Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Testament Orwell's true!

Everyone believes that he needs the truth, even to the point when he knew it.

In the United States in one of the schools was enshrined in the life of George Orwell's 1984. There, the teacher quietly watched the personal lives of their students through web-cameras to home computers. Followed, and then charged. In the end, the accusations presented by the teachers. And guess: who now sit?

Unbelievable for the American history occurred in the Lower Merion School District - is on the south-eastern Pennsylvania. District is considered one of the richest in the U.S., and at some point, every student high school there was given to the use of laptop MacBook. All were happy and proud, while in one of the schools - Harritonskoy secondary school - there was not a nasty story.

The first of its hero - and part-time victim - was a 15-year-old Blake Robbins. One day he was called on the carpet to the school authorities and accused of "inappropriate conduct" outside the school. "Inappropriate" - that's putting it mildly, as Robbins was accused of selling drugs (at his home) and their use. As a teenager evidence showed pictures from web-camera, a laptop (the same school MacBook) in his bedroom.

Blake Robbins was justified, arguing that it does not any psychotropic pills, and the ordinary lollipops. Then the boy told his parents what had happened. Those somehow remembered the American Constitution. And turned to the press, and also filed a lawsuit in court. And once in federal court. And the claim group that defends the interests of all students, the district - in fact all they could become victims of surveillance.

Then the school bought a pale appearance. Soon after the examination found no trace of the boy in the house of drugs (modern analytical methods can detect even a few molecules of the drug). Press immediately reported this - the reaction of the public, I do not even know what and compare. In the States, privacy, and so sacred - and here the secret surveillance of the child in his own bedroom! For this and his own parents can sit - not that the school administration.

In general, the investigation began, the case has joined the FBI, federal and county prosecutors, the police of Lower Merion and Montgomery County. First Court officially banned the district administration include remote camera on my laptop. It soon became clear that all students issued by the PC installed software product called LANrev. LANrev can organize search of stolen or lost laptop, a remote power web-camera used to capture the alleged kidnapper. However, experts informbezopasnosti characterize LANrev as Trojan, since the mechanism used to access your computer, similar to the work of malware.

It was found out and that in the current academic year, the chamber of school laptops distance of not less than 42 times. Dealt with this, basically, someone Lindy Matsqui, having worked in local education for almost a quarter century. In Harritonskoy school, she was assistant vice-director and was responsible for discipline. In our terminology - something like the head teacher of educational work. This is the American head teacher summoned to the office of the young lover of sweets and showed him the ill-fated shots.

When it came to light, Lindy Matsqui spoke to reporters an official statement, read out a piece of paper a trembling voice: 'I never watched any of the students with web-cameras laptop, and did not authorize such surveillance for students - either in school or at home. And I would never have not done that. And Matsqui emphasized that it has two own teenage son, so that the privacy of students care about her no less than other parents. And pictures? The images in her words, "do for ourselves".

Even Bill Clinton, apologizing for the story of Monica Lewinsky, and that such delusions are not carried.

In general, the scandal flared up. According to lawyers after the trial, his career will continue to have a curious head teacher in prison. But until the time of the trial court entered a number of limitations. For example, the administration of the district can not make any statements on the case of "home-web-spying" or discuss it with students, not previously agreed upon its steps with the plaintiffs (ie, family, Robbins).

American Civil Liberties UnionImage via Wikipedia

Fuel to the fire poured leading human rights organizations in the U.S. - American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Legal Director of the Pennsylvania Branch of the ACLU, Witold Valchak told reporters: "At this age, children begin to discover their sexuality, so that in their rooms a lot going on all this. This is a breeding ground for child pornography."

In any case, ahead of the court. I only hope that Steve Jobs and Apple does not attract as associates (the Americans a can). I also hope that the other disciples of the same school were not so stupid, as described by American schoolchildren Mikhail Zadornov. And quickly sealed with a web-camera their laptops opaque tape.

In any case, in connection with this whole story the first thing I remember - it is a famous novel by George Orwell's "1984". There, in the fictional country of Oceania in the house of every inhabitant of a mandatory installed so-called "Telescreen" - a kind of hybrid of television and security cameras. It was with "telescreen" every citizen watched Big Brother. Hence the famous phrase: "Big Brother is watching you!".

Now we know what it looks like "telescreen" the beginning of the 21 century.

Cheapest music online store in the USA.

