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Tuesday, June 25, 2002 |
Your Guide to Open Government
" 'What does it mean to have an 'open government?' How can you use public records? Why is it important that meetings of public officials remain open to the public?
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with the help of the Pew Center for Civic Journalism, hopes that these Web pages will help answer those questions.
But more importantly, we hope the information will help promote and continue discussion of our nation’s First Amendment to the U.S. constitution. The First Amendment, which celebrates its 211th anniversary this year, is the foundation for the freedoms that uniquely distinguish our democracy.
On these pages you’ll find recent news stories from Pennsylvania and around the country that deal with issues of open government. You’ll see how citizens like you have used open records to help them accomplish their goals.'
LS Thoughts - Most of the articles are based in Pennsylvania, but worth a look. This type of project would be very useful on a national, rather then local, scale." [Library Stuff]
This looks like a great resource, but the glaring omission is the lack of any reference, pointer, or even mention of Pennsylvania libraries and the resources they offer!
11:43:02 PM Permanent link here
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Yahoo Cuts Some Broadcast Services
"Yahoo on Tuesday said it is shutting down several broadcast services, including its financial news program FinanceVision and Yahoo Radio....
On the radio side, Yahoo has been shifting its branding efforts toward its Launch division since it acquired the online music service for $12 million in 2001. Yahoo said it will continue to run the Launch service.
The closure of Yahoo Radio comes following a closely watched ruling last week from the Librarian of Congress on Webcasting royalty rates. The ruling has been widely criticized by small Webcasters, many of which say it is too high and will force them to close.
Sohn said Yahoo Radio, which served as an aggregation point for offline radio stations, was unaffected by the royalty rate decision.
Yahoo appears to pulling back on other broadcast services as well. Yahoo Broadcasts' CD Jukebox service, which allows musical artists to post MP3s versions of their songs, this week stopped accepting new submissions, according to a posting on the site." [CNET News.com]
So in the ultimate slap in the face to internet radio, Yahoo's shenanigans to "shut out small webcasters" has resulted in higher fees for webcasters, and the tactic hasn't even worked for them! They're still not profitable, they're shuttering services, and they're consolidating, the very symptom that has created so many of the music industry's current problems (Clear Channel, record labels, new versions of payola - take your pick).
Maybe Yahoo Radio "was unaffected by the royalty rate decision," but it will definitely be affected adversely by the new, more restrictive (and therefore collapsing), environment of internet radio they've helped foster.
10:52:36 PM Permanent link here
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Remember When We Had No E-mail?
"James Gleick, author of "What Just Happened," explains what he got right, and wrong, over the last ten years....
Question: In 1994 you wrote: "I have seen the future, and it's still in the future." Do you still feel that way about technology today? Or does it just always seem this way with technology?
Gleick: Something happened starting 10 years ago that was really exceptional. The speed of change of technology is different now. It's qualitatively different. It's disturbing. We can't always appreciate that because our memories are unreliable. Our attention spans seem to be shorter. We all feel this.
But something very much like it happened a century ago, when the world suddenly got electricity and telephones, and underwent a sudden and dramatic change in the size and topology of the globe. So, it's happened before.
Question: What are some of the ways that people forget how different things were just 10 years ago?
Gleick: It's still slightly surprising to people to remember that as recently as 1994 most people not only didn't have e-mail, but they didn't really know what e-mail was, and it didn't occur to them that they were ever going to have it.
I remember it all vividly, because I started an Internet company in the summer of 1993. And I remember talking to my friends about it, and people thought I was nuts.
I would talk to lawyers, and I would say: I think it's possible that in a while, maybe in a few decades, every law firm will be able to send e-mail, just as now they use the fax machine. And my lawyer friends would roll their eyes and humor me.
Every profession operates differently now, because the online world exists. Every profession, and it's still just getting started." [Salon]
I haven't kept up with Gleick's magazine essays but I really enjoyed Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything, so I can't wait to read his latest book, What Just Happened: A Chronicle From the Information Frontier. Of course, that means I have to hope Audible is going to be able to make it available (fingers and toes crossed, candles lit). If you haven't read Faster, I highly recommend it. You won't feel so alone in your feeling of information overload, which is (of course), just another way of viewing the shifting of information.
10:31:34 PM Permanent link here
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Warchalking
 "Okay so here is the first draft of a warchalking symbol card. Having not very much experience of war-walking or war-driving, I'm really looking to others for suggestion as what would be useful to represent in the warchalking symbology. Hopefully we can get the card to V1.0 pretty quickly and start chalking up the city!
