I have left Blogger and its Google world.
You can view my posts and writings on WordPress
http://djbailey.wordpress.com
Open source, open societies.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Living the Free software lifestyle
First of all thanks to Wonderboy for giving me the idea and inspiration.
In my never ending quest to rid myself of proprietary software and its associated corporate control, I am making some changes. Some of these I had already done, but had not really put into effect like setting up an Identi.ca account. I also added an account at Jabber so that I can use it with Pidgin my free and multi-platform IM client.
I am also getting rid of the Twitter bar in my browser and replacing it with the Identi.ca bar so I can post updates from Firefox.
I am also thinking of switching to Ekiga rather than Skype. Both are free as in price, but only one of them is free as in freedom. You guess which one. There will be other changes to come as well. Watch this space for updates.
In my never ending quest to rid myself of proprietary software and its associated corporate control, I am making some changes. Some of these I had already done, but had not really put into effect like setting up an Identi.ca account. I also added an account at Jabber so that I can use it with Pidgin my free and multi-platform IM client.
I am also getting rid of the Twitter bar in my browser and replacing it with the Identi.ca bar so I can post updates from Firefox.
I am also thinking of switching to Ekiga rather than Skype. Both are free as in price, but only one of them is free as in freedom. You guess which one. There will be other changes to come as well. Watch this space for updates.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Do the Cubans know something we don't
Cuba recently launched its own answer to Windows this week, or, in the bigger picture, what the Cubans are calling “US Hegemony.” Nova, the new open source OS being offered by the Cuban government, is being made to boot out US-based Microsoft products.
Cuba joins the list of countries the have dumped Windows in favor of Linux. What are the reasons, well for one they are worried about US spy agencies exploiting backdoors in the code. A well justified fear, especially when Microsoft may be the biggest spy of all.
But perhaps a better reason is
Do you hate pervasive and corrupt corporations that try to run your life?
Do you use Windows?
Cuba joins the list of countries the have dumped Windows in favor of Linux. What are the reasons, well for one they are worried about US spy agencies exploiting backdoors in the code. A well justified fear, especially when Microsoft may be the biggest spy of all.
But perhaps a better reason is
The free software movement is closer to the ideology of the Cuban people, above all for the independence and sovereignty.
Do you hate pervasive and corrupt corporations that try to run your life?
Do you use Windows?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Is school boring for you?
Educated, confident, creative people are dangerous to the status quo, dangerous to a centralized economy, dangerous to a centralized system of command and control. Those in power don’t want you educated. They want you schooled.
Truer words were never spoken or written. These were taken from a recent blog post by Dave Pollard. The quote was excerpted from 101 Reasons Why I'm an Unschooler. The post, and I'm sure the book, present some very good reasons why so-called modern schooling is designed to produce drones and wage slaves and not thinkers.
The authors own experience with 'independent study' is illuminating. By removing the shackles of schooling he got a better education than he ever could from even the best teacher. The educational model that we follow, with teachers teaching a standardized curriculum to a mass of students, was begun in the 17th century and has changed little since then. This form of schooling does violence to students as smart students are held back, slow students become frustrated by their lack of ability in 'required subjects' and average students become envious of how easy it is for the smart students to succeed.
The unspoken truth is that modern education was never designed to produce thinkers, it was designed to produce conformity and obedience. Thus the emphasis on management over education. Teachers are taught how to control and instruct and students are taught how to behave and learn correctly. If you go all the way back to schooling's origins in Martin Luther's Prussia and Calvin's Geneva it had the same purpose, social control through access to correct learning.
When I think of the IB's Learner Profile and the skills it suggests, I wonder how many of them will really be learned through the use of a standardized curriculum. How can a student be an independent risk taker when 80% of their grade is going to come from three hours of standardized exams.
What both authors suggest is the basis for a Libertarian approach to education and was the foundation of the home-schooling movement.
It is not up to teachers or school administrators to figure out what you should be or do. It’s not up to the State, it’s not up to your guidance counselors. It’s not up to your parents. What you do with your life ought to be up to you. What you learn ought to be up to you. How you navigate the world and create your place in it ought to be your decision. Your life belongs to you. School does its best to disabuse you of this notion. Unschooling celebrates it. Unschooling puts the responsibility for creating a satisfying life squarely where it belongs: in the hands of the one living it.
A truly revolutionary call. When you make your choices about courses and colleges what criteria are you using? Do you look at the school's ranking or do you focus on how that school can develop you as a person? Which is more important to you? I see social media as helping with this unschooling approach. When I look at the uses of Twitter, online courses, Second Life or others it does help to break students out of the traditional school mold.
Think about these questions when you consider your own plans after high school. After you have your diploma, what will come next?
Truer words were never spoken or written. These were taken from a recent blog post by Dave Pollard. The quote was excerpted from 101 Reasons Why I'm an Unschooler. The post, and I'm sure the book, present some very good reasons why so-called modern schooling is designed to produce drones and wage slaves and not thinkers.
The authors own experience with 'independent study' is illuminating. By removing the shackles of schooling he got a better education than he ever could from even the best teacher. The educational model that we follow, with teachers teaching a standardized curriculum to a mass of students, was begun in the 17th century and has changed little since then. This form of schooling does violence to students as smart students are held back, slow students become frustrated by their lack of ability in 'required subjects' and average students become envious of how easy it is for the smart students to succeed.
The unspoken truth is that modern education was never designed to produce thinkers, it was designed to produce conformity and obedience. Thus the emphasis on management over education. Teachers are taught how to control and instruct and students are taught how to behave and learn correctly. If you go all the way back to schooling's origins in Martin Luther's Prussia and Calvin's Geneva it had the same purpose, social control through access to correct learning.
