Comments for Scott Caplan's blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com Gens Una Sumus Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:12:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 Comment on I’m quitting facebook, Part I by The Monkey http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/07/im-quitting-facebook-part-i/#comment-11720 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:11:45 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/07/im-quitting-facebook-part-i/#comment-11720 Child, my friend. Let's end the intellectual snobbery so characteristic of the institution you now attend, and so much of an anathema to the institution we both once attended (well, not really - but let's just make a leap of faith for our dear old alma mater). Facebook wants you. Your erstwhile facebook friends want you. I want you (no no - don't get me wrong). If I ever get time off my 17-hour workdays, I will actually make the effort to read through your bombastic little explanation for quitting facebook, and refute it word for word. But that's not happening anytime soon, for I was just informed yesterday that I'm currently making about 0.5% of my expected earnings for the year. Ah well. Take care, and do well. All the very best, Your little primate friend Child, my friend. Let’s end the intellectual snobbery so characteristic of the institution you now attend, and so much of an anathema to the institution we both once attended (well, not really - but let’s just make a leap of faith for our dear old alma mater).

Facebook wants you. Your erstwhile facebook friends want you. I want you (no no - don’t get me wrong).

If I ever get time off my 17-hour workdays, I will actually make the effort to read through your bombastic little explanation for quitting facebook, and refute it word for word. But that’s not happening anytime soon, for I was just informed yesterday that I’m currently making about 0.5% of my expected earnings for the year. Ah well.

Take care, and do well.

All the very best,
Your little primate friend

]]> Comment on I’m quitting facebook, Part III by I’m quitting facebook, Part II at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-iii/#comment-11650 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:49:47 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-iii/#comment-11650 [...] Register « I’m quitting facebook, Part I I’m quitting facebook, Part III » [...] […] Register « I’m quitting facebook, Part I I’m quitting facebook, Part III » […]

]]> Comment on For check, for mate and for Yale. by Victory is ours. Woot! at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/09/24/for-check-for-mate-and-for-yale/#comment-11649 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:42:02 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/09/24/for-check-for-mate-and-for-yale/#comment-11649 [...] Register « Doh! For check, for mate and for Yale. » [...] […] Register « Doh! For check, for mate and for Yale. » […]

]]> Comment on I’m quitting facebook, Part II by I’m quitting facebook, Part I at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-ii/#comment-10760 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:11:33 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-ii/#comment-10760 [...] Register « BBC Curse Words [contains adult language] I’m quitting facebook, Part II » [...] […] Register « BBC Curse Words [contains adult language] I’m quitting facebook, Part II » […]

]]> Comment on Other Scott Caplans by I’m quitting facebook, Part III at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/other-scott-caplans/#comment-10759 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:06:14 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/other-scott-caplans/#comment-10759 [...] Other Scott Caplans [...] […] Other Scott Caplans […]

]]> Comment on DCVote by Hello Employers! at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/04/11/dcvote/#comment-10758 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:05:42 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/04/11/dcvote/#comment-10758 [...] Despite not having lived in DC until this past summer, I’ve been a supporter of DC Voting Rights for a couple of years now. An undergraduate paper I wrote on the subject has been published by DCVote and is available here. I thought that was pretty cool, so I wrote about it in a previous post. [...] […] Despite not having lived in DC until this past summer, I’ve been a supporter of DC Voting Rights for a couple of years now. An undergraduate paper I wrote on the subject has been published by DCVote and is available here. I thought that was pretty cool, so I wrote about it in a previous post. […]

]]> Comment on In Loving Memory of a Legend: Burt Kaufman by Max http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/07/08/in-loving-memory-of-a-legend-burt-kaufman/#comment-5407 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:49:46 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/07/08/in-loving-memory-of-a-legend-burt-kaufman/#comment-5407 Wow... I remember being taught by that guy... Went to IMACS from '95-'98. Wow… I remember being taught by that guy…

Went to IMACS from ‘95-’98.

