[wsfii-discuss] Control Freaks: Modding and the Clash with Law

[Charles "core" Stevenson]

On a side note did you guys see this:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051031-5498.html

On 10/31/05, Karel Kulhavy <clock at twibright.com> wrote:
>
> Modding is IMHO taking a crappy proprietary item, partially reverse
> engineering it and changing. Free software development is proper
> development attitude from the very beginning


It seems like modding ourselves and our environment is part of a broader
evolutionary unfolding. Those parasites who have attached to the core
arteries of human civilization and demand that the extremities owe them for
the service is laughable. Although I think you're view is consistently
cynical Karel, no offense intended, we should recognize that one of the
quickest routes to empowerment is using these mass produced commodity units
like game consoles which represent the best price-performance ratios
available unrestricted. I agree that if everyone invested their time and
energy into creating Free alternatives that the end result might resonate
with the needs of the masses rather than the profit margins of an economic
machine.

But back to modding. I just recently started reading a book called The
Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. I recommend it to anyone on this list
as he extrapolates current trends and data to show that technology is the
new paradigm of evolution and following an exponential growth rate. That
basically we'll jump from modding hardwire to create hives and meshes, to
hacking nanotech and modding ourselves into higher and more unimaginabe
forms of intelligence.... basically spiralling towards the big bang as it
were. Hrm... so I just though of MCs thread as cool and haven't had the
proper time to respond more eloquently... so forgive this rant. It's 3am.
LOL! What are you opinions on modding as it relates to evolution
transcending biology? How do free information infrastructures ensure that
this evolution occurs peacefully and with little bloodshed and struggle for
power and abuse through preemption? Or is this just a pipe dream?

peace,
core
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