Gathering of the Treos

Grok Headline matches for Gathering of the Treos

Getting Treos Into Celebrity Hands

Getting Treos Into Celebrity Hands 02/16/2004 02:51 PM
RIM started this with their Blackberry marketing program that tried to get the devices into the hands of specific people who would influence others, and Danger followed up doing the same thing with their Hiptop. Now, it appears that PalmOne/Handspring are going all out in making sure the rich, famous and (most importantly) well connected are carrying Treo 600s wherever they go. Maybe this explains why almost everyone is completely sold out of the devices - they're all going to people who are better connected than you or I. The article paints an interesting picture of the process of getting free stuff if you're rich and famous. Basically, you see one of your rich and famous friends with some cool gadget, and then you call up the company requesting your own. Even though you've got more money than you could ever know what to do with, the company then sends you a free one (or more, if you want...) so that you'll be sure to show it to your friends, and all those piddly little normal people will drool over it and have to go out and spend their hard-earned money on one themselves.

The Kizuna gathering

The Kizuna gathering 04/09/2004 03:56 PM

I am hosting a gathering here in Tokyo starting tomorrow. It's a somewhat academic meeting to talk about social science issues and technological issues around mobility and microcontent. Participants include a small group of academics, technologists and business people. I'll let you know if we come up with anything interesting. Some of the other participants will probably be blogging as well.

This is the first time that I've ever worked together with my sister to organize something so that's been fun. It's also been great working with the team at the Insight & Foresight unit at Nokia who are supporting the event. BTW, "Kizuna" is a Japanese word that means a kind of mental linkage between people. "Friendship" and "family tie" are probably close counterparts in English.

PHP Applications gathering

PHP Applications gathering 06/06/2005 12:05 AM
The PHP Quebec Conference team is looking for the best software developed with PHP, MySQL and Apache. Each proposal received by April 29th 29 will be will be reviewed by an experts and members of the PHP Quebec community. The most useful software will be included on the 2005 PHP Quebec Conference CDROM along with over 25 hours of conference which where given by the leaders behind PHP, MySQL and Apache, as well as regional and international experts at the 2005 PHP Quebec conference.

Six Apart Tokyo Gathering

Six Apart Tokyo Gathering 11/19/2003 02:45 AM
Since Ben and I are in Toyko this week, Six Apart and Neoteny will be holding a Movable Type/TypePad user...

A Gathering to Hack the System

A Gathering to Hack the System 07/13/2004 05:18 AM
Hackers gather in New York City at the fifth annual Hackers on Planet Earth conference to discuss all the little ways that the government and corporations are turning technology against the people. Michelle Delio reports from New York.

Tech's Gathering Gloom

Tech's Gathering Gloom 04/18/2005 08:41 AM
Business Week Apr 18 2005 12:34PM GMT

No Comdex Gathering Again This Year

No Comdex Gathering Again This Year 03/31/2005 03:28 PM
PC World Online Mar 31 2005 6:32PM GMT

MacSB gathering at WWDC

MacSB gathering at WWDC 06/05/2005 10:56 PM
Mike Piatek-Jimenez has set up an informal gathering of MacSB folks at WWDC.

(MacSB stands for Macintosh Small Business—it’s a mailing list for independent Macintosh developers, a place to talk with other developers about the business of Mac development. The name is pronounced max-bee.)

News: L.A. Mac Gathering planned for May

News: L.A. Mac Gathering planned for May 04/06/2005 12:32 PM
Mac specialist Deborah Shadovitz has announced the 2nd Annual Regional Macintosh Gathering set to happen in Los Angeles, Calif. May 13-15, 2005. The event will take place at the Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn in North Hollywood.

Normandy Gathering, and the Mistrust,
Then and Now

Normandy Gathering, and the Mistrust,
Then and Now 05/31/2004 11:46 AM
On the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, many heads of state will be mourning their greatest debacle: the failure to forge a common strategy on Iraq.

Microsoft's Gathering Storm

Microsoft's Gathering Storm 06/08/2004 10:52 AM
Doesn't everyone know Microsoft is playing for keeps with the ERP space?