Runet under the gun fire.

Many of us, if not everyone, every day we have to deal with search engines, and, again, many are choosing to do so "Yandex". In this case, routinely using the search, we do not often think about how it is arranged, unaware of those passions, which sometimes rage on the other side of the search string.

Already in the early to mid-2009, many SEOs and search engine optimizers, sounded the alarm - from the index's largest search engine Runet sites began to disappear literally "bundles". The fire apparently was carried out on target - it disappeared from search sites with poor content, sites that use technology to move out spam or specific engines for the mass creation of so-called satellites. Also significantly affected and many are suitable sites participating in trade or exchange links on exchanges such as Sape. Even went so far as to search out "Yandex" disappeared even some government departmental websites. The panic among webmasters spawned many theories: explaining what is happening and glitches base "Yandex", and the introduction of a new ranking algorithm, and the penalties for "black" promotion sites. Could only guess about the secret causes of all that is happening, and only recently the situation has become clearer.


"Yandex" on the war-path

In the late summer of 2009, "Yandex" has officially notified the webmaster of a three-year testing and commissioning of his next filter. This filter is called the AGM-17 can be excluded from that part of the search pages, which, according to its creators, is useless for user searches. In addition, as reported, it is a serious tool for combating the rapidly growing search engine spam, violate the effectiveness and reliability of Internet search information.

What do you say, the next search filter, how many of them already, how many more will be ... Why AGS-17 has such a large and notorious in RuNet? To understand what the AGS-17, let's first clarify the origin of its name.


Automatic grenade machine

Those who served, probably already guessed what was going on, and appreciated very bitter irony "Yandex" against those against whom this filter is involved. Thus, AGS-17 "Flame" - a machine-automatic grenade launcher, designed for mass destruction unprotected enemy personnel. For example, lets shoot tajectory, transforming traditional protective cover the opponent, such as trenches or dugouts, actually a mass grave. AGS-17 has a stunning rate of fire of 65 rounds per minute, equipped with a cooling radiator for this intensity of fire and effectively destroys targets at a distance of one kilometer. Warriors Afghans tell us that when the settlement with the AGS-17 began its work on the enemy, all resistance immediately ceased, and the trench trenches after his work was represented loosened the field with the remains of body parts of the enemy. As always no accident that this specific name of "Yandex" has chosen for his new algorithm for automatic analysis of quality sites.

AGS-17In fact, AGS-17 immediately attracted widespread attention in optimizatorskih circles with its stunning aggressiveness and magnitude of those "hostilities", which he launched on the Web. For example, when analyzing the structure of the html-code sites if this characteristic structure is repeated once more than two or three resources below with the IP class C - the whole pack addresses (with sites located in them) is sent to the ban. After the attack AHS site or banitsya and discarded from the index completely, or in the search are only some of its pages (very often - a home page).


On the eve of APS v2.0...

Every algorithm inherent errors and omissions - departure of some very respected government and commercial organizations (such as the Ministry of Transport of Russia or news portal news2.ru) from the search "Yandex", and that an avalanche of complaints that befell our support "Yandex" by Webmaster conventional sites, innocently banned this filter, direct evidence that the AGS-17 is not so perfect and just as we would like its creators. Therefore, from the beginning of 2010 launched a new, improved algorithm for analysis of sites under the name AGS-30, which is driven around in search right now. So the new AGS-30 - is not only a new version of the mounted grenade launchers, even more destructive characteristics with the use of charges, creating a vacuum effect of the explosion, and a prism with an optical sight, but this is a better algorithm for analyzing Web sites designed to make sifting sites " by Yandex, more quality and relevant.

It should be understood that such radical and drastic measures are taken "Yandex" recently over immediately to very many sites - is a necessary and decisive attempt to clear your search in the face is coming on the heels of Google (search which, incidentally, quite reliably protected from all sorts of rubbish). Time will tell whether these tough save "mass cleansing" of "Yandex" or, conversely, to destroy him, but what about specific boards and taken to the survival of your websites under pressure lyutuyuschego now AGS-30, we discuss in detail in the next article.
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Console iPad

Dimensions: 242.8 h189.7h13, 4 mm
Weight: 0,7 kg
Processor: Apple A4 1 GHz
Memory: flash memory 16, 32 or 64 GB
Screen: glossy, 9.7 dm, 1024x768, Multi-Touch
Connectivity: Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3G
Geoinformation: Assisted GPS, compass
Sensors: light sensor, accelerometer
Connectors: Dock connector, 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack, built-in speakers, microphone jack SIM-card

Not being a fan and hater of the products Apple, let me detached view from the recently released in the U.S. Apple iPad. Below is just try to define the category of computing devices, to which belongs iPad.

