Facebook settles FTC Information Privacy Complaint

Image via Wikipedia

11/29/11: Facebook has settled a complaint by the Federal Trade Commission that the social networking giant deceived consumers by promising privacy protections while it shared and made user data more public, according to the FTC.

Databases & Metadata in Action: Jeopardy Champion

In September, 2011, Computer Science grad student Roger Craig set a new single-day record of $77,000 on Jeopardy.

In a video, Craig explains how he trained for Jeopardy by creating an application that allowed him to power study.  If you listen to the first four minutes of his explanation, you will hear how he used metadata to create a database of hundreds of thousands of Jeopardy questions and answers.

In November 2011 Roger Craig won the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions, taking home a quarter million dollars in cash winnings.

HTML5: A Look Behind the Technology Changing the Web

A year and a half after Steve Jobs endorsed it in an unusual essay, a set of programming techniques called HTML5 is rapidly winning over the Web. Don Clark has details on Digits (WSJ).

FIPS: Lurid InfoGraphic

Image by o5com via FlickrDo You Know Who's Watching You?

EU FIPS: Germany vs Facebook

 Germany Wants Facebook’s Facial Recognition Features Halted.

Filesharing: Be Informed (UO)

UO: Risks of Filesharing.

UO: Filesharing FAQ.

Judge forces U of Oregon to cough up student data to RIAA.

DMCA: Felony File Sharing (article from PSU).

RIAA v. The People: Does it Work?.

Law & Technology: Remix Nation

Law and technology: Remix Nation

Assessing the threat the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act pose for fair use.

Rebecca Tushnet
Communications of the ACM
Vol. 54 No. 9, Pages 22-24

Two Views on FIPS

Eric Schmidt

Stephen Colbert

Rising Value of IT Degrees

NYT 10/20/11: If you’re trying to figure out what to study in college, a new report suggests you would do well choosing a major in science, technology, engineering or math.

Science and technology have “become the common currency in the labor market,” but don’t count the liberal arts out, either.

Ch. 13 FIT: Passwords

How to Make Usable and Secure Passwords.

Check if Your Password Was Compromised.

Usable Password Generator.

What the Hex?

Artificial Retinas: UO Physics Research

A subject in ch. 11 of our textbook Fluency w/IT is human tri-chromatic color perception.

“A couple minutes with… Richard Taylor" features a UO professor of physics, whose research includes artificial retinas that could help restore eyesight in those with retinal diseases.

The Zetta-Flood is Coming

This from Dave Evans, Cisco's Chief Futurist:

This year (2011) the world is creating 1.2 zettaBytes (1 sextillion) of unique data, mainly as a result of HD Video. Evans expects that 91% of internet data will be HD video by 2020.  -from CACM, 9/11.

FIPS in the News: IMDb/Amazon

An anonymous actress claims in a million-dollar federal lawsuit that her offers for roles dropped sharply after the popular Internet Movie Database published damaging personal information: her age.

The actress provided credit card information and her real name – but not her age – when she bought the service, according to the lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court against Seattle-based IMDb and its parent company, Amazon.com.

IMDb used that information - without her permission - to uncover her date of birth and added it to her profile on the website.

Europe vs. Facebook: Fair Information Practice Principles

Fair Information Practices are covered in ch. 13 of our Fluency texbook.

As a contemporary case study, read how a 24 year old law student from Vienna, Max Schrems, has filed 22 complaints with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner targeting Facebook's lack of compliance with  EU requirements.

Article: 24 year old student lights match - Europe versus Facebook.

Associated website.

The Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs)

In 1973, the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare published five principles that would allow the benefits of computerization to go forward, but at the same time provide safeguards for personal privacy.
The principles also provide an excellent tool to judge the merits of cases such as Europe vs. Facebook:

To evaluate the merits of Mr. Schrems' case against Facebook, read the first two sections of the IT Law Wiki article: (i) The HEW Report and, (ii) European Developments.

Hazards of the FaceBook Generation

Image via WikipediaIf a stranger came up to you on the street, would you give that person your name, Social Security number and e-mail address?

