post_below's recent activity
-
Comment on Interpreting the Open Database License in ~tech
-
Comment on Interpreting the Open Database License in ~tech
post_below Link ParentThanks for the link. One comment there links to a version of the definition of "open" as it pertains to the license. It would seem that they fail under that definition. Maybe they consider...Thanks for the link. One comment there links to a version of the definition of "open" as it pertains to the license. It would seem that they fail under that definition.
Maybe they consider themselves to be using an earlier version of the license where the definition of open is less explicit. Or maybe they just don't care about the license and are yet another company using the word open, and an open license, cynically for social cred points.
you could find it from someone else
That occured to me, but I'm not sure where I would find another source for the database. Any registered journalists on Tildes?
Regarding the API, yes the restrictions are pretty comical, but they also offer, or claim to offer, a full download of the database to qualifying orgs.
-
Interpreting the Open Database License
For reference, here is the ODbL. There is a nice human readable summary. You can also read more in the Wikipedia entry. The most famous database available under the ODbL is OpenStreetMaps. I...
For reference, here is the ODbL. There is a nice human readable summary. You can also read more in the Wikipedia entry.
The most famous database available under the ODbL is OpenStreetMaps.
I recently found out about OpenCorporates, which is a global database of companies, published under the ODbL. I thought this was great, so I applied for access to use the database for a project. I was denied because I'm not a journalist or a nonprofit and instead was invited to pay for access instead. And it's not cheap, likely because company databases are often used in the B2B space.
I replied that this seemed to be in conflict with their mission, especially given that my project was focused on using the data to create a benefit to the public, and their response was that they wanted to protect against their database being copied.
From my reading, this seems to be in direct conflict with the ODbL. Egregiously so, which has me thinking I'm missing something.
Does anyone have any insight? It seems to me that the whole point of the ODbL license is to make data freely available. This is backed up by interpretations I came across while searching and by the ethos of other orgs using the license, such as OSM. What am I missing?
Edit: I'm still excited to hear from anyone with knowledge in this area, or just general insights into how I'm misunderstanding the license.
And also, having learned that The Open Data Commons, which publishes and maintains the ODbL, uses this definition of the concept of open... I'm leaning towards the interpretation that OpenCorporates wants the aura of using a reputable license with the word "open" in it, but isn't genuinely interested in the ethos. Which is disappointing but not shocking, they'd be far from the first.
8 votes -
Comment on Gimp Tutorial for Idiot? in ~comp
post_below Link ParentPhotopea is surprisingly good. Others in the thread have mentioned all of the best alternatives I'm aware of. Inkscape is great though not an all in one solution. I've revisited GIMP multiple...Photopea is surprisingly good. Others in the thread have mentioned all of the best alternatives I'm aware of. Inkscape is great though not an all in one solution.
I've revisited GIMP multiple times over the years because I want it to be a viable photoshop alternative. It just isn't. You can theoretically do everything you need to do but it will take you more time than it's worth. Like its name, it's just awkward. The most recent time I looked at GIMP the thing that stood out is how little had changed in the years since I previously tried it.
So, I'm seconding suggestions like Photopea, Inkscape and Krita.
If the high cost of photoshop (or illustrator) is the barrier, but spending money on software isn't, then Corel Paint Shop Pro deserves a mention as a much cheaper, subscription free, PS alternative. No native linux support though.
-
Comment on US President Donald Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 labels common beliefs as terrorism “indicators” in ~society
post_below Link ParentI'm still amazed at each new level of outright bs too, but something that makes it less of a surprise: at each step they're almost invariably accusing the "radical left" of being what they clearly...I'm still amazed at each new level of outright bs too, but something that makes it less of a surprise: at each step they're almost invariably accusing the "radical left" of being what they clearly are themselves. Usually precipitated by it becoming popular, or having recently been popular, to call them the thing. Lots of people have been calling the right fascist? Now we'll call the left fascist. Statistics show political violence overwhelmingly perpetrated by right aligned folks? Let's accuse the left of being the violent ones. An unusually high percentage of us are getting caught raping kids? The left is the party of pedophiles!