When I think of the IB's Learner Profile and the skills it suggests, I wonder how many of them will really be learned through the use of a standardized curriculum. How can a student be an independent risk taker when 80% of their grade is going to come from three hours of standardized exams.
What both authors suggest is the basis for a Libertarian approach to education and was the foundation of the home-schooling movement.
It is not up to teachers or school administrators to figure out what you should be or do. It’s not up to the State, it’s not up to your guidance counselors. It’s not up to your parents. What you do with your life ought to be up to you. What you learn ought to be up to you. How you navigate the world and create your place in it ought to be your decision. Your life belongs to you. School does its best to disabuse you of this notion. Unschooling celebrates it. Unschooling puts the responsibility for creating a satisfying life squarely where it belongs: in the hands of the one living it.
A truly revolutionary call. When you make your choices about courses and colleges what criteria are you using? Do you look at the school's ranking or do you focus on how that school can develop you as a person? Which is more important to you? I see social media as helping with this unschooling approach. When I look at the uses of Twitter, online courses, Second Life or others it does help to break students out of the traditional school mold.
Think about these questions when you consider your own plans after high school. After you have your diploma, what will come next?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Download this Movie
Well, the verdict just came in and predictably it was against The Pirate Bay. What a surprise!
As a protest I urge all of you to download the new Xmen movie that has gotten the Hollywood exec millionaires so upset.
You can find it here or here or here.
End Intellectual Property!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Read this Blog
The New York Times has started a rolling blog and update site called The Choice.The site claims it is 'demistifying college admissions and aid.' Which is a pretty worthy goal if you ask me.
It is focused on admissions in the US, but a lot of the general advice is applicable anywhere. I especially like the articles written by students about their experiences and struggles. Students waiting for acceptance notices are the same all over the world.
You can also get some good advice about the application process in general and how to manipulate the system to your advantage.
It is worth a look even if you don't add it to your favorites.
It is focused on admissions in the US, but a lot of the general advice is applicable anywhere. I especially like the articles written by students about their experiences and struggles. Students waiting for acceptance notices are the same all over the world.
You can also get some good advice about the application process in general and how to manipulate the system to your advantage.
It is worth a look even if you don't add it to your favorites.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Some good advice for the seniors
I put the link on Twitter but I thought you should see this.
The Washington Post has a good article about getting news this month. Whether the news is good or bad there are steps you should take. Read through what is written and see how much of it might apply to you.
It is not always easy to make decisions. Trust your instincts they are probably right.
The Washington Post has a good article about getting news this month. Whether the news is good or bad there are steps you should take. Read through what is written and see how much of it might apply to you.
It is not always easy to make decisions. Trust your instincts they are probably right.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Another Linux Post
Yes I am always writing and talking about Linux.
For those of you who are not convinced yet, you can read this.
For those of you who are not convinced yet, you can read this.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Words of Wisdom
First, The American Spectator is a fairly conservative publication. So keep that in mind as you read the article. There's nothing wrong with being conservative, your IB Coordinator is a pretty conservative guy who used to have a subscription to this magazine, back when there were paper magazines. But you should always try to identify the bias.
That being said, a recent article entitled Not Making the Grade by Ken Blackwell has a lot to say about high school and college admissions. Specifically with the ideas of achievement and entitlement.
Achievement represents things that we have accomplished through our own effort and ability. Achievement cannot be given to you or done for you, otherwise it is not achievement. Achievement is individual, it cannot be shared although it can be combined with others. As the article says
Our lives are filled with measures of achievement.
Entitlement represents things that are given to us through no effort of our own. Entitlement can only be given by others and cannot be obtained by oneself. Entitlement is community oriented because it requires others to give you something you have not earned. Entitlement is not charity, which springs from an inner desire to do good. Entitlement is selfish, demanding special consideration for no other reason except that you want something and should have it easily. My toddler at home feels this way, but he is only 2.
In many ways, very ably pointed out, the measures of achievement are being removed from our lives and replaced with the idea of entitlement. For high school students, who want grades without working for them, the result is students that are unprepared for the more difficult work at university. Does this sound like anyone you know?
George Leef with the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy wrote of this problem at the college level, noting that more college students today expect high grades for simply showing-up in class or completing reading assignments. The New York Times explored the issue as well, quoting college educators bemoaning the fact that too many students are equating effort with quality of work.
So how does this play itself out at the college level? Colleges respond to the students they are getting by making admissions standards focused less on achievement and more on...
well on something else which is not always so clearly defined.
An illustration of this is seen in the relatively small but growing number of colleges that have dropped standardized testing as a requirement for admission in favor of "holistic" admission practices.
Holistic can have a lot of meanings, but one meaning it definitely doesn't have is a focus on grades and scores. By removing the emphasis on tests and grades colleges open themselves up to a shifting field of admission standards that students will find hard to understand.
Presenting students with uncertain and imprecise standards for admission plays into this growing sense of entitlement. It stands to reason that, if the standards for admission to college are subject to holistic whims, so too should be the grades given to students.
Read the whole article and think about your own approach to your work and the expectations you have for your school and your future college. When education is weakened, society suffers in the long run. Expecting rewards without results will not benefit the student, the school or the country you call home.
That being said, a recent article entitled Not Making the Grade by Ken Blackwell has a lot to say about high school and college admissions. Specifically with the ideas of achievement and entitlement.
Achievement represents things that we have accomplished through our own effort and ability. Achievement cannot be given to you or done for you, otherwise it is not achievement. Achievement is individual, it cannot be shared although it can be combined with others. As the article says
Our lives are filled with measures of achievement.
