My Reply to Mark Shuttleworth re Ubuntu One Music Store

Mark Shuttleworth is one of the VERY few people in life I consider a hero of mine.

Today, sadly, I am disappointed.

Re:   https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-community/+bug/528910

Following is my response to Mark:

Please include a one-button UN-install of the Music Store.

If you don't, we will.

We will never be distributing, nor installing, any copies of Ubuntu containing a proprietary "Music Store"... or any other kind of store.  

Make the music store a web site. Make the browser start page take you there....    But building in proprietary Stores, ala Apple, is just distasteful at least, and sickening at wortst.

If we wanted that sort of proprietary corporate profit adware on OUR computers, we'd still be running Microsoft or Apple.

We love Freedom.  We love Ubuntu because it works.  But we'll be the first to uninstall any proprietary CRAP that gets included, the first to bitch about it LOUDLY, and to drop Ubuntu entirely if it gets to be too much of a chore to uninstall and delete all such CRAP.

Feeling Betrayed a Bit?

We are.

Ubuntu is NOT owned by Canonical, nor by Mark.    It is a product of the PEOPLE.

How dare ANYONE try to commercialize it!?

How dare anyone ruin it in this way
...

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

The Crimes of the Evil Cult of Scientology, Diabetics, Narcanon, Applied Scholastics, Criminon, etc...

A friend was just asking me, "What's that web site again? ...the one that tells the truth about Scientology?"

You see, her sister, a struggling actress in Hollywood, was recruited into, and thoroughly brainwashed by, the evil cult called, Scientology.

Scientology is pure evil.  Not at the lowest levels.  People at the lowest levels are innocent victims.  They are recruited and brainwashed like an enormous ponzi scheme.  At the higher levels, it's run absolutely like the Mafia.

That web site is:   http://xenu.net

All anyone has to do is Google the word Scientology. Every web site that ISN'T exposing their evil, is a FRONT organization owned by Scientology.  ( They have literally hundreds of front organizations used to either hide what they're doing, or to to try to paint themselves in a more positive light. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scientology_organizations )

Even Wikipedia has a little info about the crimes, murders, and evil of the Cult of Scientology.   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_controversies

They used to be an organization to aid families who were victims of cults.  It was called, The Cult Awareness Network.  The CAN always reported the truth... The named Scientology as "the world's most dangerous cult."

Scientology attacked the CAN with lawsuits after lawsuits... for years... until the tiny under-funded non-profit went bankrupt.

Then, Scientology then BOUGHT the NAME and the TELEPHONE NUMBER of the Cult Awareness Network.

To this day, if you call the CAN, you will be speaking to a Scientologist who will try to trick you into joining the cult.

Scientology owns slave labor camps all over the world -- even within the USA -- for "members" who refuse orders.  Scientology, and top executives of Scientology, have been convicted of, or criminally accused of, almost every crime you can think of -- including murder -- in almost every country you can think of.

Google and read.  http://xenu.net

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

The New "You're OverSharing on Social Networks" Button

A friend was just saying that he wishes there were an OverSharing button on social media. .... to alert people who are posting, "I'm at Chevron now." .....to 78 social networks.

My reply to him:

I once tweeted, "OMFG! A commercial  passenger plane just crashed into the Hudson outside my living room window! PRAY NOW!!!!"

I quickly took a photo and tweeted that too.

Within seconds it was being reported by news media globally. Within 3 minutes my phone rang with calls from one newspaper and one TV station.  And that tweet was printed in the New York Times.

They called it, "The Miracle on the Hudson"...

Twitter, and all the other networks, are simply what you use them for.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

BTW, they already do have an OverSharing button.  It's called, "UnFollow".

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

OMG This is HUGE! "The One Button" for Ubuntu

This is HUGE.....

At this very moment, as I speak, I am in IM chat with an expert (who's identity I'll keep revealed for the moment).... who is creating "The One Button" for Ubuntu Linux.

