SOPA Update

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The blackout is well under way, and it is already kind of creepy (I never realized how much I use Wikipedia).  Also there's more analysis out there.  So a quick roundup you may like:

The brilliant author of XKCD has a simple way to show SOPA awareness and blackout.

MUST READ: A film editor looks at how insanely terrible SOPA and PIPA are.  Some great stuff, clear analysis, and historical context – especially on how existing laws are abused already.

You called your congresspersons?  If you live in non-US Country are you bugging your US friends?  Signed petitions?

It goes without saying that SOPA/PIPA could be the end of a lot of geek/fan culture as we know it.  If you think these bills won't be abused by people seeking to maximize profits and quash competition and political rivals, then you probably figure banks would never turn home loans into investments and crash the world economy.

But I know you're smarter than that.

– Steven Savage

Promoting Professional Geekery #21: Start A Geeky Group At Work

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Your work place may be the geekiest thing ever or it may be so straight-laced people fear there's going to be an office comedy made of it.  No matter what, it's a great place to form a geeky group – and a great way to support professional geekery.

Think of all the things you can do at work that bands people together for geeky interests, or just band geeks together.  A gaming group, a group for programming arduinos, an anime viewing group, what have you.  Why not found one – you and all your fellow employees may enjoy it.

It's also a great way to support professional geekery.  Yes it may be fun and relaxing, but it's also a huge professional advantage:

  • It lets you meet your fellow geeks at work – which lets you band together to work on your careers as well.
  • It makes people at work aware of the geeky contingent there – and shows them in a good light (well, hopefully).
  • It gives people away to meet the professional geeks at work and get to know them.  You might find a few unrealized professional geeks there.
  • It raises your profile at work by being so involved in bringing people together.
  • It shows off your skills and interests, which might open opportunities for you to apply them.
  • It helps promote other geeky interests at work – who knows what will emerge next from the fertile mind of your fellow progeeks?

There's really no downside as long as you do it right. 

– Steven Savage