Monday, April 12, 2010

Adobe Creative Suite 5 arrives

At Midnight this morning Adobe pushed out the launch of Creative Suite
5, which contains truly remarkable new media creation technologies.
The press and expert users are all breathless with exuberance for this
new product.

http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2010/04/unveiling_the_all_new_creative.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20002131-264.html
http://thomashawk.com/2010/04/adobe-photoshop-cs5-boldly-empowers-the-digital-artist.html
http://terrywhite.com/techblog/archives/5117
http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2010/archives/9577
http://www.macworld.com/article/150507/2010/04/pscs5.html

Some great videos showing it off:
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/cs5-web-premium-feature-tour/whats-new-for-photographers/
http://tv.adobe.com/show/cs5-web-premium-feature-tour/
http://www.photoshopuser.com/cs5
http://creativesuitepodcast.com/
http://kelbytraining.com/
http://photoshopuser.com/cs5

http://www.planetphotoshop.com/
http://www.layersmagazine.com/
http://www.photoshopuser.com/

One bummer: Still no sign of Monmouth making the cut into Adobe's
best pricing tier.
http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/openoptions/students/new_jersey.html

But until we get in, which should be soon, you can get the mid tier
discount and get the Production Premium pack for as cheap as $449.
Once we are in the program it would be as cheap as $299.

Sam

Look how simple the guts of an iPad really are

Not much room to strip things down to reduce cost. It's a shell on
the outside, a nice display up front and two big honking batteries in
the middle. The space taken up by the actual 'computer' is 3/4 WIFI
support and 1/4 CPU. Brilliant.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/12/business/IPAD.html?ref=technology

Monday, April 05, 2010

Snopes, iPad and more

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/technology/05snopes.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/04/ipad-education-schools.html
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/apple-sells-over-300-000-ipad-tablets-on-us-launch-day/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/apple-ipad-review/
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/31/a-first-look-at-ipad.html
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/2134163,ihnatko-ipad-computer-detractors-033110.article
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/2134139,ihnatko-ipad-apple-review-033110.article
http://www.macworld.com/article/150330/2010/04/ipadreview.html
http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/kids_are_all_right
http://www.fastcompany.com/1604832/why-you-shouldnt-buy-an-ipad-yet
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1976935,00.html
http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100331/apple-ipad-review/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/technology/personaltech/01pogue.html?ref=technology
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/the-ipad-arrives-the-wait-is-over-and-wasnt-bad/
http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_ipad_first

For the record, I couldn't wait for my 3G iPad pre-order to get here
in about a month so I went to Menlo Park on Saturday and got a 32GB
Wifi model. Will discuss it tomorrow night!

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/03/ff_youtube_5secrets
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/04/comcast-broadband-meters/

I'm not much into comics but this is awesome, I bought $16 worth of
comic books just to show it off:
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/04/first-look-at-marvel-comics-ipad-app/

Sam

Monday, March 29, 2010

Sistine Chapel Virtual Reality Panorama

Pretty interesting use of this technology, regardless of what religion you are!

http://kottke.org/10/03/sistine-chapel-virtual-panorama

Friday, February 19, 2010

Giz on the current state of music piracy

Fascinating. The music industry knew they had to compete with free,
so they improved their services. The Pirates then had to ratchet
things up on their end too!
http://gizmodo.com/5475006/the-secret-world-of-private-bittorrent-trackers

Sam

The government is tracking your baby's DNA!

Wow that is incredibly scary. Thanks to Katrina for the find and
passing it on! I've forwarded that to Professor Farber and a few
other security researchers to hear their thoughts...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/04/baby.dna.government/index.html?iref=allsearch

Lets all think about the ways this can be abused...

Monday, February 08, 2010

Data, information, knowledge, wisdom

What do you consume and what do you create?

How much of what you already know and how much of what you will learn
is 'sticky'?

Rands takes on this deeeep subject!
http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2010/02/08/a_story_culture.html

Monday, January 25, 2010

Is the education angle why Apple is going to the Tablet format?

Interesting questions from TUAW. One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) tried
this and failed pretty miserably so far, but they didn't have the
educational roots that Apple has....

http://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/25/is-jobs-looking-to-overhaul-education-with-the-tablet/

Friday, January 22, 2010

Re: FW: [IP] Clinton Speech: Internet Freedom (Text)

Analysis of the Hilary Clinton Internet speech:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/01/hillary-clinton-slams-information-curtain-of-censorship.ars

FW: [IP] Clinton Speech: Internet Freedom (Text)

From Professor Dave Farber's IP list


From: Dave Farber [mailto:dfarber@me.com]
Sent: Thu 1/21/2010 1:13 PM
To: ip
Subject: [IP] Clinton Speech: Internet Freedom (Text)


