Authors: James F. Broderick. Darren W. Miller.
Paperback, 272 pages
Publisher: CyberAge Books
Publication Date: 2008-05-28


Reviews :

    From 9/11 to Roswell, from Princess Di to the Grassy Knoll and beyond, journalists James F. Broderick and Darren W. Miller (Consider the Source) explore more than 20 of the world s most intriguing conspiracy theories. They examine the facts surrounding each theory, present prevailing and lesser-known arguments, and point to must-see Web sites that advocate, speculate, and debunk. Web of Conspiracy is the ultimate guide for Internet-connected conspiracy theorists, buffs, and researchers and an eye-opening book for anyone who think he s heard it all....

Authors: Justin Reich. Thomas Daccord.
Paperback, 291 pages
Publisher: M.E.Sharpe
Publication Date: 2008-06-11
Edition: 1

Reviews :

    This practical, how-to guide makes it easy for teachers to incorporate the latest technology in their classes. Employing an informal workshop approach, the book avoids technical jargon and pays special attention to the needs of teachers who are expanding the use of computers in their classroom. The authors focus on what teachers do and how they can do it better, and provide a wide variety of proven tools, tips, and methods for enhancing these activities with technology.

The book provides extensively illustrated tutorials for a wide variety of software, online tools, and teachning techniques. It covers everything from lesson plans, to time management, how to show animation, blogging, podcasts, laptop strategies, and much, much more...

Authors: Mark Andrejevic.
Hardcover, 325 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Publication Date: 2007-09-16


Reviews :

    Whether you're purchasing groceries with your Safeway "club card" or casting a vote on American Idol, that data is being collected. From Amazon to iTunes, cell phones to GPS devices, Google to TiVo--all of these products and services give us an expansive sense of choice, access, and participation. But, in an era now marked by large-scale NSA operations that secretly monitor our email exchanges and internet surfing, Mark Andrejevic shows how these new technologies are increasingly employed as modes of surveillance and control.

Many contend that our proliferating interactive media empower individuals and democratize society. But, Andrejevic asks, at what cost? In iSpy, he reveals that these and other highly touted benefits are accompanied by hidden risks and potential threats that tend to be ignored by mainstream society. His book offers the first sustained critique of a concept that has been a talking point for twenty years, an up-to-the-minute survey of interactivity across multiple media platforms. It debunks the false promises of the digital revolution still touted by the popular media while seeking to rehabilitate, rather than simply write off, the potentially democratic uses of interactive media.

Andrejevic opens up the world of digital rights management and the data trail each of us leaves--data about our locations, preferences, or life events that are already put to use in various economic, political, and social contexts. He notes that, while citizens are becoming increasingly transparent to private and public monitoring agencies, they themselves are unable to access the information gathered about them--or know whether it's even correct. (The watchmen, it seems, don't want to be watched.) He also considers the appropriation of consumer marketing for political campaigns in targeting voters, and also examines the implications of the Internet for the so-called War on Terror.

In iSpy, Andrejevic poses real challenges for our digital future. Amazingly detailed, compellingly readable, it warns that we need to temper our enthusiasm for these technologies with a better understanding of the threats they pose-to be able to distinguish between interactivity as centralized control and as collaborative participation.

This book is part of the CultureAmerica series....

Authors: James Dale Davidson. William Rees-Mogg.
Hardcover, 416 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 1997-02-03


Reviews :

    Two renowned investment advisors and forecasters present their prognostications--political, social, and economic--for the coming years and outline the practical consequences of adapting to the new global economy and the information age. 100,000 first printing. Tour....

Authors: Matthew Fraser. Soumitra Dutta.
Hardcover, 344 pages
Publisher: Wiley
Publication Date: 2008-12-31


Reviews :

    “If you want to understand why Wikipedia is changing the world, this book is a must read.”

Jimmy Wales, Founder, Wikipedia

“This book is a must read for all - social activists, politicians or managers - who have an interest in understanding how our society is morphing.”

Professor C.K. Prahalad, #1 Management Guru and author of Competing for the Future

Synopsis
The rise of social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo is changing the way we see ourselves, how we interact with each other, how we work and how we do business on a daily basis. Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom explores the powerful forces driving the social networking revolution, the impact of these profound changes, and the far reaching consequences of social networking.