If your answer is No, read on:

• How Privacy Vanishes Online (NYT)
  
• Stanford Researcher Finds Lots of Leaky Web Sites (NYT)
• Tracking the Trackers (Stanford Law School)
• Digital Collection of Private Information From Consumers and Citizens (Center for Digital Democracy)

The Tilde (~) in Unix & URLs

Image via Wikipedia

UNIX

In a Unix pathname, the tilde (~) is an abbreviation for the "path to your home directory".

Example (not using ~): 

/home4/susanQ/public_html/110/ is the Unix path to Susan Queue's 110 folder on shell.uoregon.edu.

Example (using ~): 

~/public_html/110/ is the Unix path to Suzie's folder on shell.uoregon.edu

URLs

In a URL, the tilde (~) has a related but different meaning: it stands for the path to your public_html folder on the web server.

Example: 

http://ix.cs.uoregon.edu/~susanQ/ is the URL that corresponds to the Unix path /home4/susanQ/public_html/

Example: 

http://ix.cs.uoregon.edu/~susanQ/110/ is the URL that corresponds to the Unix path /home4/susanQ/public_html/110/

UO TextPad License

UO TextPad License

The University of Oregon has a site license for TextPad, a text editorwith enhanced Web development features(Windows only). The license covers current UO students, faculty and staff only.

Windows users can download and install TextPad from the UO Software Center.

1. Uncompress the downloaded file (TextPad.zip), and run the installer (.exe).
2. Drag TExtPad License.txt onto your desktop.
3. Start TextPad, and open TextPad License.txt.

You will need the UO License Code to register the product. The License Code is contained in the file TextPad License.txt.

If you do not enter the UO License Code in TextPad, your downloaded version will terminate after 45 days, plus you will be constantly prompted to purchase TextPad.

To enter the License Code and register your copy of TextPad:

1. Start TextPad, and open the file TextPad License.txt.
2. Select all the lines including "BEGIN LICENSE" and "END LICENSE", and copy them to the clipboard using Ctrl+C.
3. Choose the "Enter License Code" command from the Help menu in TextPad.
4. Paste the license information into the dialog box, using Ctrl+V.
5. Click OK.

---

Taking Care of your Laptop (NYT)

 Good advice for taking care of your laptop: Make Sure the Problem is not in the Chair.

Browser "Cache" Memory

Read how browser's cache pages at the CIS 110 blog.

Browswer Cache Memory

The Browser Cache:

For efficiency reasons, browsers will sometimes cache pages/images.

I.e., , to avoid redundant downloads, the browser will store a copy of a page/image on the hard drive (along with a time stamp).

The next time the page/image is requested, it will first check the cache.

If a copy is found, it sends a conditional request to the server.
     ==>  "send this page/image only if it has been changed since the timestamp"

If the server copy has not changed, the server sends back a brief message and the browser simply uses the cached copy.

This does not always work, however.

Force Reload (in general):

But, by holding the Shift key down when you reload/refresh a page, you can force the browser to reload the page from the server, not the cache.

'Open this page outside of the Blackboard frameset & hit shift-Reload/Refresh to see the latest version'

Force Reload (in Blackboard):

In Blackboard, the shift-reload command will simply reload the Blackboard frameset rather than the page that is displayed inside the frame.

To force a reload of the web page itself you must first open that page outside of the Blackboard frame: Right-click the web page and choose This Frame > Show Only This Frame. Then use the shift-reload to see the non-cached version of the page.

How do I get into the 110 lab I want if it is full?

Image by wsh1266 via Flickr If you are unable to enroll in the course or any lab because the course is full, your only option is to Use the Wait List.

However, if you are already enrolled in the course and a lab but would like to switch to a lab that is full, here's what to do:

Go to the lab you want and ask the GTF if there's room for you. If your GTF says Yes, make sure that s/he has your name removed from your original lab and added to the new one. If the GTF says No, you will have to attend a different lab.