>From: "Richard Forno" <rforno@infowarrior.org>
>To: <Undisclosed-recipients:unspecified-domain;>
>Cc: "Dave Farber" <dave@farber.net>
>Date: January 21, 2010 12:53:57 PM EST
>Subject: Clinton Speech: Internet Freedom (Text)
>
>Internet Freedom
>
>The prepared text of U.S. of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham 
>Clinton's speech, delivered at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
>
>JANUARY 21, 2010
>
>http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/01/21/internet_freedom
>Thank you, Alberto for that kind introduction. It's a pleasure to be 
>here at the Newseum. This institution is a monument to some of our 
>most precious freedoms, and I'm grateful for this opportunity to 
>discuss how those freedoms apply to the challenges of the 21st 
>century. I'm also delighted to see so many friends and former 
>colleagues.
>
>This is an important speech on an important subject. But before I 
>begin, I want to speak briefly about Haiti. During the last nine days, 
>the people of Haiti and the people of the world have joined together 
>to deal with a tragedy of staggering proportions. Our hemisphere has 
>seen its share of hardship, but there are few precedents for the 
>situation we're facing in Port-au-Prince.  Communication networks have 
>played a critical role in our response. In the hours after the quake, 
>we worked with partners in the private sector to set up the text 
>"HAITI" campaign so that mobile phone users in the United States could 
>donate to relief efforts via text message.  That initiative has been a 
>showcase for the generosity of the American people and it's raised 
>over $25 million for recovery efforts.
>
>Information networks have also played a critical role on the ground.
>
>The technology community has set up interactive maps to help identify 
>needs and target resources. And on Monday, a seven-year-old girl and 
>two women were pulled from the rubble of a collapsed supermarket by an 
>American search and rescue team after they sent a text message calling 
>for help. These examples are manifestations of a much broader 
>phenomenon.
>
>The spread of information networks is forming a new nervous system for 
>our planet. When something happens in Haiti or Hunan the rest of us 
>learn about it in real time - from real people. And we can respond in 
>real time as well. Americans eager to help in the aftermath of a 
>disaster and the girl trapped in that supermarket are connected in 
>ways that we weren't a generation ago.  That same principle applies to 
>almost all of humanity. As we sit here today, any of you - or any of 
>our children - can take out tools we carry with us every day and 
>transmit this discussion to billions across the world.
>
>In many respects, information has never been so free. There are more 
>ways to spread more ideas to more people than at any moment in 
>history. Even in authoritarian countries, information networks are 
>helping people discover new facts and making governments more 
>accountable.
>
>During his visit to China in November, President Obama held a town 
>hall meeting with an online component to highlight the importance of 
>the internet. In response to a question that was sent in over the 
>internet, he defended the right of people to freely access 
>information, and said that the more freely information flows, the 
>stronger societies become. He spoke about how access to information 
>helps citizens to hold their governments accountable, generates new 
>ideas, and encourages creativity. The United States' belief in that 
>truth is what brings me here today.
>
>But amid this unprecedented surge in connectivity, we must also 
>recognize that these technologies are not an unmitigated blessing. 
>These tools are also being exploited to undermine human progress and 
>political rights. Just as steel can be used to build hospitals or 
>machine guns and nuclear energy can power a city or destroy it, modern 
>information networks and the technologies they support can be 
>harnessed for good or ill. The same networks that help organize 
>movements for freedom also enable al Qaeda to spew hatred and incite 
>violence against the innocent. And technologies with the potential to 
>open up access to government and promote transparency can also be 
>hijacked by governments to crush dissent and deny human rights.
>
>In the last year, we've seen a spike in threats to the free flow of 
>information. China, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan have stepped up their 
>censorship of the internet. In Vietnam, access to popular social 
>networking sites has suddenly disappeared. And last Friday in Egypt, 
>30 bloggers and activists were detained. One member of this group, 
>Bassem Samir - who is thankfully no longer in prison - is with us 
>today. So while it is clear that the spread of these technologies is 
>transforming our world, it is still unclear how that transformation 
>will affect the human rights and welfare of much of the world's 
>population.
>
>SYNCING PROGRESS WITH PRINCIPLES
>
>On their own, new technologies do not take sides in the struggle for 
>freedom and progress. But the United States does. We stand for a 
>single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge 
>and ideas. And we recognize that the world's information 
>infrastructure will become what we and others make of it.
>
>This challenge may be new, but our responsibility to help ensure the 
>free exchange of ideas goes back to the birth of our republic. The 
>words of the First Amendment to the Constitution are carved in 50 tons 
>of Tennessee marble on the front of this building. And every 
>generation of Americans has worked to protect the values etched in 
>that stone.
>
>Franklin Roosevelt built on these ideas when he delivered his Four 
>Freedoms speech in 1941. At the time, Americans faced a cavalcade of 
>crises and a crisis of confidence. But the vision of a world in which 
>all people enjoyed freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom 
>from want, and freedom from fear transcended the trouble of his day.
>
>Years later, one of my heroes, Eleanor Roosevelt, worked to have these 
>principles adopted as a cornerstone of the Universal Declaration of 
>Human Rights. They have provided a lodestar to every succeeding 
>generation - guiding us, galvanizing us, and enabling us to move 
>forward in the face of uncertainty.
>
>As technology hurtles forward, we must think back to that legacy. We 
>need to synchronize our technological progress with our principles. In 
