just an asterisk

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about what “cloud computing” really means.

“Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information, are provided to computers and other devices on-demand, like the electricity grid.” (Wikipedia)

I’m a geek and the above, although well intentioned is about as easy to understand as the other buzzy language I hear on the topic.  Let’s write our own definition (in a few parts): Read more »

I have been avoiding the subject of the iPad.

It has barely been a week and the hubbub online about the hardware, software, features, design, upgrades, and potential yadda yadda is (almost) enough to make me revert to paper news.  The use of the phrase paradigm shift has hit an all time high… (sigh)

However, a friend asked me when I was going to write about the iPressrelease and casually added “isn’t it about exactly what you preach to your readers?  The ultimate goal isn’t the technology?”

Damn.  Touché.

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I recently read an interesting article in the MIT Technology review about data privacy and I found myself wondering if all of these data privacy hubbub really came down to just finding a secure way to share our personal data. Duh! – you’re probably saying, but hear me out. This doesn’t have to be so simple. In fact, in my geeky opinion, there is a very large opportunity for an organization to capitalize on the use of biometrics to provide a true and unbreakable method of identification. You may balk at this – most people dislike being presented with this answer. And yet at the same time, we hand out Social Security numbers as if they were candy, allowing even the guy at the cell phone store the key to the intimate details of our personal lives. Privacy advocates may ask “who watches the watchmen?” but to these naysayers, I argue that this situation is getting out of hand. It’s time for someone to fix the risk to our privacy – our futures depend on it. Read more »

Ok so i think we’ve established that I am a geek and proud of it.  I love data, tools that make visualization easy and just generally, the power of knowledge.  I love that a slow but steady direction for the web is the improvement of search, both with improvements to traditional sites like Google and with interesting newcomers to the seen like WolframAlpha and Cuil. 

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Your children should learn to program.   Disagree?  Let me try an persuade you…  What follows is my take on the history of computers and where we are headed.  Obviously, it’s a mixture of my opinions and generally known facts.  However, please feel free to boooo in the comments :)

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What’s the point of having a blog if you can’t get on your soapbox once in a while and talk about your passions?  I’ve decided to add a segment called future post – the things that I’d love to see as upgrades to existing products or as a new trend/device of the future.

The device that has occupied my daydreams for the last two months is my Kindle2.  As I’ve already posted, it has become my travel companion and to have my personal library instantly accessible is a luxury that I’m not sure I could give up.  Here are six things that I’d like to see on the Kindle in future: Read more »