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timeblock (culture): some refinement 

It is still pretty long...
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Mike Gerwitz 2016-03-18 13:41:49 -04:00
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talk.tex
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@ -617,42 +617,35 @@
\begin{itemize}
\item Low Barrier To Entry
\lecture{Most everyone has a web browser. Everything rendered in that
browser uses standardized document and styling formats. This
retrofitting of sorts makes it easy to inspect programs' UIs
and play with them. Every major browser comes with debugging
tools for inspecting the DOM, monitoring and inspecting
network traffic, debugging scripts, and much more. This is
\emph{great} for a free Web---it encourages studying and
tinkering. And when users start writing software, they can
see it in the familiar environment that is their web
browser. There's not much that is alien to them; if you
introduce someone to shell scripting, C, Perl, Python, etc,
they're diving into a world that is entirely hidden from
their perspective as a \emph{user} of software.}
\lecture{Most everyone has a web browser. Everything is standardized,
and every very major browser comes with excellent debugging
and inspection tools. This is \emph{great} for a free
Web---it encourages studying and tinkering. And when users
start writing software, they can see it in the familiar
environment that is their web browser. There's not much that
is alien to them; if you introduce someone to shell
scripting, C, Perl, Python, Lisp, etc, they're diving into a
world that is entirely hidden from their perspective as a
\emph{user} of software.}
\item Huge number of libraries and tools for web development
\lecture{Now, the leap from a document format to a program can be a
bit daunting. But, because of all the reasons I mentioned,
the number of libraries focused on web development is growing
at a startling rate. You can have working software running
on most every modern operating system quickly and easily,
and not even have to worry about how you're going to package
and distribute it! And most of these popular libraries are
free software. The most daunting task for new web developers
is often what library to pick.}
\lecture{Because of all the reasons I mentioned,
the number of libraries focused on web development is crazy,
and steadily growing. You can have working software running
on most every modern operating system quickly and relatively
easily. And most of these popular libraries are free
software. The most daunting task for new web developers is
often what library to pick.}
\item Even server/desktop software [substitutes] using web libraries
\lecture{And then we have software like Node.js that allows running
code written for the web directly, without a web browser. So
it often makes sense to write software in JavaScript or a
language that compiles into it, because then you can share
code between the server and client. It makes sense to write
your UI using HTML and CSS, because you can execute the
program in a way that it doesn't look like a website.
And then you have those that only really know web
development, but are now able to take that knowledge and
apply it directly to the server or the desktop.}
code between the server and client. And then you have those
that only really know web development, but are now able to
take that knowledge and apply it directly to the server or
the desktop.}
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
@ -683,14 +676,14 @@
free software,}
\item<2-> Permissive licensing \emph{enables} proprietary software
\lecture{but most of it is licensed under a permissive license---the
most popular being the MIT~Expat license, which allows for
non-free derivatives. What this means is that proprietary
software authors have a relatively easy time developing
software that denies users their freedoms. Writing software
is expensive---it takes time, and time is money in
business. Any time that can be saved using these wonderful
free software libraries is money that they can divert toward
\lecture{but most of it is licensed under a permissive license---one
of the most popular being the MIT~Expat license, which allows
for non-free derivatives. What this means is that
proprietary software authors have a relatively easy time
developing software that denies users their
freedoms. Writing software is expensive---it takes time, and
time is money. Any time that can be saved using free
software libraries is money that they can divert toward
adding attractive features, releasing early, and implementing
ways to screw over the user.}
\end{itemize}
@ -704,12 +697,8 @@
\lecture{If you've listened to any in-depth criticism about licensing
practices of the modern web development community, then
you've probably heard of Tom Preston-Werner's post entitled
``Open source almost everything''. Now, I want to go over
some snippets, because this is an incredibly important topic
and his post has some startling statements that illustrate
the mindset of the larger web development community, and the
open source community in general. Some of what you are about
to see may shock and confuse you. Viewer discretion is
``Open source almost everything''. Some of what you are
about to see may shock and confuse you. Viewer discretion is
advised.}
\end{itemize}
@ -760,20 +749,21 @@
\begin{frame}{The Web Scene}
\lecture{Tom's philosophy is pervasive throughout the modern web
development community. His post even propagates it. And, if we
development community. His post even encourages it. And, if we
take a look at the community, we can see why:}
\begin{itemize}
\item<2-> Startups (e.g. YCombinator-funded)
\lecture{Most new software startups today are going to have some sort
of online component. As has already been discussed, the web
is an attractive platform, and an easy way to create
lock-in---something that many misguided startups and funders
will consider to be vital to their long-term success. For
this to happen---for these young startups to be able to get
software out cheaply and quickly with limited
resources---they need free software. So there is immense
community pressure to create permissively licensed software.}
\lecture{There are a lot of startups. Most new software startups
today are going to have some sort of online component. As
has already been discussed, the web is an attractive
platform, and an easy way to create lock-in---something that
many misguided startups and funders will consider to be vital
to their long-term success. For this to happen---for these
young startups to be able to get software out cheaply and
quickly with limited resources---they need free software. So
there is immense community pressure to create permissively
licensed software.}
\item<2-> New programmers, new culture
\lecture{And speaking of that community pressure---the web development
@ -801,9 +791,7 @@
\item<4-> Peer pressure
\lecture{And besides, all your friends are doing it, and they're all
10x rockstars! So there is immense peer pressure---pressure
to ignore talking about the awkward politics and philosophy
of software freedom, and just stick to writing software.}
10x rockstars!}
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
@ -820,14 +808,11 @@
fighting copyleft, without actually bringing up the issue,
thereby creating a large community that works against
copyleft without actually \emph{thinking} about
copyleft. This is very dangerous. As I know many others
here have witnessed when trying to defend copyleft, it can be
very hard to explain these issues to someone who isn't aware
that issues even exist.}
copyleft. This is very dangerous.}
\end{center}
\lecture{Well, as of last month, we even have a term describing this broad
issue! And, no, it's not a hipster word.}
\lecture{And as of last month, we even have a term describing this broad
issue!}
\end{frame}
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