Entitlement represents things that are given to us through no effort of our own. Entitlement can only be given by others and cannot be obtained by oneself. Entitlement is community oriented because it requires others to give you something you have not earned. Entitlement is not charity, which springs from an inner desire to do good. Entitlement is selfish, demanding special consideration for no other reason except that you want something and should have it easily. My toddler at home feels this way, but he is only 2.
In many ways, very ably pointed out, the measures of achievement are being removed from our lives and replaced with the idea of entitlement. For high school students, who want grades without working for them, the result is students that are unprepared for the more difficult work at university. Does this sound like anyone you know?
George Leef with the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy wrote of this problem at the college level, noting that more college students today expect high grades for simply showing-up in class or completing reading assignments. The New York Times explored the issue as well, quoting college educators bemoaning the fact that too many students are equating effort with quality of work.
So how does this play itself out at the college level? Colleges respond to the students they are getting by making admissions standards focused less on achievement and more on...
well on something else which is not always so clearly defined.
An illustration of this is seen in the relatively small but growing number of colleges that have dropped standardized testing as a requirement for admission in favor of "holistic" admission practices.
Holistic can have a lot of meanings, but one meaning it definitely doesn't have is a focus on grades and scores. By removing the emphasis on tests and grades colleges open themselves up to a shifting field of admission standards that students will find hard to understand.
Presenting students with uncertain and imprecise standards for admission plays into this growing sense of entitlement. It stands to reason that, if the standards for admission to college are subject to holistic whims, so too should be the grades given to students.
Read the whole article and think about your own approach to your work and the expectations you have for your school and your future college. When education is weakened, society suffers in the long run. Expecting rewards without results will not benefit the student, the school or the country you call home.
Upcoming Events
There are several events this month that IB students should be aware of.
On the 19th there will be a meeting for all students in 11IB to discuss the Extended Essay. This is part of the core of the IB Diploma and a crucial piece of work. We will go over the requirements of the essay and discuss registrations.
On the 23rd there will be a meeting for students in Grade 10 to introduce the IB Diploma Program. There will be a presentation and materials will be given explaining the program. Students will also have the opportunity to pick up an application if they choose.
On the 24th there will be a second meeting for the students in 11IB to cover the registrations for IBIS. This will be your final chance to make decisions about HL and SL and to choose your essay. After this you will be registered with IBIS and given your Candidate Report with your codes and subjects.
In addition to all of this we also have three university events this month as well as the deadlines for 12IB. It is that time of year.
On the 19th there will be a meeting for all students in 11IB to discuss the Extended Essay. This is part of the core of the IB Diploma and a crucial piece of work. We will go over the requirements of the essay and discuss registrations.
On the 23rd there will be a meeting for students in Grade 10 to introduce the IB Diploma Program. There will be a presentation and materials will be given explaining the program. Students will also have the opportunity to pick up an application if they choose.
On the 24th there will be a second meeting for the students in 11IB to cover the registrations for IBIS. This will be your final chance to make decisions about HL and SL and to choose your essay. After this you will be registered with IBIS and given your Candidate Report with your codes and subjects.
In addition to all of this we also have three university events this month as well as the deadlines for 12IB. It is that time of year.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
What will your college degree be worth?
Making your choices about college majors and potential careers can be tough. The idea that classes you select now in high school will somehow determine the rest of your life seems impossible. Browsing through the news today I came across a great article by a counselor at Solano Community College.
She writes with some real heartfelt wisdom about the choices she has made and how she was led to them. Her focus on career placement tests is very timely. We have been discussing implementing some school wide testing next year which could include a skills and career component.
You never know where you will wind up. When I was in high school I couldn't find Bahrain on a map. Now I have been living here for thirteen years and I am committing myself to a few more.
Read what she has to say, much wisdom there is.
She writes with some real heartfelt wisdom about the choices she has made and how she was led to them. Her focus on career placement tests is very timely. We have been discussing implementing some school wide testing next year which could include a skills and career component.
You never know where you will wind up. When I was in high school I couldn't find Bahrain on a map. Now I have been living here for thirteen years and I am committing myself to a few more.
Read what she has to say, much wisdom there is.
There is no such thing as piracy
There are only companies that charge too much and don't have a clue.
This article at Techdirt shows that the pirates are not the problem, the companies are. If they would change their models of distribution they would end piracy and make more money at the same time.
One good point to note is that
digital content is best viewed as a service, not a product. As a service, you focus on providing continual value -- and people are paying for that future value (which is a scarce good prior to delivery), rather than an infinite good already created. There's value in paying for that future (scarce) service, and it trumps paying for an abundantly available good.
This is true. Digital products cannot be distributed and controlled like physical products. Corporations don't get this. They would rather shut down the entire Internet than make any changes to the way they do business. The article goes on to say that
the reason "piracy" is doing so well is that the "pirates are ahead not just on price, but on service." In fact, he noted that since DRM decreases the service value for customers, it also tends to increase piracy, rather than decrease it.
The data in the article goes on to show that when prices are reduced drastically, by as much as 75%, sales can increase by as much as 3000%! That's not a mistype. People copy digital content because the price is too high. If the price were reasonable, people would pay to get good copies. That has been shown in many studies.
The copyright industry won't acknowledge this because it means some loss of control for them, even though it could mean more money. The copyright industry is about power and control. Marketing music and movies is a means to attain that control. The war against so-called piracy is a war to protect profits, nothing more.
This article at Techdirt shows that the pirates are not the problem, the companies are. If they would change their models of distribution they would end piracy and make more money at the same time.
One good point to note is that
digital content is best viewed as a service, not a product. As a service, you focus on providing continual value -- and people are paying for that future value (which is a scarce good prior to delivery), rather than an infinite good already created. There's value in paying for that future (scarce) service, and it trumps paying for an abundantly available good.
