Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Nick Sayer and I had very similar responses to a Slashdot story about yet another anti-spam system using yet another CAPTCHA system. The moderation history of funny, insightful, redundant, funny, interesting, overrated, funny shows that you can't keep a good post down. [Hack the Planet] 11:38:13 PM    comment []

Building a Legal Case, Block by Block. Competitors say the Lego Group of Denmark is using intellectual property law unfairly as the company zealously guards its trademarks. By IAN AUSTEN. [NYT > Business] 11:37:00 PM    comment []

OCLC Hacks. OCLC is is loosening up and having some fun in a Google Labs kind of way! OCLC Research Software Contest In celebration of libraries and their heritage of technological innovation, OCLC Research is sponsoring a software contest to encourage innovation in the use of web-based services for libraries. Prize $2,500 in cash Visit with OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc., in Dublin, Ohio Potentially have your code incorporated in OCLC services for libraries The challenge OCLC is providing a set of bibliographic records extracted from WorldCat plus a set of services: ResearchWorks Terminology Services You may also use Open WorldCat, either by simply incorporating links to publicly accessible records or by enrolling in Open WorldCat's Partner Access program. Contact us if you wish to discuss enrolling in this program for the purposes of this contest. Your mission is to write a program that does something interesting and innovative with the WorldCat data using at least one of the OCLC-provided services. You must submit a working prototype. Part of your job is to convince us of why your program is interesting and why it will help libraries and/or library users; other than that, you're free to implement whatever strikes your fancy. And they were smart enough to ask Jon Udell to be a judge – good call! I hope we see some really cool stuff come out of this, in more than just a proof-of-concept way. Makes me wish I could actually program. Entries are due by midnight on May 15. If you’re entering, good luck! [The Shifted Librarian] 5:45:10 AM    comment []

For Some Girls, the Problem With Math Is That They're Good at It. Considering the damage done by the idea that there is something wrong about a girl or woman who is really good at math. By CORNELIA DEAN. [NYT > Science] 5:44:25 AM    comment []

Three tools to whittle that tax bill. How you can still build up that refund check from the IRS for 2004 - or at least reduce what you owe. [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories] 5:37:36 AM    comment []

Teo from NYT > Technology: Microsoft Introduces Its Own Search Service. Two years after saying it planned to enter the battle of Internet search engines, Microsoft is introducing its homegrown search technology. By SAUL HANSELL. New Incentive for Google Employees: Awards Worth Millions. Google has begun giving out an award that could be worth millions of dollars to employees who work on outstanding projects. By KATIE HAFNER 5:37:31 AM    comment []

ORIGINS OF CYBERSPACE. Dang. Hurts a guy's feelings: I read through this whole Origins Of Cyberspace auction at Christie's, waiting for that essential Gollancz first of Neuromancer to pop up, but no...no... It's a pretty interesting catalog nonetheless, photos of lots of great Babbageiana and whatnot. Definitely worth a look if you're interesting in the history of computation. [Gibson Blog] Very funny! 5:34:47 AM    comment []

New Sounds Live. The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform 3 world premieres commissioned by the people, with special guest Philip Glass. [WNYC New York Public Radio] 5:34:10 AM    comment []