Cory Doctorow on why HD is bad for consumers

http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=1930
05696

The DRM in these formats is really a killer to me, it takes away a lot
of the consumers rights.  I dont think it will last, but the fight will
be long and bloody.

Profile of Bruce Schneier

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/15600141.htm

Scheier's blog:
http://www.schneier.com/blog/

Related reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encryption
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/encryption1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography

Who is Jonathan Ive and why should you care?

http://yahoo.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_39/b4002414.htm

One of the things you must credit Apple with is making computers more than just dull white boxes.  Ive and Jobs work together to make design, function, and 'experience' more than just buzzwords.  They genuinely CARE and want to make cool AND functional products.  One term I've heard is 'lickable'.  That pretty much nails it in my opinion.

Free fonts website that rocks

This got a huge response on Digg this morning for good reason, it works better than any other free font site I've ever seen.

http://betterfonts.com/

To install, download the ones you want, extract em all to a folder (don't worry if the readme files get overwritten!) then go to control panel, fonts, then select the folder you created and select em all, and voila, they are all available for you in Word and other apps!

The labels start to get it maybe?

Wow, this actually has a possibility to radically change how music is used. It’s a GOOD START:

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/06/09/18/1046247.shtml

Maybe things like the DRM protests

http://defectivebydesign.org/en/node

And bands like Nine Inch Nails and barenakedladies encouraging their fans to remix are starting to get through!

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/16/barenaked_ladies_go_.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hand_that_Feeds

Whee its the Wii, plus Microsoft's iPod killer (Ha!) the Zune

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/wii-packaging-revealed-wii-sports-bundled/
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/live-at-nintendos-nyc-wii-press-conference/

First, the Wii.  I'm not personally too interested in it because it won't work really well with High Definition TVs and projectors in particular (You haven't really seen an Xbox 360 until you've got one running on a 96+" screen!)

BUT one thing they are doing that is really slick is the whole user customization thing.  I wouldnt have believed this a week ago, but it is surprising how many gamers really get into the 'image' they portray when playing a game when given the chance.  Look up pictures for the custom outfits people have posted of their avatars from WoW, Saint's Row or Grand Theft Auto to see what I mean.  When you think about it, it's kind of like the equivalent of grown men and women playing dress up with a doll, yet it seems very engaging.  Here's two examples...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wondermonkey2k/236473156/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davemoran/242228637/

Also carrying over things like the Xbox's Gamertag stat tracking but with an actual avatar you can bring from game to game really seems to be something people will embrace to me.  IF the whole 3D controller works as well as they imagine (I have my doubts given the lazyness of most couch potato gamers) the Wii could outperform it's lame tech specs.

Next, Microsoft's Zzzzzzune.  Er Zune.  Sorry if I didnt get excited there, the brown put me to sleep:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/microsoft-launches-the-zune/

Not much there thats new, tho sharing tunes for 3 days and an integrated FM tuner (which Sandisk and creative and Iriver have done for years, even if the iPod hasnt) are ok I guess.

STILL DRM oriented tho, which is a shame.

What are RFID chips?

This site (which, to be fair, is used to promote a book about the technology) tells you all you need to know.

http://www.spychips.com/

Itunes 7 featuring Movies, Democracy Player, SAM reminder, and Ne wsweek's Levy on World of Warcraft

iTunes 7 launched yesterday with some really slick updates, and now Apple are selling movies, just from Disney to start but you can be sure more studios will follow.  Sadly the quality is less than DVD and not even remotely Hidef, but still pretty great looking for low resolution:

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/12/itunes-7-with-itunes-movie-store-announced/

http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-6114835.html

More at www.techmeme.com

 

 

Interested in a better user experience for freely made and distributed movies than what youtube puts out?  Check out the democracy player:

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/11/democracy_player_for.html

 

Newsweek on WoW and other MMORPGs

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14757769/site/newsweek/

 

DO NOT FORGET to register for SAM.  That’s all we will be doing most of Thursday.  Either register on your own or bring your CD case with the key you need to get in.

Early responses to Experience and Expectations

Here are some clips from the drop box:

-I have a decent background in working with computers.  I do not know all the technical terms, but I do know how to navigate the Microsoft office applications

-Nowadays, I use the computer for writing papers, researching, listening to music and chatting.  I expect to become better with my skills in the applications mentioned above but also expand my knowledge

-My current level of expertise with computers is average.  I use my computer all the time to instant message my friends and to use the internet to check my emails and to look up information.  ... I want to know all of the different websites where I can find information I would need for research papers or any other project.  Also, I would like to learn about viruses and how to detect them on your computer.

-I am always on my computer e-mailing, checking websites, and IMing through AIM. In school I have touched upon using Power Point, Excel, and Word. However, I am no expert in the programs. Out of this class I hope to be able to use the computer to all its capabilities and use the programs without becoming frustrated

-I am sad to admit that I do not know very much about computers.  I am actually very nervous about this class and the fact that I might struggle to keep up

-I wouldn't call myself an expert because there a lot of things that I don't know about computers

-I unfortunately have a minimal experience with computers and computer programs

-I hold no interest in IT but must take it regardless. Perhaps, over the weeks, I will attain some desire to be in the class.

