Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/23/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

A good day for some catch up to see what has developed on topics we’ve
discussed on past programs, like…

Does making your whereabouts known on social sites tell thieves you’re not
at home and effectively says “please rob me”? A case in New Hampshire sure
seems like it does.

Will an obtuse software court case deciding whether you actually own or only
license software you purchase make any difference in our lives? Hint: yup.

How do you feel about robots that can deceive humans as well as other
robots? Better decide because they are in labs now and may be coming to the
rest of the world soon.

Happy autumn!

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/9/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

If you use a computer, you may have noticed how much the quality of graphic images, especially images that move in movies or video games, has improved in recent years.

You may also be aware that the six or seven character character passwords that used to protect our access to all kinds of information are no longer much good for that purpose.
What do those two things have to do with one another?   Plenty, as it turns out. Here’s why…


Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/2/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

It’s back to school time again so here are some back to school aids foryoung (and not so young) scholars:www.worldpress.org – links to newspapers and magazines in countries all overthe world
www.50states.com/news – listings of almost all newspapers in the U.S.
www.lexicool.com – links to 7500 dictionaries in many dozens of languages.
In addition to the normal questions those going back to school face as a newyear begins, parents in Maine are facing another question, one with lifelongimplications for their children: should they supply their children’s socialsecurity numbers to schools? It’s a very big question: here’s why.


Notes from the Electronic Cottage 8/26/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

If bad uses of technology upset you, maybe you’d better pass this edition by. But if you use an ATM machine or a cell phone or GPS, you may find some of this information not only disturbing but useful as well. And as for the credit and debit card number skimmers that crooks have taken to using of late, check this site out for some pix. Can you tell the difference betweena skimmer and your favorite real ATM?  We can’t.  http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii


Notes from the Electronic Cottage 7/22/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Do you use the Internet a good bit? If so, you’re not alone – North American adults spend about 20 hours a week on the Internet. We all know that might not be the best thing for our waistlines but what about for our brains? Does Internet use affect our physical brains? Nicholas Carr, in his new book “TheShallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains,” takes a look at that question, and so do we in this edition.