mod_foo The Anti-Slashdot

I found it very telling that at OSCON, during the Open Source Java session, that Tim O'Reilly was so surprised during the JavaOne session that the developers there did not support an open source'd Java.

That stuck with me throughout the week. How could the voice of sooo many people go unheard? They obviously do not have a voice, but how could that be.?

If the Apache Software Foundation, and Eric Raymond, both of whom I respect greatly, want an open source Java, but no one else does where is this reflected other than in this session I attended?

Frankly, I have to chalk this up to media bias. News site editors choosing the exciting, attention grabbing headline (which is understandable in that context) instead of reflecting the reality.

I melded this idea of editor & headline driven news thought with an idea that's been sitting in the back of my mind for a while and have created mod_foo, the Anti-Slashot.

From my explanation: "This is the anti-slashdot.* Not out of giving up, but from wanting to do something different. Trying to become slashdot is a lost cause. Accepting it as so is liberating, and has given me the clarity of thought to come up with the idea behind mod_foo.

Where slashdots (they) are quick digestible bits of news, mod_foo will be deeper, where they aim to kill servers mod_foo will make mirrors and torrents, where the discussions end with a downed server mod_foo can continue the discussion, where an editor biases the news mod_foo will embrace the wishes of its readers, where they want as many readers as possible mod_foo will seek a better, fuller story."

I'd greatly appreciate your participation, your feedback, and your assistance on spreading the word if this is something you'd like to support.

*If you read the entire post you'll see what I mean by 'anti-slashdot', and that it isn't a bashing of the site, but a powerful metaphor.