This is true. Digital products cannot be distributed and controlled like physical products. Corporations don't get this. They would rather shut down the entire Internet than make any changes to the way they do business. The article goes on to say that
the reason "piracy" is doing so well is that the "pirates are ahead not just on price, but on service." In fact, he noted that since DRM decreases the service value for customers, it also tends to increase piracy, rather than decrease it.
The data in the article goes on to show that when prices are reduced drastically, by as much as 75%, sales can increase by as much as 3000%! That's not a mistype. People copy digital content because the price is too high. If the price were reasonable, people would pay to get good copies. That has been shown in many studies.
The copyright industry won't acknowledge this because it means some loss of control for them, even though it could mean more money. The copyright industry is about power and control. Marketing music and movies is a means to attain that control. The war against so-called piracy is a war to protect profits, nothing more.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Where is our security?
Since we are on the topic of security in grade 12 I thought that this article would be a good example of what could go wrong. Is it even possible that the same system was hit twice? Someone should be getting fired.
What might be worse is that Visa and Mastercard know who the processor is, but won't name names. I guess everyone is trying to cover themselves. They should have been that cautious about the data.
What might be worse is that Visa and Mastercard know who the processor is, but won't name names. I guess everyone is trying to cover themselves. They should have been that cautious about the data.
Monday, February 16, 2009
You know I had to write about this
As some of you know I am following the PirateBay trial on Twitter (also many thanks to Sofia)and reading about it in the news. I am sure that many of you know about the PirateBay from personal experience and those of you who have been taking ITGS also know about the issues involved here.
This trial is just one in a long string of attempts by corporate media to control the distribution of their product. Under the law, in most countries, they have a right to do that. But this trial is also about how we will be able to access information.
One great quote comes from Christian Engstrom, Vice Chairman of the Swedish Pirate Party
“Should the Internet be a place where everyone can communicate or
should it not? That’s the question of this trial, and no court can
answer that question. Even if The Pirate Bay would be freed all the way
through the court system, the problem isn’t solved. The Copyright Lobby
will demand more restrictions and tougher laws and the only way to
protect social media culture in the long run is to work politically.”
Corporations want to protect their profits and they will do what they have to in order to keep the money flowing. In order for that to happen they have to control both production and distribution. If either of those is lost, the money stops flowing in. For the past century they have had this control, but now they are losing it. People with power always want the same thing, more power. But now that power is being taken away from them, by their own customers.
The people have spoken, and voted, we want our media our way. We want a variety of formats in a variety of easily accessible media. More and more creators of content are dumping the traditional format for creation and delivery and going their own way. Music, especially music, and other entertainment can be produced locally and distributed globally. This has made the old business models obsolete.
I am not saying the process won't be painful for the established companies (gatekeepers) in the entertainment industry. They have had control for a long time and have been able to decide who is worthy and who isn't. They have also been able to have it all their own way. But now the pirates are in the harbor and barbarians are storming the gates, and we have the newest technology on our side.
There is money to be made in digital distribution, MP3Fiesta among others proves that. As long as the media companies use legal force to try and halt the advance of technology they will be fighting a losing battle. It may take awhile, but you cannot resist the technology. The question is how much misery are they willing to cause on their way down?
This trial is just one in a long string of attempts by corporate media to control the distribution of their product. Under the law, in most countries, they have a right to do that. But this trial is also about how we will be able to access information.
One great quote comes from Christian Engstrom, Vice Chairman of the Swedish Pirate Party
“Should the Internet be a place where everyone can communicate or
should it not? That’s the question of this trial, and no court can
answer that question. Even if The Pirate Bay would be freed all the way
through the court system, the problem isn’t solved. The Copyright Lobby
will demand more restrictions and tougher laws and the only way to
protect social media culture in the long run is to work politically.”
Corporations want to protect their profits and they will do what they have to in order to keep the money flowing. In order for that to happen they have to control both production and distribution. If either of those is lost, the money stops flowing in. For the past century they have had this control, but now they are losing it. People with power always want the same thing, more power. But now that power is being taken away from them, by their own customers.
The people have spoken, and voted, we want our media our way. We want a variety of formats in a variety of easily accessible media. More and more creators of content are dumping the traditional format for creation and delivery and going their own way. Music, especially music, and other entertainment can be produced locally and distributed globally. This has made the old business models obsolete.
I am not saying the process won't be painful for the established companies (gatekeepers) in the entertainment industry. They have had control for a long time and have been able to decide who is worthy and who isn't. They have also been able to have it all their own way. But now the pirates are in the harbor and barbarians are storming the gates, and we have the newest technology on our side.
There is money to be made in digital distribution, MP3Fiesta among others proves that. As long as the media companies use legal force to try and halt the advance of technology they will be fighting a losing battle. It may take awhile, but you cannot resist the technology. The question is how much misery are they willing to cause on their way down?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
What have we been talking about?
I love it when I find something in the media that we have covered in class first. When I saw this article at InformationWeek about microsoft offering bounties on worm writers I had to point it out.
So this is what it has come to, open warfare between the corporations and the hackers. Armies being assembled, monies being paid and combat out in the open. Cyberwarfare on a corporate scale.
What also stuck me was the numbers quoted
Symantec said in the past five days it has seen an average of almost 500,000 infections per day with W32.Downadup.A and more than 1.7 million infections per day with W32.Downadup.B.
Those numbers are per day, that means each day and every day. What is happening? I have heard some people compare the Web to the wild west, but this is far beyond that. It sounds more like a territorial war
According to Symantec, researchers have reverse-engineered the algorithm used to generate a daily list of 250 domains that the worm depends on to download updates. Armed with that knowledge, the coalition is taking control of the domains registered through coalition partners and using them to log and track infected systems. The group also is investigating domains overseen by registrars that aren't part of the coalition, though it's not clear how much leverage can be applied in such cases.