Intel gathering to change

Intel gathering to change 08/01/2004 06:37 PM
USA Today Aug 1 2004 11:12PM GMT

Gathering SMS Client De-Install Logs

Gathering SMS Client De-Install Logs 05/02/2004 05:55 AM

U.K.'s National Archives Gathering Steam

U.K.'s National Archives Gathering Steam 09/10/2004 05:47 AM
U.K.'s National Archives Gathering Steam
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/08C4FD17BABE24DA80256EF6003 D4B78?OpenDocument

The U.K.'s National Archives has pledged to put 1,000 years of history on the Web by 2007, creating a single "gateway" that will enable other archives, museums, libraries and universities to find information online 24 hours a day. The National Archives was created last year by merging the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission. "In its first year, National Archives has created the first ever online archives of government Web sites and made over 3.5m documents available online," says National Archives chief executive Sarah Tyacke. In pursuing its ambitious goal the National Archives plans to improve the way records are managed and selected and will launch a campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of archives. Eventually, the organization will provide digital archive services to anyone who's a history buff, says Tyacke.

Gathering at Madison Square Park

Gathering at Madison Square Park 10/28/2003 11:08 PM
As part of our first trip to New York City, we are inviting everyone to join us in Madison Square...

Dan Gillmor Tokyo bl0gger gathering

Dan Gillmor Tokyo bl0gger gathering 03/06/2004 01:56 AM

Dan Gillmor's organizing a Tokyo bloggers meeting. Unfortunately, I will be in Austria, but Tokyo bloggers, please sign up and show him a good time.

Dan Gillmor

Tokyo Blogger Gathering?

Arrived in Tokyo last night for a few days. Considering a blogger gathering on Tuesday evening, probably in Akasaka. Shoot me an e-mail, or post a comment below, if you think you can make it.

Cisco Steamroller Gathering Speed

Cisco Steamroller Gathering Speed 11/05/2003 07:06 PM
TheStreet.com Nov 5 2003 5:53PM ET

"Leaks Probe Is Gathering Momentum"

"Leaks Probe Is Gathering Momentum" 12/27/2003 03:06 AM

Pope John Paul II Gathering

Pope John Paul II Gathering 04/01/2005 05:15 PM

Sun sees Jxta gathering steam

Sun sees Jxta gathering steam 01/28/2004 12:30 PM
Sun Microsystems Inc. says its Jxta technology for peer-to-peer computing is gathering steam and may soon make its way into some of its own products.

I feel a wave of flaming gathering in
the west

I feel a wave of flaming gathering in
the west 12/19/2004 03:36 PM
As it continues its transformation from an exciting new technology to a mainstream sharkjumper, here's me, on Podcasting, in The Guardian this morning: ...so why has the podcasting meme spread so far, so quickly? The reasons are simple. Like weblogs,...

World-renowned hackers gathering in
Malaysia

World-renowned hackers gathering in
Malaysia 08/28/2004 11:51 PM

A gathering of Elvii (or Elvum, or Elvi,
or Elvises)

A gathering of Elvii (or Elvum, or Elvi,
or Elvises) 04/08/2005 03:19 PM
Xeni Jardin: Boing Boing reader Bill Bibo says:

I read your post about the elvi listing and thought you might want to know I have a bit a strange little site where I have collected over 100 autographed photos from various Elvis imps all over the world. It is the Hall of Kings at www.biboland.com.

Sadly, my favorite is no longer performing -- Miss Cybelvis Monroe. She was a professional Marilyn Monroe impersonator who did Marilyn impersonating Elvis. I even had the chance to accompany her on ukulele at one gig. Great stuff, hysterical. She gave it all up to pursue an art career (Link).

My collection all began with El Vez, one of the best Elvis "interpreters". PS: I love Boing Boing and try to read it every day.

Link

Previously on BB: Database of Elvis Impersonators

Boing Boing reader Patrick O'Neill says:

Sorry to be a pedantic dick about it, but the real fake genitive plural of "Elvis" is "Elvum". Back formations are tricky that way.

As Democratic Gathering Wraps Up, Bush
Is Raring to Go

As Democratic Gathering Wraps Up, Bush
Is Raring to Go 07/30/2004 12:01 AM
President Bush will begin a vigorous new phase of his campaign on Friday, racing through the Midwest arguing that the nation has turned the corner in dealing with its problems.

