October 20, 2006
OLDaily
[link: 2 Hits] This is the tipping point. Expect most major online services to support
OpenID (or OpenID 2.0 if people can
agree on one) shortly. As Marc Canter
opines, by the end of the year. Then look for browser plug-ins to support OpenID, as
I have urged. What then? Well, I guess, look for
someone to claim to have invented it. [Tags:
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[link: 2 Hits] I believe this: "Technology leaders should use all the tools they can to promote freedom and prosperity throughout the world, but they should remember that the values they help foster may be more important in changing the world than the gadgets they make." My values are slightly different from the author's, but no matter, the point is right. That's why the
way you do something, and
why you do it, are as important as
how you do it, or indeed, whether you do it at all. [Tags: ] [
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[link: 3 Hits] In case you haven't noticed. What you should take away from this is that you should not be paying for image libraries any more. Though I imagine that the managers of commercial image libraries are trying to find a way to make photo sharing illegal. Watch for it - a few pre-emptive lawsuits in the U.S. about the representation of a corporate logo on a CC photo, or something like that. Something that could chill the whole market. It's not like we haven't seen this sort of thing before. [Tags:
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[link: 5 Hits] Blackboard has responded in the patent suit, claiming "D2L has not identified any person who allegedly acted with an intent to deceive the patent office, nor has D2L pled facts to support an inference of fraud" and "D2L has not identified the 'undisclosed e-learning products' with particularity." [Tags:
Online Learning,
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[link: 2 Hits] Sakai has commented about the Blackboard patent in its most recent newsletter. "We feel this patent is a hindrance to the free flow of innovation and communication in higher education technology." As well, Sakai Board Chair Joseph Hardin wrote to me in an email October 18, "It is important to note that we are working with the Software Freedom Law Center, along with Moodle and ATutor, and the SFLC is rather well known for upholding the interests of open source and free software developers, supporters and users. We are not interested in any outcome that benefits only the Sakai Community and not the whole open source community." [Tags:
Blackboard,
Copyright and Patent Issues,
Newsletters,
Open Source] [
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[link: 2 Hits] More on the Blackboard patent case. Consider this well: "Can Blackboard sue a user for patent infringement? The answer is yes. According to Professor LaFrance, part of Blackboard's strategy 'probably is to discourage universities from developing their own system...because the threat of litigation could cause some universities to terminate those efforts.'" Essa also talks with
John Mayer, Executive Director of CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) and comments, "The next time Matthew Small, Blackboard's general counsel, says that the patent is 'limited', don't believe him and don't be fooled." [Tags:
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[link: Hits] I had an interesting listen this morning to this conversation between Bud Hunt and Ed Tech Talk's Dave Cormier. Recorded before my
comments posted on Half an Hour yesterday, but after my initial reaction in this blog, the discussion explores whether the conference process distorts the blogging ethos. Of significant note to me, and something that should give people pause, is the association of the conference with a
grad credit program offered by Plymouth State and Shanghai American school. Is it any surprise that Jeff Utrecht, who is one of the Techlearning bloggers I mentioned, is managing the course? I wonder whether the people who were talking about this being a "volunteer" effort offered for "free" would care to comment on the money changing hands here.
P.S. to Dian P, who writes, "Where else am I going to hear so many different expert/learners or adventurers along this new road?" Answer: their blogs.
Here's a list. Don't like my list? Make your own. [Tags:
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Web Logs,
United States,
Schools,
China] [
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[link: 2 Hits] I like links like this, links that give you a glimpse into what's being done in a particular (blogging and Flickring and so on) classroom. And I like this slogan: "Learning: it's easier when your child helps!" [Tags:
Children and Child Learning] [
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[link: Hits] Alan Levine credits
Scott Leslie for this nifty link to a software application that evens out the sound levels in your podcast. [Tags:
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[link: 1 Hits] Some light discussion with some interesting examples on the use of neural networks to solve problems. Pollard describes their use to predict the success of popular songs and movies. While this is typical of the current use of neural networks, it is pobably a bit much to expect specific recommendations - such as "how to design a health care system." They don't work that way. The phenomenon described part way through the article - 'clustering' - is the result of a separate analyis. And it is very much a gloss to say, 'change this variable and you get the result you want'. That's a pojection, made by a human, based on the clusters produced by the analysis. [Tags:
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[link: Hits] The Russian service allogmp3.com offers MP3 downloads at popular music for discount prices - usually about 15 cents per song, rather than the usual 99 cents. It pays royalties on this music to the Russian equivalent of royalty collection companies, however, the music industry has refused to accept these payments. The dispute is not over whether artists are being paid but rather about control. That's what the article means by 'unlicensed'. But it's not illegal in Russia and Visa may need to think twice about its actions here, as people depend on it to guarante transactions, not to act as some sort of self-appointed arm for a sectarian view of copyright law. If we want someone to make law for us, we'll elect them, thanks. [Tags:
Copyright and Patent Issues,
Podcasting] [
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I want and visualize and aspire toward a system of society and learning where each person is able to rise to his or her fullest potential without social or financial encumberance, where they may express themselves fully and without reservation through art, writing, athletics, invention, or even through their avocations or lifestyle.
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not hoarded or withheld in order to extract wealth or influence.
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