The One Button is a desktop icon that, when launched, tells you that it is about to install the following long list of media code and codecs. It asks you to "Agree" that you understand that the following code will be downloaded and installed, and that you understand that the code may be protected by copyright or patent or other legal restrictions. You state that you understand that it is your responsibility to verify the legality in your legal jurisdiction, and you have done so, and they are all legal for your intended use in your legal jurisdiction."

Then, if you click Agree, it installs EVERYTHING. 

When done, it tells you it was successful, and asks if you'd like to now delete the button from the desktop (since it only needs to be run once).

The reason this is HUGE is that media playback issues -- due to legal trouble due to archaic so-called "intellectual property" laws -- have been the bane of Ubuntu and every other FOSS (freedom-loving) operating system and software package.

Finally, the process of automated installation -- allowing the legal responsibility to fall on the shoulders of the user -- is real and easy!

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Linux is a derivative of Unix. Really?

Mac OS X --- still to this day --- TODAY --- is a significant
percentage of Unix code. You can still find some of the original
Unix (in the form of FreeBSD Unix) error messages contained within Mac
OS X to this day.... today. Now!

Linux, on the other hand, has always contained 0% of Unix code.

Unix was closed, proprietary, and solely owned by AT&T and thus NONE
of the Unix code could be used in developing Linux, or the Gnu
kernels. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix )

Remember, Linux (first called "The Gnu Project", at that time) was
created way way back in 1983, way before Unix became open.... (in the
form of FreeBSD, etc.) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux )

Linux (i.e. The Gnu Project, and Linux.... and then later to be
called, "Gnu/Linux") was created from scratch...

What Linux had in common with Unix was ONLY it's functionality.

Similar to the way "WIndows version 1.0" emulated the "look and feel"
of the Mac's mouse, menus, etc... Linux only copied the "look and
feel" of Unix.

Linux was, and always has been, and still contains 0% of Unix code.

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

"No business would use Linux. Unless they're super techie to begin with and they'd already know how to use it."

I was just chatting with an online acquaintance of mine.

He's telling me about how he's in the process of "shutting down" his
business... and wants some down time before getting into anything
new.

I asked him what kind of business.

He tells me that it's a business doing IT support services for small
businesses running Windows.

And he proceeds to tell me that he's so sick of it... He wants
absolutely nothing to do with computers any more. He's so fed up
with all the problems.

I asked him, "Why don't you refer all your clients to me!? :-) " (I
was referring to my business, http//bredtech.com )

His reply: "No business would use Linux. Unless they're super techie
to begin with and they'd already know how to use it."

Boy did he unknowingly hit my buttons....

My reply:

Oy.

OMFG. I thought you knew something about modern Linux on the desktop.

I guess you don't consider Google, Inc. to be a legitimate business.
(Google uses Linux corporate-wide almost exclusively. Also, ALL
Google services -- such as Google Search, Gmail, Maps, Docs, Calendar,
Google Voice, etc., etc., etc... all ALL RUN ON LINUX.)

I guess that 90% of all web sites in the world.... doesn't count as
"business"...

I suppose the entire City Government of the City of San Francisco
isn't an "enterprise". (The City of San Francisco has mandated a
"FOSS First Policy" on all government computers -- meaning Ubuntu
Linux. As an aside, San Francisco is very near Silicon Valley, for
those who don't know.)

I suppose Rochester University isn't an "enterprise"... (The
Rochester University has mandated only Ubuntu for all Faculty, Staff,
and Students. No Windows or Mac allowed.)

And....

I suppose that several of the GOVERNMENTS of the European Union aren't
as complex as the average American "small business"....??? (Several
of the countries in the European Union have MANDATED that ALL
government offices use Ubuntu only -- no Windows, no Mac.)

Then.... since he is an avid Droid user, and loves his Droid
phone.... I had to add this:

Do you even know that the phone in your hand is a computer running
Linux...? How did you learn to use it...???

__________

There is an enormous need for education in this country. Education
about the superiority of Linux for business use, for personal use, for
enterprise-wide use.