Seizing domains, collecting secrets, gathering intelligence, cutting off supplies and putting pressure on registrars sounds like a lot of military terminology to me. Are we surfing the Net or invading another country?
Watch yourself out there boys and girls. The Web can be a very dangerous place.
So this is what it has come to, open warfare between the corporations and the hackers. Armies being assembled, monies being paid and combat out in the open. Cyberwarfare on a corporate scale.
What also stuck me was the numbers quoted
Symantec said in the past five days it has seen an average of almost 500,000 infections per day with W32.Downadup.A and more than 1.7 million infections per day with W32.Downadup.B.
Those numbers are per day, that means each day and every day. What is happening? I have heard some people compare the Web to the wild west, but this is far beyond that. It sounds more like a territorial war
According to Symantec, researchers have reverse-engineered the algorithm used to generate a daily list of 250 domains that the worm depends on to download updates. Armed with that knowledge, the coalition is taking control of the domains registered through coalition partners and using them to log and track infected systems. The group also is investigating domains overseen by registrars that aren't part of the coalition, though it's not clear how much leverage can be applied in such cases.
Seizing domains, collecting secrets, gathering intelligence, cutting off supplies and putting pressure on registrars sounds like a lot of military terminology to me. Are we surfing the Net or invading another country?
Watch yourself out there boys and girls. The Web can be a very dangerous place.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Business Students Rejoice
I have posted the Business & Management sample papers on the MKSBahrain page at Google Groups. It would not allow me to post a folder, the files had to be listed separately so they are HL_1, HL_2, SL_1 and SL_2. Be sure to get both the papers and the moderator comments.
Also remember that these are very good samples. Not everyone gets a 25 out of 25.
To download follow the link to MKSBahrain on this page.
Also remember that these are very good samples. Not everyone gets a 25 out of 25.
To download follow the link to MKSBahrain on this page.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Senioritis, the real facts
I found a good article at Kansas City dot com. You can see the print version as well.
It gives some good info on commonly held beliefs about the senior year. Especially after you get accepted to the college of your choice. Some good advice within.
It is also up on my Twitter page.
It gives some good info on commonly held beliefs about the senior year. Especially after you get accepted to the college of your choice. Some good advice within.
It is also up on my Twitter page.
For those doing the ITGS HL Portfolio
I thought this article at the BBC Click page was great. Tradition and technology converging.
Finding the right college just got easier
If you are a senior and you are still looking or if you are a junior who has just begun looking you may want to consider using a college matchmaker. This article from a local news channel in Wisconsin gives a lot of details about the new matchmaker services making their way onto the net.
This isn't just about looking at college web pages. On some of these matchmaker sites you can view videos, read blogs and chat with current students. You can find a lot of useful tools at these sites and ge some help from people who know. You might also be able to find a school you have never heard of that fits you just right.
The article also includes a list of some of the more popular services.
This isn't just about looking at college web pages. On some of these matchmaker sites you can view videos, read blogs and chat with current students. You can find a lot of useful tools at these sites and ge some help from people who know. You might also be able to find a school you have never heard of that fits you just right.
The article also includes a list of some of the more popular services.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Deutschland uber alles
I just had a meeting with two very nice reps sent over by the German embassy. We had a good discussion about university programs in Germany and German language classes here in Bahrain. I took German in high school and loved every minute of it, well almost. My Grandmother is German, although today her hometown is actually part of the Czech Republic, WWII and all that.
The Goethe-Institut Golf-Region is going to begin offering German language classes here through the embassy. If you are interested you can contact the embassy and check it out. You might see me there.
Thomas Bohm who represents the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst gave me a lot of good info on programs in Germany. If you have been thinking about Europe as a college destination you don't have to focus only on the UK. One interesting tidbit is that 95% of universities in Germany are government owned, which keeps the tuition low. In fact he told me that, depending on the program, it is possible to go to school in Germany for between 0 to 1000 Euros a year. That's it for a year of undergraduate study.
Some programs are offered in English only, other begin in English and finish in German for those who want to learn the language really well. He also told me that the visa process is pretty easy and can usually be handled through the embassy here. Of course there is always the travel, but isn't getting away from Bahrain part of the reason for going to college on the first place?
I have some information here in the office but you should go online and check out what is offered.
The Goethe-Institut Golf-Region is going to begin offering German language classes here through the embassy. If you are interested you can contact the embassy and check it out. You might see me there.
Thomas Bohm who represents the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst gave me a lot of good info on programs in Germany. If you have been thinking about Europe as a college destination you don't have to focus only on the UK. One interesting tidbit is that 95% of universities in Germany are government owned, which keeps the tuition low. In fact he told me that, depending on the program, it is possible to go to school in Germany for between 0 to 1000 Euros a year. That's it for a year of undergraduate study.
Some programs are offered in English only, other begin in English and finish in German for those who want to learn the language really well. He also told me that the visa process is pretty easy and can usually be handled through the embassy here. Of course there is always the travel, but isn't getting away from Bahrain part of the reason for going to college on the first place?
I have some information here in the office but you should go online and check out what is offered.
Do you use Facebook?
This is a very good article at Techradar about Facebook and its expected growth. It covers social networks in general as well as looking at some specific examples.
One very good point
So what is the relevance of all this? One thing it shows is the transience of our attractions. The future of the Net, and thereby all communications and entertainment, may be one of transitory sensations which increasingly fail to excite us. Facebook is already in decline just a couple of years after it broke big, can it be true? MySpace is already a dinosaur in the social networking realm and several others have already gone bust last year.
