On Sat, 11 May 2002 03:11:18 -0400, Clarence Verge wrote: > On Sat, 11 May 2002 14:38:50 +0000, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>> What's with these Czechs? >> They are doing such interesting stuff! > I agree ! > Maybe someone in Czland would care to explain why there seems to be > so much more unusual software coming out of their country than their > neighbors ? > Did MICHAEL start this ? Dear List: My theory is that the the "counter culture" is a factor. You do see it in the USA as well but it is not so visible against the micro$oft bandwagon - eg PGP fiasco. The "small is beautifull" thing that is present in USA is much more acceptable in Eastern Europe with its Steiner influenced education. Half the population of our town is German hippies! Hence quite a bit of weird software comes out of Nimbin. Our current work is writing Dynamic Data Exchange for the local rail traffic computers. Partly because of our minimalist ethic it is to run on DOS machines (and compiled in OS/2). There is also the nostalgic thing - so many of us are baby boomers and had exciting first computing experiences on Mac classics and Microbee computers - yes folkes, the first kit computer in the world, and made in Australia for the always large do-it-youself market. Another thing about some countries like the Czech republic (and Australia) is that there is a familiarity throughout the community wiht the nuts and bolts of the technology. It was the tinkerers mucking around with radio in Australia early in the century that led to Australia being such a major microwave relay station (and of course the locality!) My view anyway Kali http://www.nimnet.asn.au/~kali/
