Happy Birthday Percy! Where ever you are...

Sorry, I should have been more clear: I don't buy all his arguments. For sure, there's something to be said about share-and-share-alike. What you describe sounds most excellent (I would love to be able to check my email anywhere.) And if that's a possible future (and I'm not dismissing it) I'd love to see it. (That's why municipal wi-fi intrigues me so much, despite the fact that it's tied down to ridiculous bureaucracy and resisted by even more ridiculous corporate interest.)

But on the part of his argument about open networks decreasing your legal liability I remain unconvinced. There's a certain responsibility you bear with respect to use of your internet. And, while it's not a perfect analogy, I doubt you could argue that you have no liability for the hit-and-run your car was used for if you claim you just leave your keys in the car all the time.

Still, like I said, it's an argument worth considering.

haha, you don't buy his arguments for an open network? I came to the same conclusion as he did when I first set up my wireless network at home. I made a conscious decision to keep it as publicly accessible as possible. If I'm using public airspace I think it's just courteous that it be available to the public. Don't you wish you could set up your laptop ANYWHERE and find a decent wifi connection? If everyone left their networks open, this dream would be REALITY (and I could ditch my cell phone in favour of a voip-based portable phone and save a great deal of money).

I strongly believe in an anarchist approach to information access. I also view an open network policy as an extension to supporting freedom of speech.

Obviously, there's always the threat of network-spread viruses... but if we're constantly living in fear, the terrorists have won, haha.

Honestly though, that's a risk I'm totally willing to take. I've had no problems so far (2 years), and when I run "netstat" (run it as a command from cmd.exe if you've never tried it before) it's clear that my neighbours aren't abusing their privelleges. Not only that, but visitors to Castle Awesome regularly bring their own laptops and connect to the "castle awesome" network. And honestly I'd much rather they do that to check their e-mail than use my personal system.

I'm totally for open networks.

Why does Yul Brynner always look so damned creepy?

Claire Forlani? Haven't heard that name in a long time. But like I say people still have to eat.

From: Canada.com

Review: In The Name of the King

- based on a video game
- Burt Reynolds plays a medieval king
- tells the story of a farmer named Farmer (Jason Statham)
- who must rescue his kidnapped wife (Claire Forlani, sadly not named Wife)
- Matthew Lillard, who plays the king's snivelling nephew.
- many battles, one of which features the king's ninja bodyguards

- tour de force of something, and it's probably best viewed in an auditorium filled with drunken college students.


Wow. Now I actually want to see this movie.

Steal This Wi-Fi:

Whenever I talk or write about my own security setup, the one thing that surprises people -- and attracts the most criticism -- is the fact that I run an open wireless network at home. There's no password. There's no encryption. Anyone with wireless capability who can see my network can use it to access the internet.

To me, it's basic politeness. Providing internet access to guests is kind of like providing heat and electricity, or a hot cup of tea. But to some observers, it's both wrong and dangerous.

News Item: Tim Hortons employees offer tips on etiquette:

Frustrated employees have banded together on the popular social networking site Facebook to give cranky customers the basic rules on how to order their daily fix if they want to get good service.

A trip to Tim Hortons is part of the daily routine for many Canadians, but it doesn't necessarily seem to be the warm and fuzzy experience the commercials make them out to be for people on both sides of the counter.

Facebook hosts more than 500 groups about Tim Hortons, some appreciative, some definitely not.

To recurse is divine. You should check out Lisp, Tay. That shit'll really blow your mind. (Or drive you crazy. Either way.)

yikes, the things people devise patterns for:




I'm sure they'd be incredibly warm, but, after two years of knitting them, I probably wouldn't want to lay eyes on them ever again.