Monthly Archives: February 2008

What goes around, comes around

Posted on by
3

I’m not a big believer in karma, but this week I experienced some karma-like effects. Two years ago for work, I developed code to protect wiki websites. Then I published it on my blog.

This weekend a software upgrade caused this protection code to stop working on our websites. I couldn’t find an answer. Then yesterday, some chap named Nathan left a comment describing the solution. I hadn’t asked for help. He was simply documenting his own experience. But it was just what I needed.

This is fundamental to open source software — the creation of a software commons. It’s also what happens on Wikipedia, the creation of a knowledge commons.

In Love Is the Killer App, Tim Sanders suggests freely sharing your knowledge and your network, not hoarding them.

Jon Udell talks of “narrating” one’s work from day to day. This allows everyone to share in your vast brain knowledge, and it becomes your living résumé. I’d like to do more of that.

First Pick, Second Pick

Posted on by
2

Today is Super Tuesday, the day on which residents of Utah and 23 other states will go to the polls. Before you cast your vote today, please complete the following exercise:

1. Please rank the candidates in order of your preference. Who is your 1st pick? Who is your 2nd pick? Who is 3rd? etc..

2. Does your 1st pick stand a chance of winning the primary election? The general election?

3. If you answered “no” to question #2, would your vote be better used on someone else?

If your vote for an unelectable 1st choice means fewer votes for your 2nd choice, and a victory for your 3rd choice, please reconsider how you use your vote.

EXCEPTION: If you’re casting your vote to make a political statement, not with the intent of actually electing the best candidate of the viable options, please disregard the above exercise.

Mitt Romney is my 1st choice for President of the United States, both of the running candidates and of the candidates that can actually win.