How long will I have with Twitter, and what will replace it? My family is following me on Twitter so that they can see my day to day stuff rather than waiting for one of those occasional emails I send home. In an increasingly ad driven Net, I think we will we be perpetually bombarded by the latest trends only to be followed by the heartbreak of loss when it fades into the background.
Read the article. IT would make a good Portfolio paper.
One very good point
Eventually, though, the growth stops. It has to.
You know those pyramid scams where you pay to join the scheme, and
people you recruit pay you, and you're told you'll end up a
millionaire? They all run out of steam, leaving almost everybody out of
pocket, because to sustain the level of growth you soon need to recruit
10 times the population of the planet.
It's the
same with social networks. Once you've added everybody you can think
of, including people you'll later regret adding, you tend to stop
sending invites. The fun wears off, you update your status less
frequently, you get fed up fending off stupid requests to use stupid
applications, and you start looking for a new playground.
So what is the relevance of all this? One thing it shows is the transience of our attractions. The future of the Net, and thereby all communications and entertainment, may be one of transitory sensations which increasingly fail to excite us. Facebook is already in decline just a couple of years after it broke big, can it be true? MySpace is already a dinosaur in the social networking realm and several others have already gone bust last year.
How long will I have with Twitter, and what will replace it? My family is following me on Twitter so that they can see my day to day stuff rather than waiting for one of those occasional emails I send home. In an increasingly ad driven Net, I think we will we be perpetually bombarded by the latest trends only to be followed by the heartbreak of loss when it fades into the background.
Read the article. IT would make a good Portfolio paper.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
While I'm in Twitter mode
If any of you are US bound, you might want to check to see if your potential alma mater has a Twitter feed. This list is for US universities, but I'm sure that other schools in other countries have theirs as well.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Are you using any of these?
There is a good post on Mashable about Gen-Y (that's you) and what they want and expect from their Internet these days. Your generation has been raised on technology and you don't know what it means to not be connected.
Some of the sites are oriented for college students and people a little older than you, but it never hurts to get an early start. When you think of your career, what do you see yourself doing? I don't mean big things, what are the little things. The day to day things that will really comprise your chosen career. One good way to find out is to talk to others already doing that job. See what they have to say about it.
You do have to be careful about social overload, but when you find a good resource or community you should make the most of it.
Some of the sites are oriented for college students and people a little older than you, but it never hurts to get an early start. When you think of your career, what do you see yourself doing? I don't mean big things, what are the little things. The day to day things that will really comprise your chosen career. One good way to find out is to talk to others already doing that job. See what they have to say about it.
You do have to be careful about social overload, but when you find a good resource or community you should make the most of it.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
It had to happen sooner or later
Well, I have run into the dread Batelco filter.
It looks like this
What evil content was your teacher trying to look at you wonder. I was trying to get into a site that had some Jimi Hendrix wallpapers.
Thankfully, those who are wiser and more virtuous at Batelco have saved me from this decadent content.
Thanks to their noble and selfless efforts, my soul is uncorrupted and my Muslim virtue is secure.
It looks like this
What evil content was your teacher trying to look at you wonder. I was trying to get into a site that had some Jimi Hendrix wallpapers.
Thankfully, those who are wiser and more virtuous at Batelco have saved me from this decadent content.
Thanks to their noble and selfless efforts, my soul is uncorrupted and my Muslim virtue is secure.
Friday, January 23, 2009
What is your education worth to you?
I just read this very interesting article by Karen De Coster about education and the kind of people it produces. It is especially relevant for those of you who have selected a college major without really knowing why you selected it or who are now making your final decisions about which college to attend.
What are you learning at school? Most of you are going through a process that will result in your earning a diploma of one type or another at the end of grade 12. You will be told that you have 'graduated' and are now ready for the next level, whatever that is. Probably more school and more diplomas. But what have you learned? Can you tell me?
What skills are you acquiring right now that will still be of use to you in twenty years, even ten? Probably not much. This is the big secret of education. Teachers teaching things they are not that interested in to students who don't really learn it. In fact teachers don't really teach anything, students teach all of it to themselves. In most educational settings teaches are taskmasters making sure that the correct or approved topics are memorized and given back in an acceptable format, usually an exam. Today they use the term 'facilitator' of knowledge, where teachers create the right type of environment for learning to take place.
If you want an eye-opening analysis of what types of students are being produced today you can read another article by Charles Murray. By the time you finish high school you will, supposedly, be primed to enter the career training ground, otherwise known as college. When this is done you will be set to move on to your career, like parts on the assembly line. But what type of person will you be? What will your interests be? Will you continue to try to learn for its own value, or will that have been crushed out of you by nearly two decades of education. Remember, education does not equal learning.
If you are reading this then it is too late for your high school years. You only have one shot left, that is college. Are you looking at colleges because they will improve you as a person, or because they appear on an 'acceptable' rankings list? Visit Colleges That Change Lives for an example of the former. For the latter, you can visit just about everywhere else.
When colleges visit us, do you ask them about majors and entrance requirements or do you ask them about students life and satisfaction. Are you more concerned with your potential degree or your intellectual development? Do you want the paper or the knowledge?
Think about it.
What are you learning at school? Most of you are going through a process that will result in your earning a diploma of one type or another at the end of grade 12. You will be told that you have 'graduated' and are now ready for the next level, whatever that is. Probably more school and more diplomas. But what have you learned? Can you tell me?
What skills are you acquiring right now that will still be of use to you in twenty years, even ten? Probably not much. This is the big secret of education. Teachers teaching things they are not that interested in to students who don't really learn it. In fact teachers don't really teach anything, students teach all of it to themselves. In most educational settings teaches are taskmasters making sure that the correct or approved topics are memorized and given back in an acceptable format, usually an exam. Today they use the term 'facilitator' of knowledge, where teachers create the right type of environment for learning to take place.
