Quick News Links for Week Ending 5/18/2008
18 May, 2008 (17:39) | Links | By: cmdln
- Deep packet inspection appliance a serious contender
The comfort at the exorbitant price is limited by the realization that they have cheaper, if less capable versions. That and the commodity curve means these type of hardware solutions will just get cheaper and cheaper.
- Questioning the default choice of XML
Not an unreasonable examination of the question of whether to use XML or not and how most seem to adopt it out of default rather than real reasons.
- Google to bring social features as a service
This makes sense and is what Wired’s Chris Andersen has been saying for some time. I am concerned about the security and privacy aspects, though. Integration sounds non-existent, though, may mitigate some risk.
- Researchers recycle circuit boards into oil
Seems to be a thermal and chemical process, makes sense as how much oil goes into plastics and other synthetic materials. Curious to see someone actually try this, the oil could make it a nice profitable venture.
- DefectiveByDesign publishes open letter to libraries
Identifies libraries as a captive market that could form a self feeding loop for DRM enforcement. Argues that DRM is counter to open access principles of public libraries. Allows customization of letter for local action.
- Issues with using GPS to curb truancy
There is already some political resistance and the original NYT piece glosses entirely over issues of privacy, especially as the Ars article implies privacy breaches may result in safety.
- Researchers break quantum crypto, propose fix
Really just proves that there is not absolute security. The fact that the problem is tied to a MAC algorithm strongly hints there may be more problems ahead that the physical nature of the system will not help solve.
- Oregon trying to retain copyright stance of publishing state laws
Oregon wasn’t claiming copyright on the law itself, but rather the layout and headings. Stripping those would make re-publishing the laws by sites like Justia and public.resource.org too costly. The state is betting on that as it apparently realizes a fair amount of revenue from this tacky private content wrapping scheme.
- Australian court rules TV listings are created, not factual, and copyrightable
The issue Patry raises is if this shifts the standard to one of effort to create, what will it do to other aspects of the law, including substantial similarity?
- Open source, open content reference for and by web developers
Offerings seem a bit slim, at the moment, but worth bookmarking and keeping an eye on. Without clear editorial oversight, it is unclear how this will differ from just searching the whole web for reference articles and how to articles.
- Large cable operator to start tracking sites of users
Sounds like a Phorm workalike. Hopefully it will raise similar resistance and ire, save that American cable operators have proven notoriously resistant from learning the lessons of others.
- Rep. Markey not happy about ISP user tracking, ad injection
This in response to Charter’s plans to track their users. Unfortunately, it may take regulation, despite cable operators constant cries that they in fact do not need to be regulated.
- Hypocrisy of UMG over statutory copyright damages
How can we make any forward momentum on copyright reform when one of the big four labels wants to play both sides of the law?
- Chicago latest metropolis to slip into panopticon
The linked article is crowing over taking the human out of the equation. I blame the technology vendors selling “video analytics”. The day job has exposed me to this and its all breathless wonder and very little concern over the impact on civil liberties as in this case.
- Bletchley Park facing financial ruin
It is unclear what the general public can do. It would be a shame to see such a landmark site bull dozed for something so mundane as a strip mall or Starbucks.
- More recommendations on securing against border searches
The advice is consistent with the EFFs that there are no guarantees other than to not store anything sensitive on the laptop itself. Schneier and others have implored the US government to look into these problematic search and seizure practices.
- MPAA still fixated on closing analog hole
And they are ransoming high definition video on demand in order to do so.
- MySpace suicide indictment sets scary precedent
The Meiers suicide is a tragedy to but escalating contract violation to a felony is not worth it. We can only hope if this passes muster that it is stuck down as unconstitutional on appeal.
- A wiki for procedural generation algorithms
I love emergent complexity so could not resist linking to a story about a resource for algorithms to produce it.
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