Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

scriptingNews outline for 8/24/2000

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:8/24/2000; 5:33:19 AM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 8/24/2000
Msg #:20074
Prev/Next:20073 / 20075

An important linkup 

Radio: How to Edit Manila Sites with Radio UserLand.

David Davies is overwhelmed with this feature. I was sure he would be. When I first used it yesterday I told Brent I hadn't been as excited by a demo since using VisiCalc for the first time in 1979. Double-clicking on a discussion group heading and seeing all those cowskulls made me giddy. It's the kind of experience I live for.

I think it flustered Brent, to be the channeler of such god-like power. I said this about Bricklin and Frankston too, the Mind Of God does the work, the product designs itself, at best we get to serve Him. How do you get there, do a lot of hard work, breathe, and listen listen listen. Listen to what the product tells you. Sometimes, if you're really good at listening, you can hear it speak. Do what it says and shut up.

Music on the Internet, a developing story 

Now you may ask what does editing Manila sites in an outliner have to do with music on the Internet? Where do you think the fan sites are going to live? I'm already playing my music in Radio. Make the website come to me, I say.

BTW, remember the right-click menus from Saturday? Remember the first few commands in the popup menu for songs? See how they link up to community features. That's the other side of the connection. UserLand has all this great publishing, writing, organizing power. Music is the catalyst.

So, what does the Internet add to music?

"It's the community dummy!"

Yeah it's a developing story, but the theme remains constant.

The Next Mind Bomb 

I just saw a screen shot of the next Radio UserLand Mind Bomb. (R.U.M.B.)

This one will complete a loop, when it works, for Windows users (only, won't work on Macs) the whole World Wide Web will run inside a single application.

And people say the MDI window is a hack.

Hmmmm.

(I'm such a tease.)

And to Microsoft people, it will prove in another way that the Web browser belongs in the operating system.

Who and where are the open source developers? 

More great posts overnight. Highlights. Patrick Connors, a musician who also makes software, says that you gotta pay for his presence, and that making his work palatable for non-creative people is the hardest part. Eric Kidd provides links to open source weblogs, and notes that most of the discussion is technical, not political. Raph Levien, who kind of ripped me a new asshole and then wrote a thoughtful survey of open source philosophy is the founder of Advogato, a famous weblog loved by many open source developers. Since we're in horn-tooting mode, I toot for three open source developers who run highly useful sites on UserLand servers. Paul Merrell says that his experience with open source dates back to the PDP-8 and that commercial software is a relatively recent phenomenon. Seth Gordon explains why big Office users might realistically switch to Star Office.

Brilliant! 

Bookmark this summary of the myriad of open source licenses as told by Ken MacLeod.

Gina 

Business 2.0: Gina, Inc. Gina is one of "our girls". We basically grew up in the industry together. A lot of my friends are quoted in the piece. I'm glad she's doing so well. Go go go Gina!!

PS: I'm sure she didn't sleep with Larry Ellison to get the job.

Cam 

Cameron Barrett points to three messages I posted as evidence of what a rude person I can be. It just shows what a different point of view is all about. I re-read those messages and thought it was some of the best writing I've done, because I wrote it from a place where I totally didn't care what other people thought. I told you what I think. To me that's freedom, and that's where fun comes from. Big difference. If you spend all your time trying to figure out what other people want you to say you're playing the gatekeeper game. Just be yourself, that's the best way to go.

An example, Cam doesn't like me to use terms like "barking, farting chihuahuas." I got a really great compliment on that from David McCusker. It strikes a note. We are all insignficant dogs that make a lot of noise (or appear to) and we smell pretty strong if you get too close. So what. If you think your shit doesn't stink, I recommend getting a second opinion.

"My opinion, we're all barking farting chihuahaus, with incredibly short lifespans occupying an insignificant part of the universe, pretending what we do is important when it has absolutely no significance."

Tolerance for flames 

Anyway I don't like people taking personal shots at other people in space that I am responsible for. Cam and others make such a big issue of this, but listen, it's not unclear or unreasonable. If you want to ream someone at a personal level, send them an email, or do it on your site. I want to be left out of that loop. However, I don't mind if people are impolite, because that's so subject to taste. Just keep it impersonal or talk about yourself and no feelings get hurt. Also, my tolerance for flames has increased. I'm learning and growing too.

Flames can be funny! 

Here's a flame about me, and I'm pointing to it because the writer put it on his own website. You can never say that I don't enjoy a good flame. I do!

I asked why he says all those nasty things about me on his site and here's what I was told.

Today's song 

Descramble. It's not exactly the highest production-value music, but it's total poetry, perhaps the most revolutionary MP3 yet. Is it a song or software? Talk about convergence.

BTW, I looked, it's not on Napster yet.

More trouble? 

Alta Vista has an MP3 search page. (Screen shot.)



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