400 million active users and growing.

One year ago I posted that Google+ has 200 million active users, now there are 400 million active users. If I do the site:plus.google.com -inurl:about command I find there are 705 million people with a profile on Google plus.
I find these stats interesting because I want communication to be easy and open and like my new friend Ted Weir on Google+ says

I used to love Apple but now it's becoming a tech-ogre. My wife recently bought an iPad and she regrets doing so. It's a communications cage where they' limit access to other technologies The companies at the top almost always make this mistake. They try and control their customers, lock them in—own them

 -- finally someone that understands what I am trying to do; Make digital communication easier. By using technology from companies that don't adhere to share and share alike policies, people become subservient to the big companies and their lawyers. I am not one to concede my digital communication to Facebook (who now is making $15 per user per year) or Apple / Microsoft who don't let you edit their code without a non-competition clause in their Non disclosure agreement.

Google Plus is allowing us GNU users (people who care about others) to connect via real-time face-to-face meetings called Hangouts and Google is the only company that allows for data liberation and open Instant Messaging via their Jabber Federation.

2013 - Happy New Year

It’s that time of year when many of us reflect on the year past and ponder on which path to take for the year to come. I'm one of those people that sets goals for myself.  One of the most important goal I have set for myself is helping people exchange digital info easier. It has been a long ride; but we are now to the point where using a computer doesn't force you to accept the terms, which most people never read any ways.
When I solve a computer problem I feel good about myself, but I would feel better if that problem never existed. Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy the challenge more then the smile / relief on the person's face. So, when I solve problems it feels better when what I am solving will make the world better in the future.

2013 will be an interesting year for the Open Source communities. Microsoft & Apple are trying harder to lock people into their ecosystems, but more and more people are getting used to the idea of Linux. So much so, that Linux will now be used on gaming computers - (where the big money is). When we buy computers or anything we should ask ourselves the following questions.

1. How will this benefit me?
2. How will this affect others?

A lot of us are stuck on question #1 and never get onto #2 unless the other person sues us. 2013 will finally allow us to help others without sacrificing.  This will allow people who care for others, even just a little bit, start being able to help them. 

Thanks for being Noah's descendent. Happy 2013