http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/ Same old blog, brand new place Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:38:40 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/comment-page-1/#comment-111212 Doc Searls Weblog · Rethinking out loud about infrastructure Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:15:14 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/#comment-111212 [...] Making the World Safe for Infrastructure (20 April, here) [...] [...] Making the World Safe for Infrastructure (20 April, here) [...]

]]> http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/comment-page-1/#comment-41765 Peter Bodifée Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:15:02 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/#comment-41765 Like Mike Warot I am also trying to get my thoughts in writing. And it isn't easy because of fear for being misunderstood. Many organizations are still led by the idea that open and public domain based infrastructure is not for them. Organizations (communities if you will) should make different decisions in order to make it much easier for them to implement and in particular maintain applications. That could be the driver to achieve the necessary ubiquity which will make the world a better place to live. When I have my thoughts ready for publication I will let you know. Let's keep the conversation alive! Peter Like Mike Warot I am also trying to get my thoughts in writing. And it isn’t easy because of fear for being misunderstood. Many organizations are still led by the idea that open and public domain based infrastructure is not for them. Organizations (communities if you will) should make different decisions in order to make it much easier for them to implement and in particular maintain applications. That could be the driver to achieve the necessary ubiquity which will make the world a better place to live.
When I have my thoughts ready for publication I will let you know. Let’s keep the conversation alive!
Peter

]]> http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/comment-page-1/#comment-40670 Mike Warot Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:59:53 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/#comment-40670 Programs are currently the most discriminated against users of the internet, followed closely by the data itself. We're constantly told not to trust them, to treat any random email or web page as a potential serial computer serial killer, and this approach is based on common sense. Any random program can kill your computer before you even know it. The mechanisms to allow us to end this discrimination are starting to fall into place, with the java sandbox, and virtual machines for surfing, but they don't go far enough. We need to be able to let our guests into our computers, feed them a good meal of data, and enjoy the results of the interesting conversation afterwards. Mobile code is one of the best uses of the internet, we need to figure out how to make it safe to use. I strongly suspect that never trusting it, and limiting its actions to those defined by "capabilities" is the best way to go. Perhaps there is a better scheme, but I don't see it. --Mike-- Programs are currently the most discriminated against users of the internet, followed closely by the data itself. We’re constantly told not to trust them, to treat any random email or web page as a potential serial computer serial killer, and this approach is based on common sense. Any random program can kill your computer before you even know it.
The mechanisms to allow us to end this discrimination are starting to fall into place, with the java sandbox, and virtual machines for surfing, but they don’t go far enough. We need to be able to let our guests into our computers, feed them a good meal of data, and enjoy the results of the interesting conversation afterwards.
Mobile code is one of the best uses of the internet, we need to figure out how to make it safe to use. I strongly suspect that never trusting it, and limiting its actions to those defined by “capabilities” is the best way to go. Perhaps there is a better scheme, but I don’t see it.
–Mike–

]]> http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/comment-page-1/#comment-40662 Mike Warot Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:22:36 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/04/20/making-the-world-safe-for-infrastructure/#comment-40662 Doc, you're right, a conversation about what we have, and what we want to end up with is a good idea right now. I'm trying to get my thoughts about this into a coherent whole, but it's taking a while. You might think that it's ok to post "half baked" thoughts in a stream of consciousness, but that's because you're a writer and editor, and quality of your first draft is much better than the second or third draft the rest of us might come up with. I think we're not quite there yet... the infrastructure doesn't support mobile code, and is paranoid about avoiding it, for good reason... the side-effects can be catastrophic, and there isn't any way to sandbox things effectively. I know I've got an important point to make, several, in fact, but getting them out effectively is really much harder than it seems like it should be, if blogs worked as well as the hype says. Oh well... I'll keep plugging away, and ping you back when it looks like it's reasonably complete and readable. --Mike-- Doc, you’re right, a conversation about what we have, and what we want to end up with is a good idea right now.
I’m trying to get my thoughts about this into a coherent whole, but it’s taking a while. You might think that it’s ok to post “half baked” thoughts in a stream of consciousness, but that’s because you’re a writer and editor, and quality of your first draft is much better than the second or third draft the rest of us might come up with.
I think we’re not quite there yet… the infrastructure doesn’t support mobile code, and is paranoid about avoiding it, for good reason… the side-effects can be catastrophic, and there isn’t any way to sandbox things effectively.
I know I’ve got an important point to make, several, in fact, but getting them out effectively is really much harder than it seems like it should be, if blogs worked as well as the hype says.
Oh well… I’ll keep plugging away, and ping you back when it looks like it’s reasonably complete and readable.
–Mike–

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