I'm going to talk to some folk tommorrow and try and get the discussion going at "PRIVATE REVERIES, PUBLIC SPACES" and hopefully, DIS2002.
You can download:
 A PDF of the card to print out and use [31k]
An EPS of the card to download and improve [800k]"
First Picture
"Ben gets the inaugural warchalking pic - he's chalked up his kynance mews access point, and damn - it looks good even though I say so myself...
[click the picture for a bigger version, 74k]
He's also written a little piece over at his O'Reilly blog, which explains why warchalking your town or city is a good idea much better than I ever could."
This meme is really rolling right now, but I think it has staying power if enough folks hop on board, especially libraries. If your library is providing public WiFi access, put up a rune! If you're not and you're at a public library, look at this phenomenon and realize how you could contribute to it, the benefits to the public, and the benefits for you!
You can also read the comments about this over at Slashdot.
9:52:30 PM Permanent link here
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Will sends along a special excerpt from The Broadband Difference: How Online Americans’ Behavior Changes with High-speed Internet Connections at Home (PDF):
"In sum, emailing and information searching are most popular among broadbanders. This is not too surprising, since most Americans view the Internet as an information resource like a library. When asked what the Internet is like, 51% of all Americans in the Pew Internet Project's March 2002 survey likened it to a library and no other alternative metaphor such as 'meeting place' or 'shopping mall' comes close to that symbol of what the Internet is."
8:33:58 PM Permanent link here
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Intranets in Schools
"I was interested to read in Europemedia that Loek Hermans, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, has officially unveiled Kennisnet, claimed to one of the largest intranets in the world, connecting 11,000 schools in the Netherlands and providing access to some 2m pupils. Kennisnet connects schools, education-related organisations and institutions such as museums and libraries, providing secure and managed access to a wealth of information. It also offers an easy means of communication between pupils, teachers, parents and other interested parties. Two years in the making and costing the ministry E180m, Kennisnet is accessed by some 50,000 people daily....
A quick check on Google showed there to be over 500,000 hits on intranet+school and 250,000 on intranet+schools. A look through some of the hits showed that schools at all levels in the USA were using intranets, and there were also a number of references to the situation in other countries. Certainly in the UK there are some initiatives to deploy intranets in schools. There may well be presentations on these school intranets at conferences in the education sector, but I have not come across any examples in what you might call It-focused intranet conferences. Apart from the communications aspects they would be an excellent way to teach pupils HTML skills and introduce them to the 'cultural' aspects of intranets." [Intranet Focus Blog]
Very impressive. I'd love to find more details about the software they're using, the interface they built, any taxonomies or thesaurii they've implemented, etc. Do they have different interfaces based on who you are (teacher, librarian, parent, etc.)? Is there any RSS involved?
You can easily see how blogging could fit into this picture if you browse through SchoolBlogs. Hey, Adam - as a parent, have you seen the Kennisnet?
8:14:18 PM Permanent link here
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I Can't Even Decide on a Color for the Bathroom
"The astronomers who discovered the color of the universe (and then changed their mind, like any good homeowner) have given the color a name: Cosmic Latte. Their colleagues helped pick. Here are their Top 10 choices.
I kind of liked "Big Bang Buff" myself. Sounds maybe a bit too much like a porn star, though.
Sudden thought: has anyone filed a trademark yet on Cosmic Latte?" [Over the Edge]
I'll have to design the SLS portal around this color....
7:28:06 PM Permanent link here
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I'm frustrated by database connections today, so Andy B. sent me a compilation of one-liners from the Sillies and Really Bad Jokes. I'll get lots of laughs tonight when I relate the following:
Why do gorillas have big nostrils?
Because they have big fingers.
Should go over quite well....
Thanks, Andy!
3:51:22 PM Permanent link here
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Fun With 'bots
"Thought: Set the bot with security such that it will only give certain answers to people that you have on a list. For example, you would have it set to tell a close friend where you were, or give out your cell number in case they had lost it, but it would not hand this out to complete strangers. It could also pester you with reminders form your appointment book, or to do list, or even take short messages from your friends (if they knew the keywords to get it started).
Example:
Friend: hey! Where is Jane?
AIMbot: (checks name against list of trusted folks) Jane is on her way to work.
Friend: Leave Message?
AIMbot: Handjive? (checking for the password to alow this functionality)
Friend: Annabobanna
AIMbot: Go ahead.
Friend: Meet you at Phil's restaurant after work, 6ish, k?
AIMbot:...
AIMbot:...
AImbot:... Will that be all?
Friend: Yup, later!
