If poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world, science fiction writers are its court jesters. We are Wise Fools who can leap, caper, utter prophecies, and scratch ourselves in public. We can play with Big Ideas because the garish motley of our pulp origins make us seem harmless.

Worrying about a large institution, especially when it has computers, is like worrying about a large gorilla, especially when it's on fire.

Open-source is a means of production.

I like to get paid for doing basic research, so it's pleasant to write some nonfiction about it.

War as Napoleon knew it just not possible any more. However, we're very unlikely to accept or recognize "world peace" even when we get it.

I haven't had that good a time in ages. Since September 11, really. I just felt so happy, it was like the sun came out of the clouds for me. I love Italy.

Hackers are arrogant geek romantics. They lack the attentive spirit of inquiry.