Most of these short works are things I've found on the Internet. All of them are things I've enjoyed reading again and again, though the reason isn't always clear to me.

The Student as Nigger by Jerry Farber

My cousin Kathy first gave me a copy of this when I was a Freshman in highschool. By then I'd already developed the resentment of public education that would last me (so far) throughout my college years. This article helped me to formulate my own reasons for disliking school. This was also the first essay I remember recognizing as a good mix between formality and informality. I like the style and the content. I hope to someday write as effectively as J. Farber does in this.

The Dumbing-Down of Computer Programming by Ellen Ullman

This six part article appeared in Salon magazine. It's an excellent article that does well to illustrate the attraction of linux and why computer programming is becoming a monkey's profession. If it seems a little disjointed it's because it did appear over the course of a few weeks.

The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond

This is (reportedly) the article that helped Netscape to realize that releasing the source code for their browser was not only their only chance for survival, but a good way to improve its quality drastically. As I write this the netscape source release was about six months ago and already many wonderful spinoffs are ready for general consumption.