Nolan Hester: TechLife

Kapor Quits Board When Push Comes to Groove

Tue, 11 Mar 2003 20:01:14 GMT

According to today's New York Times, software pioneer Mitch Kapor has resigned from the board of Groove Networks after discovering the firm is helping the government develop its controversial Total Information Awareness program. The brainchild of Admiral John Poindexter, former national security adviser under Reagan, the proposed TIA program would monitor network computer activities under the ever-widening blanket of homeland security.

As one of the founders of the Electronic Freedom Foundation, an online rights watchdog, Kapor showed once again why he's so widely respected. Unlike directors of other recently infamous firms, who shrugged off the stewardship aspect of board seats, he understood that remaining on the Groove board would constitute endorsement of TIA. So he quit. If only Congress would be so upfront.

While a joint House-Senate committee agreed in February that the TIA program should not be used to monitor U.S. citizens, it's clear that Poindexter's program is still bubbling along offstage. As a seasoned bureaucrat, Poindexter knows that he can keep TIA going, as long as it stays out of the limelight. But with so much of Congress cowering for fear of appearing even remotely unpatriotic in the march to Baghdad, Poindexter's no doubt finding the shadows awfully crowded—and not just with politicians.

More than a few tech firms may be hiding in those same shadows. Who else besides Groove is getting federal funds to build the prototype security state? Silicon Valley loves to posture as a free-market, entrepreneurial icon but its history of sugar daddies runs from yesterday's Net venture capitalists right back to its roots in the '70s industrial military complex.

Let's hope Kapor's resignation sets the standard for other tech leaders as they search for new funds. Otherwise, the future won't be secure for any of us.

Are Bloggers Introverts or Extroverts?

Wed, 26 Feb 2003 20:08:53 GMT

A number of bloggers—Jason Kotke and Dori Smith among them—have pointed with knowing nods to Jonathan Rauch's Atlantic piece on Caring for Your Introvert, which opens with a question: Do you know someone who needs hours alone every day? Who loves quiet conversations about feelings or ideas, and can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk? Who has to be dragged to parties and then needs the rest of the day to recuperate?

It's been said that extroverts recharge by being around other people, introverts recharge by being alone, and when they meet, the extroverts walk away energized and the introverts head home to collapse. So where does blogging fit in this scheme?

The Blogosphere is crawling with extroverted pundits eager to talk with the whole world, simultaneously if possible. But there also are plenty of blogs that bubble along quietly, written for an audience of one if that's how it plays out. Does that leave introverts caught in an extroverted blog world? Maybe not.

In some ways, blogging combines IM and email, the first seemingly made for extroverts and the second a godsend for introverts who remember how ringing phones used to keep us from getting any real work done. For extroverts, blogging becomes insta-blogging with my blog talking about your blog talking about my blog while we both sit at a conference dias. Oh, it's just so energizing!! For introverts, blogs often serve as silicon journals where the ebb and flow of news and lives can be observed and reflected upon. Where links and trackbacks help staunch the rush and drag of the hours.

Breath mint or candy mint? Blogs are none of and all of the above.

Laws of Blog: If It Ain't Broke, Just Wait

Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:57:21 GMT

Amid all the breathless blogging about whether Clay Shirky's write or wrong about there being an 80/20 rule at work in predicting who gets read or crushed in the Great Blog Boom (sung to the tune Oklahoma! ), Doc Searls comes up with this gem of an aside :

"There are Laws here in Blogville. Such as: For every Thinking there is an Equal and Apposite Rethinking. Which is kind of like For every Traction there is an Equal and Opposite Retraction."

To which I'd add another "law": As in herding cats, if you think you know where the blogosphere's headed, you're wrong.

Celebrate What You Can: Congress Nixes Poindexter's TIA Plan

Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:11:44 GMT

Amid the legitimate concern about pending draconian "Patriot Act II," there's at least this bit of good news regarding cyber freedoms: Conferees in Congress Bar Using a Pentagon Project on Americans. [New York Times]

Big Changes in Newest NetNewsWire Pro (1.0b15)

Wed, 05 Feb 2003 20:11:25 GMT

Clearly Brent Simmons has been burning the midnight coding oil. His latest and greatest iteration of NNW Pro includes a bunch of welcome changes. Grab the download and see for yourself. Based on the changes so far, the final release is going be very polished indeed.

But 18-Hour Days Can Kill Ya

Wed, 29 Jan 2003 18:46:38 GMT

Well, scratch the benefits of LCDs when working long hours on the computer. The Australian newspaper reports that a man who regularly sat at his computer for 18 hours a day nearly died from a blot clot in his leg. New Zealand researchers said the man developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which caused a blood clot that eventually moved into his lungs. Would a wall-mounted LCD do the trick?

LCDs Make 16-Hour Days Easy, at Least on Eyes

Wed, 29 Jan 2003 05:06:15 GMT

After using a 17" Apple LCD for the past year of writing, I'd never go back to depending on a CRT, except for critical color correction work. My eyes don't get tired the way they used to after staring all day at Word on a CRT. My only regret: that I couldn't afford a 22" Cinema Display at the time.

OK, so I still can't afford it, but the new 20" Cinema Display at $1,299 sure is tempting. Why buy a new computer when you can just extend your desktop some more? [Apple]

Irony Defined: Worm Hit Microsoft

Tue, 28 Jan 2003 05:23:05 GMT

Microsoft itself was slammed by the Sapphire virus, according to The New York Times. The reason: They hadn't followed their own advice to install server patches. Who says God doesn't have a fine sense of humor?

Brent's Tips for Editing Radio Weblogs

Sun, 26 Jan 2003 04:55:13 GMT

Based on my erroneous ways, Brent's already posted a page on configuring NetNewsWire and Radio so you can use NetNewsWire to edit your Radio weblog. [ranchero.com]

Exceptional customer support is an understatement.

Success!

Sun, 26 Jan 2003 03:38:00 GMT

All my hats off to Brent Simmons for helping me make the switch over to using NetNewsWire Pro as my weblog editor. I find it easier to use than the editing features in Radio's non-WYSIWYG Mac version.

NetNewsWire Pro is still in beta but it's been very solid for me so far. With final release not far off, the improvements are coming fast and furious. The latest version (1.0b13) supports categories on sites running Radio, Manila, or Movable Type. Download it, give it a try--and send Brent some dough when the final's released.

Stymied!

Thu, 23 Jan 2003 01:08:27 GMT

I'm trying to switch over to using NetNewsWire Pro to edit and post my logs, but can't get it to work. So it's back to posting via Radio's kinda-awkward Mac interface. Sigh.

Blogging's supposed to be simple, so I guess this is a good thing that I can't get it to work. Though it'd be simpler if I could use NNW.