Franklin was the equivalent of an open source purist. He was determined to uncover truth, better himself, and inform the world.
"I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which was called the Junto;… every member, in his turn, should produce ... queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company;”
Hacker News might benefit from Junto policy, making members pay money for encouraging and destructive comments that are not in the spirit of inquiry.
"Our debates were ... conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties."
Discussion in his Junto meetings led to volunteer fire departments, America’s first circulating library, and a school that became the Univ. of Pennsylvania. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junto_(club)
Franklin was the equivalent of an open source purist. He was determined to uncover truth, better himself, and inform the world.
"I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which was called the Junto;… every member, in his turn, should produce ... queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company;”
Hacker News might benefit from Junto policy, making members pay money for encouraging and destructive comments that are not in the spirit of inquiry.
"Our debates were ... conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties."
Discussion in his Junto meetings led to volunteer fire departments, America’s first circulating library, and a school that became the Univ. of Pennsylvania. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junto_(club)