Wednesday, January 26, 2005

PowerPoint Goes to the Fair. Technology is changing that annual academic ritual, the science project, as more students abandon posterboard displays in favor of computer presentations. By MARCIA BIEDERMAN. [NYT > Technology] 9:16:00 PM    comment []

U.S. government puts 9/11 record online. A lengthy account of the Sept. 11 attacks has been put online by the Library of Congress in the form of nearly 170 audio and video interviews, totaling 40 hours, with photos, drawings, written narratives and poems. [Salon.com] 9:11:45 PM    comment []

Custom Tailor a Web Browser Just for You. Internet Explorer is not the only choice for browsing the Web. But what to make of the many competitors? By PETER WAYNER. [NYT > Technology] 9:10:34 PM    comment []

The people you know.... As you make your way to class at Webster, you smile and wave to those you know. But what about the people you don't know? You'd look kind of crazy with a big, goofy smile on your face frantically waving your hands at everyone you see. Each week from now until the end of the semester, we are going to introduce you to one new person in this column. [The Journal] 5:52:10 PM    comment []

Will Google Video pull a Replay or a TiVo? [Hack the Planet] 7:19:05 AM    comment []

The liquid information project. The Liquid Information project, as reported in Wired News, aims to create a more dynamic Web of "hyperwords" rather than hypertext, where every word is a potential link as defined not merely by special codes inserted by the writer of the text, but also determined by the context, and actively shaped by the reader.  I believe that some tools already move in this direction, such as the Firefox tool by which you can search the Web for a highlighted term on a web page, using the right click context menu.  Along similar lines, DictionarySearch ia an open source extension to FireFox which adds search choices that display in the right-click context menu in Firefox when you highlight a word in a web page.  You can decide which dictionaries or other reference sources you include in the menu.  I have included Wikipedia which opens a vast hyperlinked world of (usually) expert description and analysis from every highlighted term.  Dictionary Search is, however  still a somewhat techie tool; if you want to select your own options it's not a simple matter of checking off options, you have to copy and edit a command string with proper syntax, etc.  I think RSS is another tool that will facilitate active reading rather than passive browsing, especially as reader software becomes more advanced and allows for selection by key words and other options. [Subdued Citizen] 7:18:54 AM    comment []

U.N. Report Calls for Help to Ease U.S. Budget and Trade Deficits. The United Nations urged all major industrial countries to help the U.S. reduce its deficits by spurring their own economies to grow faster. By ELIZABETH BECKER. [NYT > Business] 7:18:36 AM    comment []

Wes sez: Speaking of patents, I got my bonus for my second patent filing, so I guess I'm now officially a bourgeois intellectual property oppressor. [Hack the Planet] So, um, congratulations! Congratulations? 7:17:18 AM    comment []

The Difference Between Politically Incorrect and Historically Wrong. Thomas Woods Jr. calls his book, "The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History," an effort to set the record straight. In fact, it sets the record far to the right. By ADAM COHEN. [NYT > Opinion] 7:14:36 AM    comment []

At Harvard, the Bigger Concern of the Faculty Is the President's Management Style. His critics say Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard University, puts his ego before the university and its academic values. By SARA RIMER. [NYT > Education] 7:14:27 AM    comment []

Interesting project in Chinese Blogosphere. Kevin Wen points Smartmobs to an interesting online social movement from the Chinese Blogosphere. "10 Places of My City" is a social blogging project by using Technorati tag system to encourage bloggers to showcase the top 10 places of their own. Three days after initialed this idea, over 20 Chinese blogger from all over the world joined and blogged "10 places of my city". It's really interesting to see that some of them are living in the same city, sharing their favorite places with intersections. Look at the 10placesofmycity on Technorati, bloggers come from different major cities in China such as Beijng, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, Wuhan, Xiamen etc, were sharing local experiences. Some of them wrote as a love story with emotional sense, reviewed most sweet places in their memory. I saw a blogger's post marked his 10 places with growing history, from childhood playground to modern office. I'm sure that more interesting post will keep coming in the next couple days. Thanks Kevin ! [Smart Mobs] 7:12:13 AM    comment []

The Microsoft Memo. Bill Gates hires open-source icon Linus Torvalds? That was just the beginning of Redmond's hybrid strategy to face the free software age. Fanciful prognostication by Gary Wolf from Wired magazine. Hollywood Ready for P2P Showdown. Entertainment companies line up allies to support them in the Grokster case, while peer-to-peer backers say the technology is good for much more than illicit trading of copyright files. [Wired News] 7:11:55 AM    comment []