]]> Comment on For check, for mate and for Yale. by Hello Employers! at Scott Caplan’s blog http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/09/24/for-check-for-mate-and-for-yale/#comment-4870 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:12:32 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2006/09/24/for-check-for-mate-and-for-yale/#comment-4870 [...] As my resume says, I’m a Yale chess fan, and stay as involved as I can with the club. You can read my most substantive post on Yale chess here. [...] […] As my resume says, I’m a Yale chess fan, and stay as involved as I can with the club. You can read my most substantive post on Yale chess here. […]

]]> Comment on I’m quitting facebook, Part I by Scott Charles Caplan http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/07/im-quitting-facebook-part-i/#comment-3782 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:47:48 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/07/im-quitting-facebook-part-i/#comment-3782 Indeed this is not a self-indulgent email. Even though it was emailed to me, it's on the web. This conversation is on the web, and if somebody out there searches Google for info on how they can fight poverty, this page, and your comment, will be somewhere in the results (on the gazillionth page, but still...). Anyway, I wrote you in a quick personal email that this is not a moral crusade. You're right that the actual question is only one of degree, and maybe I should consider prioritizing my goals along what matters more (i.e., fighting poverty over fighting for open standards). Process is what matters to me. http://blog.scottcaplan.com/dont-click-me#politics. And process, whether in the form of voting rights or interoperable standards-based apps and software, changes the world. The world's flattening may exacerbate inequality, it may lift parts of the world out of poverty. It may do both at the same time. I don't know. But I do know that I like the idea of the world where information that people want to be shared is shared, searched, and discussed, and I think that world will lead to more just outcomes. And since process appeals to me more than fighting poverty (which is not to say I don't care about fighting poverty), I'll probably be better at it. Now, speaking of appeal, I must admit that I was disappointed to discover that this "hot babe" was Pamela Anderson. You should be disappointed by the following google search too: http://tinyurl.com/38ng8k. The first result shows how principled the Canadian is on her no-leather position. And while both messengers might not be the best, this op-ed is interesting: http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/headline/2597. Indeed this is not a self-indulgent email. Even though it was emailed to me, it’s on the web. This conversation is on the web, and if somebody out there searches Google for info on how they can fight poverty, this page, and your comment, will be somewhere in the results (on the gazillionth page, but still…).

Anyway, I wrote you in a quick personal email that this is not a moral crusade. You’re right that the actual question is only one of degree, and maybe I should consider prioritizing my goals along what matters more (i.e., fighting poverty over fighting for open standards).

Process is what matters to me. http://blog.scottcaplan.com/dont-click-me#politics. And process, whether in the form of voting rights or interoperable standards-based apps and software, changes the world. The world’s flattening may exacerbate inequality, it may lift parts of the world out of poverty. It may do both at the same time. I don’t know. But I do know that I like the idea of the world where information that people want to be shared is shared, searched, and discussed, and I think that world will lead to more just outcomes. And since process appeals to me more than fighting poverty (which is not to say I don’t care about fighting poverty), I’ll probably be better at it.

Now, speaking of appeal, I must admit that I was disappointed to discover that this “hot babe” was Pamela Anderson. You should be disappointed by the following google search too: http://tinyurl.com/38ng8k. The first result shows how principled the Canadian is on her no-leather position. And while both messengers might not be the best, this op-ed is interesting: http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/headline/2597.

]]> Comment on I’m quitting facebook, Part III by Scott Charles Caplan http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-iii/#comment-3781 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:30:16 +0000 http://blog.scottcaplan.com/2007/08/08/im-quitting-facebook-part-iii/#comment-3781 The deed is done. Facebook doesn't actually delete your account (although I'm sure if I emailed them and asked them to delete all of my info, they would, since I'm pretty sure they're legally required to). What they do instead is deactivate it, which actually works better in case one day either 1) I stop caring about open standards and interoperability or come to realize this is stupid, or 2) fb actually changes for the better. Anyway, they ask you why you're deactivating. I checked other, and left the following note: I would rejoin in a heartbeat (and feel free to keep my email address and let me know if/when it happens) if key facebook features became interoperable with other social networking sites, and ideally via some sort of open standard. A nice start would be making profile pages also work as openID. This may already be doable with facebook apps, but I don't know how to do it, and the last time I checked, nobody had written it. The deed is done. Facebook doesn’t actually delete your account (although I’m sure if I emailed them and asked them to delete all of my info, they would, since I’m pretty sure they’re legally required to). What they do instead is deactivate it, which actually works better in case one day either 1) I stop caring about open standards and interoperability or come to realize this is stupid, or 2) fb actually changes for the better.

Anyway, they ask you why you’re deactivating. I checked other, and left the following note:

I would rejoin in a heartbeat (and feel free to keep my email address and let me know if/when it happens) if key facebook features became interoperable with other social networking sites, and ideally via some sort of open standard. A nice start would be making profile pages also work as openID. This may already be doable with facebook apps, but I don’t know how to do it, and the last time I checked, nobody had written it.

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