Indeed, at first glance, by its external shape and specifications iPad easily attributed to the tablet or the so-called TabletPC. These "pills" has long been trying to develop "Microsoft" since the days of Bill Gates.

If, however, on formal grounds iPad and similar to the "pill", it is conceptually Tablet PC it is not. After all, a portable tablet computer must be a full-fledged PC, providing users to virtually the same opportunities to work with your own data as a laptop or netbook. At least, that taught us "Microsoft". However, the iPad such work with your own data severely limited. iPad, like its prototype iPod Touch, even as a portable storage device and storage media is not very easy to use.

Image representing iPad as depicted in CrunchBaseImage via CrunchBase

To categorize the device iPad, should apply to the business models of this device, and not to its formal specifications. Therefore, specifications can be seen above, and we'll talk a little about other higher matters.

iPad is not so much for working with your own data, as for the consumption of digital content. This business model assumes that more revenue will come not from sales of devices, from the sale of so-called commercial content.

Such a business model exists in the IT-industry a long time. And, above all, the model practiced in the market of producers of computer consoles and games consoles, that is - in the entertainment industry. It is selling games and other entertainment software is the major chunk of income console business.

Features consoles which although can be very large, deliberately limited in terms of the user's own data. At the console, except for games and movies, you can, for example, climb on the Internet, but to fully edit an Excel spreadsheet here you are unlikely to get, not to mention the Programming.

But this makes the console very easy to use and accessible to the untrained user. Console does not require the user knowledge and skills on configuring your system - uploaded content and fun. For the console does not even need to multitask.

iPad - this is for their business scheme of the device category as the Sony Playstation Portable. That is, the console. And nothing else from the increased twice iPod Touch turn out, in principle, can not.

Despite the fact that the iPad - it is much more than a game console, use the "aypad" will be mainly for entertainment content - books, movies, music, games, easy internet surfing with time-wasters in social networks. The main source of this content will, of course, a special store App Store, which reduces the level of piracy. Precisely because of this the device is not USB.

As befits the console, iPad is simplified in operation until odnozadachny and does not need to learn any computer knowledge or even skills to create this very content. The main thing in the console - is to consume rather than create.

As any modern entertainment console, iPad may cause some consumer excitement, as often happens with the release of new models of the same consoles from Sony, Nintendo. Entertainment - this is what people are willing to even with a certain pleasure to pay money. So no surprise to some encouragement on a buying iPad, although in terms of a technocrat on the device and can not be programmed properly.

Even with one type of device can be compared iPad - a reading room of books like the Amazon Kindle. For its size and functionality iPad is well suited for reading. In addition, Apple has online booksellers iBookstore specifically for iPad.

But the real competitor iPad will be primarily for the entertainment of literature and glamorous publications. Because of its color screen. After all, it is difficult to publication type Playboy on monochrome displays Amazon Kindle. And on the iPad glamorous fiction - the most it.

Consequently, some part of the readers choose for themselves as a reading room is iPad. Serious bibliophiles hardly so simple waive the benefits of electronic ink (E Ink) instead glamorous iPad. Moreover, the technology of electronic ink will be improved and cheaper.


In total

Thus, iPad in its concept and business scheme applies to the good old consoles. Itself as a device of a large interest. However, if the producers of entertainment content will be continually producing iPad for a large number of diverse entertainment content, the device will become popular among the common man in the street, and not just among fans of new technological toys. However, not all countries, but only where the average man does not spare money for entertainment.

Incidentally, it is likely that the iPad can inspire and Microsoft to create a similar entertainment device. At the Redmond giant has extensive experience in entertainment technology - Xbox, DirectX, Silverlight.

As for this Tablet PC with the ability to complete the work with your own data and programming, the emergence of such a computer programmer at blackjack and - this is a matter of time. However, the yield iPad can catalyze and accelerate that process. And, I think, is about to appear Tablet not only for the consumption of content, but where will analogues MacsBug, ResEdit, editor sectors Copy ][+ enthusiasts and other nice things.