...more recent posts
Here's a really good article by Mark Pesce (Mr. VRML, and maybe he was with Survival Research Labs?) A history of hacker culture organized around the major works of "hard" science fiction. I'm not familiar with the most recent book he ends with (Greg Egan's Diaspora (1998)) but everything else seems right on. Great paper. I'll have to take a look at Diaspora.
Independence day quote, internet style:
"We reject kings, presidents, and voting. We believe in rough consensus and running code." (Dave Clark, IETF 1992)
Good discussion at advogato about online communities and the various ways they interact (usenet, web bulletin boards, mailing lists.) Lots of "I remember back in the good old days..." but that can be instructive if coming from the people who really were around "back in the day." The much ridiculued Jon Katz has a 4th of July type article about Jose Bove, the man on trial for trashing the McDonalds in France. And slashdot also recommends space.com for some streaming rocket fireworks action, featuring clips from both categories ("when rockets go right" and the ever popular "when rockets go wrong".) But really, you should probably get out of the house. Turn that computer off. Happy 4th.