Those old lines about Linux being only for geeks..... are as obsolete
as saying, "Horseless Carriages!? No way! No one would use a
Horseless Carriage for serious transportation. They are only for
tinkering hobbyists who know how to build them themselves."

(A "horseless carriage" is what they uses to call cars.)

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Making Ubuntu Media Codecs, Etc Totally Legal AND Easy: A One Button Install

Making Ubuntu Media Codecs, Etc Totally Legal AND Easy:

A One Button Install

  It should be a well-worded One Button Install from the web, by the user.

  Either, "I agree & install all media codecs" .....or..... "Install no codecs"

Doing it THAT way, the distro could be legally distributed within USA & UK all the time....

No?

Could you help me create such a "Button" for Ubuntu....?

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

EASILY SEND FREE SMS TEXT MESSAGES TO ANYONE WORLDWIDE -- EVEN WHEN YOUR PHONE HAS NO SERVICE!

Google Voice Hot Tip:

EASILY SEND FREE SMS TEXT MESSAGES TO ANYONE WORLDWIDE -- EVEN WHEN YOUR PHONE HAS NO SERVICE

In Google Voice, make sure you have "SMS notification via email" turned On.

Create a Gmail Filter to add a Label called "SMS" to every email with a subject containing: "SMS from".

On your (Droid, Android) smartphone Gmail app... Go to label "SMS" to find the person you want and to SMS him - even with NO SERVICE!  ...on a plane or subway or whatever.   .....by simply Replying to that person's SMS thread in Gmail!

Your SMS will be sent the very next moment your phone gets a signal!

Pretty cool, eh!?!?

Of course, there's never a charge for SMS because it's email..... and, well, because it's a Droid. 

Any questions?

Bruce

Sent from my Motorola / Verizon / Google Droid.  (Droid is 1,000 times bettter than an iPhone.  I should know.  I have three iPhones.)

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Threadsy looks cool. Threadsy is what Google Buzz SHOULD BECOME

Threadsy looks cool.

That's kinda what I've always dreamed of.  Message unification.  So ALL messages can be brought back together again.  Similar to how email from all different systems can be sent to all other systems.  Every type of message - even sms, MMS, all IM, everything - should come together. 

One important factor tho.... spam control.   There really needs to be one fullproof button for spam control that not only reports the message as spam, but ALSO creates a local filter so I never see anything from that "person" again.

Really, Threadsy is what Buzz SHOULD BECOME.

....because who else is really in a position to integrate ALL messaging (including sms, mms, and voicemail)..... other than Google....?

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Answer to: Why do I so often get: "Oops, there was an error posting your comment. Please try again in a few seconds." ?

I got an answer from the Buzz team.... using Buzz.....

Question:  Why do my friends and I so often get: "Oops, there was an error posting your comment. Please try again in a few seconds." ?   

Answer: "That happens on Google Reader items that don't allow comments.  (it's a permissions issue). We're working on it."

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

My Take on Google Buzz

Google Buzz.

It will catch on.  There is no admission fee.  Everyone already has Gmail.

It also has cool features twitter does not have.

I can edit my tweet AFTER I post it.
Linked YouTube videos are embedded automatically. 

It's integrated into Google Maps as a "layer" anyone can turn on.

Those improvements, as minor as they seem, have been INSANELY slow to come from Twitter itself.

I think Twitter (the company) has lived in almost a paranoid superstitious fear of changing it... and thus ruining its popularity.

However, analysis paralysis is real.   Especially in technology.

Google is being super aggressive with regard to innovative new uses for technologies.

Those bar codes showing up in storefront and restaurant windows...   That's gonna be the next "Big Thing".

As a side note:

Imagine if the government started putting mandatory bar codes on every public storefront....  There would be Privacy Rights pickets and marches and riots.  But Google....?  "OH. Cool!"

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Ladies: Don't settle. Don't deny yourself! However...

I'm a gay guy.  I've been in a glorious love-filled relationship with another man for - it'll be 15 years this year.

I have no agenda here.... except to help.

