Archive for February, 2008
#@)(!*^ing Encryption
Friday, February 29th, 2008A few words about the title: The first seven letters are written using a very simple code, or cypher. Each of the letters in the original word is replaced by the non-alphabetical character to which it is closest on a US keyboard. The process of hiding a message by substituting other letters, numbers or symbols [...]
Idea: Personal Navajo
Friday, February 29th, 2008Instead of exposing the painful ritual of public/private key exchange, software developers should instead be using metaphors of human trust and service. A ‘translator’ service, for example. The user ‘invents’ an imaginary language, then decides who among her friends is allowed to speak it with her. She then instructs her ‘translator’ (e.g. her own personal [...]
On Being Right
Thursday, February 28th, 2008A number of recent events have given me occasion to consider what it means to be right. Viewed through a rationalist filter, humanity can manage itself well (if not easily), provided its curiousity remains strong and its faculties of discernment are not tarnished. This assumes, of course, that humanity as a whole is curious. I [...]
MEME: Bitsharks
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008I’m going to start blaming random network- and computer-related problems on Bitsharks. Get everyone believing in the idea of predatory bots cruising the network, dining on people’s digital transmissions.
Network Neutrality: Not Negotiable
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Someone asked: I’m curious what the[...] community thinks… what if a company such as Comcast were to offer two plans: 1. $30/mo – The internet as we know it today without any preference to content providers, advertising, etc 2. $15/mo – An internet where some content providers get preference, subsidizing the lower monthly bill. If [...]
Policing Piracy
Friday, February 22nd, 2008The Australian government recently announced that it was taking the issue of Internet piracy very seriously. They were, according to reports, considering their own version of a British proposal to require Internet Service Providers to cut off so-called ‘repeat offenders’. People who were suspected of deliberately and repeatedly downloading unauthorised music and video files would [...]
Oranges and Lemons
Friday, February 15th, 2008Over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at various aspects of online security. It’s a big topic, and it’s often difficult to be clear about what’s happening, and what’s at stake. This week we’ll try to provide a few basic ideas about how to judge what makes us safer and what doesn’t. We rely [...]
The Coconut Wireless
Friday, February 8th, 2008Last week’s column introduced a broad but important topic about current trends in technology. Over the next few weeks, we’ll take some time to look in more detail about the issues of privacy and access to information. What are the current trends? How are they going to affect us here in Vanuatu? What can we [...]
Privacy and Paper Walls
Friday, February 1st, 2008Every time I get on a plane, I find myself wondering if the crew feels the same about the aircraft I’m in as I do about computers. Does the pilot mutter, “If only they knew…” under his breath after the in-flight announcement? Does the technician who handles the pre-flight checklist give the thumbs up while [...]