Wikileaks, Karl Marx and You — Comments on the Information Technology Revolution

An opinion/analysis piece by a supporter of Liberty & Solidarity

Despite blanket media coverage of Wikileaks and Julian Assange, there has been little discussion of the fact that Assange is merely one leader within a large and complicated social movement. The better analyses have found it interesting that the Swedish Pirate Party are aiding Wikileaks; some note links to the German Chaos Computer Club. But only “geeks” and “hackers” (technology workers) are aware that all of these organisations are members of the same movement.

This social movement, which has been termed the “free culture movement”, has a thirty year history. It incorporates elements reminiscent of earlier workers’ movements: elements of class struggle, political agitation, and radical economics. The movement’s cadre, mainly technology workers, have been locked in conflict with the ruling class over the political and economic nature of information itself. As Wikileaks demonstrates, the outcome will have implications for all of us.The free culture movement exists as a consequence of the internet’s political economy. Personal computers have radically transformed the economic nature of information. Before the 1970s, a given piece of information was tied to a physical object - a piece of paper, an LP, a roll of film. Entire industries were built on selling paper, LP’s and rolls of film with particular bits of information on them. Then the personal computer arrived and suddenly information of all kinds could be duplicated infinitely at minimal cost - and distributed by the internet to a global audience. Every human could have a copy of every piece of art ever created for the cost of a broadband connection.

Usability week ending June 6th

Thursday, 3rd June, 1:01 PM
Which groups in your organization influence your web UI? Who's responsible for making #design decisions? Why?: http://j.mp/c2XrRF #ui #ia

Tuesday, 1st June, 9:42 AM
Quantifying usability -- injecting #usability principles into bug tracking software reshapes approach to #UX design: http://j.mp/9x0PJx

Monday, 31st May, 8:12 PM
#Android Fanboys care about openness and choice. #iPhone Fanboys care about presentation and experience: http://j.mp/auRIRK #ux

Sunday, 30th May, 3:00 PM
@sugarsock Funny #BP now thinks they own the land and airspace, to stop reporters from filming. Maybe execs should have to move there.

Sunday, 30th May, 8:00 AM
The #iPhone is the first computer in a long time that doesn't make people afraid: http://j.mp/bkeCcT #usability #software #apps

via twitter.com/terretta

Usability week ending April 11th

Friday, 9th April, 4:19 PM
Engaging the "desk potatoes" through #design -- designing for passive consumption: http://j.mp/bDBxON #ia #ux #ipad

Friday, 9th April, 3:04 PM
Risky #assumptions are risky mainly as they can result in a product’s failure in the marketplace: http://j.mp/9lQDYN #ia #ux #strategy

Thursday, 8th April, 3:37 PM
The real cost of #software #development is #usability: http://j.mp/alPF03 #ux

Thursday, 8th April, 12:59 PM
Learning from game design: 11 gambits for influencing user behaviour: http://j.mp/ccTIpu #ux #ia

Thursday, 8th April, 12:57 PM
#Gadget reviews focus on device itself, innards, #specs. #UX is more strategic, more effective basis to analyze a device: http://j.mp/cUOJsq

Wednesday, 7th April, 1:07 PM
Bouncing ideas among a team with almost immediate feedback in the form of #design #mockups in @skitch is invaluable: http://j.mp/asGIed

Wednesday, 7th April, 12:56 PM
New #cameras, and more importantly, new #aesthetics, are breathing new life into #video storytelling and #journalism: http://j.mp/d4BaML #vx

Monday, 5th April, 2:28 PM
"Information efficiency" lets you know when you can stop looking for a better #design: http://j.mp/9jy5W2 #usability #ux

via twitter.com/terretta

Usability week ending September 6th

Friday, 4th September, 7:50 PM
7 of 37signals—publish, dogfood, simplify, impassion, charge, share, engage: http://j.mp/SVhc1 #success #startup #ux

Thursday, 3rd September, 5:07 PM
Close the gap between webpage purpose and customer intent through blood sweat and tears—and these 6 tips: http://j.mp/lT75N #analytics #ux

Wednesday, 2nd September, 8:41 PM
Al Gore invented the Internet’s Top 10 User Experience Myths: http://j.mp/vOWEQ #ux #design #usability #IA

Tuesday, 1st September, 11:50 AM
Got a sales and #marketing problem? When in doubt, make your #software more compelling: http://j.mp/2bexnF #ux #development

Monday, 31st August, 11:07 PM
Every now and then the simplicity and elegance and sheer obviousness (after the fact) of an invention blows me away: http://j.mp/3FHA2E

via twitter.com/terretta