22 March 2005
Sharing is Caring
Sharing is caring and networking is sharing on a large scale. What better way to distribute information than via a web of channels. It makes sense then that in order to keep the web functioning in its optimal capacity we must keep up on the maintenance. Rather than one spider commanding where the sticky bits must link, we have a situation where all the spiders who live here have an oportunity to participate in the web. Most of us will use the web rather than build the web, yet statistics show that more and more people are adding their contributions to the web via forums, uploading pictures, creating websites and weblogs. For programers who use open source code, this is a great environment to create and share programs that improve the funtioning of the web.
Imagine such a world where is was pure credibility and integrity that motivated people to do their best. In the scientific community of the last century, this peer recognition was enough to make great scientists proud, and to share their discoveries through publication. The web has aspects of this mentality where sharing programming code sees benefits to many, with no financial exchange towards the creator.
Can such a community exist like this entirely? If creative people are donating their time for the passion of their cause then it seems that this utopian existance could be a possibility. It is such a pity that business is so ruthless when it comes to patenting information and claiming technological discoveries as their own. This unwillingness to share new discoveries openly and to allow others to modify or improve them makes me wonder where this selfish attitude will take humanity. If we truely are all of the same human race and funtioning as a global organism, then surely we must learn to get over this Modernist ideal of individual glory and instead work openly in bringing the entire planet up to new levels of communication and growth.
Imagine such a world where is was pure credibility and integrity that motivated people to do their best. In the scientific community of the last century, this peer recognition was enough to make great scientists proud, and to share their discoveries through publication. The web has aspects of this mentality where sharing programming code sees benefits to many, with no financial exchange towards the creator.
Can such a community exist like this entirely? If creative people are donating their time for the passion of their cause then it seems that this utopian existance could be a possibility. It is such a pity that business is so ruthless when it comes to patenting information and claiming technological discoveries as their own. This unwillingness to share new discoveries openly and to allow others to modify or improve them makes me wonder where this selfish attitude will take humanity. If we truely are all of the same human race and funtioning as a global organism, then surely we must learn to get over this Modernist ideal of individual glory and instead work openly in bringing the entire planet up to new levels of communication and growth.
