BSD Needs Spiced up Atmosphere-bsdtalk

I’m not sure why I can’t post comments to bsdtalk. Maybe it’s because I’m not signed up with the hosting service or because it doesn’t support Firefox. I can’t remember as I quit trying sometime ago. Anyways … seeing that I can’t post, I thought I’d post a comment on my own blog.

Note to Will Backman, bsdtalk Host
I like your podcasts but it’s starting to seem to me that the shows always have the same general theme, people sitting around talking about why BSD (and sometimes OSS in general) is so great –amounting to “feel good” interviews.

In episode number 139 you ask what “we” can do to improve BSD bookshelf visibility. I think generating interest might attract public attention and translate in hard book visibility. So, why not diversify and talk about threats to BSD development (whether they be internal/external, from proprietary competing OSS sources, and conflict (such as political/power struggles, or personality conflicts). Each postcast need not be entirely controversial as potential solutions to problems could also be pondered.

Here’s an idea I’ve thrown your way before. When are you ever going to cover comments by C. Hannum stating that”NetBSD is Dead”. See: <http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-users/2006/08/30/0016.html>.

Wikipedia Now a Teaching Tool –Wow

Deborah Jones writes, “Once shunned by academics, Wikipedia now a teaching tool“.
I’m not sure what Ms. Jones refers to when she mentions that Wikipedia was shunned by academia. I remember my philosophy prof Wesley Cooper at the U of A giving his ok on it.

Regardless of consistent quality, I’ve always used Wikipedia as a starting point, meaning that I mainly looked it up to find source material. In this way, I used it just like any other encyclopaedia. I honestly can’t see how an university paper could be written any other way, other than going to the sources. A good university student writing an essay can’t be content with only citing one encyclopaedia, even Britannica at that. If this were the case, this would show a lack of research, specifically depth, and interest on the part of the student.

As for Britannica, it has had its own problems. I recall one embarrassing article that contained hearsay. This article lasted many years before it was fixed.

The Blood Libel

If any of you find the blood libel and the related academic research into it of any interest, here are a few articles,

Jerusalem Post
American Thinker
Telegraph