⚡ Cloud Correction

http://twitter.com/#!/webmink/status/13386464414924801

☞ Appropriate Action

  • As I said in the “Voltaire Moment” article I posted here yesterday, the attacks on our collective freedom resulting from Wikileaks need opposing whatever we think of Wikileaks. This Avaaz petition is worth signing as a way to speak out against extrajudicial actions against internet freedom, rather than in support of Wikileaks, and I’ve signed it. Please consider doing so too.

Also

☂ Voltaire Moment Article Available

My article asserting that we need to stand up for Wikileaks’ ability to exist even if we don’t like Wikileaks is now available in the Essays area.

☝ Non-Centralised Infrastructure

After discovering BitCoin (where such a large number of people were kind enough to send small donations to 1LfdGnGuWkpSJgbQySxxCWhv8MHqvwst3 that I’m now considering paying for my VoIP with it)  I’ve been accumulating a list of other non-centralised infrastructure that might evolve into something that’s both effective and Senator-proof. The list is posted on my blog over at ComputerWorldUK.

☞ Apache Quits The JCP

  • The Apache Software Foundation quits Java’s governing body claiming that

    “[the] JCP is not an open specification process … Java specifications are proprietary technology that must be licensed directly from the spec lead under whatever terms the spec lead chooses”

  • Oracle’s response to Apache quitting the JCP, which pointedly ignores their actual reasons for doing so and instead pretends they are in some way anti-Java or anti-progress.
  • Apache’s President lays in to Oracle as Apache quits both the EC and the JCP, not least over their statement that “Oracle provides TCK licenses under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms consistent with its obligations under the JSP.”

Also:

  • Exposed: TSA’s X-rated scanner fraud
    Interesting report of independent analysis suggesting reliance on nudie-scanners will lead to a false sense of security given they are easily fooled.

⚡ The Non-Practicing Entity Defence

http://twitter.com/#!/webmink/status/12631742363992064

☝ The Risky Cloud

Heavy CloudIt used to take a bailiff and a man with an axe for the door, but the cloud makes it so much easier. If I told you that your entire business infrastructure could be taken offline by a government employee, or even a commercial provider, without judicial review, useful explanation or workable recourse, perhaps because a politician has philosophical issues with your activities, would that worry you? Yet it seems that the most popular brands on the market for cloud computing and web services place you at that risk if you follow the trend to cloud hosting for business infrastructure.

 

Continued over on ComputerWorldUK

☞ Meta-Wikileaks

  • Dan Gillmor on leaks and journalism:

    “By [Washington Post journalist] Krauthammer’s sick standards, the death squads should be converging soon on his own offices, as well as those of the Times and London’s Guardian and more.”

  • Glenn Greenwald forcefully argues that the reaction against Wikileaks from the US establishment is lawless and unforgiveable.
  • Fascinating overview of Julian Assange’s motivations and philosophies which has led to some people describing him as a peaceful peer of the Unabomber…
  • Groklaw says licensees of OIN’s patents have a perpetual licence to those Novell patents – which Microft just paid hale a billion dollars for – as long as they join the scheme before the Deal closes in January. Glad we joined ForgeRock to OIN.

☞ Secrets

  • It was done directly by Verisign, over the registrars’ heads: “VeriSign received sealed court orders directing certain actions to be taken with respect to specific domain names, and took appropriate actions. Because the orders are sealed, further questions should be directed to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
  • It’s said that “code talks”, and if that’s true then there’s an angelic chorus singing praises about KK somewhere – the data Eduardo has gathered here clearly shows he has the right to an opinion about Hudson.

☆ Now Accepting BitCoin

As an experiment, I’ve set up BitCoin on one of the systems here at Webmink Central. BitCoin is a peer-to-peer digital currency, with no central bank or authority. Instead, it relies of a mesh of collaborating but independent computers sharing copies of a set of data.

Assuming it is secure and works, it’s exactly the kind of system we need to remove the bottleneck of online financial transaction needing to be translated into the terms and systems of the old economy. Not least, it overcomes the problems caused when an individual, company or government over-steps their authority and shuts down a payment bottleneck, as just happened to Wikileaks.

The idea of a digital currency is very appealing, but to get it bootstrapped some of us need to actually start using it in the fledgling economy. If you’d like to support my writing and speaking activity, please send BitCoin donations to address 1LfdGnGuWkpSJgbQySxxCWhv8MHqvwst3 and once there’s a modest balance I’ll start trying to use it to pay the bills. Thanks!