If you want an eye-opening analysis of what types of students are being produced today you can read another article by Charles Murray. By the time you finish high school you will, supposedly, be primed to enter the career training ground, otherwise known as college. When this is done you will be set to move on to your career, like parts on the assembly line. But what type of person will you be? What will your interests be? Will you continue to try to learn for its own value, or will that have been crushed out of you by nearly two decades of education. Remember, education does not equal learning.
If you are reading this then it is too late for your high school years. You only have one shot left, that is college. Are you looking at colleges because they will improve you as a person, or because they appear on an 'acceptable' rankings list? Visit Colleges That Change Lives for an example of the former. For the latter, you can visit just about everywhere else.
When colleges visit us, do you ask them about majors and entrance requirements or do you ask them about students life and satisfaction. Are you more concerned with your potential degree or your intellectual development? Do you want the paper or the knowledge?
Think about it.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Another useful website
I found a good post on Makeuseof.com. This is a list of online learning tools that students can use. There are some links for different subjects including your science classes.
Check it out.
Check it out.
I found something you're gonna like
I was working on one of my assignments for my UCLA class. (Say hi to anyone else who might be reading this.) We were supposed to find new search engines that we can use for researching colleges and helping students. Well, I found one I love called Searchme. Go ahead and take a look at it. Go ahead I'll wait.
...
Well...
When you type in your key search phrase you get the icons for different categories, it allows you to refine your search without having to enter it in the search box. That is helpful. But you know what I really liked, the pictures.
Being able to see previews of the pages or images or news stories I am looking for was great. I don't know why I didn't look for something like this before. Google is good, but plain text leaves something out. It is like I want more, but I don't know what. Until now. What I wanted was the previews Searchme provided.
There is a toolbar for Firefox that you can install. This is my default search tool until I find something that looks even better. You should also take a look at the stack function, which lets you group pages together based on how you need them and will use them. Very helpful.
Look at the stacks feature. I think the tutorial is very good. Being able to drag your favorite results into stacks and avoid bookmarks is very nice.
Post your comments and tell me what you think or if you have found something else like it.
...
Well...
When you type in your key search phrase you get the icons for different categories, it allows you to refine your search without having to enter it in the search box. That is helpful. But you know what I really liked, the pictures.
Being able to see previews of the pages or images or news stories I am looking for was great. I don't know why I didn't look for something like this before. Google is good, but plain text leaves something out. It is like I want more, but I don't know what. Until now. What I wanted was the previews Searchme provided.
There is a toolbar for Firefox that you can install. This is my default search tool until I find something that looks even better. You should also take a look at the stack function, which lets you group pages together based on how you need them and will use them. Very helpful.
Look at the stacks feature. I think the tutorial is very good. Being able to drag your favorite results into stacks and avoid bookmarks is very nice.
Post your comments and tell me what you think or if you have found something else like it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
What did I say?
After watching the video Web Warriors about worms, botnets and hackers we have a real life example appear to reinforce what we saw in the video. The Telegraph has an article about a new worm which is infecting Windows computers (of course) and is doing big damage throughout Asia.
Security analysts at F-Secure believe more than 8.9 million computers have
been infected by the virus, a worm, which is known variously as Conficker,
Kido or Downadup, and targets the Windows operating system. Microsoft said
that the worm searches for a Windows file called “services.exe”, and then
embeds itself as part of that code. From there, it is able to burrow deep
into the operating system, even changing the System Registry, which stores
settings and options for Windows, to trick the machine into running the
infected program.
More than 9 million computers? Does Microsoft have anybody working on this? F-Secure is the company we saw in the video and they are one of the leaders in anti-virus software worldwide.
Two things stood out in this article for me. The first is how the writers of the virus are constantly changing their web locations to avoid detection. This shows active planning on their part. The second is that there are new variants being released. This shows continuous development on the their part.
I don't think that the goal of such a virus would be to take down the Internet, because if the Internet is unusable or too dangerous for the average user than this would reduce the number of targets for the hackers. In other words, if people start doing less online there are fewer opportunities to rip them off. People might get robbed when they leave their homes. But if everyone got robbed everytime they left home nobody would go out and the criminals would be out of business.
For a worm of this size the purpose is probably extortion, data theft or political attacks. We have not seen the worst of what online worms can do or what botnets could do if they were utilized for maximum damage. Just as drug cartels compete and kill for territories, which is really a way of securing a customer base, we could see the emergence of online hacker cartels staking out territory and waging war against companies and governments who get in their way.
The Internet is becoming as dangerous as real life. Just as those who can afford it live in gated communities and compounds for security, we could see safe zones on the Net for protected commerce. Your options may be restricted, but you'll be (reasonably) safe when you choose to go online.
Security analysts at F-Secure believe more than 8.9 million computers have
been infected by the virus, a worm, which is known variously as Conficker,
Kido or Downadup, and targets the Windows operating system. Microsoft said
that the worm searches for a Windows file called “services.exe”, and then
embeds itself as part of that code. From there, it is able to burrow deep
into the operating system, even changing the System Registry, which stores
settings and options for Windows, to trick the machine into running the
infected program.
More than 9 million computers? Does Microsoft have anybody working on this? F-Secure is the company we saw in the video and they are one of the leaders in anti-virus software worldwide.
Two things stood out in this article for me. The first is how the writers of the virus are constantly changing their web locations to avoid detection. This shows active planning on their part. The second is that there are new variants being released. This shows continuous development on the their part.
I don't think that the goal of such a virus would be to take down the Internet, because if the Internet is unusable or too dangerous for the average user than this would reduce the number of targets for the hackers. In other words, if people start doing less online there are fewer opportunities to rip them off. People might get robbed when they leave their homes. But if everyone got robbed everytime they left home nobody would go out and the criminals would be out of business.
