16 May 2002

Powerpoint considered pervasive (and harmful?) edits ideas: business manual as well as merely business presentation 70s: Consumer-led demand drives more communication inside companies instead of human contact, we get bullet-point presentation shows outcome of thought, but not the process But 1997: Scott McNealy bans PPT at Sun, now draws his slides instead [from infodesign cafe] 11:23:03 PM     comments

Artist improves freeway sign [Richard Ankrom] designed, built and installed an addition to an overhead freeway sign - to exact state specifications - to help guide motorists on the sometimes confusing transition to the northbound Golden State Freeway a couple miles farther north. [from infodesign cafe] 10:57:20 PM     comments

Bruce Schneier - Biometrics: Truths and Fictions Bruce Schneier, security guru: Biometrics: Truths and Fictions Biometrics (finger-print, voice verification, face or eye recognition, handwriting...) are strong because they're hard to forge (mostly), and good for users who don't have to remember passwords. But they're weak because they're easy to steal. And once it's been stolen by someone, you can't be issued with a new voice. Biometrics are powerful and useful, but they are not keys. They are useful in situations where there is a trusted path from the reader to the verifier; in those cases all you need is a unique identifier. They are not useful when you need the characteristics of a key: secrecy, randomness, the ability to update or destory. Biometrics are unique identifiers, but they are not secrets. Bruce takes a fairly hardcore security (ie skeptic) view of biometric. Elsewhere many companies are pushing solutions hard, and Laura Guevin's survey of the voice verification field is good overview. Elsewhere in securityland, experts say voice mail systems vulnerable 9:52:52 PM     comments