What about security?

Many of the security issues facing computers and networks are born out of small and careless mistakes made in software.  In the case of The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll, it was just a few lines of code that was ommitted from a popular program that allowed a hacker total control over a 6 million dollar system.  These types of mallicious attacks crawl and creep their way through these tiny cracks and holes in software to take over and abuse a system.
With much of the world running on computer systems, computer security is an important topic.  Just as in the physical world you would never build a house without any locking doors, or a bank vault with holes in the walls, software should take the same security precautions to prevent intruders, yet so many of our "bank vault" and "home" builders don't know how to install locks.  So much of the curriculum in software design focuses on building fast, reliable, and amazing systems, but there is often far too little education on protecting the terrabytes of sensative information that could potentially flow through these systems.

Changing the face of fortune

While growing up, I would picture myself as being successful and wealthy and in these daydreams that would entail nicely pressed suits and neatly trimmed hair.  Now some of the worlds most successful and wealthy men leave these stereotypes behind.  Men like Mark Zuckerberg with his casual dress and attitude are some of the heroes of our day and changing the image of success.  As little as a decade or two ago the pathway to success was through climbing the corporate latter and becoming an executive of these well established companies.  With the development of the computer and internet an alternate route has appeared.  Geeks who defy all these stereotypes have emerged as a new power and created companies with entirely different atmospheres.

Censorship: Too much or too little

 Social networks can't be forced to impose filters: EU court
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hh0W8wA2pTOAJCaxozhU7sWU8OGg?docId=CNG.231a2fa61aa1a57857a4682b54569242.101


Freedoms vs copyright enforcement is in the headlights again.  Since the proposal of the SOPA bill internet censorship has been the topic of hot debate.  The line between copyright enforcement and freedom of speech and business is a tough line to nail down.  Right now it looks like the team of copyright enforcement is loosing first with the postponement of the SOPA bill because of huge public opposition and in smaller battles all over the world such as the EU courts ruling in favor of social networks instead of music companies.  So far many attempts by the music and movie industries to enforce copyright and stop the distribution of protected material have been thwarted due to being called unlawful and imposing on peoples freedoms.

Current Event

Google unveils “Solve for X,” a secret project to solve the world's biggest problems

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/06/google-unveils-secret-project-to-solve-worlds-biggest-problems/#ixzz1liC07Dbb

 

In class we have been talking about the different orders of ignorance and the different types of jobs that are associated with each level of ignorance.  I think that this project by google is an excellent example of the third order of ignorance.  The problems that will be attempted by this project are large problems for which no one currently knows the answers, people will be collaborating from all over to try and develope the framework needed to answer these difficult questions.  The third order of ignorance is about learning and growing, this project by google is an excellent example of this third order of ignorance.