>accepting the Nobel Prize, President Obama spoke about the need to 
>build a world in which peace rests on the "inherent rights and dignity 
>of every individual." And in my speech on human rights at Georgetown I 
>talked about how we must find ways to make human rights a reality. 
>Today, we find an urgent need to protect these freedoms on the digital 
>frontiers of the 21st century.
>
>There are many other networks in the world - some aid in the movement 
>of people or resources; and some facilitate exchanges between 
>individuals
>
>with the same work or interests. But the internet is a network that
>
>magnifies the power and potential of all others. And that's why we 
>believe it's critical that its users are assured certain basic freedoms.
>
>FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
>
>First among them is the freedom of expression. This freedom is no 
>longer defined solely by whether citizens can go into the town square 
>and criticize their government without fear of retribution. Blogs, 
>email, social networks, and text messages have opened up new forums 
>for exchanging ideas - and created new targets for censorship.
>
>As I speak to you today, government censors are working furiously to 
>erase my words from the records of history. But history itself has 
>already condemned these tactics. Two months ago, I was in Germany to 
>celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 
>leaders gathered at that ceremony paid tribute to the courageous men 
>and women on the far side of that barrier who made the case against 
>oppression by circulating small pamphlets called samizdat. These 
>leaflets questioned the claims and intentions of dictatorships in the 
>Eastern Bloc, and many people paid dearly for distributing them. But 
>their words helped pierce the concrete and concertina wire of the Iron 
>Curtain.
>
>The Berlin Wall symbolized a world divided, and it defined an entire 
>era. Today, remnants of that wall sit inside this museum - where they 
>belong. And the new iconic infrastructure of our age is the internet.
>
>Instead of division, it stands for connection. But even as networks 
>spread to nations around the globe, virtual walls are cropping up in 
>place of visible walls.
>
>Some countries have erected electronic barriers that prevent their 
>people from accessing portions of the world's networks. They have 
>expunged words, names and phrases from search engine results. They 
>have violated the privacy of citizens who engage in non-violent 
>political speech. These actions contravene the Universal Declaration 
>on Human Rights, which tells us that all people have the right "to 
>seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and 
>regardless of frontiers." With the spread of these restrictive 
>practices, a new information curtain is descending across much of the 
>world. Beyond this partition, viral videos and blog posts are becoming 
>the samizdat of our day.
>
>As in the dictatorships of the past, governments are targeting 
>independent thinkers who use these tools. In the demonstrations that 
>followed Iran's presidential elections, grainy cell phone footage of a 
>young woman's bloody murder provided a digital indictment of the 
>government's brutality. We've seen reports that when Iranians living 
>overseas posted online criticism of their nation's leaders, their 
>family members in Iran were singled out for retribution. And despite 
>an intense campaign of government intimidation, brave citizen 
>journalists in Iran continue using technology to show the world and 
>their fellow citizens what is happening in their country. In speaking 
>out on behalf of their own human rights the Iranian people have 
>inspired the world.
>
>And their courage is redefining how technology is used to spread truth 
>and expose injustice.
>
>All societies recognize that free expression has its limits. We do not 
>tolerate those who incite others to violence, such as the agents of al 
>Qaeda who are - at this moment - using the internet to promote the 
>mass murder of innocent people. And hate speech that targets 
>individuals on the basis of their ethnicity, gender, or sexual 
>orientation is reprehensible. It is an unfortunate fact that these 
>issues are both growing challenges that the international community 
>must confront together. We must also grapple with the issue of 
>anonymous speech. Those who use the internet to recruit terrorists or 
>distribute stolen intellectual property cannot divorce their online 
>actions from their real world identities. But these challenges must 
>not become an excuse for governments to systematically violate the 
>rights and privacy of those who use the internet for peaceful 
>political purposes.
>
>FREEDOM OF WORSHIP
>
>The freedom of expression may be the most obvious freedom to face 
>challenges with the spread of new technologies, but it is not alone. 
>The freedom of worship usually involves the rights of individuals to 
>commune - or not commune - with their Creator. And that's one channel 
>of communication that does not rely on technology. But the freedom of 
>worship also speaks to the universal right to come together with those 
>who share your values and vision for humanity. In our history, those 
>gatherings often took place in churches, synagogues, temples, and 
>mosques. Today, they may also take place on line.
>
>The internet can help bridge divides between people of different faiths.
>
>As the president said in Cairo, "freedom of religion is central to the 
>ability of people to live together." And as we look for ways to expand 
>dialogue, the internet holds out tremendous promise. We have already 
>begun connecting students in the United States with young people in 
>Muslim communities around the world to discuss global challenges. And 
>we will continue using this tool to foster discussion between 
>individuals in different religious communities.
>
>Some nations, however, have co-opted the internet as a tool to target 
>and silence people of faith. Last year in Saudi Arabia, a man spent 
>months in prison for blogging about Christianity. And a Harvard study 
>found that the Saudi government blocked many web pages about Hinduism, 
>Judaism, Christianity, and even Islam. Countries including Vietnam and 
>China employed similar tactics to restrict access to religious 
>information.
>
>Just as these technologies must not be used to punish peaceful 
>political speech, they must not be used to persecute or silence 
>religious minorities. Prayers will always travel on higher networks. 
>But connection technologies like the internet and social networking 