For labs that are full, two names may be added beyond the max on the condition that the added students bring a notebook computer or watch over someone's shoulder on days when the lab is full.

Students actually registered for the lab are guaranteed a workstation if they need one.

UOwireless Network: How To Bypass Login

Image via Wikipedia Q: I have to log in every time I use uowireless. How do I set it up so I don't have to log in every time?

A: Go to wireless.uoregon.edu and run the setup process to enable UO Secure. Using the UO Secure wireless network remembers your password and encrypts information sent between your device and our network.
From https://it.uoregon.edu/

Moonshadow Mobile: Big-Data Web Apps in Eugene

Image by Maqroll via FlickrFrom the Eugene Register Guard 9/4/11:

Eugene technology company Moonshadow Mobile is struggling to find employees to meet customer demand for its Internet-based technology programs.

Its first offerings — geared for political and government customers — quickly assemble large amounts of information gathered from U.S. Census and voter registration reports and display them on Google or Bing maps.

Using voter registration information, mapping technology, satellite imagery and data from the U.S. Census, the firm has developed a political redistricting program called Borderline, which allows users to instantly change the boundaries of political districts on maps and get population and other data on the new districts.

1-Armed Bandits && Demorgan's Law

When simulating the spin of a three-wheel slot machine, how do we detect three of a kind?





The following condition recognizes three of a kind:

var s1 = 'lemon', s2 = 'lemon', s3 = 'lemon';
alert((s1 == s2) && (s1 == s3) && (s2 == s3));

We can modify it to control a loop that spins the wheels:

       s1 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);
       s2 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);
       s3 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);

       while(!((s1 == s2) && (s1 == s3) && (s2 == s3))){
           //spin again...
       }

Applying Demorgan's Law we get:

       while(!(s1 == s2) || !(s1 == s3) || !(s2 == s3)){
           //spin again...
       }

Equivalently:

       while((s1 != s2) || (s1 != s3) || (s2 != s3)){
           //spin again...
       }

To hit the jackpot, we must spin the wheels at least once. This leads to a final, simpler version using a do-while:

do{
       s1 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);
       s2 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);
       s3 = RandomOneOf(['lemon', 'cherry', 'bar', 'donut']);
}while ((s1 != s2) || (s1 != s3) || (s2 != s3));

The do...while loop will always be executed at least once, even if the condition is false, because the statements are executed before the condition is tested.

It is a post-test loop; the while loop and the for loop are pre-test loops.

Use the do-while when you know you will repeat an action at least once.

Web Apps w/o Programming: If this, then that (IFTTT)

IFTTT. Put the internet to work for you by creating tasks that fit this simple structure:if this then that.

Steve Jobs Quotes

This will be of interest to more than just Apple enthusiasts:
Steve Job' Best Quotes (Wall St. Journal)

The Shapes of CSS

The Shapes of CS.



From css-tricks.com.

How Browsers Work (Long)

Image via WikipediaHow Browsers Work:

Behind the Scenes of Modern Web Browsers

The Colbert Report on Cloud Computing.

Image via Wikipedia
The Colbert Report.
The Word - Head in the Cloud. 09-Aug-2011.
Technology turns people into empty flesh terminals ;-)

Usable Password Generator

Image via WikipediaIf you are interested in trying a usable, easy to remember password, here is an online generator:

xkcd Password Generator

How to Make Usable and Secure Passwords

Image via WikipediaIt's no fun to have your Facebook or email password compromised. Here's an interesting article (and a FAQ) on how to prevent it.

The Usability of Passwords.
Written by Thomas Baekdal.

The Usability of Passwords - FAQ.
Written by Thomas Baekdal.

"Security companies and IT people constantly tells us that we should use complex and difficult passwords. This is bad advice, because you can actually make usable, easy to remember and highly secure passwords. In fact, usable passwords are often far better than complex ones."

One of the comments mentions that using fractured grammar may be a good idea:

'An intelligent phrase-based dictionary attack would give statistically probable phrases a higher weight than statistically improbable ones, and give known quotations an even higher weight. If you know the target's media preferences (as you might find on a social media profile) that narrows your initial search significantly.'

