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fwd: re: open tool technology,

updated thu 23 feb 12

 

Greg Relaford on wed 22 feb 12


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Greg Relaford"
Date: Feb 22, 2012 8:07 AM
Subject: Re: open tool technology,
To: "ivor and olive lewis"

A great observation and question. I'm in the middle of reading Craftsman by
Richard Sennett, and he goes into some detail into the relationship between
what is now called 'Open Source' and artisan, craft and technology work.
The history is thousands of years, and predates capitalism. It's a complex
history, and I'm still digesting the text.

Still, I have been using and following open source software for nearly two
decades. The politics and philosophy seems to run the gamut. I wouldn't
describe many as conservative, but probably (almost) none as communist.
There is a substantial set of businesses based on open source technology.

I was attracted to the open source model because of the lively and (mostly)
intelligent discussions online. Very like what I read here.

It is very strongly a culture of merit and respect for work and the quality
of arguments. No slackers and fakers get respect for long.
On Feb 22, 2012 5:54 AM, "ivor and olive lewis"
wrote:

> Fifty years out of date, just a reinvention of an already fixed wheel. Wh=
en
> it comes to the recent history of our calling it is easy to forget the
> pioneering work of Harry Davis and Michael Cardew.
> "Open Source" seems to be anti-establishment and anti-capitalist in
> political character. Or am I just misreading the meaning of the term.
> All the best,
> Ivor Lewis,
> REDHILL,
> South Australia
>