ProNet: Gathering Feedback with Movable
Type

ProNet: Gathering Feedback with Movable
Type 04/12/2005 01:41 PM

Oracle woos ISVs at executive gathering

Oracle woos ISVs at executive gathering 06/28/2004 08:05 PM
NEW YORK - As part of an ongoing effort to draw more developers to its technology, Oracle Corp.'s partner group this week will host its first gathering devoted to ISVs (independent software vendors).

French PHP Gathering: Forum PHP 2002
(Paris)

French PHP Gathering: Forum PHP 2002
(Paris) 11/21/2002 10:04 AM

Tokyo Movable Type Users Gathering

Tokyo Movable Type Users Gathering 03/13/2003 10:15 AM
Starting next Wednesday, Ben and I will be visiting Tokyo, Japan. On Friday, January 17th, our host, Joi Ito and...

Watchster news gathering service debuts

Watchster news gathering service debuts 10/29/2003 09:09 AM
A new Web site which gathers news from over 100 different Mac, PDA, and technology sites has officially debuted this week...

"washingtonpost.com: Leaks Probe Is
Gathering Momentum"

"washingtonpost.com: Leaks Probe Is
Gathering Momentum" 12/27/2003 09:04 AM

Leaks Probe Is Gathering Momentum
(washingtonpost.com)

Leaks Probe Is Gathering Momentum
(washingtonpost.com) 12/27/2003 06:39 AM
washingtonpost.com: Leaks Probe Is Gathering Momentum .. Leaks Inquiry Heats Up, Prosecutor Added .. still making shit up .. Never mind .. alive

washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30842-2003Dec25?language=printe r
track this site | 5 links

Gathering Basic Machine Information And
Its Role

Gathering Basic Machine Information And
Its Role 05/04/2004 06:20 PM

Spam abatement proposals gathering
momentum

Spam abatement proposals gathering
momentum 05/24/2004 01:22 AM
The temperature around spam abatement became hotter last week when Microsoft submitted a draft proposal to the Internet standards body, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Bush to Revamp Intel-Gathering System
(AP)

Bush to Revamp Intel-Gathering System
(AP) 08/02/2004 04:42 AM
AP - President Bush, under election-year pressure to revamp the nation's intelligence-gathering system to help thwart terrorist attacks, is preparing to act on reforms suggested by the Sept. 11 commission.

Patent suits filed for p2p
information-gathering technology

Patent suits filed for p2p
information-gathering technology 11/16/2003 01:24 AM

Altnet , a peer-to-peer technology company, filed suit against nine companies for infringement infringement for their information-gathering application. The claim is that the named firms, such as Big Champagne , used Altnet's software and concepts for obtaining information about user activities within peer-to-peer (p2p) networks:

"Our intent has always been to commercialize peer to peer, and if anyone is misusing our patent for any reason, I have to protect that intellectual property," [Altnet Executive Vice President] Broes said. "If they're building business on the backs of the patent I worked hard to acquire, then they should talk to us."

Given the large audiences using p2p applications for (among other things) file-sharing, many intellectual property owners have used or considered using them to learn more about market behavior and preferences.

(thanks to Amy McGill !)

Inside Mac Radio Macworld Expo gathering
planned

Inside Mac Radio Macworld Expo gathering
planned 01/05/2004 01:13 AM
Inside Mac Radio has announced "The Party For The People" at this year's Macworld Expo...

ResourceShelf Starts Gathering Materials
for 2004 Elections

ResourceShelf Starts Gathering Materials
for 2004 Elections 11/15/2003 06:45 PM
Gary Price has announced his intention to collect reference materials and databases for the 2004 election. You can get his first set of links at http://digbig.com/3fek . Hey Gary: I know you're going to collect a LOT of these. How...

US Regulators Delay Web-Based Bank Data
Gathering to 2005

US Regulators Delay Web-Based Bank Data
Gathering to 2005 08/31/2004 08:50 PM
American Banker Aug 31 2004 11:38PM GMT

Proliferation of Internet advice leaves
guidebooks gathering dust

Proliferation of Internet advice leaves
guidebooks gathering dust 06/12/2004 04:43 AM
Canada.com - Sat Jun 12, 09:12 am GMT
Grok Description matches for Gathering of the Treos
GrokA matches for Gathering of the Treos

"lyrics"

"lyrics" 03/13/2003 10:25 AM

WWW-Lyrics-0.01

WWW-Lyrics-0.01 05/05/2004 06:57 AM

"Homophobic" lyrics

"Homophobic" lyrics 08/17/2004 09:49 AM
British authorities weigh free-speech issues in deciding whether to charge reggae star Beenie Man with inciting violence against gays.

lyrics%2Bsong%2Bb

lyrics%2Bsong%2Bb 05/28/2004 01:46 AM

google.co.uk/search?q=lyrics%2Bsong%2Bbelleville%2Brendezvous&hl=en &lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N
track this site | 2 links

Do you know your 80's lyrics?

