Hello and welcome to Hardrived Podcast!

In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictation of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.

Or just random rambling of an internet geek.

For starters a small backgroud on myself. I love to scour the Internet to find those neat ways technology and culture are converging. Though I hold two non-techy degrees I still strive to be ahead of the curve in advancements in technology. This is why I love to talk and blog about technology. As a blogger/activist/podcaster I work to create a world connected through technology for a better tomorrow

This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as its ready. 

I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.

Thanks and talk to you soon

Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on 8-bit Empire 
http://ozzed.net

Hardrived Podcast Introduction

Hello and welcome to Hardrived Podcast!

In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictation of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.

Or just random rambling of an internet geek.

This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as its ready. 

In this week episode I will be reading to you one of my latest post in a series of post I'm titling The Internet is IRL! The first takes a look at the strategies and Implication of surveillance on the Internet. 

So here it is.

The Internet is IRL: The Implications and Strategies of Surveillance Upon The Internet

The Internet is IRL, Duh! I have never really thought about it but I just knew. Kinda like eggs at the grocery store. I mean you never really thought “how the hell do eggs get to the store?” You just went and bought your eggs. The Internet is the same way, you don’t get into some vehicle and travel to the Internet. The Internet is just there like eggs at the grocery store. 

This is why to me it is no surprise that any Internet Surveillance Legislation is merely a copy of any analog Surveillance Legislation. I live in South Texas and as a South Texan I am accustomed to events and experiences that people who live outside of the Southwest are perplexed by. One easy example would be Border Patrol “Checkpoints”, not along the actual border but slightly north of it. These Checkpoints serve as secondary points of entry and inspection for anyone trying to travel north from many points along the Southwest. 

The digital counterparts of “checkpoints”, would be any surveillance technology from web crawlers to backdoors. The only difference would be that we lose the ability to opt-out or demand a warrant. In Real Life I can demand a warrant if police show up at my house demanding to search it. I can inspect the warrant and insure that they only look through or take what the warrants states. On the Internet I lose that. Anyone can be snooping on me right now. Tracking very keystroke, looking through my browsing history, and taking whatever information they want from me. 

Of course not just governments have these capabilities any worthy criminal looking to steal my credit card information can do this. But if a criminal does this I automatically become a victim. But can you say the same if the government does it? 

I would like to leave you with some food for thought. It basically boils down to in meat-space you can demand that you see a warrant. You can demand equal and fair treatment under the law. So why is the Internet which is IRL considered a special case scenario? Laws like CISPA create these types of problems in which the Internet is treated like a special place outside of IRL. 

For me the Internet is not a special place outside of my real life existence it is part of it. Even though I hate having to wait in line at the Border Patrol Checkpoints I do it knowing that they have to respect my rights and uphold the law. But laws that attack my rights and freedoms while using the Internet do not do the same. If they are passed they would be far worse than a Border Patrol Checkpoint. Most importantly how can we protect our rights and freedoms from them. 

I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.

Thanks and talk to you soon.


Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on 8-bit Empire http://ozzed.net

The Internet Is IRL: The Strategies and Implications of Surveillance Upon the Internet

Hello and welcome to Hardrived Podcast!

In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictation of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.

Or just random rambling of an internet geek.

This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as its ready. 

Continuing on my series of post by the Title The Internet In Real Life I wrote a piece entitled. The Internet is IRL: Copying is not Piracy. Trafficking is Piracy. I take a small look at the dizzying vocabulary behind "Internet Piracy!" 

So here it is,

The Internet is IRL: Copying is not Piracy. Trafficking is Piracy.

Vocabulary can be difficult. 

From Merrian-Webster site:

Distribute: to divide among several or many
Traffic: illegal or disreputable usually commercial activity

A computer has the amazing capability to create copies of any file quickly and easily. It is an essential component for the computing process. Whenever I edit some HTML files I make copies of the original to ensure I don’t lose it. I do this to ensure if there is a mistake I can go back to the original file. I have backups of all my CD’s on my computer, safely stored away just in case a CD breaks or I lose it. 