For a worm of this size the purpose is probably extortion, data theft or political attacks. We have not seen the worst of what online worms can do or what botnets could do if they were utilized for maximum damage. Just as drug cartels compete and kill for territories, which is really a way of securing a customer base, we could see the emergence of online hacker cartels staking out territory and waging war against companies and governments who get in their way.
The Internet is becoming as dangerous as real life. Just as those who can afford it live in gated communities and compounds for security, we could see safe zones on the Net for protected commerce. Your options may be restricted, but you'll be (reasonably) safe when you choose to go online.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A written assignment for 11IB
For chapter 5 you should complete Discussion Question #2. The assignment is worth 10 marks. This will be due next Sunday.
You can substitute any country of your choice for the US, or stick with the US for your main focus. The second part of the question can be any other group of countries. Your answer for this question should be at the level of evaluate or analyze. Check the course guide for descriptions of these terms if you don't remember.
This assignment is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it gives you the opportunity to do some independent research on a country of your choice. You have the opportunity to learn things you don't already know. Adding things to the hard drive is always good. Secondly, it gives you the chance to explore an ITGS issue in detail. Freedom of speech is a topic that appears throughout this course, and there is a very good chance it will appear on your exam. Being able to examine this issue in a variety of contexts makes you a stronger student, and a better person.
When you are writing your answer you must include supporting research for the points you make. If you cannot support your arguments then you need to reconsider why you are making them. The main country you focus on will obviously include the most information and support. The other countries you choose for the second part of the question can be used to compare or contrast with your first country. This is a type of evaluation that you will need to be doing on the IB exams in the essay questions.
If you have any questions you can email or post a comment here.
You can substitute any country of your choice for the US, or stick with the US for your main focus. The second part of the question can be any other group of countries. Your answer for this question should be at the level of evaluate or analyze. Check the course guide for descriptions of these terms if you don't remember.
This assignment is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it gives you the opportunity to do some independent research on a country of your choice. You have the opportunity to learn things you don't already know. Adding things to the hard drive is always good. Secondly, it gives you the chance to explore an ITGS issue in detail. Freedom of speech is a topic that appears throughout this course, and there is a very good chance it will appear on your exam. Being able to examine this issue in a variety of contexts makes you a stronger student, and a better person.
When you are writing your answer you must include supporting research for the points you make. If you cannot support your arguments then you need to reconsider why you are making them. The main country you focus on will obviously include the most information and support. The other countries you choose for the second part of the question can be used to compare or contrast with your first country. This is a type of evaluation that you will need to be doing on the IB exams in the essay questions.
If you have any questions you can email or post a comment here.
Ubuntu and Wimax, together at last
Well, I mentioned in class that I signed up with Menatelecom and got their home broadband package. I have been without Internet at home for a couple of years. This might sound strange for an IT teacher to not have Internet. Some of you may have had the idea I spend all my time on the Net worshiping at the altar of technology. But this is not so. I'm really a pretty laid back guy at home, my favorite past time is reading. How boring is that?
With the courses I am working on it is really essential to have connectivity. Trying to get the work done at school is a hassle and never seems to work out. Going out to cafes to use the Net while I work is ok, but expensive. I'll spend less on the monthly fees than I will on juices and sandwiches. Plus, if I am working on assignments than I don't really get the full benefit of the cafe anyway, because it is after all a place to relax.
I mean, you can use a laptop and smoke a sheesha at the same time. This is an essential skill for any man living in Bahrain. But can you do all that and write a proposal for a counseling program? Probably not if you want it to be any good. So I went and signed up, the deals were a lot better than the dread Batelco and so far so good with the connection.
The speed is good and there are no disconnects. I connect to the wimax receiver by ethernet so I don't have radiation poisoning my family and I don't have to worry about neighbors trying to 'borrow' any of my bandwidth. When it comes to bandwidth and thresholds, sharing is NOT caring.
If any of you are unhappy with your connection, consider switch and go as an option.
With the courses I am working on it is really essential to have connectivity. Trying to get the work done at school is a hassle and never seems to work out. Going out to cafes to use the Net while I work is ok, but expensive. I'll spend less on the monthly fees than I will on juices and sandwiches. Plus, if I am working on assignments than I don't really get the full benefit of the cafe anyway, because it is after all a place to relax.
I mean, you can use a laptop and smoke a sheesha at the same time. This is an essential skill for any man living in Bahrain. But can you do all that and write a proposal for a counseling program? Probably not if you want it to be any good. So I went and signed up, the deals were a lot better than the dread Batelco and so far so good with the connection.
The speed is good and there are no disconnects. I connect to the wimax receiver by ethernet so I don't have radiation poisoning my family and I don't have to worry about neighbors trying to 'borrow' any of my bandwidth. When it comes to bandwidth and thresholds, sharing is NOT caring.
If any of you are unhappy with your connection, consider switch and go as an option.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The first post in a long time.
Well, the break is over and its back to work, and that includes thinking about your future.
How many of you use Skype? Something similar? What about your IM client, are you making full use of it? Do you have a webcam?
All of these things might become very important next year according to the Washington Post. This article talks about online interviews for college which many of you will need to do. As an international student this will be even more important since many schools may not be doing live interviews in our region.
IT is the future. I guess you better study your ITGS.
How many of you use Skype? Something similar? What about your IM client, are you making full use of it? Do you have a webcam?
All of these things might become very important next year according to the Washington Post. This article talks about online interviews for college which many of you will need to do. As an international student this will be even more important since many schools may not be doing live interviews in our region.
IT is the future. I guess you better study your ITGS.
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