Do you know your 80's lyrics? 11/10/2003 11:34 PM
Wow, even I didn't know some of them! Check out the 80's Lyrics Quiz: People are What?...

On technology and song lyrics...

On technology and song lyrics... 01/24/2004 07:18 PM

I love it when technology creeps from innovation to ubiquity. Or - more to the point - I love that very first set of transitions, when you're watching a movie or a TV show and suddenly for the first time they're actually using e-mail or talking about Googling someone. In analysing the sensation, I keep coming back to a mingling of a few different experiences - one is of a private world becoming public, one is of elation and approval and one is (weirdly) a sensation of vindication (even if the technology has been around for years). I suppose there's something profoundly reassuring about seeing your strange habits and vocabulary represented to the world as being totally normal - exotic or cool even - particularly when it's done in a form that hundreds of thousands of people might encounter. Maybe it's a bit like being accepted at school or something.

Here's an example of one of those moments, from a medium (rock song lyrics) that isn't exactly known for its take-up and referencing of breaking technologies:

My phone's on vibrate for you
Electroclash is karaoke too
I try to dance, Britney Spears
I guess I'm getting on in years

My phone's on vibrate for you
God knows what all these new drugs do
I guess to have no more fears
But still I always end up in tears

My phone's on vibrate for you
But still I never ever feel from you
Pinocchio's now a boy
Who wants to turn back into a toy

So call me
Call me in the morning
Call me in the night
So call me
Call me anytime you like

My phone's on vibrate for you
For you [Vibrate by Rufus Wainwright]

Read the comments

Abander MP3 Lyrics Extractor v1.0

Abander MP3 Lyrics Extractor v1.0 03/19/2003 10:45 PM
Abander MP3 Lyrics Extractor is a free and easy-to-use MP3 Tag Viewer and MP3 Lyrics Extractor. Support: ID3v1, ID3v2 tags (artist, album, title, track, year, genre, conmment and Lyrics [USLT ID3v2 frames]) and MPEG information (bitrate, sample rate, size...).

Lirica - Lyrics Finder

Lirica - Lyrics Finder 03/27/2005 08:24 AM
Trackers updated

OpenLP - Open Lyrics Projector

OpenLP - Open Lyrics Projector 04/16/2004 07:39 PM
Version 2 Feature Requests

Store song lyrics with iTunes tracks

Store song lyrics with iTunes tracks 09/09/2004 10:28 AM
I'd never thought of a good reason to use the comments section in the info section of iTunes, until I was looking up lyrics online. Since the info in the comments is saved as part of the file, it's a good place to keep your ...

Pod2Go update offers support for lyrics,
more

Pod2Go update offers support for lyrics,
more 04/21/2004 10:39 PM
Pod2Go 0.7 from Kainjow Software is the latest version of the software that "takes an ordinary iPod and makes it extraordinary by syncing news, weather forecasts, movie listings, stock quotes, horoscopes, driving directions and much more all with a few clicks of the mouse."...

Cat's Clicks: Find Song Lyrics Online

Cat's Clicks: Find Song Lyrics Online 09/02/2004 07:36 PM
G4 Tech TV Sep 3 2004 0:12AM GMT

Mario and Zelda Big Band: NES music with
Latin beats and Japanese lyrics

Mario and Zelda Big Band: NES music with
Latin beats and Japanese lyrics 06/19/2004 01:25 AM
Someone just posted a track by the "Mario and Zelda Big Band" on a private file-sharing site I'm on. This is a Japanese big band fronted by a singer whose delivery reminds me of the frontwoman for Orquesta De La Luz (my favorite Japanese salsa band), and backed by a huge horn and winds section. They've got a CD of a live performance of music from classic Nintendo games, with invented Japanese words and super tight Latin jazz melodies. I've just ordered the scorchingly expensive CD and while I wait for it to arrive, I guess I'll just keep this one track in heavy rotation. It's fantastic. Link