Copying is not Piracy. Copying in technical computer mumbo-jumbo is simply making an exact copy of a file. Piracy is trafficking that copy to distribute it to other people in exchange for monetary or other means of compensation. 

The point I’m trying to make is simple. Using a computer to make a copy of a file does not make you a trafficker of copyrighted material. What makes you a trafficker of copyrighted material is trafficking copyrighted material. You see vocabulary can be difficult this is why many us of fall into trouble. 

We Internet/Technology literate people have a big responsibility on our shoulders. We have to teach Internet/Technology vocabulary to those new to the interwebs. Many will learn quickly but others will take some time. But it is a necessary task to teach this responsibility. The Internet is IRL after all and crime is crime.


Alright that's all for this week. I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.

Thanks and talk to you soon.

Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on the album 8-bit Empire http://ozzed.net

The Internet is IRL: Copying is not Piracy. Trafficking is Piracy.

Hello and welcome to The Hardrived Podcast!

In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictations of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.

Or just random rambling of an internet geek.

This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as it’s ready. 
 
In this week's episode I will read to you my latest post entitled “I wanna hack the shit out of that!” I wrote this piece while sitting at my desk staring at my old Blackberry that was just collecting dust in the corner. I thought man I wish I could just hack it and install Android on it without getting sued to the ground. 

Well here it is I hope you enjoy.

I wanna hack the sh*t out of that!

In the technological space there are two components that are vital for devices. Those components would be software and hardware. Software of course being the thing you interact with on the screen of your computer, cellphone, or ATM machine. Hardware is the actual physical components you touch and interact with such as a keyboard, touchscreen, or speakers. 
Both can be awesome, they can work seamlessly and appear to be one. But sometimes it doesn’t quite work like that. For example Android phones come in all shapes, styles, and sizes. Some of those design implementations work and other times it’s just plain ugly and weird. The neat thing about Android phones is the fact that they're all different from one another. Not just in hardware but software. 
Say you like a Motorola device with a pull-out keyboard running Android. The only problem is that it’s running an older version of Android like 2.2. The latest and greatest Android version is 4.0! You don’t have to settle on using the stock Android 2.2 you can hack the phone and install Android 4.0 in it. Yes, you can do that and it’s perfectly legal though manufacturers like Motorola might not want you to do so but you can if you want. 
This solves the issue of having bad software on great hardware. Developing a device is difficult any manufacturer will tell you. And you should believe them, they spend millions of dollars on prototypes. I can applaud all the hard work manufactures put into making devices. But sometimes I just wanna hack the shit out of it!!
When I began using GNU/Linux I committed myself to learn about the ethos of free and open source software. I was surprised to learn that one of the central ethos in the FOSS(free and open source) community is “if it ain’t broken tweak it”. It was mind blowing for me, a curious mind such as mine quickly adopted this ethos. 
Currently on my desk sits a Blackberry 8330. It’s old for the hardware and software that is currently available. But man that keyboard was awesome I really enjoyed using it. Currently I have an LG Optimus V. Its touchscreen with no physical keyboard. I wish I could just pick up my Blackberry and hack Android onto it. It would be a perfect solution for my keyboard problems. 
I know that I could just get an Android phone with a keyboard but there’s just something about Blackberry keyboards that just can’t be beat. Unfortunately I cannot install Android on my Blackberry. Or take apart my Blackberry and LG phones to mesh them together in some franken-phone concoction. I cannot do either because I can’t, but rather because I’m not allowed. 
You see both Blackberry and LG phones are protected by patents and copyrights. Meaning that the owner/manufactures of the brand hold the rights to the design. The design is locked-down from the public so that Blackberry and LG can hold a monopoly over a device. Now I’m not anti-patents or copyright. I think they are useful and necessary in certain cases. But they are in the way of my curiosity and need to tinker. 
That is the real problem, after all as they say “necessity is the mother of invention”. I have a need to have an awesome keyboard, why not just hack my Blackberry or LG phones to solve this issue. Well I can if I wanted to but why risk legal repercussions. It’s sad really because my Blackberry will just sit there collecting dust, rotting away to never be used again. 
I can give it new functionality, new purpose but Research In Motion(makers of Blackberry) doesn’t want me to. They want me to remain in their monopoly because it’s better business for them.
I’ll end with this, I like to hack things. I like to learn about technology and study it. I like to modify anything I own. I don’t like being locked down or restricted from anything I own. Patents can work but so far we have been using them the wrong way. The same goes for copyright we have not updated our laws for the new realm of possibilities in the technological sphere. 
We need to let people who like to tinker, tinker. We need to let people who like to modify, modify. We need to let innovation come from regular people and accept it as legitimate just like we accept innovation from companies as legitimate. Innovation is not something copyrighted or patented by companies so let us stop treating it like it is.


