Internet Safety Podcast and Wiki

A few months ago, my wife and I began listening to the Internet Safety Podcast put on by Charles Knutson and Joe Brockbank. What we found were simple ideas to protect our family from the trash on the Internet, without throwing the baby out with the bath water. I recommend to any parents out there to listen to podcast. It’s interesting and fun, but still educates on how we can keep up with our tech-savvy kids.

Also on their web site is the Internet Safety Wiki. This is a fledgling site dedicated to same principles as the Internet Safety Podcast. What they need, though, are more contributers. To the tech-savvy out there, this is a chance to make a positive difference helping parents learn about the technologies of today. Contribute your knowledge and skills to the Internet Safety Wiki.

The Bazaar and the Bizarre

Before installing the first service pack for Vista on my parent’s computer, it less-than-politely told me that it was dumping physical memory. The famed blue screen of death lives in on Microsoft’s newest operating system. What was surprising though, was to see a few days prior to that my friend’s Mac inform him that he needed to restart his computer. The kernel had panicked. I have not yet seen this sort of display on Ubuntu, though it has gone kaput a few times. I am sure that every type of system has had the hiccups before.

So then, what makes the Windows’ Blue Screen of Death so notorious?

It’s bizarre, and here’s why:

1. Windows has a larger user base with a lower average technical aptitude, so when the the screen suddenly changes color and you lose control of the system, it startles people.
2. There is nothing you can do about it.

Mac OS X avoids some the frustrations of #2, due to a much more polite delivery, and the seemly lower frequency of the kernel panicking. Linux though, at least in my experience, averages more hiccups than Windows. It manages the problems by giving the users a way to help fix the issue. Linux users go into the experience with the knowledge that their software does have bugs, but they will be fixed quickly once they are found. Most Windows and more especially Mac users don’t anticipate that their expensive computers could ever fail. They believe the lie that all bugs can be found, and were found before you bought the product.

These days, though, the situation is improving because most people have experienced enough problems to give up the fantasy of a perfect system. In addition, the bazaar mentality in Linux development has opened our eyes to the power that the end-users can have in minimizing and repairing the bizarre problems that are inevitable in software use.

Further Reading:

• The Cathedral and the Bazaar – Eric Steven Raymond

It’s a Small World – Part II

Our world is ever changing. Decades ago, only countries needed to compete globally to ensure their economic health. Years ago, businesses acquired the need to globalize. Now, in our ever shrinking world, individuals are finding that they must compete with others worldwide to thrive.

Thomas Friedman, in his book The World is Flat, gives us some insight into how and why this globalization is happening. In short, the new Web platform, combined with ever decreasing cost to connect, gives individuals a new power to communicate globally. This translates into smarter clients, who know where to find the best deal, and smarter businesses, that can give more to their customers.

For a long time, I was under the impression that specialization was key. In order to get a letter in high school, or get a scholarship in college, you need to excel in one field. Friedman on the other hand suggests that a liberal arts education, where you are comfortable with a wide variety of skills, will be more valuable to companies. You will be better prepared to adapt to the constantly changing world, and when your job is outsourced, there will still be work you can do.

So, as the world moves from the vertical to horizontal, individuals must be prepared to move horizontally. If you are prepared, this small world will bring excitement rather than fear.

Internet Protests to Censorship

Today is Online Free Expression Day. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is promoting public “virtual” protests against governments that censor Internet content, calling them Internet enemies. My question is, how much should the government intervene? Harassment, indecent exposure, and sedition are all punishable off of the web, so should the government block this content on the web? The problem is that there is no clear line as to where content becomes unreasonably objectionable. I assert that the government should have a say about what information stumbles into the hands of the people they are sworn to protect, but the line should be determined by the voters. The people should know what is being blocked.

Additional Reading:

• BBC News – Virtual demos over net censorship
  
• Electronic Privacy Information Center
• Religious Tolerance – Internet Censorship

Equality and Homogeneity

I am oft irked when politicians use the the term “equality”. All too often I get a sick feeling in my gut that what they are really advocating is homogeneity. Allow me to use Title IX as an example. In strict letter, Title IX insists on equality. No one should be favored or disfavored because of sex. However, the suggestion too often is that because there are less women in Math and Engineering, they should receive more grants, scholarships and “encouragement” to participate. Offering a disproportionate amount of support for women, in my mind, is against the equality and fairness explicit in Title IX, but rather pushes for homogeneity.

I’ve realized over the years that as a white male I am excluded from many opportunities. I try not to complain, as my opportunities are still great, but I cringe at the idea that in order to give the appearance of equality, schools and businesses must fill a quota of minority positions. With the ideal of equality, the best applicants should be hired, even if all of them are Hispanic, Buddhist, female, or (heaven forbid) white men. If 1 out of 100 applicants is a woman, her chances should be 1 : 100.

I insist that men and women are different. People from different cultures value different things. I’m not saying that women shouldn’t be in the hard sciences. I am saying let people compete in their desired field on level ground, even if it makes the demographics less diverse. We need to stop imposing a quota on how many people in a workplace or university department must come from a particular background. The numbers never will balance out perfectly, but perhaps we can finally achieve our goal of equality.

Blu-ray Wins the Blue Ribbon

It looks like Format War II is over. Sony, Apple, and Pioneer cheer while Toshiba, NEC, and others shuffle to join the Blu-ray market. RCA, Microsoft, Onkyo, and Intel are counting their losses as supporters of the soon to be obsolete HD DVD.

