbarba 10y ago
    Realistically, the colonial era and Brexit were symptoms of two totally different issues. The greater British empire disintegrated in much the same way as those belonging to the Dutch, French, and Spanish. Brexit was the result of the EU being very dependent financially on England (and Germany etc) but it wasn't an issue of England disintegrating, it was the EU falling apart (and if you like a little conspiracy for breakfast, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics).
- ksk 10y ago
  >I would argue that if "western" society collapses, it's pretty much the end of humanity. I think humanity would be just fine without "western" society. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/1_AD_to_2003_AD_Historical_Trends_in_global_distribution_of_GDP_China_India_Western_Europe_USA_Middle_East.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/1_AD_to_...
  - Arizhel 10y ago
    I'd really like to know where they came up with those numbers. For instance, the graph shows the USA near zero until a few centuries ago, but still non-zero, particularly around 1000CE where it goes up a little before going back down until it begins its steady climb just after 1700. There was no "USA" in 1000CE. And seriously, how they they possible come close to quantifying relative GDPs in ancient times, or even as early as the 1700s or 1800s?
    - ksk 10y ago
      https://www.amazon.com/Contours-World-Economy-1-2030-Macro-Economic/dp/0199227209 https://www.amazon.com/Contours-World-Economy-1-2030-Macro-E...
reitanqild 10y ago
People don't care about FOSS, GPL, Linux, etc., except as a means to an end (more profits). I see lots and lots of code, created and shared by volunteers. I'd argue it is even more than before only now everyone is trying to get javascript, node and react into everything instead of Linux. (Possibly because running Linux in anything doesn't give any braggung rights today?)
cr0sh 10y ago
> You might as well give up; those days are over...we might as well get used to constant spying. I find it disheartening to see these statements on a site called "Hacker News"; the only way I'd be disappointed further is if I read such a defeatist missive within the editorial pages of 2600 Magazine. Remember - they only win if we give up and let them win.
- Arizhel 10y ago
  Wrong. People constantly lose despite pouring all their best efforts into something. I'm sure some amateur military historian can give you plenty of examples where some army lost simply because they were defeated by overwhelming opposing force. Surely you've heard the saying "pick your battles carefully". Sometimes it makes a lot more sense to just give up and look for greener pastures.

by Arizhel 10y ago

pdelbarba 10y ago

People don't care about FOSS -> society is going to collapse. I would argue that if "western" society collapses, it's pretty much the end of humanity. I don't think the Roman Empire was responsible for half the world's GDP and at least half the world's nuclear arsenal... Also, the British are still around. They just gave up trying to control the whole world in an era before speed of light communication.

Arizhel 10y ago
I never said that people not caring about FOSS was going to lead to societal collapse, I said that it was a symptom of a much larger problem in society that will lead to collapse. As for the British, they're completely irrelevant these days, and becoming even less so with Brexit.
- pdelbarba 10y ago
  Realistically, the colonial era and Brexit were symptoms of two totally different issues. The greater British empire disintegrated in much the same way as those belonging to the Dutch, French, and Spanish. Brexit was the result of the EU being very dependent financially on England (and Germany etc) but it wasn't an issue of England disintegrating, it was the EU falling apart (and if you like a little conspiracy for breakfast, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics).
ksk 10y ago
>I would argue that if "western" society collapses, it's pretty much the end of humanity. I think humanity would be just fine without "western" society. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/1_AD_to_2003_AD_Historical_Trends_in_global_distribution_of_GDP_China_India_Western_Europe_USA_Middle_East.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/1_AD_to_...
- Arizhel 10y ago
  I'd really like to know where they came up with those numbers. For instance, the graph shows the USA near zero until a few centuries ago, but still non-zero, particularly around 1000CE where it goes up a little before going back down until it begins its steady climb just after 1700. There was no "USA" in 1000CE. And seriously, how they they possible come close to quantifying relative GDPs in ancient times, or even as early as the 1700s or 1800s?
  - ksk 10y ago
    https://www.amazon.com/Contours-World-Economy-1-2030-Macro-Economic/dp/0199227209 https://www.amazon.com/Contours-World-Economy-1-2030-Macro-E...

reitanqild 10y ago

People don't care about FOSS, GPL, Linux, etc., except as a means to an end (more profits). I see lots and lots of code, created and shared by volunteers. I'd argue it is even more than before only now everyone is trying to get javascript, node and react into everything instead of Linux. (Possibly because running Linux in anything doesn't give any braggung rights today?)

cr0sh 10y ago

> You might as well give up; those days are over...we might as well get used to constant spying. I find it disheartening to see these statements on a site called "Hacker News"; the only way I'd be disappointed further is if I read such a defeatist missive within the editorial pages of 2600 Magazine. Remember - they only win if we give up and let them win.

Arizhel 10y ago
Wrong. People constantly lose despite pouring all their best efforts into something. I'm sure some amateur military historian can give you plenty of examples where some army lost simply because they were defeated by overwhelming opposing force. Surely you've heard the saying "pick your battles carefully". Sometimes it makes a lot more sense to just give up and look for greener pastures.