>sites should enhance individuals' ability to worship as they see fit, 
>come together with people of their own faith, and learn more about the 
>beliefs of others. We must work to advance the freedom of worship 
>online just as we do in other areas of life.
>
>FREEDOM FROM WANT
>
>There are, of course, hundreds of millions of people living without 
>the benefits of these technologies. In our world, talent is 
>distributed universally, but opportunity is not. And we know from long 
>experience that promoting social and economic development in countries 
>where people lack access to knowledge, markets, capital, and 
>opportunity can be frustrating, and sometimes futile work. In this 
>context, the internet can serve as a great equalizer. By providing 
>people with access to knowledge and potential markets, networks can 
>create opportunity where none exists.
>
>Over the last year, I've seen this first hand. In Kenya, where farmers 
>have seen their income grow by as much as 30% since they started using 
>mobile banking technology. In Bangladesh, where more than 300,000 
>people have signed up to learn English on their mobile phones. And in 
>sub-Saharan Africa, where women entrepreneurs use the internet to get 
>access to microcredit loans and connect to global markets. These 
>examples of progress can be replicated in the lives of the billion 
>people at the bottom of the world's economic ladder.  In many cases,
>
>the internet, mobile phones, and other connection technologies can do 
>for economic growth what the green revolution did for agriculture. You 
>can now generate significant yields from very modest inputs. One World 
>Bank study found that in a typical developing country, a 10% increase 
>in the penetration rate for mobile phones led to an almost one percent 
>annual increase in per capita GDP. To put that in perspective, for 
>India, that would translate into almost $10 billion a year.
>
>A connection to global information networks is like an on a ramp to 
>modernity. In the early years of these technologies, many believed 
>they would divide the world between haves and have-nots. That hasn't 
>happened. There are 4 billion cell phones in use today - many are in 
>the hands of market vendors, rickshaw drivers, and others who've 
>historically lacked access to education and opportunity. Information 
>networks have become a great leveler, and we should use them to help 
>lift people out of poverty.
>
>FREEDOM FROM FEAR
>
>We have every reason to be hopeful about what people can accomplish 
>when they leverage communication networks and connection technologies 
>to achieve progress. But some will use global information networks for 
>darker purposes. Violent extremists, criminal cartels, sexual 
>predators, and authoritarian governments all seek to exploit global 
>networks. Just as terrorists have taken advantage of the openness of 
>our society to carry out their plots, violent extremists use the 
>internet to radicalize and intimidate. As we work to advance these 
>freedoms, we must also work against those who use communication 
>networks as tools of disruption and fear.
>
>Governments and citizens must have confidence that the networks at the 
>core of their national security and economic prosperity are safe and 
>resilient. This is about more than petty hackers who deface websites.
>
>Our ability to bank online, use electronic commerce, and safeguard 
>billions of dollars in intellectual property are all at stake if we 
>cannot rely on the security of information networks.
>
>Disruptions in these systems demand a coordinated response by 
>governments, the private sector, and the international community. We 
>need more tools to help law enforcement agencies cooperate across 
>jurisdictions when criminal hackers and organized crime syndicates 
>attack networks for financial gain. The same is true when social ills 
>such as child pornography and the exploitation of trafficked women and 
>girls migrate online. We applaud efforts such as the Council on 
>Europe's Convention on Cybercrime that facilitate international 
>cooperation in prosecuting such offenses.
>
>We have taken steps as a government, and as a Department, to find 
>diplomatic solutions to strengthen global cyber security. Over a half-
>dozen different Bureaus have joined together to work on this issue, 
>and two years ago we created an office to coordinate foreign policy in 
>cyberspace. We have worked to address this challenge at the UN and 
>other multilateral forums and put cyber-security on the world's 
>agenda. And President Obama has appointed a new national cyberspace 
>policy coordinator who will help us work even more closely to ensure 
>that our networks stay free, secure, and reliable.
>
>States, terrorists, and those who would act as their proxies must know 
>that the United States will protect our networks. Those who disrupt 
>the free flow of information in our society, or any other, pose a 
>threat to our economy, our government and our civil society. Countries 
>or individuals that engage in cyber attacks should face consequences 
>and international condemnation. In an interconnected world, an attack 
>on one nation's networks can be an attack on all. By reinforcing that 
>message, we can create norms of behavior among states and encourage 
>respect for the global networked commons.
>
>THE FREEDOM TO CONNECT
>
>The final freedom I want to address today flows from the four I've 
>already mentioned: the freedom to connect - the idea that governments 
>should not prevent people from connecting to the internet, to 
>websites, or to each other. The freedom to connect is like the freedom 
>of assembly in cyber space. It allows individuals to get online, come 
>together, and hopefully cooperate in the name of progress. Once you're 
>on the internet, you don't need to be a tycoon or a rock star to have 
>a huge impact on society.
>
>The largest public response to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai was 
>launched by a 13-year-old boy. He used social networks to organize 
>blood drives and a massive interfaith book of condolence. In Colombia, 
>an unemployed engineer brought together more than 12 million people in 
>190 cities around the world to demonstrate against the FARC terrorist 
>movement. The protests were the largest anti-terrorist demonstrations 
>in history. In the weeks that followed, the FARC saw more 
>demobilizations and desertions than it had during a decade of military 
>action. And in Mexico, a single email from a private citizen who was 
