...more recent posts
Here's a very interesting piece on the future of computers and information space. Non technical, but obviously written by someone who knows what they are talking about. It's called a manifesto, but I always use the ridiculous phrase 'intuition pump' to describe writing like this. It doesn't go into detail, it just gives enough shape to get you thinking. I agree with almost everything, especially number 20. (from eatonweb)
Apparently, British Telecom (BT) is thinking about suing all ISP's for infringing on one of their patents. What's the patent you ask? Oh nothing really, just a little something about hyperlinks. As in: BT thinks they invented (and patented) the idea of hyperlinks. You can read the patent yourself here. I'd like to see what Al Gore has to say about this one. Who really did invent the internet? Whatever your answer, BT probably isn't it. This suit (if they really do bring it) will definitely go nowhere (prior art? How about Ted Nelson's Xanadu from 20 years earlier?) Still, it's annoying to see companies try to cash in like this. Maybe this one is so outrageous that it will spark some much needed patent law reform. We can only hope.
Making banner ads is probably not a very fun job. But Barbelith has a link to a cool site which features some creative work in that usually dead boring category. (Flash required, I believe, although I have no idea why they built it that way.)
Making the web a two way information space is the primary goal. The Magi Project is on the right track. Every device needs to be boty a client and a server in a giant peer to peer network. There is a lot of activity starting to build toward this end. Check out Ed Dumbill's excellent the state of XML keynote speech for an overview of the XML underpinnings of this near future collaborative web environment.