Why building codes should be open

Cory Doctorow 10:04 pm Sun Oct 24, 2010

Here's rogue archivist Carl Malamud's five-minute Ignite Sebastapol talk on "Code City": the democratic necessity of making all of the nation's laws and codes free to read, download and analyze: "The laws that most directly touch our daily lives are not supreme court opinions or bills of landmark legislation, they are the public safety codes: building, electrical, plumbing, and other technical standards. Yet, these laws are the most inaccessible.

Open standards make better infrastructure, and if we open sourced our public safety codes, our laws would be not only more relevant, but the law would be better."

Welcome to Code City!

(Thanks, Carl!)

High school spends thousands on electricity each month because nobody can turn off the software-controlled lights

For 16 months and counting, all of the lights at Massachusetts' Minnechaug Regional High School have been on around the clock, costing thousands of dollars of each month in electricity… READ THE REST
Security researchers show how to eavesdrop on mobile phone calls by measuring the ear speaker's tiny vibrations

While it's possible that malware on your smartphone could record your calls, it's an increasingly difficult technical proposition. Instead, researchers from Texas A&M University and colleagues have demonstrated that it's… READ THE REST
New York teens have started their own anti-smart phone Luddite movement

The New York Times has a delightfully fascinating new piece about the Luddite Club — an organization of high school teenagers in Brooklyn who have disavowed modern smart phone technology… READ THE REST
Indulge your inner 'iPad kid' with this refurbished iPad mini

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Love them or hate them, iPad… READ THE REST
This jump starter, air compressor, LED light combo is key for winter

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Nature is truly a lawless place, and… READ THE REST
Be ready for weather emergencies with this unusual umbrella, now 40% off

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. It's one of the facts of… READ THE REST