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports |
'Terror' text contained punk lyrics

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports |
'Terror' text contained punk lyrics 06/04/2004 01:51 PM
Member of Clash tribute band questioned by police for texting lyrics to 'Tommy Gun' .. Make sure you send it to the right person .. From the Guardian .. guardian.co.uk

guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1230607,00.htm l
track this site | 5 links

usher's "dot com", horrendous
web-pun lyrics

usher's "dot com", horrendous
web-pun lyrics 08/22/2004 04:15 AM
oh my blog! "oooo i need your backspace in my life"

Autosend v2.5

Autosend v2.5 11/05/2003 01:52 AM
Share files with your friends or with the entire world by email easy and safe. Like a FTP server (with more features) but through your regular email client. Emails are simple and easy to use, can go through firewalls. Accessible to everybody everywhere. Just configure a server with its own email address and people can ask you a file just by sending an email which subject is the filename of the desired file. The file is sent back as attachment. [Shareware $40.00 30 Days 15 MB]

Can You Really Disconnect?

Can You Really Disconnect? 09/07/2004 02:12 PM
There have been plenty of stories about the always on nature of the worklife many people lead now that technology makes them reachable anywhere, anytime. Now eWeek is running a similar story that tries to look more at the importance of disconnecting, and suggests that, while this always on culture is enabled by technology, it's more a result of the way we view our workplace. While the whole idea of building up a work team is so that it can function without you present, people often have difficulty letting go -- either because they don't trust others, or they worry that if everything runs smoothly while they're away, they'll be viewed as expendable. Obviously, there are some situations where staying in touch is necessary. However, for plenty of workers, learning to let go (with maybe a brief connection to clean out the spam) would probably be helpful.

Cellular disconnect

Cellular disconnect 01/25/2004 04:04 AM
Boston Globe Jan 25 2004 7:34AM GMT

The conspiracy to disconnect VoIP

The conspiracy to disconnect VoIP 06/17/2004 01:19 PM
ZDNet Jun 17 2004 5:32PM GMT

Consumer Confidence Disconnect

Consumer Confidence Disconnect 06/30/2004 02:37 PM
Apparently, we're confident. How come all the big retailers are warning?

Porting problems disconnect carrier
swaps

Porting problems disconnect carrier
swaps 01/22/2004 12:56 PM
ZDNet Jan 22 2004 5:29PM GMT

Sysinternals PsTools Fails to Disconnect
Shares

Sysinternals PsTools Fails to Disconnect
Shares 07/22/2004 08:12 PM

Direct and Related Links for 'Sysinternals PsTools Fails to Disconnect Shares'

“Alan Ridgeway has reported a security issue in PsTools, potentially allowing malicious users to gain administrative privileges on remote systems….Solution: Only system administrators and trusted users should be granted access to systems used for system administration purposes. Reportedly, the latest version properly disconnects when the utility is closed.”…

Innovating from the Ground Up, and the
Idea-Implementation Disconnect

Innovating from the Ground Up, and the
Idea-Implementation Disconnect 03/22/2005 04:54 PM

