5 ms·

I chose books that were out of copyright, available from project Gutenberg, and had been banned or challenged in the USA at some point in the past to use as exa

I chose books that were out of copyright, available from project Gutenberg, and had been banned or challenged in the USA at some point in the past to use as examples. There weren't many options. It's designed so the user can include whatever books are important to them wherever they may live. They may live somewhere more oppressive where banned books are a common occurrence. I have no idea. It wouldn't be wise to include copyrighted works in a public repository where I live.

thaumasiotes 4mo ago
> It wouldn't be wise to include copyrighted works in a public repository where I live. If you have a problem with storing illegal books in your "banned book library", you may be working on the wrong project.
- afavour 4mo ago
  As it stands it is a great example for others to learn from. If you include copyrighted books it’ll get pulled from GitHub and no one will learn from it.
  - rickoooooo 4mo ago
    You'd think this would be obvious.
  - thaumasiotes 4mo ago
    > If you include copyrighted books it’ll get pulled from GitHub and no one will learn from it. And how does that differ from including banned books?
    - Brian_K_White 4mo ago
      github nor the government github is subject to cares about those books, for either political or copyright reasons, that's how. Are there any other silly questions? This is a perfectly sensible set of sample and example books. The project is the book distribution system, not the books themselves. You load yours up with whatever you think is important or whatever you are willing to risk.
    - afavour 3mo ago
      It doesn’t? I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make. This is not a database of banned books. It is an example showing how you can make a database of banned books of your own.
echelon 4mo ago
> The idea is that if you drop this somewhere in public, you can try to match whatever color was there before so it is less noticeable that anything changed. I *love* this concept so much. Even though the books are a neat hook, these wifi networks could contain anything. Grassroots political advocacy, local info for off-the-grid historical sites, location specific micro-social media (comments, message boards, etc.), waymarkers, geocaching, hidden music / art / games in obscure places, ARGs like an interactive capture the flag or something even more inventive and fun, ... God, this is just so freaking cool and is begging for a thousand different ideas to run on top of it. Good job! One of the best things I've seen all year.
- rickoooooo 4mo ago
  Thanks. I had several ideas for these bulbs as well. This is the one I decided to act on for now. I might work on some of the others later but I'm not sure. I agree there are so many potential uses for this sort of thing and I love how they just sort of exist without drawing attention or suspicion.
ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
In oppressive places a CCTV will detect you installing the bulb.
- rickoooooo 4mo ago
  Ah shoot. Back to the drawing board I guess!
  - ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
    Right on. Hate to be a downer but for someone wanting to solve actual censorship this is not exactly the most productive way to direct their energy.
- m-p-3 4mo ago
  Install it at night with gloves, wipe it to avoid fingerprints, and this hoodie https://hackaday.com/2023/03/06/adversarial-ir-hoodie-lets-you-own-the-night-in-anonymity/ https://hackaday.com/2023/03/06/adversarial-ir-hoodie-lets-y...
  - ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
    CCTVs operate in networks and use gait recognition, those hoodies are snake oil. You suggest to just teleport out after the installation, I presume?
    - frantathefranta 4mo ago
      Wheelchair yourself in and out.
      - ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
        I get it's a joke but in case someone thinks it'ss serious, unless you install it literally in the middle of nowhere with no CCTVs and also no one to connect to it, you will only stand out more in the crowd as you make your escape...

thaumasiotes 4mo ago

> It wouldn't be wise to include copyrighted works in a public repository where I live. If you have a problem with storing illegal books in your "banned book library", you may be working on the wrong project.

afavour 4mo ago
As it stands it is a great example for others to learn from. If you include copyrighted books it’ll get pulled from GitHub and no one will learn from it.
- rickoooooo 4mo ago
  You'd think this would be obvious.
- thaumasiotes 4mo ago
  > If you include copyrighted books it’ll get pulled from GitHub and no one will learn from it. And how does that differ from including banned books?
  - Brian_K_White 4mo ago
    github nor the government github is subject to cares about those books, for either political or copyright reasons, that's how. Are there any other silly questions? This is a perfectly sensible set of sample and example books. The project is the book distribution system, not the books themselves. You load yours up with whatever you think is important or whatever you are willing to risk.
  - afavour 3mo ago
    It doesn’t? I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make. This is not a database of banned books. It is an example showing how you can make a database of banned books of your own.

echelon 4mo ago

> The idea is that if you drop this somewhere in public, you can try to match whatever color was there before so it is less noticeable that anything changed. I *love* this concept so much. Even though the books are a neat hook, these wifi networks could contain anything. Grassroots political advocacy, local info for off-the-grid historical sites, location specific micro-social media (comments, message boards, etc.), waymarkers, geocaching, hidden music / art / games in obscure places, ARGs like an interactive capture the flag or something even more inventive and fun, ... God, this is just so freaking cool and is begging for a thousand different ideas to run on top of it. Good job! One of the best things I've seen all year.

rickoooooo 4mo ago
Thanks. I had several ideas for these bulbs as well. This is the one I decided to act on for now. I might work on some of the others later but I'm not sure. I agree there are so many potential uses for this sort of thing and I love how they just sort of exist without drawing attention or suspicion.

ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago

In oppressive places a CCTV will detect you installing the bulb.

rickoooooo 4mo ago
Ah shoot. Back to the drawing board I guess!
- ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
  Right on. Hate to be a downer but for someone wanting to solve actual censorship this is not exactly the most productive way to direct their energy.
m-p-3 4mo ago
Install it at night with gloves, wipe it to avoid fingerprints, and this hoodie https://hackaday.com/2023/03/06/adversarial-ir-hoodie-lets-you-own-the-night-in-anonymity/ https://hackaday.com/2023/03/06/adversarial-ir-hoodie-lets-y...
- ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
  CCTVs operate in networks and use gait recognition, those hoodies are snake oil. You suggest to just teleport out after the installation, I presume?
  - frantathefranta 4mo ago
    Wheelchair yourself in and out.
    - ShinyLeftPad 4mo ago
      I get it's a joke but in case someone thinks it'ss serious, unless you install it literally in the middle of nowhere with no CCTVs and also no one to connect to it, you will only stand out more in the crowd as you make your escape...