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This is a cool project. But their opinion on the open source status of their systems seems pretty entitled, arrogant even. There are a lot of questions left una

This is a cool project. But their opinion on the open source status of their systems seems pretty entitled, arrogant even. There are a lot of questions left unanswered, and the implications of their text is disingenuous at best. Claiming their system is "beyond" open source. Yet I can't find any way of experimenting with this system myself. They fail all the tests of truly free open source software [0], let alone even the sniff test of being merely open source (can I read it?). This software is no more liberating than a "free" windows product given and taught to kids in a hope to encourage vendor lockin. They use words like "lift all people" or "agency not apps": nah, only those people who live nearby in one of the most expensive places in the world. The system is confined to their magic building, will they charge fees? are only those wealthy enough to travel and live near one be able to experience it? can anyone set up these buildings (around 2040 no less), or is there a franchise fee or agreement that is required? where is the code (scanners are a thing; what about the bootstrap code running on the servers)? They claim to be basing the model off of the internet. Decentralized agreed upon protocols. How can I talk to their system if nothing is published? If there is no code to read? How in the world is that an open decentralized protocol? How can people iterate - provide feed back - when they don't even have RFCs or any published material at all. They are promoting exactly the walled garden behavior that is the antithesis of the open model of the internet. The whole thing is suspect. I realize they are a non-profit, great. But that doesn't mean they support the ideals of a public commons like a free and open source project. It doesn't mean donations to this project will truly be helpful to everyone. Yet they are "beyond" open source. It reeks of arrogance and entitlement to claim such things. It rubs me the wrong way. Especially because it seems so cool. [0] For those who forget: (0) to run the program, (1) to study and change the program in source code form, (2) to redistribute exact copies, and (3) to distribute modified versions.

vertex-four 9y ago
> Yet I can't find any way of experimenting with this system myself. Given that it's a physical space... you go to the physical space. You can pick up the source code for the entire thing there - it's self-hosting, so you can read it like any other object in Dynamicland. You can also copy it physically, using a scanner.[0] Actually finding a suitable physical space and building a community might be the the hardest part of replicating it. It's also a very early project - the first Dynamicland space opens next year. I'm sure we'll learn more about it, but the entire point of it is that it's not online - it's a physical space and a community meeting in real life, and if you want to learn about it and maybe try to replicate it, you'll have to go there. [0] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJc2esBVwAAnj4X?format=jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJc2esBVwAAnj4X?format=jpg
- SolarNet 9y ago
  I'll just quote myself, since you seemed to ignore these counter points to your post the first time around, and failed to answer them > are only those wealthy enough to travel and live near one be able to experience it? [...] where is the code (scanners are a thing; what about the bootstrap code running on the servers)? A project can't claim to be "beyond" open source by having printed (unless they are using a printing press, that code was digital at some point) pieces of paper, especially while only being available to a couple of - by absolute standards - wealthy people.

vertex-four 9y ago

> Yet I can't find any way of experimenting with this system myself. Given that it's a physical space... you go to the physical space. You can pick up the source code for the entire thing there - it's self-hosting, so you can read it like any other object in Dynamicland. You can also copy it physically, using a scanner.[0] Actually finding a suitable physical space and building a community might be the the hardest part of replicating it. It's also a very early project - the first Dynamicland space opens next year. I'm sure we'll learn more about it, but the entire point of it is that it's not online - it's a physical space and a community meeting in real life, and if you want to learn about it and maybe try to replicate it, you'll have to go there. [0] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJc2esBVwAAnj4X?format=jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJc2esBVwAAnj4X?format=jpg

SolarNet 9y ago
I'll just quote myself, since you seemed to ignore these counter points to your post the first time around, and failed to answer them > are only those wealthy enough to travel and live near one be able to experience it? [...] where is the code (scanners are a thing; what about the bootstrap code running on the servers)? A project can't claim to be "beyond" open source by having printed (unless they are using a printing press, that code was digital at some point) pieces of paper, especially while only being available to a couple of - by absolute standards - wealthy people.