The Ideas: (1) Instead of thinking about technological innovation that applies top-down (improving our cities, our institutions, our communities) what if we thought about such innovation at the personal level, bottom-up, the way nature does? (2) Why are we so inept at moving from brilliant ideas to ubiquitous delivery of solutions? I have long been an advocate of bottom-up, front-line-focused, personalized solutions to business problems, because I've seen them work, and because I've seen imposed top-down one-size-fits-all management solutions continually fail. And I've proposed bottom-up, community-based solutions for our political, social and economic woes. Everything I've learned so far tells me that bigger-is-worse, that there are no economies of scale, that centralized is much less effective than decentralized, and that the people at the top of power and money elites are totally disinterested in solving real problems, and merely consumed with further increasing their power and wealth. So if bottom-up problem-solving is the best answer for business, social, political and economic challenges, how about technological challenges? I have mentioned my revelation at a recent wind energy conference where a large number of people seeking to become personally energy-independent overwhelmed one gentleman who wanted the state to set up more centralized, "efficient" wind farms for all, and how I, as a liberal accustomed to the role of the state in organizing things for the greater benefit, was at first ambivalent, but by the end of the day was won over by the self-interested. While I still believe innovation and technology need to be focused on solving basic human needs, I've begun to think that they might better solve those needs by looking at personal bottom-up solutions instead of institutionally-deployed ones. I'm even wondering whether community-based renewable energy co-ops are too centralized. No, I haven't suddenly become a libertarian or a Dawkins selfish-gene adherent: Nature, in its technological design and innovation (look at birds' wings and the thermal design of feathers), doesn't use centralized solutions -- animal communities are bound together by social imperatives, not shared technologies. Why should we be any different? Maybe we need to merge the great cradle-to-cradle design thinking of guys like Bill McDonough, who creates wonderful zero-waste designs for institutions, with the bottom-up, personalized approaches that I have advocated for business. Here are some of the fragments of ideas that I've been kicking around since I contemplated this. Since I was thinking at the time about renewable energy, the End of Oil and global warming, that's what most of these ideas are focused on: What if solar energy collectors were designed to look like trees, not like flat panels -- more surface area, better fit with the environment? Could they even be 'grown' using fractal patterns and crystal-forming ingredients? What if hats were designed as personal solar energy collectors -- instead of just protecting us from the sun's rays, why not have them harvest them? What about hair, even, which again has more surface area. Could our shampoo double as an application of wireless nanotech energy collectors? What if we could harvest our nervous energy, and the energy expended when we exercise? I've heard of PCs and flashlights powered by hand-cran k devices. Why not PCs and TVs powered by foot pedals, or ergonomic bicycle-type devices under our desks? Deskwork and good exercise at the same time. What if instead of heating and cooling whole buildings, we designed our clothing (the design of which now is, let's face it, pretty useless, not nearly durable enough, and quite silly) to heat and cool our bodies? No more fighting over where to set the thermostat -- we each set our own. And don't tell me it would look geeky or restrict our movement -- good design can solve that. Just use birds as models. What if we merged the technologies of the Smart Car (lightweight materials, miniaturization) with the technologies of the recumbent bicycle, the ele ctric scooter, and the Segway, to create a human-powered enclosed vehicle that would achieve highway speeds and give us good exercise while using no fuel whatsoever? Can't be done? That's what they told the Wrights. What if we developed a toilet that produced fertilizer instead of sewage, and delivered it through the sprinkler system right to your garden? Yes, I hear you saying that these aren't new ideas, they've been tried, some are even being used as we speak. But how do we make them commercial, mainstream, available to and affordable by everyone? After all, millions of houses are still being built with wasteful, inefficient North American style hot water heaters instead of the long-coil European "instant hot water" heaters. If we're going to save the world and stuff we can't quit when people nod and say "good idea" -- we need to commercialize it, make it better, experiment with real working models, and drive it out until everyone has one, so the need for the old technologies that these ideas replace -- power plants, the electrical grid, furnaces, air conditioners, internal combustion engines, passive hot water tanks, toxic non-recyclable batteries, maybe even buildings (to the extent their primary function is to keep heat in, or out) -- can be done away with. What is the reason that so many bottom-up ideas and innovations never make it into the commercial marketplace? I'm not a believer in conspiracy theories that corporations deliberately buy up and suppress more durable inventions to keep them from cannibalizing their market. I think it's more likely that people with good ideas are just disconnected from those with the skills and resources needed to implement those ideas. And vice versa -- those with commercialization skills and resources are rewarded by the market (and by shareholders) for not fixing what ain't broke, for not changing what they're doing until and unless they have to.  So on the one hand we have an astonishing and unprecedented flood of good ideas, made possible by the democratization of knowledge (the Internet etc.), and on the other hand we have this incredible inertia by those who could make those ideas reality, change everything. Not dissimilar to the paradox of our staggering surplus of cheap (thanks to subsidies) foods and medicines at the same time we have epidemics of hunger, malnutrition and disease. "It's the distribution system", some say. "It's the lack of security and ethics in the areas of suffering" say others. "It's the whole economic system, which is designed to artificially create scarcity to drive up demand and hence profits", say others. It's time to stop excusing ourselves and blaming others for these disconnects. It's time to stop amusing ourselves to death with fake-reality shows and the fate of some poor brain-dead woman in Florida. Where there's a will, there's a way. It's a question of priorities, of combining energies, and of collaborating in a focused, informed and urgent manner to fix the disconnects and make it happen. We have a responsibility to make it happen. We certainly have the money, the ingenuity and the organizing technologies to make it happen, so what are we waiting for? We need to get past our learned helplessness and start talking to each other about things that matter, things we can fix, and enrolling ourselves to do so. Are we just disorganized, or is our passivity, our inaction, our feelings of helplessness, are these things symptoms of something deeper, darker? Or is all this noise, this online cacophony, the sound of a billion revving engines just now shifting into gear?