>fed up with drug-related violence snowballed into huge demonstrations 
>in all of the country's 32 states. In Mexico City alone, 150,000 
>people took to the streets in protest. The internet can help humanity 
>push back against those who promote violence and extremism.
>
>In Iran, Moldova, and many other countries, online organizing has been 
>a critical tool for advancing democracy, and enabling citizens to 
>protest suspicious election results. Even in established democracies 
>like the United States, we've seen the power of these tools to change 
>history. Some of you may still remember the 2008 presidential 
>election...
>
>The freedom to connect to these technologies can help transform 
>societies, but it is also critically important to individuals. I 
>recently heard the story of a doctor who had been trying desperately 
>to diagnose his daughter's rare medical condition. After consulting 
>with two dozen specialists, he still didn't have an answer. He finally 
>identified the condition - and a cure - by using an internet search 
>engine. That's one of the reasons why unfettered access to search 
>engine technology is so important.
>
>APPLYING PRINCIPLES TO POLICY
>
>The principles I've outlined today will guide our approach to the 
>issue of internet freedom and the use of these technologies. And I 
>want to speak about how we apply them in practice. The United States 
>is committed to devoting the diplomatic, economic and technological 
>resources necessary to advance these freedoms. We are a nation made up 
>of immigrants from every country and interests that span the globe. 
>Our foreign policy is premised on the idea that no country stands to 
>benefit more when cooperation among peoples and states increases. And 
>no country shoulders a heavier burden when conflict drives nations 
>apart.
>
>We are well placed to seize the opportunities that come with 
>interconnectivity. And as the birthplace for so many of these 
>technologies, we have a responsibility to see them used for good. To 
>do that, we need to develop our capacity for 21st century statecraft.
>
>Realigning our policies and our priorities won't be easy. But 
>adjusting to new technology rarely is. When the telegraph was 
>introduced, it was a source of great anxiety for many in the 
>diplomatic community, where the prospect of receiving daily 
>instructions from Washington was not entirely welcome. But just as our 
>diplomats eventually mastered the telegraph, I have supreme confidence 
>that the world can harness the potential of these new tools as well.
>
>I'm proud that the State Department is already working in more than 40 
>countries to help individuals silenced by oppressive governments. We 
>are making this issue a priority in at the United Nations as well, and 
>included internet freedom as a component in the first resolution we 
>introduced after returning to the UN Human Rights Council.
>
>We are also supporting the development of new tools that enable 
>citizens to exercise their right of free expression by circumventing 
>politically motivated censorship. We are working globally to make sure 
>that those tools get to the people who need them, in local languages, 
>and with the training they need to access the internet safely. The 
>United States has been assisting in these efforts for some time. Both 
>the American people and nations that censor the internet should 
>understand that our government is proud to help promote internet 
>freedom.
>
>We need to put these tools in the hands of people around the world who 
>will use them to advance democracy and human rights, fight climate 
>change and epidemics, build global support for President Obama's goal 
>of a world without nuclear weapons, and encourage sustainable economic 
>development. That's why today I'm announcing that over the next year, 
>we will work with partners in industry, academia, and non-governmental 
>organizations to establish a standing effort that will harness the 
>power of connection technologies and apply them to our diplomatic 
>goals. By relying on mobile phones, mapping applications, and other 
>new tools, we can empower citizens and leverage our traditional 
>diplomacy. We can also address deficiencies in the current market for 
>innovation.
>
>Let me give you one example: let's say I want to create a mobile phone 
>application that would allow people to rate government ministries on 
>their responsiveness, efficiency, and level of corruption. The 
>hardware required to make this idea work is already in the hands of 
>billions of potential users. And the software involved would be 
>relatively inexpensive to develop and deploy. If people took advantage 
>of this tool, it would help us target foreign assistance spending, 
>improve lives, and encourage foreign investment in countries with 
>responsible governments - all good things. However, right now, mobile 
>application developers have no financial incentive to pursue that 
>project on their own and the State Department lacks a mechanism to 
>make it happen. This initiative should help resolve that problem, and 
>provide long-term dividends from modest investments in innovation. 
>We're going to work with experts to find the best structure for this 
>venture, and we'll need the talent and resources of technology 
>companies and non-profit organizations in order to get the best 
>results. So for those of you in this room, consider yourselves invited.
>
>In the meantime, there are companies, individuals, and institutions 
>working on ideas and applications that could advance our diplomatic 
>and development objectives. And the State Department will be launching 
>an innovation competition to give this work an immediate boost. We'll 
>be asking Americans to send us their best ideas for applications and 
>technologies that help to break down language barriers, overcome 
>illiteracy, and connect people to the services and information they 
>need. Microsoft, for example, has already developed a prototype for a 
>digital doctor that could help provide medical care in isolated rural 
>communities. We want to see more ideas like that. And we'll work with 
>the winners of the competition and provide grant to help build their 
>ideas to scale.
>
>PRIVATE SECTOR AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY
>
>As we work together with the private sector and foreign governments to 
>deploy the tools of 21st century statecraft, we need to remember our 
>shared responsibility to safeguard the freedoms I've talked about today.
>
>We feel strongly that principles like information freedom aren't just 