Alright there we go I hope you enjoyed this week’s episode and I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.

Thanks and talk to you soon.

Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on 8-bit Empire http://ozzed.net

I Want To Hack The Sh*t Out Of That

Hello and welcome to the Hardrived Podcast!

In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictation of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.

Or just random rambling of an internet geek.

This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as its ready.

This weeks episode I will read to you my latest post on FOSS Formats I dive into some of my experiences with the formats and what they mean to me. Also I give some encouraging words for new GNU/Linux users. So let’s get to it, here it is.

FOSS Formats

For the most part I use Ubuntu for all of my computing needs. It can handle really simple task and complex ones almost seamlessly. When I first began to use Ubuntu I struggled with it. I took for granted the plea from the FOSS community to use FOSS formats whenever and wherever possible. My first noob mistake was with Flash player in Firefox. Oh, how I learned the hard way on that one! My next disappointment came when I wanted to play and MP3 file. “Sorry you do not have the proper codecs installed”. What in the world was a codec and why did I have to install it?

In the last few releases Ubuntu has made it easier for new user to get up and running. By providing installation of all non-FOSS codecs during the installation process users can get everything they are accustomed too. That is great news for newer user of Ubuntu and GNU/Linux overall. But I slowly began to realize that after every upgrade or change of distro, I had to install this or that codec. I got tired of codecs and I got tired of having to install a bunch of stuff all the time. That was one of the reasons I left Windows!

I realized then that I had to change my habits, after all Ubuntu was not Windows. So why was I trying to use it like it was? That’s when I began to research and use FOSS formats. FOSS formats are simply Free and Open Source alternatives to proprietary or closed source formats such as .AAC or .WMA. The great thing about FOSS formats was they obviously worked out of the box in Ubuntu. No need to install anything just click and play.

The first step was to convert my entire music library to a FOSS format and then videos. The next step was to begin using Open Document formats in LibreOffice. After awhile it was a seamless process. I had successfully changed my computing habits to better fit with that of the FOSS community. I learned neat tricks, got great tips from the community and got help online. Using FOSS formats proved to be a reliable way of doing everyday computing tasks.

Currently I am writing this post with LibreOffice in Ubuntu. I record and edit my podcasts with Audacity in Ubuntu. The possibilities are endless with GNU/Linux but you can expand your horizon by using it like it was meant too and FOSS is the way to do it. Of course I (unlike some) won’t cast you as a fool for using non-FOSS codecs or even software. Instead what I will do I teach you about them and let you decide whether it’s right for you. In my experience I have converted several friends and family to the Ubuntu flock. But before I did I made sure they understood that Ubuntu was not Windows or MacOS. I let them test it out and showed the obvious differences. But I also showed them how they can still do all their computing needs in Ubuntu.

So I’ll end with this, FOSS formats are awesome. I encourage any new GNU/Linux user to try to use them as much as possible. But if you can’t just remember that many distros are making it easier to install proprietary formats(Ubuntu, Linux Mint, etc). FOSS formats can provide freedom and flexibility that other formats just don’t provide. They can be as reliable and stable as their proprietary or closed source counterparts. So don’t shy away from GNU/Linux just because you heard it can’t play and MP3 or FLASH videos. GNU/Linux solved those issues a long time ago and continues to solve new ones. If you want to try GNU/Linux right now it the best time to do it, so go and see for yourself!

