Assist of the Year

Technology and Privacy

There is a TED talk Margaret Gould Stewart: How YouTube thinks about copyright which describes, in a general, way the state of technology. YouTube/Google is able to review an incredible amount of data in order to determine if the information is copyrighted - and if it is what to do about it.

If you're concerned about privacy use this video as a stepping to stone to comprehend the future. Computer processing speed is doubling every 18 months. In less than twenty years processing power will be 1000 times greater than it is today. What currently takes Google, YouTube, the NSA one year will take about 8.5 hours. Or, put in another way, what now takes 24 hours will take a little under 3 minutes.

Oh to be able to comment on web pages

On my wish list for the web - once again -  is the ability to easily save web pages locally as a single file AND be able to highlight text and add notes to the existing page - all while within the browser.

The above can obviously be done by taking a screenshot and then adding text in Photoshop. That is not what I want. That is not what I need. No. The Christmas gift I want for this year is to be able to save and comment on web pages.

Future Technology, this is not far-fetched

Sight from Sight Systems on Vimeo.

CMS v Framework

I just had a long conversation with a customer who had asked whether we were using a CMS or Framework to build his site. I find it interesting that I was asked this question in the first place as few customers care deeply about the technologies involved in their site. Secondly I was intrigued in how a CMS was confused with a Framework.

A CMS is a system where pages are loaded with data that is stored in a database* and the the customer has direct control over the page contents and much of the formatting.

A Frameworks is a set of rules that sets up how files are organized and how they work together. These 2 things have very little to do with each other.

"So why not alway use a CMS?"

Because not all sites are used for delivering content. Publishing houses deliver content, as do eCommerce sites, but some sites are applications and frameworks are used to build these applications. An application may be a Content Management System but it need not be.



* Yes it can be a NoSQL or flat-file solution as well.

Fonts Can Save Lives

OK, that's a little dramatic but research shows that humans can absorb information faster in some type-fonts than in others.

(Really? /sarc)

And that if these type-fonts are used in automobile display monitors perhaps there would be fewer accidents.

(Who would have thought of that? /sarc)



Hat Tip: Slashdot.

Maybe I'm just a little bit snarky tonight but ... duh!!!

What you hear is not what you get

This is interesting presentation showing that visual elements affect the sound you think you hear. If you have not seen this before, it's worth watching.