Open Source Beauty

I am slowly exploring and discovering the beauty of open source software.
I have known about it for a while and it has certainly existed for a long time. But slowly, slowly I have decided to make the transformation.

Now let me explain, Open source allows the end user to see and change the source. So in computers for example Microsoft products are closed source and therefore you cannot see how the products are made and cannot alter them. While Linux (the penguin on the right is the symbol of Linux the open source operating system) is an operating system which is open and developers have developed and programmed into a powerful strong system. The beauty of the whole open source community is that it is for free, people contribute to the existing and the end of the day with some synergy a powerful end product is available and is continued to be developed. More appropriately, "Open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials typically, their source code. Some consider it as a philosophy, and others consider it as a pragmatic methodology. Before open source became widely adopted, developers and producers used a variety of phrases to describe the concept; the term open source gained popularity with the rise of the Internet and its enabling of diverse production models, communication paths, and interactive communities." (Thanks to Wikipedia an great example of the power open source.)

So I am frustrated with Microsoft's manipulation to use their software and pure frustration of crashing computers the whole time (Linux hardly ever crashes) and hence I have started to move over to using Linux and learning the new methods and ways to compute. My view from on top of this world, is that open source is the method and way for software in the future and is definitely going to help the impoverished (see the one laptop per child initiative which without a doubt will use open source software) and create a fair equal playing ground for technology and knowledge to develop

Sometimes things just catch your eye and you want to share it

9 Sept - Picture taking in Jerusalem the day before the much protested against (by the ultra orthodox community) Gay Pride Parade which took place in the capital.
It reads "Love thy neighbour" and was taken by up and coming photographer Danni Hasson.

makepovertyhistory.org vs climatecrisis.net

Saving the Planet vs Saving the life?

Another debate which entered into my mind sometime last week before all this week's action in the news (US elections & Gaza disasters) is the new Al Gore documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and campaign for climate control.

Now I am more of a fan of the Make Poverty History campagin, drop African debt campaign and AIDS awareness, Live 8 etc and the battles of One,DATA,Make Poverty History.

Now when the question is posed to someone whats our choice between these two, the immediate answer is that they are not mutually exclusive. No question that both these are two of the main world wide causes that need to be dealt with, but is more focus going to be put on the environment than a human life. It also deals with the unknown, meaning the privileged masses who get exposed to these campaigns have no clue of the problems in the burning continent of Africa, yet in a way they can more relate to the environmental crisis that most of their countries are causing.

Overall, the underlying similarity is man's greed to undermine the real problems faced with in the world: life and environment. My view from on top of this world is that the cause of the world's campaign needs to focus on the human beings, the Africans, that are suffering in this world.

4 November

So the 4 of November is a memorable date for most Israelis, the day the Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin was assassinated after attending a massive peace rally in the centre of Tel Aviv (1995).

So 11 years later and every year since a ceremony and remembrance is held. I live literally two minute walk from the Rabin Square. As I strolled down (like I have done for the last 3 occasions I have been here), one tends to think of the meaning, purpose and ideas of why you go to this event.

To my surprise, the masses still showed up in their thousands, close to a 100 thousand, with the left wing political parties flying their banners and the blue collared labour left wing youth movements bringing their troops along. The ceremonies are pretty similar, the top Israeli artist donate their time to sing old classic Israeli songs, a few poems, family speakers and a key note speech. The idea was not to make it a political event, hence no politicians, although the political messages were obviously there. World renowned author and left wing peace activist David Grossman (who also recently lost his son, Uri, in the Lebanon 2 war) delivered a poetic, passionate and strong speech that attacked the Israeli leadership. I recommend the read. Although the papers afterwards were noting that Grossman's views have always been further left than Rabin in his time. Then there is the traditional Aviv Gefen (rock singer) ending with the unofficial anthem since Rabin's assasination of "Livkot Lecha".

So the thoughts flow through the mind, of who this person was, whats his legacy what has changed in eleven years, why are there not other leaders like him around. Rabin was special because he had reached the highest level of the army, he fought the fight and saw that this type of way cannot be sustainable or healthy for a nation, so he turned towards doves and olive branches and was that Israeli person that Israelis identified with, and he acted on what he said or made attempts to. Today the politicians are throwing out big statements that hit the front pages of talking with Syria and LEbanon, but you see nothing of it, why not present some strategy or plan, present it to the public so the nation actually knows what the leaders are trying to do. The country runs on a managing crisis's basis and putting out the next fires, while politicians try hold onto their political careers and lash out extreme statements which seems to promote them.

This post could go on forever, they are number of variables that fall into the equation of what has happened in the last 11 years, but in my view from on top of this world there has been little progress in this country's attempts to make peace since the assassination of its prime minister.