>good policy, they're good business for all involved. To use market 
>terminology, a publicly-listed company in Tunisia or Vietnam that 
>operates in an environment of censorship will always trade at a 
>discount relative to an identical firm in a free society. If corporate 
>decision makers don't have access to global sources of news and 
>information, investors will have less confidence in their decisions. 
>Countries that censor news and information must recognize that, from 
>an economic standpoint, there is no distinction between censoring 
>political speech and commercial speech. If businesses in your nation 
>are denied access to either type of information, it will inevitably 
>reduce growth.
>
>Increasingly, U.S. companies are making the issue of information 
>freedom a greater consideration in their business decisions. I hope 
>that their competitors and foreign governments will pay close 
>attention to this trend.
>
>The most recent example of Google's review of its business operations 
>in China has attracted a great deal of interest. We look to Chinese 
>authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of the cyber 
>intrusions that led Google to make this announcement. We also look for 
>that investigation and its results to be transparent. The internet has 
>already been a source of tremendous progress in China, and it's great 
>that so many people there are now online. But countries that restrict 
>free access to information or violate the basic rights of internet 
>users risk walling themselves off from the progress of the next 
>century. The United States and China have different views on this 
>issue. And we intend to address those differences candidly and 
>consistently.
>
>Ultimately, this issue isn't just about information freedom; it's 
>about what kind of world we're going to inhabit. It's about whether we 
>live on a planet with one internet, one global community, and a common 
>body of knowledge that unites and benefits us all. Or a fragmented 
>planet in which access to information and opportunity is dependent on 
>where you live and the whims of censors.
>
>Information freedom supports the peace and security that provide a 
>foundation for global progress. Historically, asymmetrical access to 
>information is one of the leading causes of interstate conflict. When 
>we face serious disputes or dangerous incidents, it's critical that 
>people on both sides of the problem have access to the same set of 
>facts and opinions.
>
>As it stands, Americans can consider information presented by foreign 
>governments - we do not block their attempts to communicate with 
>people in the United States. But citizens in societies that practice 
>censorship lack exposure to outside views. In North Korea, for 
>example, the government has tried to completely isolate its citizens 
>from outside opinions. This lop-sided access to information increases 
>both the likelihood of conflict and the probability that small 
>disagreements will escalate. I hope responsible governments with an 
>interest in global stability will work to address such imbalances.
>
>For companies, this issue is about more than claiming the moral high 
>ground; it comes down to the trust between firms and their customers. 
>Consumers everywhere want to have confidence that the internet 
>companies they rely on will provide comprehensive search results and 
>act as responsible stewards of their information. Firms that earn that 
>confidence will prosper in a global marketplace. Those who lose it 
>will also lose customers. I hope that refusal to support politically-
>motivated censorship will become a trademark characteristic of 
>American technology companies. It should be part of our national 
>brand. I'm confident that consumers worldwide will reward firms that 
>respect these principles.
>
>We are reinvigorating the Global Internet Freedom Task Force as a 
>forum for addressing threats to internet freedom around the world, and 
>urging U.S. media companies to take a proactive role in challenging 
>foreign governments' demands for censorship and surveillance. The 
>private sector has a shared responsibility to help safeguard free 
>expression. And when their business dealings threaten to undermine 
>this freedom, they need to consider what's right, not simply the 
>prospect of quick profits.
>
>We're also encouraged by the work that's being done through the Global 
>Network Initiative - a voluntary effort by technology companies who 
>are working with non-governmental organization, academic experts, and 
>social investment funds to respond to government requests for 
>censorship. The Initiative goes beyond mere statements of principle 
>and establishes mechanisms to promote real accountability and 
>transparency. As part of our commitment to support responsible private 
>sector engagement on information freedom, the State Department will be 
>convening a high-level meeting next month co-chaired by Under 
>Secretaries Robert Hormats and Maria Otero to bring together firms 
>that provide network services for talks on internet freedom. We hope 
>to work together to address this challenge.
>
>CONCLUSION
>
>Pursuing the freedoms I've talked about today is the right thing to do.
>
>But it's also the smart thing to do. By advancing this agenda, we 
>align our principles, our economic goals, and our strategic 
>priorities. We need to create a world in which access to networks and 
>information brings people closer together, and expands our definition 
>of community.
>
>Given the magnitude of the challenges we're facing, we need people 
>around the world to pool their knowledge and creativity to help 
>rebuild the global economy, protect our environment, defeat violent 
>extremism, and build a future in which every human being can realize 
>their God-given potential.
>
>Let me close by asking you to remember the little girl who was pulled 
>from the rubble on Monday in Port-au-Prince. She is alive, was 
>reunited with her family, and will have the opportunity to help 
>rebuild her nation because these networks took a voice that was buried 
>and spread it to the world. No nation, group, or individual should 
>stay buried in the rubble of oppression. We cannot stand by while 
>people are separated from our human family by walls of censorship. And 
>we cannot be silent about these issues simply because we cannot hear 
>their cries. Let us recommit ourselves to this cause. Let us make 
>these technologies a force for real progress the world over. And let 
>us go forward together to champion these freedoms.
>
>
>
>