It's been Trump's playbook since before 2016, starting with "fake news" and it has exactly his level of creativity and emotional maturity.
The other thing that makes it less surprising is that they reliably leave behind ever more of the semblance of truth, no doubt relying on their supporters being increasingly isolated from reasonable sources of information.
Trump speaking at the UN was a bizarre example of the escalation. He talked to world leaders like he talks to his base, as though him just saying a thing is enough for them to believe it. Of course the world leaders didn't buy it, but I imagine Trumpworld saw it as a signal to go to the next level of shameless fabrication.
-
Comment on Disney decides it hasn’t angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikes in ~tv
post_below Link ParentDon't feel bad you're not alone, as I write this your whoosh has twice the upvotes compared to the joke you missed. Great illustration of internet discourse :DDon't feel bad you're not alone, as I write this your whoosh has twice the upvotes compared to the joke you missed. Great illustration of internet discourse :D
-
Comment on Wallet voting in ~life
post_below Link ParentYour reading is fair, it's not much different from my own. To simply the difference as much as possible it comes down to the opening: To me that's an extraordinary claim requiring extraordinary...Your reading is fair, it's not much different from my own. To simply the difference as much as possible it comes down to the opening:
You cannot vote with your wallet. Or rather, you can, but you will lose that vote. Wallet-votes always go to the people with the thickest wallets, and statistically, that is not you.
To me that's an extraordinary claim requiring extraordinary evidence. I don't think it gets paid off in the post. People's collective buying decisions are part of the core of capitalism. Bigger wallets have vastly more influence but I don't think any economist has made a serious case that the collective buying power of small wallets isn't a powerful economic force
And without paying off that opening, and instead seemingly countering it, the whole thing feels... I'm not sure if it's baity like I said before, or manipulative, or maybe just not thought out all the way.
Whereas I think the conversation about economic power is something we should be leaning into at this point in history, with our options to make an impact shrinking.
-
Comment on Wallet voting in ~life
post_below Link ParentGenerally I agree with you, we shouldn't burn ourselves out taking on too much responsibility for large scale issues. But it's not binary, the ultimate conclusion isn't: If the original post was...Generally I agree with you, we shouldn't burn ourselves out taking on too much responsibility for large scale issues.
But it's not binary, the ultimate conclusion isn't:
You cannot vote with your wallet
If the original post was more measured and honest, less engagement bait, and it talked about putting down some of the weight we pick up on while still being conscious of our impact, then I'd completely agree.
As it is I think we should be paying more attention to what we financially support, rather than less.
-
Comment on Wallet voting in ~life
post_below LinkThe post feels kinda haphazard to me. To boil it down: "Your consumer decisions don't matter, but here are a variety of examples of ways they actually do matter." Why can't buying choices be...The post feels kinda haphazard to me. To boil it down: "Your consumer decisions don't matter, but here are a variety of examples of ways they actually do matter."
Make individual choices that make your life better. Take collective action to make society better.
Why can't buying choices be collective? If a bunch of people hear that X company does Y evil thing and some percentage of them decide not to give X money anymore, isn't that collective action based on shared values? Or, less abstract, the post mentions boycotts as being effective collective action but somehow magically categorizes that as something other than wallet voting.
It sounds like the real, though less clickbaity, point of the post is actually: don't shame people for their buying choices. I can agree with that.
Wallet voting (let's think of a better term) is hugely valuable in a capitalist economy. Sure, your personal buying choice isn't going to move the needle, any more than your vote in a national election will, but it borders on asinine to suggest that means it doesn't matter at all.
Similar to voting, your choice not to spend money on a national brand won't hurt them, but your choice to vote with that money on a local company absolutely will help them. And if other people decide to make the same choice, even the national brand will eventually see it in their metrics.
