Manuel Arriaga

Hello! I am a doctoral student in the Information Systems group at NYU/Stern.

I have for a long time been fascinated by computer technology and the social phenomena which surround it. Finally getting to study these as my "full-time job" (after some—read "too many"...—years studying economics) was one of the best things that have happened to me.

Some additional, random tidbits:

  • I am a young European living in New York. I like it very much and cannot understand where the notion that "New Yorkers are mean bastards" came from. : )

  • My field of study falls within the scope of social-scientific/"behavioral" research—not computer science. In very broad terms, our aim is to better understand how individuals and groups work when they incorporate information technologies into their work practices, how groups collaborate to develop such technologies and the implications of the latter for organizations. This "disclaimer" gradually became a part of my standard answer to "so what do you do?"; I thought it might as well be included here!

  • I am a user, developer and passionate advocate of free software. Among other things, this means that most of the time I whole-heartedly support all of the Free Software Foundation's efforts and tend to share the ideas it advances.

  • I am not really sure that "information wants to be free", but I do think that the current intellectual property regime was designed to cater to the interests of megacorporations at the expense of the public interest. From indefensible, retroactive extensions of copyright terms which were already ridiculously long to laws which stomp on both the freedom to develop new technologies and the exercise of fair use rights, many think (myself included) that the picture couldn't be clearer. Why not join those who are already doing something about it?

  • I am a hobbyist (beginning) bass player who has only recently understood what "harmony" is about!

    • Assorted stuff:

    code.

    one good idea.

    family pictures. NEW!

    Thanks for visiting!

    Manuel Arriaga - Email me at marriaga followed by @ stern . nyu . edu