I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.

Thanks and talk to you soon!

Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on 8-bit Empire http://ozzed.net

FOSS Formats

Hello and welcome to the Hardrived Podcast!
In this podcast you will hear a wide range of material. Everything from my super awesome dictation of my eccentric and thought provoking posts.
Or just random rambling of an internet geek.
This podcast for most part will be recorded live from my kitchen and will be released for download as soon as its ready.

This weeks episode I will read to you one of my latest post entitled "A Re-Imagination of Copyright". In this post I give my opinions on how I think copyright should be thought of as opposed to the current way of thinking about copyright. Alright here it is, hope you enjoy. 

A Re-Imagination of Copyright.

﻿Currently copyrighted material is proving to be a big problem. I have been blogging on and off for about 4 years now. Recently I decided to go for it full-time. I knew copyright was going to be a grey cloud hovering over my head. Let’s face it learning about copyright law is not fun. Also consider the fact that in the digital age where making copies is stupid easy, copyright is completely ignored by most. People want to make copies of stuff and they want to share it for the most part. I have no problem with that but I struggled to ensure copyright was respected in this reality.

After some time thinking about it and discussing it with friends. I realized the only way to respect copyright is to simply allow people to copy your stuff. Now I know your heads must be spinning right now so let me explain in detail what I mean. First, if you post something online there is a 99.9% chance it will get copied. So deal with it! Your stuff will get copied by someone else if you post it online! You may be asking yourself right now, “what do we do about it and how do we stop it?” Well you can’t stop it and you shouldn’t either. What you can do about it is to simply reach out and ask that you are given credit for the work. If you want some monetary compensation then ask for it. Ask people to help fund your work through donations or to buy it and give it as a gift. This way you can still feed yourself or your family.

Copyright was meant to create a monopoly over a “product”. But that breaks down in our digital age. The idea of a monopoly created by copyright has to be re-imagined. My re-imagination is to create a monopoly of influence over your “product”. For example, if you state your case clearly enough for why you deserve for people to buy or donate to get a copyrighted copy of your work. Then you deserve a chance to have a successful product. It’s not a hard concept to understand and as a matter of fact the Hollywood film industry already does it! Hollywood films are heavily advertised. Think of the last big Hollywood film you saw and now think of how many previews or ads you saw for it. You probably saw a significant amount adverstising not just on T.V but online, in print, and radio. Hollywood spends a significant amount of time and money to ensure that you go watch a film. Isn’t that Hollywood influencing you on how to spend your money and time? I think it is and I think if they are able to get me to go watch a film then they stated their case clearly enough.

It has been said in various ways and by many people that musicians can make a profit by selling concert tickets even if they give away their music for free. Filmmakers can also make a living by selling their works in various formats that are DRM-free even when their works are pirated. Writers can make a living even if their books end up online. Several of the Harry Potter books ended up online before the actual release but J.K Rowling still made money from them. Why? Simple, because at the end of the day when we shut-down our computers we are all people. People will always chose to do the right thing(at least in my opinion) and they will buy a product if they feel it’s worth it. Take the idea of crowdfunding a project or a startup. People can view your idea and decide if it’s worth donating too. The projects that don’t receive their funding are naturally the ones that didn’t properly convey their idea.

These are simply my ideas, imagine what else can be imagined if more of us put some time into it. Imagine how many great films can be produced if Hollywood listened to consumers instead of following their own agenda. The beautiful thing about the Internet is its ability to create ideas in an organic fashion. Sure it may take a little longer to do it but the result is always democratic. So copyright can be re-imagined for the digital age we just have to actually do it.

I want to thank my listeners and readers and hopefully we can do some great things together.
Thanks and talk to you soon!
Opening and Closing sequence by Ozzed: The Day Time Ran Out on 8-bit Empire http://ozzed.net

Re-imagination of Copyright

TP-Link MR3020 Unboxing

I love to scour the Internet to find those neat ways technology and culture are converging. I love to talk and blog about technology. As a blogger/activist/podcaster I work to create a world connected through technology for a better tomorrow.

hardrived