[Edu-sig] web service demo (geocoder.us)

[Kirby Urner]

Adding to demo:

>>> address = ("3745 SE Harrison St., Portland, OR 97214",) # params tuple
>>> print xmlrpclib.dumps(address ,'server.geocode')
<?xml version='1.0'?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>server.geocode</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value><string>3745 SE Harrison St., Portland, OR 97214</string></value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall>

Idea:  when we introduce "You Are Here" segment (a take-off on "Hello
World"), we're beginning a series of experiences aimed at helping students
internalize the Earth (in the context of Universe (Celestia, Stellarium
etc.)).  

Integral with that is emphasizing the need for global standards, i.e. ways
for humans to collaborate cross-culturally.  This is a segue to "open
source" not only in the sense of sharing source code, but in the sense of
sharing standards like XML, Unicode, ASCII and so on.  

The above demo shows XML in action, used to pass a method call, with
parameters, to some remote host.

We want kids to appreciate their heritage, the tools at their disposal, the
importance of building on what humans have been able to co-create to date.  

Even as they look out on all the divergence going on, from their schooling
they'll be getting a sense of convergence.

Conversation w/ Trevor today, re Karl Popper:  

Some folks develop the point of view that humans are extremely intelligent,
so all the stuff that doesn't work, seems threatening (wars, pollution,
rioting) must be an expression of willful evil, as we have the smarts to not
have any of that.  

But Popper's view, which I share, is that we're *not* extremely intelligent
(our shared smarts is emergent, not the property of any one individual, and
not under any one small group's control), and all that evil stuff is more
reflective of our being collectively retarded, not willfully evil.[1]

Kirby

[1] related blog entry ("Retarded Design"):
http://mybizmo.blogspot.com/2005/09/retarded-design.html