I don't think it makes sense to try to convince people that an objectively valuable way they can express their values and impact society doesn't matter. Or at least, if you're going to make that case, make it compelling.
-
Comment on Musings on "Developer Mode" in ~comp
post_below LinkI think I can clear it up pretty simply: Developers actually need and use a lot of tools you'll find in developer modes. There's no scam. It also makes non developer but tech inclined people feel...I think I can clear it up pretty simply: Developers actually need and use a lot of tools you'll find in developer modes. There's no scam.
It also makes non developer but tech inclined people feel cool, and what's wrong with that? And it hides actions that most people don't want or need behind an extra step.
In short, it makes sense. The alternative, a separate version of applications with developer features, is clunky and inefficient. But I suppose you could suggest the same interpretations about classes and power there too. Personally I don't see it in either case.
Finally, in a tech world where giving users less choice and granular control is the norm, I think we should celebrate choice and control under any name.
-
Comment on Would someone be willing to help me with a Godot project? (4.4.1) in ~games
post_below Link ParentJPEG isn't a bad choice, one thing you may want to try is tweaking the compression. Depending on which image editor you're using there might be good options in the save/export process....JPEG isn't a bad choice, one thing you may want to try is tweaking the compression. Depending on which image editor you're using there might be good options in the save/export process.
Alternatively you could try an app dedicated to lowering image file sizes. To give you an example of what that looks like, put one of your images through an online image shrinker like: Tiny JPG
At the end of the day, though, the file size on a package of photo quality images is always going to be pretty big. It's going to feel clunky having to load everything in advance, an in Godot, no matter how much compression you do.
One option might be to trim it down to a smaller selection of only your best work and then link out to a more traditional website for the rest.
-
Comment on Throwback Thursday: Let's talk old flash and memes! in ~talk
post_below Link ParentThat's reasonable, each new person who saw it because of you can never go back. Well deserved. I'm only familiar with goatse from your list, which is enough to quell my urge to google any of the...I don't know why, but I feel more than a hint of shame about that.
That's reasonable, each new person who saw it because of you can never go back.
She probably bumped me 20 points for gumption alone
Well deserved.
I'm only familiar with goatse from your list, which is enough to quell my urge to google any of the others.
-
Comment on Throwback Thursday: Let's talk old flash and memes! in ~talk
post_below Link ParentSpeaking of gaming memes... Leeeroy JeeenkiinsSpeaking of gaming memes... Leeeroy Jeeenkiins
-
Comment on Throwback Thursday: Let's talk old flash and memes! in ~talk
post_below LinkThis thread wouldn't be complete without some of the first memes: Dancing baby dates back to the mid 90's. One of the first internet memes, definitely the first one to make a giant impact on...This thread wouldn't be complete without some of the first memes:
-
Dancing baby dates back to the mid 90's. One of the first internet memes, definitely the first one to make a giant impact on culture. Most famously featured on Ally McBeal.
-
Hamster dance, also from the 90's. Early mashup and pop culture reference with a sample from Disney's Robin Hood cartoon. Why was it so popular? Like many of the best memes no one will ever truly know.
-
I Can Has Cheezburger? The link goes to the wiki article about the blog but I'm referring to the captioned image that started the site in the first place. Early example of a pet meme, image caption meme, pet speak, and part of the beginning of the image macro phenomenon.
I highly recommend looking up the original memes for the above, not because they're that good, but because they're the the progenitors, crawling out of the primordial soup and blinking, unknowingly, in the light of what would become a new world.
A new world that would eventually become a corporate hellscape of course, but first, and for a long time, it was innocent, weird, dumb and beautiful.
Also, shoutout to the original coining of the concept of the meme from 1976.
-
-
Comment on Is the concept of debate completely useless? in ~talk
post_below Link ParentWow that's a good point, I realize now that I was wrong.- Exemplary
P.P.S. Everyone who disagrees with what I've written here is wrong.
Wow that's a good point, I realize now that I was wrong.