Detailing the way social networks affects both individuals and societies as a whole, the book offers a detailed focus on the ways social networking affects the world of business and work. The generation entering the workforce today - and entering boardrooms everywhere - is fully engaged with social networking and its uses. Rather than feeling threatened and paranoid, today's business leaders need to understand this phenomenon, accept that it won't go away, and embrace its power in the world of business.

Excerpts from Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom:
“Your next CEO’s most impressive job credential might be status as an online gladiator, honing valuable leadership skills mercilessly slaying mortal enemies on World of Warcraft. Why not, the skills necessary to hack your way to the top levels of virtual games – especially a killer instinct – are excellent pre-requisites for managing complex organisations.”

                                                                                                 *****

“Many senior managers mistakenly believe Enterprise 2.0 is a product, like the latest Microsoft office suite. They don’t realise that Enterprise 2.0 is not a cost centre, but a “state of mind” – a revolutionary new way of managing companies and conducting business.

Web 2.0 tools have no regard for “organisational boundaries, hierarchies, or job titles”. Try telling a senior executive that, henceforth, there will be no job titles, reporting lines, and organisational boundaries in the company – and watch the reaction closely.”

                                                                                                 *****

“When someone calls a meeting, he or she is asserting authority over those who are invited to attend. Meetings are exclusive and closed. In most corporations, who gets invited to a meeting – and who does not – sends a signal about who’s ‘in the loop’. Meetings are a form of social grooming inside organisations. Meetings impose vertical authority. They establish status hierarchies. The Enterprise 2.0 model is feared in corporations because it threatens status hierarchies.”

                                                                                                 *****

“Harnessing the dynamism of horizontal networks, Web 2.0 social media are bypassing institutional forms of social organisation and directly empowering people. This book has attempted to tell that story with illustrations, which, we hope, have offered intriguing and instructive insights into the powerful transformations we described. What has interested us most, indeed, is the transformative impact – or “e-ruptions” – of Web 2.0 social media on the three dynamics that gave this book its structure: identity, status and power.”

About the Authors:
Matthew Fraser, PhD, is a Senior Research Fellow at INSEAD and teaches at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. A recognised media industries expert, he also has long experience as a journalist, including weekly columnist, national television host, and Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s national daily newspaper, the National Post.

Soumitra Dutta, PhD., is Roland Berger Chaired Professor of Business and Technology at INSEAD. He is faculty director of elab@INSEAD, a center of excellence in the digital economy working in collaboration with organisations such as SAP and Intel. His research has been showcased in the international media such as CNN, CNBC, and the BBC. He is a fellow of the World Economic Forum. ...

Authors: Ralph Benko.
Paperback, 204 pages
Publisher: The Websters' Press
Publication Date: 2008-11-04


Reviews :

    The Websters' Dictionary shows you how the big success stories in Web advocacy -- groups like MoveOn.org and Heritage.org, starting from very little achieved such massive success. And how you can too. This book lays it out from the basic to the sophisticated. How to get a domain name (and what domain name to pick). How to create a great website ... or select someone to do it for you. What kind of site will let you use the power of Web 2.0 at the lowest possible cost. What style gives you impact. What content works? How much should you be prepared to spend? What kind of team will you need? It lays out best practices briefly, clearly, picturesquely and accurately. This is the dawning of the Age of the Internet. Be part of that. Become a Webster -- an activist, an operative, or a wonk who is using the Web to transform the world. Spinning silica into worldwide webs of glass and light, the Internet has become a planetary community in need of a global guidebook. The Websters' Dictionary is it -- a cornucopian resource for all compendious world-warpers. -- George Gilder, author of Wealth and Poverty (the Bible of Reaganomics), and the high tech classics Telecosm and Microcosm....

Authors:
Hardcover, 480 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication Date: 2006-05-04


Reviews :

    The American ENIAC is customarily regarded as having been the starting point of electronic computation. This book rewrites the history of computer science, arguing that in reality Colossus--the giant computer built by the British secret service during World War II--predates ENIAC by two years. Colossus was built during the Second World War at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. Until very recently, much about the Colossus machine was shrouded in secrecy, largely because the code-breaking algorithms that were employed during World War II remained in use by the British security services until a short time ago. In addition, the United States has recently declassified a considerable volume of wartime documents relating to Colossus. Jack Copeland has brought together memoirs of veterans of Bletchley Park--the top-secret headquarters of Britain's secret service--and others who draw on the wealth of declassified information to illuminate the crucial role Colossus played during World War II. Included here are pieces by the former WRENS who actually worked the machine, the scientist who pioneered the use of vacuum tubes in data processing, and leading authorities on code-breaking and computer science.
A must read for anyone curious about code-breaking or World War II espionage, Colossus offers a fascinating insider's account of the world first giant computer, the great great grandfather of the massive computers used today by the CIA and the National Security Agency....