'Moving beyond that you'd try grammatically correct phrases over incorrect ones -- "fluffy bunny" is a lot more statistically probable than "bunny fluffy", because in English adjectives almost always precede the nouns they modify.'

Another comment mentions the common use of Rainbow Tables to do a simple lookup of encrypted passwords.

Note that Unix servers (like shell.uoregon.edu) use password encryption techniques "that make precomputation attacks [i.e., rainbow tables] for almost any length of password unfeasible against these systems for the foreseeable future."

You can check to see if any of your current passwords are in known rainbow tables. Should I Change my Password?

Security: Check if Your Password Was Compromised.

• Article: Should I Change My Password (Lifehacker.com)
  
  
• Website:
  ShouldIChangeMyPassword.com

Firebug can make Gmail Slow

Image via WikipediaFor the best Gmail performance, Google suggests disabling Firebug for www.google.com.

Web Apps w/o Programming: If this, then that (IFTTT)

Image by alex drennan via Flickr
IFTTT. Put the internet to work for you by creating tasks that fit this simple structure:
if this then that.

 A Web Tool That Lets You Automate the Internet. (NYT)

7 Ways to Automate Your Life With ifttt. (NYT)

JavaScript inherits the earth

Article: JavaScript inherits the earth
From I, Programmer (blog)

Google Student Jobs

Image via WikipediaNot all jobs at Google are tech:

Google Student Jobs

CIT 281 Meets in B90C-D Onyx Bridge (Science Libr.)

CIT 281 meets in B90C-D Science Library.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

How to Subscribe to this Blog

You can subscribe to this blog's RSS feed by using Firefox's Live Bookmarks feature. Then all new posts will be "pushed" to your browser. Here's how to do it:

1. In Firefox choose Bookmarks > Organize Bookmarks, and create a "Feeds" folder on the bookmarks toolbar.

2. Open this blog in Firefox, scroll to the bottom and click on "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)". A new page will open in the browser: select Live Bookmarks in the drop-down list, and click Subscribe Now. Add the bookmark to your Feeds folder. Presto!

The drawback to using Live Bookmarks is that the bookmarks exist only on the computer you used to subscribe. An alternative is to use a hosted feed reader such as Google Reader. Then your feeds are stored in the "cloud" and may be accessed from any machine by logging in to your Google account.

Image by Sue Waters via Flickr

CHART OF THE DAY: Why The Newspaper Industry Collapsed

Blackboard FAQ

Blackboard FAQ for Students

SSH and the Unix Shell's Erase Key

SSH sometime uses the Delete key to erase characters, but I prefer to use the Backspace key. How do I set it up?

You have several options, as follows:

• Windows: Start SSH, select Edit > Settings > keyboard, then select Backspace sends Delete (or whichever key you want to use), then click OK.
  
  
• OS X: Start Applications > Utilities > Terminal, the select Terminal > Window Settings..., then select Keyboardin the drop-down list, then check Delete key sends backspace.
  
  
• Set your Unix shell's Erase key--
  
  Use Pico or Emacs to edit your login shell's startup file, .bash_profile:
  
  $ pico .bash_profile
  
  Add this line to the .bash_profile:
  
  stty erase '^h'
  
  save the file and exit pico.

Customizing your Unix Command Line Prompt

Image by p373 via FlickrHow can I get the path for the current directory displayed in my Unix prompt?

Read Generic UNIX Interactive Prompts

21 c. Resumes

Image by Intersection Consulting via Flickr

• 5 Reasons Why Your Online Presence Will Replace Your Resume in 10 years
  
  
• Social Media 101: Facebook and Job Hunting

21 c. Job Title: Data Wrangler

Image via WikipediaPeriscopic.com's (PDX) job description for Data Wrangler.

CIT covers most of the desired skill-set.

Read about the screen-scraper tool Needlebase at ReadWriteWeb.

Firebug can make gmail slow

Image via WikipediaFor the best Gmail performance, Google suggests disabling Firebug for www.google.com.