Communications of the ACM
The blog archive provides access to past blog postings from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
October 2013
From Putting People First
New qualitative research report on tablet use in UK schools
Tablets for Schools, a UK campaign organisation that seeks to “prove the categorical case of tablets in schools”, has just published its second qualitative research report. “The report summarises findings from an evaluation study…
From Computational Complexity
Who controls what is taught- the dept or the students?
There is a debate about the questions: To what extent do we give them what they NEED? what they WANT? These questions permeate many other discussions of education. Rather than discuss this profound issue I will discuss a…
From The Computing Community Consortium Blog
AAAS S&T Policy Fellowships: A Call for “Big Data & Analytics” Experts
The following is a special contribution to the CCC blog by Peter Z. Revesz, 2012-14 AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Defense. Do you want to have an impact in how Congress and Federal Agencies…
From Schneier on Security
Fingerprinting Burner Phones
In one of the documents recently released by the NSA as a result of an EFF lawsuit, there's discussion of a specific capability of a call records database to identify disposable "burner" phones.
Let’s consider, then, the very…From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
Interesting Links 14 October 2013
Last week was Leif Erikson Day. Today in the US we celebrate some Italian guy who came to North America later. So I have no school. I’ll take it. A lot of stuff to catch up on. Including looking though links like the ones I share…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Supermarket Apps Working
I had a conversation with someone a few weeks ago about the difference in engagement quality between loyalty cards and store smartphone apps. We also discussed IOS Passbook as a means to deliver loyalty cards. In Supermarket…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Identifying Your Phone in Seconds
In SF Gate: Their accelerometer identifies smartphones in seconds. Novel approach, privacy implications? "... The accelerometer enables, among other things, the browser to shift from landscape to vertical as a user tilts the…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Ohio DOE Education Advisory Panel
Recently joined the Ohio DOE Education Advisory Panel. Which introduced me to the executive network of MBA Research. A " .... Not-for-profit, research-based support for all Business Administration educators: entrepreneurship…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Cisco and the Internet of Everything
Cisco moves forward again. And a link to their study. " ... Mobile? Wearables? Small change. For several years, Cisco has been thinking bigger, when the Internet fully becomes the Internet of Everything … and it has releasedThe…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Big Data: A Revolution that Will Transform How We Live, Work and Think
Book newly on the list of things to read: Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger, and Kenneth Cukier. A quick scan shows this to be an introductory style book, no…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Internet of Things Creating Jobs and Growth
In GigaOM: A favorite topic of mine since our own experimentation with RFID linking to the net a decade plus ago. There will be many efficiency, transparency and unintended consequences. Make sure we get all the standards…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Google Changes the Ad Rules
Google is changing its advertising rules. Here is a useful summary. It has caused some considerable criticism: " .... Google has altered its Terms of Service to allow it to plaster users' names, photos and lots of other info…
From Geeking with Greg
I was wrong on Netflix
I was wrong on Netflix. A few years ago, I saw their pricing changes (which overpriced DVD rentals) and streaming catalog changes (switching to only buying whatever they could get cheap, very few hit movies in there, and then…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Automating Hiring practices
In Bloomberg, games in hiring and other kinds of advanced talent matching:" ... A handful of technology companies from Knack.it Corp. to Evolv Inc. are doing just that, developing video games and online questionnaires that measure…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Legal Issues for Gamification
Legal issues for gamification. " ... Ames Gatto Explains Gamblification at GSummit SF 2013 ... What are some of the legal repercussions in dealing with real money, gambling, and gamification?
From The Eponymous Pickle
Tableau and R
Have been a user of the Tableau Software visualization since its emergence from Stanford. It is good to see in the 8.1 Beta they are including links to R. In the past they have resisted adding the complexity of analytics to…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Google and NASA use Quantum
Another example of the use of Quantum computing. And the obvious application to big Data where speed and fast crunching capability may the best application. Includes video of their use of the D-Wave device, which I have followed…
From Schneier on Security
Friday Squid Blogging: 30-Foot Giant Squid Washes Ashore
A 30-foot-long giant squid has washed ashore in Cantabria, Spain. It died at sea, with a broken tentacle.
As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven't covered.
From The Eponymous Pickle
Mobile 3D Structure Sensor
A kickstarter project. First I have looked at in any detail. I was asked to give an opinion of its possible application in retail and manufacturing oriented systems. Instructive to look at this." ... The Structure Sensor gives…
From Schneier on Security
Stuff I Say
It's a Tumblr feed. Right now there are only six posts, all a year old. Presumably that will change soon. To clarify: I have nothing to do with the feed, and anyone can post stuff to it.
From The Eponymous Pickle
Tagging with Synthesized DNA
Tagging things with synthetic DNA. Event specific DNA that can be fogged onto a site during a crime, that will be found with subsequent participant analysis. Recall looking into something similar called 'micro taggants'.
From Schneier on Security
New Low in Election Fraud
Azerbaijan achieves a new low in voter fraud. They government accidentally publishes the results of the election before the polls open.
The mistake came when an electoral commission accidentally published results showing a …From The Computing Community Consortium Blog
Ph.D. Computer Scientist is a Can’t Miss Science Career
This week, ScienceCareers named “Three Can’t Miss Science Careers,” and Ph.D. computer scientist was on the list along with geoscientist, and physician scientist. According to the article, “Despite frequently made claims in …
From U.S. Public Policy Committee of the ACM
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships in Big Data and Analytics
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is accepting applications for its Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program. Fellows are placed in congressional and executive branch offices. This year, a…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Future of Storytelling
Have been involved with a storytelling startup. New thoughts out there that I have been reading. Many technology angles. Like this in Readwrite:" ... Many of us go about our lives constantly surrounded by screens, immersed…
From Schneier on Security
Air Gaps
Since I started working with Snowden's documents, I have been using a number of tools to try to stay secure from the NSA. The advice I shared included using Tor, preferring certain cryptography over others, and using public-domain…
From The Eponymous Pickle
P&G's Innovation Success Rate
I was reminded by a correspondent of these resources on innovation success rate: A video on the subject. and the 2011 HBR article: How P&G Tripled its Innovation Success Rate. Worth reviewing in light of subsequent product…
From The Eponymous Pickle
IDEO Design Apps
I had heard of this before and reported on it, but never experimented with it. This is a reminder to give it a try. We used IDEO for consumer creativity lab development. A video on the subject. " ... Napkin Labs Turns…
From Gödel's Lost Letter and P=NP
Proving Cook’s Theorem
Another proof idea using finite automata Steve Cook proved three landmark theorems with 1971 dates. The first has been called a “surprising theorem”: that any deterministic pushdown automaton with two-way input tape can be simulated…
From Computer Science Teachers Association
Standardize Your (CS) World
Standardize Your (CS) World
Anyone even remotely connected with K-12 education knows the pervasive emphasis on standards in the education world today. One huge focus in today's K-12 education world is the Common Core State Standards…