Though the next generation media has been decided (for now), I doubt that everyone will rush off to buy a Blu-ray player (at least $250) while DVD players can be found for as little as $15. For most, the quality improvement in Blu-ray is insufficient to overcome the hit to the wallet. Plus for those like my parents, who own nearly 600 VHS tapes, there is little motivation to embrace a new media that will obsolete their vast collection.

As a side note, it will be interesting to see if HD DVD lingers behind the scenes as long as the Betamax, which continued to be produced, though invisible to the world, until 2002.

Barefoot on the Net

The world is at our fingertips. Opportunities to reach vast audiences abound. In yesteryears it took great foresight and planning to assemble the masses, while today whatever stumbles from my lips could end up on YouTube. Ordinary people are speaking, and everyone is listening.

Take Cliff Stoll for example. He never considered himself a computer wizard, but his patience and persistence caught an international spy. Robert Morris launched the first worm that froze two thousand computers, even though it was “not very well written”.

Technology is bringing such a number of people into our reach, that it’s hard not to step on toes. Especially as a programmer, if I make one small mistake – wham! I could give away private information about couples’ relationships. Hundreds of people could be affected.

Communities & friendships, like the Internet & networks, are built on trust, but if no one is wearing shoes, then one person in cleats can do a lot of damage. So, let’s keep our shoes on, but leave the clogs at home.

More Than Just a Member

As a member of the LDS Church, I believe it to be the only true church on the Earth. I know that phrase usually sparks unpleasant feelings among members of other churches, so I’d like to explain myself. Again my disclaimer is: Although I believe myself to be representative of an active LDS member, I do not claim to state the Church’s official position.

Unfortunately, many people assume the use of “only true church” implies that all Mormons believe that Mormons go to Heaven, and all others go to Hell. This not what I believe. I certainly would not make such a judgment, neither of LDS members, nor of those of other faiths.

When I say the “only true church” I have singled out the LDS Church because it is fundamentally different than mainstream Christianity, though both share the key belief.

Jesus Christ established His church while on the earth. When He died, resurrected and finally ascended into heaven, he left that church in the hands of the Apostles, with Peter as the earthly head of the Church. Seventies were also called to lead the church as well as local leaders, including bishops. Christ continued to lead the Church by revelation to these leaders He had ordained.

However, the doctrine, authority, and organization were lost over time. Peter knew that this would happen, and both Paul and Jude saw it happening. This apostasy necessitated a restoration.

Just as He had always done, God called a prophet again to restore the doctrine and priesthood. Through Joseph Smith Jr., Christ again established His Church. That is why it is called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The priesthood authority is essential. Only by this proper authority are ordinances, such as baptism, made valid eternally. The promises, or covenants, that we make with God in the saving ordinances must be made and kept for us to return to the Kingdom of Heaven. Simply being a member of this, or any other church, isn’t enough.

Many mistakenly think that Mormons believe in salvation by works alone, which simply isn’t true. The ordinances are necessary, but not sufficient for salvation. I know that Christ is our Savior. It is only through His grace – His Atonement – that we can overcome and be saved from our sins, after we have done all we can.

Membership in the only true church gives us access to the priesthood authority necessary for the ordinances Christ has established. Any authority outside of the Church of Jesus Christ is incomplete. However, church membership in no way guarantees salvation. We must make and keep the covenants with God to accept the Atonement and be saved.

This is the key, where Mormonism and mainstream Christianity agree: Christ is Savior and Redeemer. There is no other way or name given under heaven whereby men may be saved.

I know that God lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know Christ has, and will continue to call prophets to lead His Church, to teach His people, and to perform ordinances by His authority. All that I or anyone knows of God and Heaven has come by revelation through prophets. Without them, we would have no Bible, no Book of Mormon, and no understanding of our eternal potential and worth to our Father. I know Our Father sent His Son to live, to die, and to live again for us. I bare this, my witness, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Further Readings:

• The Restoration of Truth – Mormon.org
• Warring against the Saints of God – Stephen E. Robinson
• Letter From a Youth Pastor – FAIR

Vista: Linux’s Best Friend

Microsoft shot themselves in the foot just as open-source solutions are becoming competitive. As an Ubuntu fan I have been continually impressed with each successive release, but I always have kept a Windows partition. So, when Vista was released I tried it. It was new, shiny and full of promises. At first I was amazed by the sleek interface, but I quickly ran into UAC, and driver incompatibility. After a few weeks of frustration, I reformatted my hard drive and put XP back on dual-boot with Ubuntu.

Microsoft again promised to compete, announcing Vista SP1, but after delays, bugs and bad press, Vista looks unrecoverable. Microsoft had hoped to assert its dominance, but what was to be Linux’s worst enemy is turning out be Linux’s best friend. Though XP pro is still very popular, with more and more software and hardware showing up in the Tux, Windows’ reign will soon end.

One World, One Family

We are all related somehow. The idea certainly doesn’t appeal to everybody; I know that I know people I’d never admit kinship with no matter how closely our genes match. Yet we are all connected. If you go far enough up the family tree we all come from the same Adam and Eve, and it’s surprising how many of us are related through much more recent figures in history, such as Charlemagne. We, the descendants of so many great people, have the task of finding how we are connected and of learning about those who came before. It has never been easier than now, in our time of Internet communication.