Community – Page 47 – Steven Savage

Link Roundup 10/1/2013

October 1, 2013 by Steven Savage

What’s up today?

Lucha Libro – A cross between writing and professional wrestling where the looser is unmasked. I cannot tell you how great this is, and how if you do any writing events at conventions you need to consider this.
Gaymer Connect 2014 announced! Sounds like they’re doing fantastic – and worth getting involved in.
How the Nerd community helped one person fight cancer. A reminder of the good we can do.
The more companies are covered by financial analysts, the worse they do. Sounds like the attention is actually bad – and suggests there may be a size/publicity critical level. Worth looking into.
Job-wise apparently there will be more Hardee’s. Yeah, I know. Work is work.

– Steven “The Masked Randomizer” Savage

Link Roundup 9/30/2013

September 30, 2013 by Steven Savage

Well first of all, we know that the final Steam component is a controller. The Piston announcement is cagey and confusing. My takeaway is:

The Piston may run the SteamOS on something else – which may be because something runnable as “virtual steam” is in the brew. Or they’re confused.

Steam has pretty much fired a warning shot across the bow of console makers, followed by grapeshot and a series of cannonballs. Any computer is now a console. They don’t have to be on top they just have to keep everyone else nervous and I’m sure they have.

Story short, work in gaming? Pay attention to Steam.

Now other links:

Seimens is laying off 15,000 people. So you know where not to send a resume.
Tons of job openings are here however.

– Steven “My Own Controller” Savage

Geek As Citizen: To Know

September 27, 2013 by Steven Savage

So I’ve taken it upon myself to ponder the question: what is the role of a geek as a citizen? We have our own unique skills and inclinations and the like, so just what is the role of people like us in a functional society? Note I say “functional” society – we’re working on the ideal here.

Last column I defined what geeks were in an “inclusive, definitional” sense for the purpose of my work and because I obsess over the subject. Here’s what defines geeks for me:

Passionate about a subject or subjects – on a personal level.
Apply that passion and knowledge – not always for monetary reward, but there are blurred lines.
Leverage tools and technology to apply that passion.
The person’s identity and social involvements are part of this strong interest.
Geeks are often part of a larger gestalt and culture, but not always – the “Geekonomy” and “Geek culture” don’t encompass all geeks.

Or “Geeks are personally passionate about a subject that they apply, and that knowledge and application is part of their identity and social scene.” Simple, but I kind of like my bullet points.