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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Are men and women wired differently for success in tech / social media?

Clay Shirky seems to think so:
http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2010/01/a-rant-about-women/

The comments are even more insightful than his "rant"... The
consensus seems to be that there is a fine line between being
assertive and TOO assertive, and I'm sure you can full in the blanks
for the pejoratives used on both sides of the gender aisle there.
But, at least a modicum of assertiveness seems to be a necessity for
success in any industry...

Sam

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Welcome to IT 102-50

Hello to all who are currently signed up for this section of IT
102-50! Looking forward to seeing you all in class a week from
tonight.

We'll be using a 'Team Teaching' approach. This class will be
primarily taught by myself, but we are fortunate to have Mr. William
"Bill" Reynolds fill in for me a few times throughout the semester
when I will unfortunately be on business travel. Bill happens to be
one of the best and most fun teachers of MS Office you will ever meet.
Between the two of us we will help you explore everything Information
Technology has to offer and take advantage of the extensive IT
resources available to you at Monmouth U!

We'll go over what is required for the class in detail on the first
night of class, but a few of you have emailed me about what books you
need to buy as you budget for the semester. There is a special
'package' of books for the IT 100/102 class that are bundled together
at the bookstore, it comes with some codes that are needed to get
access to our digital tools for the class. ***All in one shot the
books are sold as a bundle which must be purchased together. Please
note that the bundle IS required and you must purchase it directly
from our own book store, which has not only worked to get you a very
good price but also bundles in a code which gets you access to the SAM
technology which we use throughout the class. ***

The required bundle is ISBN: 1435468872
***TEXTBOOKS REQUIRED: Bundle ISBN: 1435468872 (also listed as ISBN
9781435468870).***

Bundle includes the following components:

Title Author Component ISBN
SECURITY AWARENESS: APPLYING PRACTICAL SECURITY- 3rd Edition Mark
Ciampa 1435454146
MICROSOFT OFFICE 2007 INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS & TECHNIQUES, Premium
Video Edition (Vista) Shelly/Cashman/Vermaat 0324826842
CURRENT TOPICS IN TECHNOLOGY Paparella/Simko 1439038708
SAM 2007 Assessment and Projects 4.0 Printed Access Card, 1st Edition
Course Technology 1439044058

TEXTBOOK RECOMMENDED:

Discovering Computers 2010: Complete, Living in a
Digital World
Gary B. Shelly | Misty E. Vermaat
ISBN 10: 032478645X | ISBN 13: 9780324786453
©2010

Also be sure to log in to see the details at:
http://ecampus.monmouth.edu
That site will be updated with Drop Boxes, the Syllabus, and forum
questions before the first class.

