On to the Next Blog

With the end of the semester, this class blog is going silent. You can find docs latest posts on a qualitative research fluency blog.

Database File

Here is the file for the 1st database lab.

Encryption & Humans

I spotted this AP Wire story on encryption and it seemed appropriate for the class. It presents the sometimes controversial views of Bruce Schneier, “a geeky computer encryption expert turned all-purpose security guru,” according to AP. Schneier notes:

While encryption has its place – it is what secures Web-based banking and shopping – Schneier realized that too often it was deployed in silly ways. For example, some companies let employees unlock encrypted files with simple passwords, which often ended up being easy to steal or guess. In other words, all the technical sophistication in the world can lock data from prying eyes, but if people leave the keys in the open, not much security results.

I think it is wise to question whether all the best technology can compensate for all the worst in human nature.

IMs That Live On

The nation is riveted by another sex scandal. Who knew that the secret proclivities of a careless, obviously non-fluent with IT congressman would turn into a national lesson on what it means to type messages into cyberspace? The once fairly widespread assumption that the “delete” button actually deletes things is dying fast, as is the view that Instant Messages are also “temporary” messages. As the latest Washington Post story on Foley’s Follies leads:

People who think their instant messages disappear after being sent should think again. As the recent scandals involving former Republican congressman Mark Foley and Hewlett-Packard Co. have brought to light, text messages sent in real time via computer can be saved and retrieved…Instant messages can be saved in a variety of ways. Most popular IM programs have built-in archiving features that can be turned on by anyone who uses them. Also, many companies and government agencies use special software that scans text-messaging traffic and makes copies of the text for storage on corporate or government computers.

So where does this leave us heading as a nation? Depending on the person, I’d guess we are all more or less disgusted and yet somehow better able to assess the implications of using electronic communications technology.

“Blog the Vote”

The left-leaning PBS show NOW has a new piece called “Blog the Vote” that says it:

visited with Montana blogger Jay Stevens, who’s doing his best locally to help [Democratic Senate hopeful] Tester. “I’m a middle-aged guy with two kids, a mortgage, and a car. I think that’s what most bloggers are like,” says Stevens. He rejects the stereotype that bloggers are a bunch of radical, left-wing crazies. “The question shouldn’t be, ‘Why are there so many radical bloggers?’ The question really should be ‘Why are there so many angry people blogging?’”

The piece then adroitly turns to quote an archetypal left wing blogger from, you guessed it, Daily Kos.

Demystifying the CPU

TheTechnopeasants hit a home run with this inaugural fluency lab. By taking apart and rebuilding three CPUs and a laptop, we learned that some expensive trips to the shop can be avoided by learning about the fairly basic way critical components, such as memory, can be removed, upgraded and re-installed.

WYSIWYGS September 7 Lab Link

The WYSIWYGS would like everyone to have access to:

http://www.ifi.ntnu.no/~dags/pip.html

This looks like another “ah hah” moment to me!

My New Fluency Blog

Looks like I am back in the blogging business. After an inaugural round of Digital Governance blogging and an encore spring 06 Qualitative Fluency blog, I am excited to launch a new blog on WORDPRESS.