AIMbot:Goodbye
Then, when the user goes online later, the bot lets them know that there are messages waiting. Since AIMbot only records messages from people that you allow, and if you want, only form those who know the password (as above)." [Ryan Greene's Radio Weblog]
Ryan pushes back on my post about rolling our own library bots. His scenario would be particularly interesting if the bot could interact with the copy of Outlook running on your PC. Then it could tell your friend that you're already busy that night but could suggest tomorrow night.
For libraries, it'd be great if a patron could query a registration database for programs, especially those with limited seating. For example, a person could register this way, find out if they're registered, get an IM reminder, or cancel a registration. You should be able to query the calendar for specific events, too (for example, type in "book club" and find out when the next discussion is and what title they're reading). If you could send vCalendar entries through IM, one click would add an event to your calendar.
9:52:02 AM Permanent link here
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Exec: Wireless Technology Fits Newspapers
"Newspapers could soon begin reaching readers through wireless technology such as cell phones and personal digital assistants, a newspaper executive told a conference of news technology managers.
Wireless technology could eventually become the third leg of the newspaper industry, joining printed paper and the Internet as outlets for disseminating news and advertising, said William Dean Singleton, chairman of the Newspaper Association of America, sponsor of the three-day Nexpo 2002 conference....
Finding new outlets to attract readers is a priority for the $59 billion newspaper industry. Daily newspaper circulation slipped from 58 million in 1995 to 55.7 million in 2000. Sunday circulation fell from 61.5 million in 1995 to 59.4 million in 2000.
The Newspaper Association of America conducted a nationwide study last year on a test run in which 13 newspapers provided information to wireless users. The study found that consumers wanted information that is easy to get to and quick to download.
They disliked unsolicited wireless advertising since that burns up expensive cell phone minutes, said John Iobst, vice president of research at the association." [USA Today]
Newspapers can easily be part of the wireless future, but I don't think any one paper will be the answer. My local paper has different content from a national paper, which has different content from an international paper. Plus, I may like the arts section of one and the sports section of another.
Which is why RSS news aggregators are such a great idea. I can pick and choose the sections I want from each paper and pay for them based on a tiered structure. The aggregator runs on my smartphone, and it updates on a schedule I set. I can get stock quotes every 15 minutes, the traffic report during rush hour, sports scores every few hours, breaking news as it happens, etc.
The key will be if I can prioritize my subscriptions, especially when one costs more than another. We'll also need to be able to choose between a truncated feed versus a full feed (that should be the user's choice - truncated on mobile device, full on the desktop), and authentication will be an essential component. I should also be able to run a scan of lower priority channels at whim for times when I'm at the doctor's office or otherwise lacking entertainment.
8:49:38 AM Permanent link here
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Book-Club Smarts in a Nutshell: Get Notes
" 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' was a blockbuster book, spawning blockbuster sequels and a blockbuster movie. Next month, it will achieve that mark of a true classic: the publishers of SparkNotes, a CliffsNotes knockoff, will publish a study guide — also known as a cheat sheet — to the tale of the little boy with the lightning-bolt scar....
Moving far beyond "Macbeth" and 'he Mayor of Casterbridge,' Cliffs and a new generation of competitors are now racing to be the first to publish notes to contemporary titles like 'All the Pretty Horses,' 'Snow Falling on Cedars,' 'Angela's Ashes' and 'Cold Mountain.'
The new selections reflect a change in the kind of books being taught in high school and college literature classes. But they also reveal a new kind of Cliffs user. The guides are now being produced for people who want to brush up before their book club, keep up in conversations with colleagues or at cocktail parties, or read the book — at least, some version of it — before they see the movie." [New York Times, via jardinblu]
Are any libraries buying these? I'll have to sample a few catalogs and see.
It's interesting to watch a web-based product go to print, especially when the stuff online is free. You can also purchase full ebook versions of some titles from Barnes & Noble. They come in Adobe Acrobat PDF or Microsoft Reader flavors, and in a nice change of pace, they're fully printable and you can take them to go on your PDA. Maybe they'll start showing up on file sharing networks. I wonder if they'll go audio, too, and partner with a company like Audible.
I hope the entertainment industry is watching this. I'll bet revenue at SparkNotes will go up, not down. Unlike the numbers at the record labels.
7:28:42 AM Permanent link here
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Roll Your Own IM-bot
"WiredBots: simple toolkits for making AIM and MSN Messenger IM bots." [Boing Boing]
This is too damn cool! If I was only a programmer, I would play around with it and create a library bot that patrons could query for bestseller lists, library hours, and eventually OPAC & database queries. Anybody else want to try until that day when pigs fly?
