The other day I'd gotten sufficiently comfortable with my cellphone (an HTC Hero) to take the next step and root it (which is to say, I used the z4root exploit to get admin privileges). I mentioned it in passing to Lyssa last night and she made an observation that caught me off guard: "If you had to jailbreak your phone," she said, "how can you call Android 'open'?"

How indeed.

Let's set up an example. The Android OS is based on the open source Linux kernel as well as a suite of applications and systemware different from those of your …

Earlier today, one of the leading voices of the pro-democratic movement in Bahrain, Ali Abdulemam, was arrested on charges of spreading false news reports on the web forum bahrainonline.org (note: all Arabic content). Apparently, the government of Bahrain is cracking down again on dissident voices but this time they're throwing everything they've got at the effort. He's been arrested before for speaking out, and in fact he was expecting to get nailed again for advocating for a democratic government. It's also alleged that he was caught trying to escape the country, but that doesn't jive with someone who knew …

If you've read my website for any length of time, you're probably aware of the fact that I am very much a privacy advocate - I think that it is none of anyone's business what you search for on the Net, what you read, or where you go. Furthermore, it is also a closely held belief of mine that so long as you aren't bothering anyone, aren't causing trouble, and aren't doing anything to anyone of legal age in your country of residence that's hurting anyone (or if it is, it's consensual and has been negotiated for in advance), it is …