//beconfused

I was just thinking the other day that if one day everything becomes open-source and free, what would become of programmers? Are they going to earn a living or what? If one day everything becomes open source, there is a good chance that you have to pay for your opensource software.

Open source does not mean it is free and freeware doesn’t mean it’s open source. Perhaps one day we may just have to pay for all the open source products which isn’t what most people wish for. Most people just want free software anyway, they don’t care if it’s open source, it’s just that open source sounded like it’s free.

The current situation of commercial close source products and the free open source seem to be in quite a balance. Free alternatives remain while the commercial sectors are still charging and all.

And I’m tired of all the ‘Lite’, ‘Express’ or non-Pro versions that remained free. If only every big software company can make one of their non-flagship products free, kinda like giving back to the society and at the same time create more competition and drive advancements in software.

On a side note – this looks a little strange to me.

Microsoft and opensource? Hmmmp…

I’ve been thinking about how computers work together lately and it’s amazing that one device can connect to the next and then to the next and so on to form the internet. I never really thought much about it. You can say I sort of took things for grants. I started using it almost a decade ago and it’s really exciting to watch it grow. In recent years, the growth seem to be accelerating. Perhaps the dot-com boom is back. Erm, sorry I take that back, speaking of the words ‘dot-com boom’ brings bad luck.

You knoiw – one of the reasons Singapore broadband prices aren’t really cheap is because Singaporeans love to go to the other countries websites. The data has to travel half the globe to reach you! In contrast, countries like Korea, Japan, China, United States, United Kingdom and – erm, United States – have most of their citizens visiting their own country’s website.

Is this because they make better websites than us? Is this because they are more loyal and prefer localized content? Is it because they have cheaper broadband?

Actually the answers for the above questions are all ‘yes’ in my opinion. Our favorite websites are probably YouTube and Friendster. I for one can testify to it, I love United States websites. I do not visit local websites for example (with the exception of ChannelNewsAsia.com and blogs, I love local blogs).

Is there any local websites that you know of? Any top-secret plan to start one? I love to hear what people has to say about this.

I chose to remove my wisdom tooth with National Dental Center instead of doing it at the army’s dental clinic. Reason being…

I don’t trust SAF (Singapore armed forces) enough.

Okay, end of essay. Thank you for reading. (more…)

Blogging has been made a student favorite. I know of many students who blogged. I even know of teachers who blog actually. Some classes have group blogs. And some people started hate-blogs. There are just too many examples and I’m just lazy to slot in the links.

A lot of students (once, me inclusive) think of a blog as a personal space that you can write anything you want. It’s your opinion and it’s your freedom to write what you want. Of course, I know there would be bound to have some restrictions but today, it would only seem that blogging is much more restricted than what Singaporeans would think.

It’s funny. Numerous people who publishes posts on their blogs don’t want anyone to be viewing their blog. It kinda go against the very reason to own an online blog actually. An online blog isn’t what they want, they want instead a journal from Microsoft Outlook or something. Unless you manage to lock up your diary with some password or something, your blog can still be found! So stop perceiving privacy.

Sometimes, they would give the links of their blog to their close friends. The close friend links up the blog to his or hers and – tadah – there goes your privacy. You may be bitching about the girl who wore g-strings to school and may be writing all things offensive about her character. Then one day, she just check out a friend’s blog and link and link and link to your blog!

Schools act against students for ‘flaming’ teachers on blogs

The message has been sent out loud and clear, with five junior college students being punished for posting offensive remarks about two teachers and a vice-principal online.

The students, all girls, were made to remove the remarks from their Internet diaries, or blogs, and suspended for three days last month.

One such remark referred to a secondary school teacher as a “prude”: for disciplining a student for wearing a too-short skirt. “Frustrated old spinster. Can’t stand to see attractive girls,” the blog read.

Source: The Straits Times, published on Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Yes! You can get sued even. Recently 2 guys just got sued as they are writing racist comments I think. I didn’t really follow up on that news. Blogging is not as safe as you think. The girls are just trying to express their displeasure. Unfortunately, publishing something in the world wide web is the wrong method. I can assure you there are lots of people who has blogged about their teachers saying they are gay or pairing them up with another teacher. I’ve seen insults of their friends and many more.

I now sit in front of my computer feeling a little afraid. My blog can be a victim too. I don’t want to be sued. If I blogged about something that is against the law, do tell me about it, I’ll do something about it.

I hope you guys be more careful too. I am trying not to blog about my friends nowadays for the same reason, I am gradually stopping just gossipping since a year ago. But I can’t help but to write some stuff about my friends as this is a personal blog.

Guan Jie forwarded an email to me which is rather thought provoking. I have added some colors so it ain’t so boring, lol.

Question is: Which one will you choose?

A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track. The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved most of the kids.

However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let’s take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make.

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess.

Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally.

But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community,in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.

The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him, because he plays on the track.

Personally, I’ll choose to save the child at the right track. But that’s because I am a defient person. hmmmp.. Whatcha think?

Edit: This is embarassing, I highlighted the word “defient” which I mispelt! Right spelling is “defiant”, and to think I even highlighted it. duh..