Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Crowd Sourcing not a perpetual motion machine - duh!

Take This Blog and Shove It!

When utopian ideals crash into human nature—sloth triumphs.

Illustration by David Plunkert

In the history of the web, last spring may figure as a tipping point. That’s when Wikipedia, “the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit”—a site that grew from 100,000 articles in 2003 to more than 15 million today—began to falter as a social movement. Thousands of volunteer editors, the loyal Wikipedians who actually write, fact-check, and update all those articles, logged off—many for good. For the first time, more contributors appeared to be dropping out than joining up. Activity on the site has remained stagnant, according to a spokesperson for the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit behind the site, and it’s become “a really serious issue.” So serious, in fact, that this fall Wikipedia will turn to something it has never needed before: recruiters.

Important reality check. Crowd sourcing is fascinating, and cool, but driven by exogenous factors -- much, one might think, like open source.

Posted via email from _technoist_

All the fun of the PC - First Trojan for Android Phones Goes Wild

Google Android phones must be popular - they've just been targeted with their first Trojan. An SMS Trojan called Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a has already infected a number of mobile devices, according to security firm Kaspersky Lab. Purporting to be a harmless media player application, the Trojan, once installed, actually sends out SMS text messages without the users' knowledge or consent.

There will be a lot of mobile device management companies thrilled to see this news.

The big questions:
1. How susceptable are SmartPhone (hand held computer) operating systems to this type of attack, or indeed to all the varients that occur on the desktop?
2. How will organizations cope with managing and securing, not just Windows devices, but the menagerie of emerging SmartPhones and tablets.

Posted via email from _technoist_

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Impressive technology from MSFT Research - Street view will never be the same

Worth a look - a true navigational aid, in a way that today's street view technologies don't achieve. Impressive shift in the state of the art.

Posted via email from _technoist_

Monday, July 26, 2010

India's $35 touch-screen computer - could change BRIC internet from mobile focus?

India unveils prototype for $35 touch-screen computer

Indian Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal unveils the

The Indian government has unveiled the prototype of an iPad-like touch-screen laptop, with a price tag of $35 (£23), which it hopes to roll out next year.

I want one.

If this price point can be reached in practice, could it change the trajectory toward small screen internet in developing areas? I think it could have a massive impact, and will be tracking this area closely.

Posted via email from _technoist_

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Internet is a Western - cowboys, hackers, heros and villians (via @andragy)

                                                           

How the Internet embodies the cultural myth of the Western. Academic and provides valuable insights into many of the prevailing, and unstated behaviors driving Internet businesses.

Places many of the Internet movers and shakers into mythological context. Also starts with Australian Comms Minister Conroy as sheriff or Indian. An insightful essay from @andragy.

Posted via web from _technoist_