Diversity for the benefits of science

Just when you thought it was by no means possible, Google, Microsoft and Sun Microsystem join forces.

Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are setting aside their bitter animosity to back a new Internet research laboratory aimed at helping entrepreneurs introduce more groundbreaking ideas to a mass audience.

Google and Sun have formed an pact 2 months ago, by the way. What wonders if they will use Java, Open Source (notably LAMP), or commercial software in the lab. Perhaps a mixture of all?

S I approach the end of my Ph.D., I need to keep an open eye on job openings and vacancies in academia. I wish to do so in the least time-consuming way. What better way than feeds of information that give a rapid daily flow?

Vacancies are delivered as search results for a query or criteria specified by the user, e.g. location, sector. This has the same characteristic and advantages that RSS technology typically offers:

• Narrower scope and less visual clutter
• Littler user intervention, ‘pull technology’ versus ‘push technology’ such as E-mail
• Summarisation (title versus detailed description, link/s)
• Flagging of new content as opposed to previously-read entries.

There are many more arguments in defence of feeds, but they will be missing the point of this post and are worth a discussion in their own right. The following are job vacancies Web sites, which I know provide RSS feeds:

• Monster RSS - International coverage, sub-divided by job type
• Jobs.ac.uk RSS - Jobs in academia world-wide with emphasis on the United Kingdom
• CWJobs - Jobs in IT (United Kingdom). Search for terms, then use the RSS button/facility, currently at the top

[On to personal ramblings] Earlier today I read a more official announcement about the Google headquarters in Dublin. I have known about this for several months as I am/was considered for a Software Engineer/System Administrator position there. I also pointed to photos from the Googleplex in London before. In general, I have openly expresses disdain, skepticism and anger, as well as support, admiration, and sympathy for Google in the past. Their affinity to and backing of Open Source software probably transcends the controversy though.

Related items:

• Weather RSS Feeds
• Syndicating News
• Search Results as RSS, Google Results as RSS Feeds, Keeping Track of Google, Yahoo RSS
• RSS Feeds for Journals

As information is offered for sale, negotiation
by telephone can seal such transactions

ROM ZDNet comes as item that speaks of yet another odd item ‘on sale’. The article states: “An online auction of a “brand new vulnerability” in Microsoft Excel had reached about $60 when eBay pulled the item late Thursday. A seller using the name “fearwall” started the auction Wednesday evening at 1 cent. It was up to $56 on Thursday afternoon with 21 bids placed, and eBay quashed the auction soon after that.”

Other strange items which I can recall eBay boasting: chewing gums that have been sput out by celebrities, fake love letters, and potato chips.

My deceased del.icio.us bookmark

OT so long after their Flickr takeover, Yahoo take control of del.icio.us (also covered in Associated Press via Yahoo! News).

I am now reluctant to add anything to my del.icio.us bookmarks. I use my Firefox bookmarks instead. Firefox settings are available to me from anywhere, but I used to like the idea of social bookmarking, so long as it was not commercially-orchestrated. I somehow perceived del.icio.us as a Wikipedia ’sister’, wherein the community helped organise Web addresses (links) as oppose to human knowledge.

Wikipedia has its problems too. Earlier today ZDNet argued that its Open Source label is a conundrum. More recently it began to impose restrictions and it appears to have commercially-motivated mirrors.

Another major takeover: Adobe Buy Macromedia

Also to note: Prodigy now up for sale (external)

Addendum:

• Yahoo can refine their search results using popularity figures in del.icio.us, which are good reflectants on inbound links and high-quality content.
• Wikipedia is now sold in paper form and as DVD’s

Wikipedia will never collect dust on the shelves

A story that has hit many headlines speaks of Wikipedia closing a few doors, making it slightly more difficult to contribute content.

For more details, select your favourite source:

• ZDNet: Growing pains for Wikipedia
• CNN: Online encyclopedia tightens rules
• Associated Press (via Yahoo): Wikipedia Tightens Submission Rules
• CNET/Slashdot: Wikipedia to Restrict Creation of Articles

Related item: Wikipedia Statistics

Example of globe-like rotation: 30 frames, 63 colours, 200 KB in total

ACK in July, I elaborately described how animated graphics can be created in the GIMP. The GIMP is a free application, which is available for Windows, the Mac and Linux. There is also GIMPShop in the wild, which is a nifty GIMP fork for the photoshop-inclined audience.

I recently decided to change my static favicon.ico image with a dynamic sequence, having discovered that Mozilla Firefox supports icon animations. GIMP was a satisfactory (yet not perfect) tool for this task.

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HE effect of the Internet on everyone’s life intensifies. With higher-speed connections and rendering capabilities that grip a vivid reality, more and more people get entangled in a world of fascination — a world more worthy than the mundane at times. As some recent studies indicate, Internet addiction can become very severe.

Up to 10 per cent of internet users in the United States have a dependency that could be as destructive as alcoholism and drug addiction, it has been claimed.

Internet addiction disorder is being treated by some therapists in the same way as a chemical addiction.

The Proctor Hospital in Illinois is admitting patients to recover from obsessive computer use, according to the New York Times.

Experts told the newspaper that they see similar signs of withdrawal to those found in alcoholics or drug addicts - including profuse sweating, severe anxiety and paranoia.

On other unhealthy effects of the Internet:

• Treating Online Addicts
• Blog Depression
• RPG Fantasy World