I have many many female friends.  And so often, their stories all sound the same...   I'm sitting there listening to them and thinking, "Oh boy. This story again..." and "Here comes the part when...."  ....like a movie I've watched 1000 times.

The more times I hear the story, the more I realize that women just don't get men at all.   And not only that, women don't even get THEMSELVES at all!

But it's not just women and girls....  Straight men are drawn to me, to open up and tell me their deepest thoughts and feelings and ask for my advice about their girlfriend(s) too!  And from listening to them, I hear the same GUY version of the story.... over and over and over.... like a DIFFERENT movie I've also seen 1000 times before.

Guys are clueless about ladies / women / girls too.  And ladies are even more clueless about guys.  Sadly, ladies are just as clueless about THEMSELVES.... and how to achieve their dreams... as they are clueless about guys.

So it's a gigantic mess.  It never ceases to amaze me that the human species is even able to procreate.... given how little the sexes understand each other.

So anyway.....    This little diatribe is dedicated to all my female friends.   It's only a tiny little glimpse.... just to barely scratch the surface of this subject, but here's a bit:

Ladies:

Don't settle. Don't deny yourself. Your dreams are valid, engraved on your heart by God. However, the moment you ASSIGN your dreams to another person... The moment you put your dreams on the face of a man... That's the moment you have made a crucial mistake... destroyed the joy... and delayed your dreams.

Your dreams are valid.  Your dreams are divine.  You are MEANT to live your dreams.  (The good ones, anyway.)

However, it is the Biggest of mistakes to ASSIGN your dreams to the face of ANY man.

How DARE you!!!   Those are YOUR dreams.  What is he?   Your new slave?  Is he not an equal human being, with equally valuable dreams OF HIS OWN...?

NO!  His dreams are NOT your dreams....  No matter how much you want to force them to be! 

Who do you think you are?  Trying to FIT, and trying to FORCE, your dreams.... onto him....

No. No. No. No.  That is not fair. And that is why he will turn and RUN from you.... when you try to do that.

He is a human being.  He has his own complete set of dreams.   And, no!  He should not try to force his dreams onto YOUR face either!

You are here to Live your positive Dreams.  You are NOT here to PUT (impose) those dreams onto another human being.  You are not here to RECEIVE those dreams FROM another human being -- as if he is Santa and your dreams are a new toy.

God is the source of your joy, your happiness, your peace, your love, and of your dreams..... not some guy.

Do Not Attach a Serial Number to What You Want

When thinking thoughts about what you want....  Don't try to manipulate or control HOW you're gonna get it!  How you're gonna get it is none of your business.  It's God's business. 

Don't assign a serial number to your thoughts about what you want.  You want a new convertible red Ferrari. ....fine.  But DO YOU REALLY CARE what the serial number is?  No!  Of course not!   So don't be so attached to ONE SPECIFIC Ferrari!  Maybe God has an even better one on it's way to you... that you don't even know about.

And No!  A man is not a Ferrari!   He is not an object your rich uncle can buy you.... and you can own and control like a puppet and puppeteer.  No!

A partner is someone -- an equal -- with whom you share an elevator ride with....  Someone you show respect to.  Someone you don't judge.  Someone you show love toward.  Unconditional love.

As soon as that light goes on in your head.... and those female brainwashing lines kick in.... "Oh!  Maybe this is THE ONE!"   That's the moment it all goes to Hell.  That's the moment the love and joy is sabotaged.

WHERE?  WHY?  HOW?  .....is every little girl brainwashed into thinking.... There's gonna be a "THE ONE"..... who will come along and take care of me....  and be THE ONE in my dreams.

No!

If your dreams include anything about IMPOSING themselves onto another human being, they are not divine and true.  They are not from God.  They are from your own ego's fear.

If your dreams include you being CONDITIONAL in your love.  They are not from God.  They are not divine.  They are from your own ego's fear.

If your dreams include you being JUDGEMENTAL in your love.  They are not from God.  They are not divine.  They are from your own ego's fear.