-As I mentioned before, I'm not very much into computer technology. I know just the basics, and that's always worked for me

-I have been exposed to most of the Microsoft Office Suite numerous times, and am quite familiar with its uses and applications. I also use email, AOL Instant Messenger, and am well aware as to how to use the Internet. However, I think that learning more about other software applications such as Maple  and/or other programs that I may encounter later in my academic and/or professional career would be beneficial. Also, I am interested to learn more about what security and privacy issues surround the IT community

-Currently, I am very comfortable with using a computer but there are always more things to learn

-Other than the various video games I play on the computer I can work quite well with Microsoft word, excel, and PowerPoint.  When it comes to going deep into my system and figuring out why my computer is slowing down and how to fix it, I usually call up one of my friends and ask him what to do

-I have been using computers since I was five years old. At my elementary school, we had computers and we had the chance to work with some of the programs like Paint

-I primarily use the computer to communicate, perform research, and complete school work. I know my around when it comes to internet browsing or interaction, however, I'm not as familiar with some major programs.

-I personally have a pretty solid background when it comes to computers.  I can say that I can recognize different aspects of all the Microsoft Office tools which would include Word, Excel, Outlook, and Microsoft Picture Manager.  I frequently use my own personal web page to connect with other people via both Facebook, and Myspace

Thanks for all of your very detailed replies!  We have quite the range of experience, so those of you who are relatively new to Infotech will find a lot to like and those of you who have more experience will find areas to learn some new tricks in as well, and hopefully become better users of the tools you already have.

Sam

RE: Homework

There are at least 4 things due tonight:

-1 Read chapter 1 of discovring computers and go do the companion reading and exercises at scsite (link in the syllabus)

-2 Read an article and submit a 1 paragraph review and 1 paragraph personal response in the drop box at ecampus.monmouth.edu

-3 Submit a 2+ paragraph write up for expectations and previous computer experience in the drop box.
-4 Think about how you would answer the simple question "What is a computer" and why that might not be so simple to answer.

Also make sure you check our blog at infotechbuzz.blogspot.com a few times a week!

Sam

-----Original Message-----
Good evening professor Posten.  I was wondering what the assignment was
that's due thursday.  I know about the reading but I was wondering what
the things that we had to mail to you were.  Please write back with an
answer.
Thank You,

Storing search queries/ 50th birth day of the hard disk / My firs t PC & Hard Disk

MSNBC's Steven Levy on letting search engines store your search history long term:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14639922/site/newsweek/
---

50th birthday for the hard disk:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14096484/site/newsweek/
---

We talked last night about the first hard disk I bought.  Here is a picture of one that was a little bigger than mine:
http://www.russelltexas.com/pcparts/quantum4.JPG

http://www.computerhistory.org/corphist/documents/doc-4341a24e70430.pdf?PHPSESSID=335bb54d456d72b25fdbf798f756e2ee

It cost over $800 and I had to save for 6 months to buy it.  I figured I would never fill it.  I replaced in less than a year for a drive five times as big for about $200.  I couldnt believe how fast the prices dropped. 

Just this week I bought a drive that is mid sized at 320GB for $99.  And I expect that will be overpriced in 6 months!  That is 1/8th the price for a 9,696x storage increase!!!

Here is a chart that shows you how hard disks ballooned in size and shrunk in price incredibly fast:
http://www.alts.net/ns1625/winchest.html

Here is a picture of my first PC, a Tandy 1000TX.  This is circa 1987 or so I guess.  Before that I had an Atari 2600 with Basic programming game pack, a TI 994/A amd a Commodore 64.

http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/reach/435/trs1000.htm
http://www.oldskool.org/shrines/pcjr_tandy/#history
http://www.switchtech.us/Tandy1000/T1000Catalog.GIF
http://www.answers.com/topic/tandy-1000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_1000

Memories!

Article links

NYTimes on World of Warcraft:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/technology/05wow.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5090&en=dde1dfedf8263b49&ex=1315108800&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

PS3 to get scaled back launch, start standing in line now if you want one:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060906-7672.html
http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/09/06/1210244.shtml

Major changes to Facebook, students go berzerk, film at 11:
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/06/09/06/0112231.shtml

Business week on RFID snooping:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_37/b4000401.htm?chan=tc&campaign_id=bier_tcst0

Vista testers say it still needs work:
http://slashdot.org/articles/06/09/05/1930204.shtml

New iMacs (24" Core2Duo!) and Mac Minis today, new Macbooks and Ipods on the 12th?:
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/09/06/imac/index.php
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/09/06/mini/index.php
http://www.macuser.com/events/its_showtime_event_confirmed_f.php
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/06/apple-spec-bumps-imacs-minis-adds-24-inch-imac/

Shaw Wu says Apple iPhone is real:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2017

Course Syllabus

The course syllabus for 102-50 can be downloaded from:

http://zorak.monmouth.edu/~posten/syllabusfall06.doc

Ecampus and SAM

Click here to log in to Ecampus:

https://ecampus.monmouth.edu/login.html

 

Click here to log in to SAM:

http://sam2003.course.com/

Ask Slashdot: Should colleges publish podcasts / videos of lectu res?

http://ask.slashdot.org/askslashdot/06/09/03/2227230.shtml

Interesting question.  MIT has had some success opening up its entire coure structure and I know a lot of Universities are experimenting with Podcasts and videocasts.  We'll probably do a short Podcast in class later in the semester if I can round up the audio gear to do so.

Articles of interest

Timesonline discusses Trojans:
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,20411-2340545,00.html

Itunes movie store rumored to launch Sept 12:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2016

NICE Eavesdroppers:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR2006090401003.html

The FBI mined data on hundreds of student's federal aid

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/01/washington/01educ.html?ex=1314763200&en=44dfe85c44b33172&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

The Slashdot commentary is here:
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/06/09/01/176251.shtml

"This operation Strikeback confirms our worst fears about the uses to which these databases can be put," said David L. Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, which represents 900 institutions. "The concentration of all this data absolutely invites use by other agencies of data that had been gathered for very specific and narrow purposes, namely the granting of student aid to needy kids."