Universal Rule

Book Reviews

Tuesday, September 16, 2003

-- Comment()
Bruce Schneier writes: At a time when we're worried about attacks -- by terrorists, hackers, and ordinary criminals -- it's worth spending some time talking about accidents. [...] Some years ago computer-security researcher Ross Anderson described the difference as Murphy vs. Satan. Defending against accidents, he said, means designing and engineering in a world ruled by Murphy's Law. Things go wrong because, well, because things go wrong. [...] Security is different. In addition to worrying about accidents, you also have to think about nonrandom events. Defending against attacks means engineering in a world ruled by Satan's Law. Things go wrong because there is a malicious and intelligent adversary trying to force things to go wrong, at the very worst time, with the very worst results."

-- Comment()
Linux Most Attacked Server OS: "Microsoft Windows may be dominating the headlines for security-related breaches but the open-source Linux server operating system remains the biggest target of overt intruder attacks, according to a study by U.K.-based Mi2g. [...] Attacks against Linux were three times higher than against Microsoft Windows, which accounted for 23.2 percent, Mi2g reported."

-- Comment()
iTunes Music Store for Windows to be released next month? "Newsweek is reporting that Apple plans to roll out the Windows version of iTunes Music Store earlier than expected, with the debut now slated for some time during October." [Ars Technica]

We found a bug in the web -- Comment()
John Robb writes: "A quick look at Google shows how weblogs are influencing the information flow on the product they sell (both pro and con reviews). What is the value of a highly ranked review on a product keyword in Google? [...] Given that it has a high level of persistance (and that people often use Google as a means to find the company/product site), it could easily be worth $40-$50 k. Given that, why aren't PR agencies all over webloggers that do product reviews to ensure that the reviewer gets all the relevant information needed to make an objective review? I guess they are too busy sending out press releases that nobody reads." [via Blogging Alone]

-- Comment()
Me and 99 other people: 'MIT's Technology Review magazine announced the TR100/2003, their, "third class of 100 innovators 35 or younger whose technologies are poised to make a dramatic impact on our world," and I'm honored to be included in the list for my work with Blogger and weblogs. Here's my profile and here's a list of all winners." [megnut]

-- Comment()
iPod Competition: "Will Apple's domination of the personal audio player business be challenged?" (PC Magazine via MyAppleMenu) [MyAppleMenu]

-- Comment()
The Virtualization of University Education (ITFORUM): "I contribute [...] by proposing that there are three separate but related modes of educational virtualization: technological virtualization, geographical virtualization and organizational virtualization. [...] The really interesting challenge for educational managers and strategists is to discern some general principles governing the optimal pattern of the relationships between the three different types of virtualization." [Serious Instructional Technology]