Asymetric Competition

Responding to Mark Oehlert.

The 'asymetric competition' metaphor is of course drawn from the term 'asymetric warfare'. So once again we see a military metaphor - and all that entails - being used to describe things.

This should be done cautiously, if at all, especially at a time when these metaphors are loaded with meaning pumped up by wartime propaganda. If the metaphor holds, for example, then open source advocates play the same role as al-qaeda -- and isn't ad-qaeda evil or something?

My own preference is to stay away from military metaphors, and my observation is that their almost automatic use is an indication of a pervasive - and unnoticed - militarization of a society.

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p.s. Why am I writing so much here recently? I don't know. Though, my normal state is to be writing almost constantly, so take this as a good sign (I do). Will it last? Who knows. But it feels nice to be writing again, especially in this my 'secret blog', the one without readers.