Edited by author 11-23-2007 08:52 AM

That database! Identity matters!

It's impossible to draw all the lessons we need from the child benefit database fiasco. But there were three relevant seminars in London that same week.

Wendy went to them all...
 

Edited by author 12-07-2007 10:44 AM

What things are private, really

It's the opinion of our star columnist, Wendy Grossman that

 People do, clearly, care about privacy – when the issues are made visible to them. Unfortunately, the privacy-invasiveness of a service, policy, or Web site usually only becomes visible after the horse has escaped and is comfortably grazing in the field of three-leaf clover.

Agree?
 

Edited by author 01-11-2008 08:46 AM

Fancy being frozen alive before you die?

Apparently Wendy does.

From a scientific point of view, I can sort of understand the interest in developing such a technology. I can think of people who, like King Arthur, you'd like to have alive (or revivable) for a future emergency. But the trouble is, I can't think of any of them who'd actually be any darned use in any likely future.

Imagine Arthur, thundering into Tehran at the behest of an American President, on warhorses. Imagine Abraham Lincoln, asked to define a Constitutional approach to affirmative action, or global warming.

It's bollox, really, isn't it? Humans have a life; after that, it's someone else's turn. Move on.

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Edited by author 01-27-2008 05:13 AM

The freedom to be wrong

Keith Henson (pictured) went to jail for criticising the Church of Scientology - and he hasn't been the only victim of the campaign. Wendy's piece this week summarises the battles in the war between the web and the thetans.

Her point is a simple enough one: if we condemn the Church of Scientology for repressing free speech, we disqualify ourselves from using a similar evil tactic. Therefore denial of service attacks on Scientology web sites should be avoided.

But is that the end of the discussion?

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"We know where you live..."

So it seems, anyway; this week, Wendy is on the trail of surveillance skulduggery - in Wikipedia, Phorm, and Government.

And, of course, AT&T...

our chat on irc.mibbit.com (popup)

Edited by author 04-26-2008 09:35 AM

Power to the cpu!

Actually, the disaster may already be happening, because electricity supplies to data centres are already the primary cost of running an Internet Service Provider. But think about the data storage alone...

Please attach comments.

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New is old again

Wendy has spent too much time in SF movies...

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Edited by author 05-30-2008 10:26 AM

Happy Birthday, FIPR!

Hulk Hogan is not a great model for a society's database, our chief columnist points out this week.

But despite "promises" that's what we're getting. And any local council can hire Hulk, it seems...

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Smuggling Smarties ... in a glass case?

You do feel naked when you find people at the conference giggling over your filenames.

Ouch.

Edited by author 06-21-2008 04:48 AM

Print deadlines

The trouble with going for email newsletters is that you can procrastinate forever about when it's finished.

When you give it to an operator of one of Mr Gutenberg's devices, the printer has a schedule, and expects copy the day you booked the presses. It comes out on time that way.

Well, that's one theory, sure...

Edited by author 06-27-2008 11:09 AM

That's a Black Goose, that's what...

The sad tale of a Government department that regarded security as a low priority has now been told, in the Poynter Review.
Read all about it, and weep...

I have to disagree with Wendy about newsletters. I run a mountain biking club, www.bogtrotters.org. We used to publish a printed list of rides with some editorial material every 3 months. It was very tedious filling envelopes, even for just 40 members. I moved the list of activities to our website 6 years ago, combined with a couple of mailing lists for announcements and discussions. In the intervening period the membership has steadily grown, to 115 now. I'm 55, and there are only 3 other members older than me, who seem to be able to cope with electronic delivery perfectly well. There are a few luddites who rely on a quick mobile call to check what's happening

Retroactive incentives?

It's easy to see who has the lobbying muscle, when it comes to reforming copyright laws (writes Wendy this week).

Wouldn't it be nicer if the performers, rather than the recording business, got the benefit?

Edited by author 08-03-2008 05:58 AM

Car boot sale?

In 1980, it was your signature which gave you away.

Today, it's your "spending patterns." Which is clever, when it works, says Wendy. But what's the explanation for when it doesn't?


Image: Walter Matthau as Miles Kendig

Five ringtone circus...

Smog? Never mind the smog, check out YouTube!.

Edited by author 08-22-2008 08:22 AM

Sir Alan Ayckbourn

You back my scratches, and...

Literary criticism? We haz LitCrit. At least, if you're going to discuss copy protection, "software as a service" and video distribution rights, you'd better discuss someone whose output is worth protecting.

Wendy has been to the Scarborough theatrical production of an Ayckbourn play. Why does Sir Alan prevent publication of video performances?

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