-
Comment on We tested Radius beef for plastic chemicals in ~food
post_below Link ParentI don't know where mercury comes into it, but the research shows very clearly that microplastics are cumulative and build up in tissues and organs, including the brain. The body can't break down...I don't know where mercury comes into it, but the research shows very clearly that microplastics are cumulative and build up in tissues and organs, including the brain. The body can't break down microplastics and excretion can't keep up.
When we're being exposed to it from so many sources, including just breathing, one source may not be enough to accumulate to a problematic level over the course of a life, but taken together it's become clear that it does. Which means all sources bear investigation.
-
Comment on We tested Radius beef for plastic chemicals in ~food
post_below Link ParentThe problem isn't acute poisoning, at least not in the way you mean. Here's a paper from 2023, quite a lot of shocking new findings have been made since then. One of the concerning impacts of...The problem isn't acute poisoning, at least not in the way you mean.
Here's a paper from 2023, quite a lot of shocking new findings have been made since then.
Experiments show that the exposure to microplastics induces a variety of toxic effects, including oxidative stress, metabolic disorder, immune response, neurotoxicity, as well as reproductive and developmental toxicity.
One of the concerning impacts of microplastics that has been more strongly established by newer research, in addition to cancer, heart disease and neurological disorders, is infertility in both men and women.
-
Comment on Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter. in ~health
post_below LinkThis is a great interview, thanks for posting! One thing that wasn't covered in depth: Fermented foods. Eating fermented foods can increase microbiome diversity and improve other markers of gut...This is a great interview, thanks for posting!
One thing that wasn't covered in depth: Fermented foods. Eating fermented foods can increase microbiome diversity and improve other markers of gut health.
-
Comment on We tested Radius beef for plastic chemicals in ~food
post_below Link ParentI appreciate your attention to detail. In that spirit: In a vacuum. In real life, exposures to many compounds are cumulative because the body can't get rid of them quickly. We are getting...I appreciate your attention to detail. In that spirit:
As a general rule of thumb, whenever you see something measured in parts per billion or nanograms per kilogram, you can safely assume that it won't have any negative effect on you.
In a vacuum. In real life, exposures to many compounds are cumulative because the body can't get rid of them quickly. We are getting microplastics and related chemicals from a lot of different sources that add up to concerning levels of exposure. The idea that a particular source doesn't have a enough to be a problem is very misleading.
The research on the negative health effects of plastics in the environment is only just beginning and already it points to a public health crises.
-
Comment on What is a business/org that is great and ethical in so many aspects that everyone should consider using? in ~life
post_below LinkCompanies that have transitioned to employee ownership and other alternative models rather than sell out to wallstreet or conglomerates deserve a shoutout. It's a great anti-enshittification...Companies that have transitioned to employee ownership and other alternative models rather than sell out to wallstreet or conglomerates deserve a shoutout. It's a great anti-enshittification strategy that often leads to more ethical business practices.
Two great examples of large companies like this are Bob's Red Mill and Patagonia.
Here's to this trend growing!
It sounds like our reading of the ODbL is a bit different. I think you're right that it's meant to be a license that considers rights relevant to the database as potentially distinct from content rights, but it also has language that specifically covers content (for example: copying, modifying, distribution and sharing). In their FAQ it talks about a use case where the rightsholder for the content is the same as for the database, or where there are no relevent rights to the content (like public domain). In that example the content can be covered by the ODbL and no other license is necessary. In other cases is suggests a secondary license which, as far as I can tell, OpenCorporates doesn't use.
I also wonder how important the distinction between data and content is in this context. The data in the database and the contents of the database are essentially the same thing as long as they don't have conflicting rightsholders. In that context content might instead refer to something produced from the result of a database query (like a pie chart).
In any case my reading is that the ODbL can be used to refer specifically or solely to database rights but it can also be used as a license for both the database and its content.
After that it comes down to the definition of open. The Open Data Commons, which publishes and maintains the ODbL, uses this definition.