Trying To Unravel Study About
IT/Employee Security Disconnect

Trying To Unravel Study About
IT/Employee Security Disconnect 04/28/2004 02:31 PM
Websense, a company that is trying to sell filters to IT staff, has put out a new study talking about how there's a disconnect between IT staff and employees when it comes to threats on their machines. Unfortunately, it also appears that there's a disconnect between the study, the press release about it and some reporters. Two different articles on the study present some very different numbers - and some of the conclusions in the press release seem equally questionable. Silicon Valley Business Journal says that employees claim they spend two hours a week surfing personal sites, while Wired News gives the number as 3.3 hours. Both, however, agree that IT staff believes it's more like six hours. The disconnect between IT and employees isn't surprising. Of course employees are going to play down how much time they spend surfing non-work sites, because they don't want to get in trouble. At the same time IT often has the incentive to boost those numbers to suggest they need more resources to handle the "problem". The press release shows that the number is 2 hours - but even that's a little confusing. They say that 51% of employees admit to surfing 1 to 5 hours a week, for an average of 2 hours. It's not clear if it's just those 51% who average 2 hours, or if that includes the 49% who apparently don't do personal surfing at work. The next bit of confusion is over spyware. Wired points out that 6% of employees admit to downloading spyware, but that 30% of computers are found with spyware, while the press release gives the number as 29% (just a little rounding, I guess). This isn't all that surprising, since spyware is known to install itself without people knowing. The Business Journal, however, focuses on the fact that the press release claims 92% of companies ended up with spyware - highlighting the discrepancy between the 6% and the 92%. That's misleading, since even if 1% of all employees at every company ended up with spyware, 100% of companies would have spyware. The Business Journal piece also follows the press release in saying that the study asked people if they "visited sites" that install spyware, whereas Wired News assumes the question was whether or not they knowingly "downloaded" spyware - two very different things. Finally, Wired says that 93% of IT staff claim they're adequately protected against viruses - but that two-thirds admit their company has been hit by viruses. The Business Journal phrases things a bit differently. First, they claim the number is 95% instead of 93% (the press release says "nearly 95%" so this is understandable) and instead of saying protected against viruses, they say "protected from threats such as spyware, peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging and maladies such as the MyDoom virus -- all potential conduits for Web-based viruses." That paints a very different picture. First off, it's a bit problematic to simply lump together things like spyware and instant messaging as global "threats," but even worse that list doesn't include email - the main source of viruses getting onto computers. The press release, however, indicates that the study simply asked if their anti-virus software was effective. Anyway, it is very likely that there's a disconnect between IT staff and employees concerning protecting computers in the work place, and better tools would probably help. However, relying on this study, or any of the articles about it, doesn't seem like a particularly useful exercise.

InfoPath on a pedestal

InfoPath on a pedestal 03/19/2003 10:41 PM
James Snell: If InfoPath does for XML and Web services what Excel did for Spreadsheets, bravo to Microsoft, good job.

Checking out Infopath

Checking out Infopath 03/12/2003 01:48 PM

Mark Baker: This is such a perfectly RESTful system

I'm pleased to see such a ringing endorsement by Mark Baker of XML Web Services.  Unfortunately, we still have a semantic gap where Mark uses the terms "browser" and "web services" in such a limited way, but we can overlook that for now.

InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview

InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview 06/23/2004 11:53 PM
The recently released InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview provides a sneak peek at the InfoPath enhancements that will ship with Microsoft® Office 2003 SP1 around the middle of 2004. The preview is packed with new features, others which improve the user experience and some which improve the developer experience by increasing flexibility and control. I'll walk through several of these new features with a focus on those that apply to developers.

what's new with InfoPath service pack

what's new with InfoPath service pack 06/28/2004 01:25 PM
WSDL support sounds interesting

Gathering of the Treos

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