Communications of the ACM
The blog archive provides access to past blog postings from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
May 2011
From Schneier on Security
"Operation Pumpkin"
Wouldn't it be great if this were not a joke: the security contingency that was in place in the event that Kate Middleton tried to run away just before the wedding.
After protracted, top-secret negotiations between royal staff…From Putting People First
Intel anthropologist offers ten visions for the future
As a follow-up to the previous post, Intel’s user experience discourse is further elaborated on by Genevieve Bell, Intel Fellow and the company’s Director of Interaction and Experience Research. Bell
From Wild WebMink
links for 2011-05-04
13 reasons why the Infringing File Sharing Act is bad for you by Christopher Wood This is an excellent list of reasons why internet disconnection laws are such a bad idea. Although it's got plenty of specifics of the (very bad)…
From Putting People First
Intel CTO stresses the importance of creating compelling user experiences
Justin Rattner, Intel
From Putting People First
The user experience of Augmented Reality apps
Mark Schatzker of Cond
From Schneier on Security
Unintended Security Consequences of the New Pyrex Recipe
This is interesting:
When World Kitchen took over the Pyrex brand, it started making more products out of prestressed soda-lime glass instead of borosilicate. With pre-stressed, or tempered, glass, the surface is under compression…From Computational Complexity
Forty Years of P v NP
In the afternoon of May 4, 1971, in the Stouffer's Somerset Inn in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Steve Cook presented his STOC paper proving that Satisfiability is NP-complete and Tautology is NP-hard. The theorems suggest that Tautology…
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Why Not C#
Someone recently passed on same objection to using C# as a first or otherwise early programming language. I hear these sorts of comments all the time and while I have addressed some of them in the past it seems like this isC…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Ownership of TV Falls in the US
In the NYT, " For the first time in 20 years, the number of homes in the United States with television sets has dropped ... " I note not the number of TV sets ....
From The Computing Community Consortium Blog
What is the CCC?
A bit of shameless self-promotion: I’ve been asked many questions about the Computing Community Consortium in the past year — and we’ve recently put together a two-page flyer that attempts to address the most common ones. Please…
From Computer Science Teachers Association
Sock Monkey and Scratch
Last week Sock Monkey attended the National Science Foundation Working Group on High School Introductory Computer Science where he had the pleasure of meeting Mitch Resnick, LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research and head…
From Computer Science Teachers Association
Sock Monkey and Scratch
Last week Sock Monkey attended a meeting of the National Science Foundation Working Group on High School Introduction to Computer Science.
While he was there he had the opportunity to meet Mitch Resnick, LEGO Papert Professor…From Schneier on Security
Decline in Cursive Writing Leads to Increase in Forgery Risk?
According to this article, students are no longer learning how to write in cursive. And, if they are learning it, they're forgetting how. Certainly the ubiquity of keyboards is leading to a decrease in writing by hand. Relevant…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Hello @WalmartLabs
An intriguing development. As part of my role in the innovation centers I hosted Wal-Mart many times and I hope we inspired them to set up something similar: Kosmix becomes Walmartlabs " ... Today also is the first day in the…
From The Eponymous Pickle
ZuluTime Issued Patent for Location Aware Wireless Networks
We talked to Zulutime's founder about his Digimarc watermarking technology for packaging. Implemented for demonstration in the innovation center. Recently I talked to their team about their location technology, quite suitable…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Bing to Power Blackberry Search and Maps
In recent months I have been increasingly impressed with the searches and mapping and image search available in Bing. Now they are providing that software for Blackberry. Deeply integrated in the OS they say.
From The Eponymous Pickle
Making a Photo Move
Here is a good example of an animated process that can be used to augment a normally still image. Useful and engaging for online images. I had seen something similar done in an experimental venue. Even a slight movement can…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Ease of Use and Mobility in BI
Good article in ECommerce Times on trends in Business Intelligence. I have noticed it as well, mobile applications put you just a few clicks away from always available analysis. I am starting to see the trend the enterprise…
From Wild WebMink
? BT, Set My Music Free!
The Free Software Foundation Europe has a new campaign group in the UK, and their first target is BT’s upcoming music streaming service. Read about it over on ComputerWorldUK.
From Wild WebMink
links for 2011-05-03
If You
From Schneier on Security
Nikon Image Authentication System Cracked
Not a lot of details:
ElcomSoft research shows that image metadata and image data are processed independently with a SHA-1 hash function. There are two 160-bit hash values produced, which are later encrypted with a secret (private)…From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Most Read Posts
I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the top read blog posts from April 2011. I look at both web statistics and RSS statistics.In some ways I feel like the RSS statistics tell me the most about what is useful for…
From U.S. Public Policy Committee of the ACM
USACM Chair to Testify on Data Breaches
Prompted by the recent data breaches of the PlayStation Network and the email marketing company Epsilon, the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing this Wednesday…
From The Eponymous Pickle
On the Timing of Bunchball
In GigaOM: I talked to Bunchball today, quite impressive. See their Gamification 101 white paper.I" ... n 2005, when the company debuted its software platform for customized social gaming apps, the current industry buzzword…
From Computer Science Teachers Association
Making Computer Science Relevant
As computer science educators, we see the need for computer science education. There is an element of self-interest, but we believe computer science knowledge and skills are among the most essential ingredients of a modern education…
From Wild WebMink
? Flattr Is Back
Flattr is a system that allows you to show your satisfaction with things you find on the internet by making tiny gifts to them. If enough people make the tiny gifts, they build up into a more substantial payment, with the result…
From The Eponymous Pickle
NFC Based Coupons on Your Android Phone
A good example of how promotional consideration is starting to get easier to deliver in a mobile way.
From The Eponymous Pickle
IPhone Tracking Bug to be Fixed
As expected, although the carefully set up, unencrypted storage of tracking locations was quickly declared a 'bug', it is definitely bad privacy publicity. More here.
From The Eponymous Pickle
Progressive Insurance via Sensors
In Engadget: A description of State Farm's IPhone App which uses phone sensors to determine speed location and acceleration to rate your driving. The point is made that such information could be used to adjust insurance rates…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Genetic Music
The Genetic Music Project was recently launched. " ... An open source genetic art project combining music and science. Where everyone is art and everyone can be an artist.... "