Alternatively, maybe Andy B. could provide some assistance on this one....
12:57:35 AM Permanent link here
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TechXNY: Toshiba Unwraps Wireless Gear, Previews Services
"Toshiba Computer Systems Group announced a two-year deal with Ascendent Telecommunications to develop a mobile communications platform for Toshiba notebook PCs and PDAs (personal digital assistants) that will link enterprise computer users to their corporate phone system, the company said Monday.
Called MobilityConnect, the system would allow users to access and manage incoming calls received through their corporate PBX through an interface on their notebook PC or PDA. Based on Ascendent's WirelessConnect technology, the system to be offered by Toshiba will allow multiple wireless devices to be linked to the corporate PBX, extending certain telephony functions to mobile workers.
TechXNY will also play host to a preview of the Toshiba Mobility Communications System, a future technology that should allow users to stay connected to the Internet as they roam across various 802.11b and 3G wireless networks, Toshiba said. The system is slated for launch in the second quarter of 2003.
Toshiba also unveiled plans to provide products that bring wireless connectivity to users at public 'hot spot' locations. The Toshiba Wireless Broadband Hot Spot, which is being previewed this week at TechXNY, is an all-in-one package of hardware and software that businesses such as hotels, coffee shops, and restaurants could purchase to offer fee-based wireless broadband services at their place of business. Toshiba said it is currently working with resellers to distribute the product to business customers....
For home computer users, Toshiba announced its Magnia SG20 Wireless Media Center, a wireless networking hub that can be used to interconnect a variety of devices in the home. In addition to connecting home PCs to the Internet over a wireless connection, the Media Center can link together PDAs, digital media devices, and home monitoring systems.
The first in a series of planned offerings from Toshiba for the digital home, the Wireless Media Center includes a VPN feature, which allows authorized users to access information on the SG20 via the Internet. The home network device is available now; pricing was not immediately available." [InfoWorld: Top News]
Maybe we'll start seeing some hardware options that make it easier for libraries to provide public WLAN access. That Magnia Wireless Media Center is intriguing, too. I just recently bought an Advent wireless outdoor speaker for the deck, and so far it's working out great. What I really need, though, is a way to stream my MP3s outside.
Right now, I figure I'll have to hook my Archos Jukebox up to the stereo, but there should be an easier, more permanent, yet inexpensive way to do that. At this point, I'm the only one in the house who knows how to get music to play outside!
12:39:29 AM Permanent link here
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Got Handhelds? HP, Sony, Kyocera Do
"The device makers announced the latest additions to their handheld product lines one day before the official kickoff of the TechXNY trade show in New York City. Kyocera announced a new smartphone, the 7135; Sony added the PEG-T665C to its Clie line of handhelds; and, as expected, HP announced two new additions to its iPaq handheld family....
The Kyocera 7135 is a clamshell-style smartphone that features voice capabilities but can also access high-speed cellular data networks for its PDA functions, according to Kyocera Wireless spokesman Rick Goetter. The 7135 will run on next-generation CDMA 1xRTT networks when they're released nationwide this summer. The 7135 will be available in the fourth quarter and will cost around $500.
'Voice is still the killer application, and our device has been tailored for voice first,' Goetter said. The gadget's design is more like that of a phone than a PDA. It's foldable and has a keypad, and its size is phonelike too. It measures 3.97 inches by 2.43 inches by 1.17 inches and weighs 6.6 ounces....
The 7135 features a color screen, Global Positioning System technology, a Secure Digital expansion slot with input and output capabilities, and a built-in digital audio player. The device comes with 16MB of memory and runs version 4.1 of Palm's operating system." [CNET News.com]
The Kyocera is by far the most interesting of the four devices announced today. I'm intrigued by the addition of GPS, although I want to know what exactly they mean by that. And does it synch with Outlook? If only it had Bluetooth for easy synchronization in the future.
Addendum: Wired News has more on this story.
"The smartphone also features a GPS chip enabling emergency dispatchers to pinpoint the location of callers who dial 911. This feature opens the door to other location-based services like on-the-spot maps, but Ro doesn't expect to see these services for another two years."
12:30:17 AM Permanent link here
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"CyberJournalist.net has a nice listing of journalists' weblogs (aka J-Blogs). Too bad it's not annotated, although the media source is noted where appropriate." [Blogroots]
A nice list, even if they are counting Matt Drudge as a J-blog. How about a separate list of G-logs - gossip-logs? Better yet, why don't we call them flogs?
12:01:41 AM Permanent link here
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© Copyright 2004 Jenny Levine.
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