100% Geek

Entries tagged "link"

The link category contains articles for which the primary content is a link to another web page, generally only with a brief commentary or quote to explain why I'm including the link.

Whilst I generally prefer to write more substantial entries, if my thoughts have been well expressed by someone else then I'll link to them rather than simply parroting what they've put.

Found 5 entries tagged with "link".

Where do music collections come from?

Most sensible people have known this for years, but here's yet another study proving what the RIAA & others refuse to comprehend...

Tim O'Reilly originally shared this post discussing an article by the American Assembly:

Online file sharers buy 30% more music than those who don't share. In other words, "pirates" are the music companies' best customers.

Article: Where do Music Collections Come From?

Good article on technology patents

Christian Cantrell originally shared a post highlighting this NYTimes article on patents:

In the smartphone industry alone ... as much as $20 billion was spent on patent litigation and patent purchases in the last two years � an amount equal to eight Mars rover missions. Last year, for the first time, spending by Apple and Google on patent lawsuits and unusually big-dollar patent purchases exceeded spending on research and development of new products, according to public filings.

Article: In Technology Wars, Using the Patent as a Sword

Your phone company is watching

Here's an interesting TED talk by Malte Spitz on what kind of data phone companies are collecting.

Malte Spitz wasn't too worried when he asked his operator in Germany to share information stored about him. Multiple unanswered requests and a lawsuit later, Spitz received 35,830 lines of code — a detailed, nearly minute-by-minute account of half a year of his life.

TED Video: Malte Spitz: Your phone company is watching

Stop touching and actually use your hands!

Anyone who knows me should already be familiar with how I feel about touch screens, especially in regards to typing.

Well, Michael Miller has shared an article explaining it far better than I ever have, written by Bret Victor, a professional interface designer.

Here's Michael's post discussing Bret's rant:

Anyone who has tried to type on a touch screen "keyboard" knows this is true.

Touch devices are wonderful but they are only part way there, the device certainly "feels" your touch but what do you feel in return? A sheet of glass. Featureless, numb.

You can't use this device without looking at it carefully to make sure that your fingers are keeping up with the visual metaphor being presented. Eyes and hand must work together carefully and while touch might be less mediated and indirect than, say, using a mouse, it still requires far more cognitive and sensual effort than using a physical device. A physical keyboard for example can be used, in fact it requires that it be used, without you looking at what your fingers are doing.

"Are we really going to accept an Interface Of The Future that is less expressive than a sandwich?"

Touch interfaces are not the destination but a way-station. In the future touch devices will become tactile devices.

Article: A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design

The greatest speech ever made?

This comes from Charlie Chaplin's 1940 film The Great Dictator - over six decades later it still seems unfortunately apt.

The video is 3m 38s long, or alternatively the transcript is available in the full entry.

Youtube Video: The greatest speech ever made