The Washington Post has an article on how macs and linux machines are now being used as bots in botnets. Being a big mac fan and owner, this is very saddening. Even though I knew it would some day be published publicly that this could and would occur.

The redeeming point here is that the hackers used an inherent flaw not in the linux or mac OSX operating systems, but in the PHP programming language installed on most if not all Linux boxes and Macs.

See the article here.

Categories: Software, Links
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As I was writing an entry today for another blog I run called Business Book Blog about a book called Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki, I something new that I’d like to see. I want to be able to search the content of my browser’s history. Choose a day and search it. I am trying to give credit to the article where I read first read about the Wisdom of Crowds, but I can’t remember where I read it. I can remember what day I read about it though and that it was on my work laptop that I read about it. being able to search the content of my browser history would be ooohhhhh so nice.

Categories: Stuff I'd Like to See
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I had an epiphany this morning while reaading a ZDNet article this morning about the Powerpoint notes that were “acccidentally” left in a published presentation at Google’s Analyst Day a few weeks ago. The notes focus on plans Google has for the future - how they are going to expand/improve their existing services, add new services, and expand into existing areas in which they don’t currently…. dabble.

The thing that stuck out most to me is that none of the plans were that groundbreaking or new. In the small amount of time I’ve spent thinking about where Google is planning to go, I’ve thought of many of the things listed as future plans. I’m not trying to toot my own horn though, quite the opposite in fact.

The epiphany I had, though I’ve heard it a number of times, is that ideas/insight/foreknowledge, whatever you want to call it, are something everyone has(well almost everyone), either by our mind’s amazing analytical abilities, given by Divine Providence, or by some combination of both. What we do with those ideas is a whole different world. The transition from idea or insight into action and success in any aspect of life is what distinguishes us. Me having some of the same insights into the search industry as Google is like a windless sail, a good idea, but useless on its own.

Google is a great example of this. They were one of the latest entries to the internet search world, and in fact, they entered it at a point when the general consensus was that search wasn’t a valid business model. Their difference was that they, like many others before them, knew that search could be a valid model even if the current market didn’t suggest so. What differentiated them was their actions; they took the inherently great idea of being able to effecitvely search the internet and MADE the idea work as a business model. Even when others said it wouldn’t. They created technology that actually searched the interent amazingly well, created a relevence based advertising model that was unheard of, then went out and made believers out of everyone. Even those who said search was dead. I realize I’m simplifying the situation and probably not giving enough respect to Google’s accomplishments, but the idea stands - having ideas doesn’t make us great, making those ideas reality does.

Our own personal efforts in every area of our life are what will distiguish us, having ideas or insight doesn’t do anything for us other than make us realize our wasted potential if we don’t act on them.

P.S. Google’s story also illustrates the idea that if you build something of value that people want to use, believe it or not, they’ll use it. And hopefully make you piles and piles upon piles of cash by using it, just kidding. But seriously though… hopefully.

Categories: Software, Life in General
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I stumbled across a microfinance organization called Kiva today through Firepoll’s fireblog. being that one of my major long-term goals is to be involved in microfinance, I was immediately touched by their approach to microfinance. Most (all that I know of) NGO’s have a lot of adminsitrative overhead and once you donate to them, you have no way of knowing where your money goes. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just the way it is. NGO’s do an amazing amount of good in the world.

Most of the money donated goes to micro-loans or small loans given to persons to start small businesses. This has been shown over and over again to be one of the most effective ways to promote development on a local level. Except as a small-time donor, you don’t ever get to personally see the effects of your donations. What Kiva does is allow you to donate to a specific person (they have a list of qualified loan applicants on their site) and then follow-up on the progress made by the recipient. Also the loan is repayed to you, not to Kiva. You can then re-loan it to another person or take the money back. A very interesting twist on an established practice. I am looking to gather enough money from work, friends etc… to sponsor the entire loan amount of someone. If anyone wants to be involved in this, let me know. I’d like to get together about $500, which is the average amount of a loan.

From kiva’s Web site.

When interviewing entrepreneurs about their standard of living, one simple question she would ask was, “Can you afford to take sugar with your tea?” — a significant indicator of an East African’s standard of living. Tougher questions would follow: Can you afford to eat even two meals a day? Do your children attend school? Has anyone in your family been affected by malaria or AIDS?

What she learned in those interviews astounded her. In almost every case, those who had businesses were doing dramatically better than those who couldn’t get a grant or a loan to start or expand a business. Furthermore, the amount of money it took to start or improve a business was often as little as $100.

Half the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. Most of these people live in developing countries and are self-employed. Raising the income of self-employed poor and vulnerable non-poor (those hovering just above the poverty line but lacking savings or insurance, and dangerously susceptible to sudden changes in their financial environment) strategically fights poverty.

Microfinance - the provision of financial services to those excluded from the formal financial system - and, in particular, microcredit/microloan programs effectively boost the income-producing capabilities of small businesses run by the self-employed poor and vulnerable non-poor. Microcredit borrowers regularly increase their business’ sales and profits by 25% to 40%, and repay their loans at impressively high rates - around 95%.

Categories: Life in General
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I was talking with my friend Adam (not roommate Adam, another one) the other day after church and had an interesting conversation on why writing is so useful to anyone. Adam is currently writing a book and has good insight into writing as more than just a means of communication.

As we were talking, I mentioned that I usually have a number of topics/problems that I am thinking about at any one time and I always have trouble nailing down conclusions about these topics without writing down and drawing out in words/diagrams the issue I am trying to tackle.

Writing my ideas and difficulties solidifies what I know and don’t know about a particular problem and seems to psychologically free my mind. I don’t have to preserve what I know because it is all written down. My mind is free to move on to the next level of analysis of the topic, knowing that any conclusions I have already come to are safe and secure in written format.

Adam said he will start writing sometimes and just burn through a section of the book without stopping to figure out the details. It’s ok though as long as he gets down what his mind is churning out at the moment. He can always go back through and use what is already written as a mental reminder to add additional detail, direction and analysis.

This is why most writers go through a huge number of drafts before publishing any sort of work. It is also the reason why so many blog posts (including my own) are so mediocre. They don’t go through multiple iterations; they’re just brain dumps. In addition, this process is complimentary to the way our brains work and fuels innovation for any endeavor, whether it is writing a book or designing the functionality of a new software. And we all thought our high school teachers were just being mean when asking us to turn in our rough drafts.

Inspiration: Conversation with Adam

Categories: Software, writing
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Most everything I write about or think about is just a synthesis of inspiration from other sources/people/ideas. I have very few (if any) truly original ideas. I have been trying to think of a good way recently to give credit where credit is due without cluttering up my writing with all sorts of contextual information. To do this, I’ve decided to start putting a short list of inspirations after posts.

The types of things I will most likely just put links to articles, ideas, people, and places that served as inspiration. For offline inspiration, I’ll probably just figure out some way to do a shout-out to those involved in the inspiration. Kind of like a ghetto bibliography. This way I can track my sources of inspiration for my own purposes as well as give readers access to information they may find helpful, while giving a simple thank you to everything/one that inspires me.

Categories: Software, Life in General, writing
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Interesting study on what font types people would most likely use in different mediums.
http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/81/PersonalityofFonts.htm

Categories: Software, writing
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