Comments for Kester Brewin

Comment on Theological ‘Lock In’ | I Am Not A Gadget | Bad Faith [2] by John

John — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Religion is so much guided by gross tools. But we are not religious gadgets. If anything, theology must break down the linear and familiar and binary. Good post. Good to see Jaron mentioned here. He got married not long ago. Check out their wedding cake: http://www.jaronlanier.com/MRPA.html

Comment on Theological ‘Lock In’ | I Am Not A Gadget | Bad Faith [1] by Acetate Monkey

Acetate Monkey — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:48:36 +0000

Maybe a tangent to your thoughts, but the idea of lock-in relates to the sociological concept of boundary objects as bridges/roadblocks to communication: technology is adopted/rejected because the inherent worldview it contains provides [in]sufficient impetus for us to move out of the old technology.

I can’t comment on Apple, but Microsoft was/is lock-in isn’t it? Grillions of people now use microsoft ‘gauge’ systems, but through hacking/shareware have redirected and expanded it so all kinds of shaped things can come down the track.

Comment on Theological ‘Lock In’ | I Am Not A Gadget | Bad Faith [1] by KB

KB — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:59:38 +0000

Thanks Carl - the episode is here.

Comment on Theological ‘Lock In’ | I Am Not A Gadget | Bad Faith [1] by Carl Morris

Carl Morris — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:46:08 +0000

Cheers, which episode is that one?

Lock-in is classic, you find it in DRM, in closed file formats which can come with proprietary software as well as in cheap printers with expensive toner cartridges.

On one level it’s madness that Apple controls all the software which can run on the iPhone. Where else would we tolerate this? In time we may not.

Unfortunately a locked-in system can appeal because the nature of the system allows it be designed as a whole, resulting in reliability and ease-of-use. Apple is excellent at this aspect of design. Emulating that is the challenge for designers of more open systems.

Comment on Korea to Iraq… Who’s next? by KB

KB — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:05:58 +0000

Absolutely it could. And I hope you picked up that I was not singling the US out for criticism… it’s deeper than that, and we’re all implicated.

Comment on I(con) of the Month: Apple | Selling Us Our Desires by Karsten R

Karsten R — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:13:30 +0000

Apple fans were always the fiercest propagandists in the IT (somewhat “religious”) and only recently became more cool. The historical ad celebrating the introduction of the Macintosh was declaring a kind of “jihad” on the IT establishment, especially IBM.

The big problem of Apple was and is that they’re internally so different, closed up, protectionistic, counter-competitive, patent zealots, etc.
Ok, in some areas they have left that terrain, but I wonder very much, what would they have done if they had become the new Microsoft??

Comment on Korea to Iraq… Who’s next? by Karsten R

Karsten R — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:02:23 +0000

well, probably the world would look much better if the US would not be a superpower and thus Kim Il Sung had conquered South Korea (we would not have to fear Korean companies taking away our jobs and money and dumping salaries for the rest) as well as it would have been better the US and others had not intervened in Bosnia and Milosevic had been successful in preventing the area to become the first bridgeheads of coming Islamic rule. List could be easily continued…

But reality is not like simple pictures, isn’t it?

Comment on After The Rapture: Who’s Looking After Your Pets? by Andy C

Andy C — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:05:34 +0000

I’m confused now I thought the leopard was going to lie down with the goat (Isaiah 11)

Comment on Haiti, Before and After | Peter Brookes by kiki

kiki — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:33:50 +0000

it’s just a comic. why can’t you just enjoy it?

Comment on I(con) of the Month: Apple | Selling Us Our Desires by KB

KB — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:44:54 +0000

Erm… not sure you’re getting it Malcolm. Or was this an attempt at satire?!