> I don't really understand what it means for physical items like shoes to be open source in the sense that some software is.
Tangentially related, but despite the article's definition of open source: "It's definitely not just software", it's a peeve of mine nonetheless to hear the term "open source" applied in non-software/programming contexts. Especially with some of the examples you've pointed out:
> He also claims he wants to be open source in "how I get around." What would it mean for walking to be open source or closed source? Is it "open source" to ride a bus?
Why is the term "open source" not applicable to any context in which the design of a product is distinct from its final form, and in which that design is conventionally covered by copyrights or patents?
If an architect released a set of standard building plans under an open license, would that not be legitimately "open source"?
> App.net will only be funded if at least $500,000 is pledged by MONDAY, AUGUST 13 at 11:59PM PDT.
Why is this? They aren't going through Kickstarter, it's their own fundraising system and a deadline chosen by the App.net folks themselves. It's just an arbitrarily chosen deadline? A self imposed constraint that they can seemingly modify at will?
It could also be that they are holding people's money (or rather, credit card info). And if they don't make their pledge goals, they can't collect that money.
They made their own rules, but now they have to stick to them.
I use both gmail and hotmail (or outlook.com now) and the titlebar in this case is the same as in gmail: it has the user-name of the person logged in, the "options" (gear icon), the send/reply/delete/new-email buttons. And actually with gmail the interface has the google logo and search input above the title-bar taking up an extra ~100 pixels.
One important reason why I am glad about Outlook.com as an alternative.
Not only is it getting harder and harder to read emails on a Netbook screen (there is almost no space left for the actual message), it is also getting painfully slow.
Gmail now loads and runs to much Javascript that my poor little Netbook can't even scroll smoothly anymore.
After playing with Outlook.com a bit, it seems much faster than Gmail.
Since Marissa Mayer is now at Yahoo, I expect a much improved Y!Mail soon.
The client libraries already parse the returned JSON response. Or you can still consume the API without client libraries and get the raw JSON response.
I've heard that grad students go through something very similar when they go to grad school: feelings of inferiority and fears of being "exposed" as fake when surrounded by so many other intelligent people.
I've never worked for a start-up but imagine the start-up scene works the same given the common stereotypes: success stories of 20-year-olds, hyper intelligent ivy-league drop-outs, etc. I don't know whether they're the rule or the exception to it.
I liked the demo, but why do I need to purchase the specific webcam? Is there any plan to create a service that works with regular built-in (Macbook) webcams?
Our core business is to allow user to install standalone IP camera without a need to leave his machine (without worrying about PC power consumption etc), we're aiming to match post-PC paradigm here :)
After all enabling PC built-in (or USB) cameras would be a nice to have feature and we're thinking about supporting standard webcams in the future.
I went to the site and everything was washed out in red.