There is one, and only one, way to achieve your dreams, your happiness, your joy, and your bliss.  And that is through PUNL.

Pure Unconditional Non-Judgemental Love

Ladies take note.  They are quick to write these words down. 

Then they are even quicker to toss them out....   to rationalize....   and to justify.....  and to explain.....  them away.

They "explain" that, while that may work for you or for others....  You don't understand MY life....  You don't understand MY relationship...  You don't know THIS guy...

I've given you the answer.  The COMPLETE answer.   It is PUNL.

Nothing else.  Nothing else.  Nothing else.  (Thus the first word:  Pure)

If you chose to use it, to live it, to be it.....  It works.

If you chose to poo poo it and toss it aside and explain why that'll never work....  then welcome the sadness, the pain, the depression.

God trians us similarly to the way we train a puppy.

Perhaps you haven't yet experienced enough pain yet...  to learn....  that there is only one choice.  And it is:

PUNL

_________________________

Only Love,

Bruce

Footnotes:

PUNL™ is the title of my new book.  To purchase a copy, please contact me.

PUNL™ and "Pure Unconditional Non-Judgemental Love"™ are trademarks of Bruce Wagner. 

bruce@brucewagner.com

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

People think the iPhone is easier to use. They are full of it.

Do you really. .....  really.....  think Android is more difficult to use than iPhone. ...?

I remember having the DAMNEDEST time trying to figure out how to delete only certain items on a list...  you had to go into an Edit mode.... then swipe each item...  then touch a Delete button....  Geez....  That was on my iPhone.  Not always easy. Not always intuitive. 

It's NOT easier.

It's "cuter".

There's a big difference between "easy" and "cute"....

( This applies to dating too, BTW. ;)

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal

Technology Design & "Getting" what Normal People Want / Need

I just read this great blog article about technology, platforms, interfaces, the iPad, the future,  and "getting" what average normal users want...

See:
http://weblog.muledesign.com/2010/02/the_failure_of_empathy.php

Here is my reply to it:

This is a great article. And the comments are just as great.

I have been in IT since my first computer,  an Apple II Plus. I had one of the first Macs ever off an assembly line. I was head of IS R&D for a Fortune 400 company and single handedly spearheaded the idea of switching the entire company from IBM, DOS, and OS/2.... to this new thing no one had ever heard of.... It was called Microsoft Windows.  I knew it would "take off"... eventually. 

Here I am today, typing this from my Droid running Linux (Android).

I have always been an advocate for the "normal average person".  Just as normal people don't get programming - and they shouldn't need to...  Geeks don't get normal people.   The more geeky a person is, the less he can relate to average ordinary users.

One of my biggest passions in life is making technology "as easy to use as an elevator".

A second passion of mine is real true "extreme customer service"...

Both are very rare.

A third is FOSS.  Users DO care about what's open...... when it is explained to them that music can be copied TO their iThing, but not FROM it...  When they are told, no.  You cannot run porn apps on an iThing.  Why?  Because Apple says no.  You cannot make free calls and SMS using Google Voice app.  Why?  Because Apple says no.

Then they start to care.

Once they are burned.

Open systems will beat out closed proprietary Big Brother platforms like Apple and Microsoft.  Like the parable of the tortoise and the hare, it will take time....  But....

MARK MY WORDS

Just as I predicted, in the days of DOS, that...  "This Microsoft Windows thing is going to catch on!"

I have been predicting for years now:

Linux and other FOSS will surpass all closed and proprietary systems, in the long run.

And it already is happening.

I feel so strongly about all of this..... that I am starting my own company do do just that.  Providing a user experience,  "Easier than a Mac. Cheaper than a PC."  ...as we say.

Feel free to take a peek.  http://bredtech.com

Meanwhile,  who can tell me:

What's the state of the art in tablet hardware that can run Linux, Ubuntu,  whatever open...   that could be the hardware platform for the next Open "iPad killer" device...?

If you know, call me!

646-719-9000

Bruce Wagner

Posted via email from Bruce's Journal