My email should you need to get me fastest is: sposten@gmail.com and
Bill can be reached at: WilliamSReynolds@aol.com

I do not recommend you use posten@monmouth.edu tho you can CC that
address and samuel.posten@l-3com.com if you want to be sure I'll see
your mail the first time I go to one of my email clients.

Couple of things we want you thinking about as you come to our first meeting:
-How much do you _really_ know about computers? Do you know just
enough to get your work done or have you looked into ways that
computers are invading every aspect of our lives?
-What applications do you use regularly? Is it mostly Email and Word
processing with a few games thrown in, or do you use a wide variety of
traditional and "web 2.0" type applications?
-How much are you into the "social networks" like old standards of
Facebook and Myspace, or are you on to the new grounds like Twitter,
Friendfeed or something even more cutting edge?
-What are computers doing today that we never expected just a few years ago?
-What is more important to you where technology is concerned:
Flexibility, stability, coolness or ease of use?
-What do you want to get out of this course? Are you here just because
it's a requirement or does technology genuinely really excite you?
-Now that 'everybody' uses computers how can you be sure who is really
competent in using them versus just someone who knows Word and Mail
and not much more?
-If you are someone who excels at information technology, how can you
prove that? How can you "Stand out from the crowd"?
-How have computers crept into our lives in ways that we don't even
think about any more? Where are computers being used in ways that are
almost invisible to us?
-Have you tried any computer operating systems besides those made by
Microsoft? Have you gone to an Apple Store (closest ones to us are in
the Freehold and Menlo Park Malls) to see the differences between
Windows and OSX?
-Have you tried an E-Book like the Kindle or Nook? How about an iPod
Touch Kindle app? Or even the blio Software for Windows?
-Have you tried Android or Linux?
-Do you believe that a company like Apple or Sony can sell you a
device and then dictate what you can and cannot run on that device?
Would you buy a car from Ford if they told you you are not allowed to
tinker with the engine?
-Would you trust people who break into software for their own use? Or
do you think that changing a system beyond what a vendor thought was
possible is cool and exciting?
-Have you ever had a computer virus? Have you ever lost data due to
malware or hardware crashes? Are you worried about 'hackers' stealing
your identity?
-Do you have virus scanning software installed? Do you have a backup
strategy? Have you thought about how you might want your digital
assets treated if something were to happen to you?
-Do you think that all the cool computer technology has already been
invented and now we'll just see little refinements over time or are
there tons of BIG new developments as earthshaking as the Internet
still to come?
-What do you wish computers could do that they just can't accomplish
given today's state of the art technology?

Did you know you can get the FULL MS office for just $60 as a student?
You can get Windows Vista and maybe even Windows 7 cheaply through
this program too. It's an amazing deal, Microsoft calls it the
Ultimate Steal:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx

We'll make big use of this classwide email capability, tho we havent
really started much on the pre-class email blasts, you should start
seeing random news bits coming in from me, and you can see the links
from previous years if you go to:
http://infotechbuzz.blogspot.com/

If you find good articles about new technology that interests you,
please send them my way. Could be that your story will make it back
to the list for the whole class to talk about. Hopefully you already
have a few favorite sources for technology news. If not, here are a
few links to get you started, we will be discussing current events in
technology quite a bit!
http://www.engadget.com/
http://www.techmeme.com/
http://www.boingboing.net/
http://arstechnica.com/index.ars
http://gizmodo.com/
http://slashdot.org/
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/
http://www.wired.com/
http://tech.alltop.com/

***For you mac-heads and those looking to learn more about Apple:
http://www.tuaw.com
http://www.macrumors.com
http://www.appleinsider.com
http://www.macnn.com
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/

And of course, http://www.apple.com

We look forward to talking to you all soon! Let us know if you have
any questions that need answering before the first meeting.

Sam

Monday, December 21, 2009

Avatar is the real deal

Saw it this weekend in Imax 3D up in New Brunswick. Definitely
recommend that over the Digital 3d and don't even think about seeing
it in 2D! Good stuff and Cameron has come through on all he promised.
The trailers for Hubble, How to Train your Dragon, and Shrek all in
IMAX 3d were impressive too but not even close to Avatar. No "Uncanny
Valley" here. The actors were beyond Gollum level perfect at
conveying real emotions. Here's how they did it:
http://www.wired.com/video/latest-videos/latest/1815816633/avatar-catches-real-emotions-with-performance-capture/57975931001