Re: donated computers lab setup

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On Tue, 2007-01-02 at 08:31 -0600, Mike McCarty wrote:
> Ric Moore wrote:
> > 
> > Well here's one of huge magnitude that needs Linux users to reclaim
Open
> > Source ground that Windows and Mac users have grabbed a hold of.
> > 
> > http://www.croquetcollaborative.org
> > 
> > Yeah, I'm gonna pang on this one until we get some interest started.
> 
> After reading the opening page, I still don't know what it is.

Check out "Second Life", the online community that builds and sells and
interacts in a 3D virtual environment. Croquet and Squeak (the child of
smalltalk) are the builders tools for creating virtual environments.
There is a free beta for the linux client at SecondLife. Free limited
access too. It's a mindblower. 

> > People like Alan Kay are directing this project and if we snooze we
> > lose. The project is completely Open Source, but from the people I
am in
> 
> I suppose this is intended to be a clumny both against the project
> and the man. I know nothing about Alan Kay, except that you think
> he is doing a good thing in a bad way.


No, I did not state that at all. I did state that the Windows community
has been supporting the project more than the Linux community has, so
they have more influence towards design and development. Alan Kay cannot
do everything himself, no more than Linus Torvald can. The community
that forms around the project will guide the development. I used to read
articles from him in the old Byte Magazines back in the latter 70's and
80's. Smalltalk was mostly his intellectual baby. He's even in the
Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Kay

I guess I should have written "People of the stature of Alan Kay", so as
to be perfectly clear, "and if we miss the opportunity to mingle with
him and his project we lose out." Better? 

> [snip]
> 
> > This is bigger than spreadsheets and databases ever thought of
being.
> > IMHO, it's the next Big Thing that can issue in the New Era. The
dnload
> 
> Oh, no. Not another "New Era". I've got enough of them, already.

Progress happens and one can jump on board or watch it go by. ;) 

> > I'd REALLY like to see the Fedora Foundation and RH take this one
under
> > their wing as Alan Kay is also part of the $100 one-laptop-per-child
> > project, as is RH and MIT. I'm using it for my OAR project to reduce
the
> 
> Ah. This I'm familiar with.
> 
> > recidivism rate among the 2.7 million incarcerated in the US. As
much as
> 
> Poor victims of society, I suppose.

Yes, it's the victims of a society that does little to no real rehab
that become -created- when someone released reverts back to crime, by a
combination of making poor decisions combined with the need to survive
in a society not willing to give them a second chance. Then, the
innocent taxpaying bystanders (the primary victims) get hurt, while the
Offender is wasting his own life, hurting himself and costing society a
small fortune each X 2.7 million times. I'll call it what it is,
trafficking in human misery, as money is being made at both the
victim's, offender's and society's expense. You do the math. Then raise
hell with your representatives once you understand that this is not good
for anyone and costs millions if not billions a year.  

Somewhere the cycle has to be broken. Please keep this in mind, no one
has been born pre-destined to hurt people and to go to prison. We arrive
in this world a blank slate, and yes, society and family does do the
writing to it. Just like loading an OS on a computer... that is what it
will run... nothing else, as in a state of inertia, unless acted upon by
an outside force. 

So, the old programming has to be craftily unloaded with some care and a
new set of instructions loaded. It's simple. Just like a computer,
although you just can't strap a person down and force it ala "Clockwork
Orange". It has to be covert to the point that the individual will make
good decisions on their own, for their own enlightened self interests.

This ain't rocket science, by any stretch. It's merely a decision to do
or attempt -something- rather than nothing. "Poor Victims of society, I
suppose." Well, Hell yes, they are... and in this day and age there is
no reason for it to continue. 

Come on down to Raleigh on the 30th of this month and I'll personally
introduce you to some of them. You'll see some things that will change
perceptions and I guarantee it's better than church! I work part
time for this non-profit and the people that show up are nothing short
of amazing. We have community leaders, politicians, activists, street
ministers, halfway houses, drug rehab folks, AA coordinators, the VA
looking for "lost" vets, people looking to reach out to hire Ex Cons,
families showing up looking to deal with their grief when a loved one is
locked up, DOC officials, we got 'em all. Each is about fixing that
which became broken... a human being. 

I bet there isn't one person on this list that hasn't committed at least
one misdemeanor, a felony or committed some form of abuse and just
didn't get caught. Driving while a little too tipsy, smoking a "little"
weed, writing a hot check that will hopefully not arrive at the bank
until the paycheck clears. Fudging on taxes, kicking the family dog...
no, there are none not guilty, no not one. 

Ever get REALLY angry in the presence of family? Did you love them
enough to study why?? Feelings lead to emotions which lead to thoughts
which lead to actions. If you felt sweating hands or butterflies stomach
and later acted out in Anger, a short study of what makes your hand
sweat and why will short out the process leading to the Anger Reaction.
I had to study that one myself... intensely. I would explode in Anger
and had to actually 'debug' my own programming. Like I said, it ain't
rocket science, it's merely acknowledging to myself that I could and did
explode and then doing something about it, which is the responsibility
part. So, I just kept on studying and it all fits together in a manner
that I feel could become a computer program that uses VR and streaming
audio/video. 

Doing it within Linux is not an easy task. But, I believe it can be
done... while getting Linux into more dot-EDU or dot-GOV type of
environments. Which comes full circle to what this thread is about.
Like everyone on this list, I'm just another poor schmo looking to get a
handle on what can make this cheese ball called Earth into a better
place. I sure as hell can't do it by myself, I don't think anyone can.
Ric
  
-- 
================================================
My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
Linux user# 44256 Sign up at: http://counter.li.org/
http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/oar
http://www.wayward4now.net
================================================



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