Authors: Manuel Castells. Mireia Fernandez-Ardevol. Jack Linchuan Qiu. Araba Sey.
Hardcover, 345 pages
Publisher: The MIT Press
Publication Date: 2006-11-01
Edition: 1

Reviews :

    Wireless networks are the fastest growing communications technology in history. Are mobile phones expressions of identity, fashionable gadgets, tools for life—or all of the above? Mobile Communication and Society looks at how the possibility of multimodal communication from anywhere to anywhere at any time affects everyday life at home, at work, and at school, and raises broader concerns about politics and culture both global and local.

Drawing on data gathered from around the world, the authors explore who has access to wireless technology, and why, and analyze the patterns of social differentiation seen in unequal access. They explore the social effects of wireless communication—what it means for family life, for example, when everyone is constantly in touch, or for the idea of an office when workers can work anywhere. Is the technological ability to multitask further compressing time in our already hurried existence?

The authors consider the rise of a mobile youth culture based on peer-to-peer networks, with its own language of texting, and its own values. They examine the phenomenon of flash mobs, and the possible political implications. And they look at the relationship between communication and development and the possibility that developing countries could "leapfrog" directly to wireless and satellite technology. This sweeping book—moving easily in its analysis from the United States to China, from Europe to Latin America and Africa—answers the key questions about our transformation into a mobile network society....

Authors: David Rice.
Hardcover, 384 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Publication Date: 2007-12-09
Edition: 1

Reviews :

   

“The clarity of David’s argument and the strength of his conviction are truly inspiring. If you don’t believe the world of software affects the world in which you live, you owe it to yourself to read this book.”
–Lenny Zeltzer, SANS Institute faculty member and the New York Security Consulting Manager at Savvis, Inc.

 

“Geekonomics stays with you long after you finish reading the book. You will reconsider every assumption you have had about software costs and benefits.”
–Slava Frid, Gemini Systems, CTO, Resilience Technology Solutions

 

“Information Security is an issue that concerns governments, companies and, increasingly, citizens. Are the computer systems and software to which we entrust our sensitive and critical information, technologies that are out of control? David Rice has written an important and welcome book that goes to the heart of this issue, and points to solutions that society as a whole needs to debate and embrace.”
–Nick Bleech, IT Security Director, Rolls-Royce

 

“If you are dependent upon software (and of course, all of us in the modern world are) this book is a fabulous discussion of how and why we should worry.”
–Becky Bace

 

The Real Cost of Insecure Software

•   In 1996, software defects in a Boeing 757 caused a crash that killed 70 people…

•   In 2003, a software vulnerability helped cause the largest U.S. power outage in decades…

•   In 2004, known software weaknesses let a hacker invade T-Mobile, capturing everything from passwords to Paris Hilton’s photos…

•   In 2005, 23,900 Toyota Priuses were recalled for software errors that could cause the cars to shut down at highway speeds…

•   In 2006 dubbed “The Year of Cybercrime,” 7,000 software vulnerabilities were discovered that hackers could use to access private information…

•   In 2007, operatives in two nations brazenly exploited software vulnerabilities to cripple the infrastructure and steal trade secrets from other sovereign nations…

Software has become crucial to the very survival of civilization. But badly written, insecure software is hurting people–and costing businesses and individuals billions of dollars every year. This must change. In Geekonomics, David Rice shows how we can change it.

 

Rice reveals why the software industry is rewarded for carelessness, and how we can revamp the industry’s incentives to get the reliability and security we desperately need and deserve. You’ll discover why the software industry still has shockingly little accountability–and what we must do to fix that.

Brilliantly written, utterly compelling, and thoroughly realistic, Geekonomics is a long-overdue call to arms. Whether you’re software user, decision maker, employee, or business owner this book will change your life…or even save it.

 

The Alarming Cost of Insecure, Badly Written Software...

and How to Finally Fix the Problem, Once and for All!

 

Six billion crash test dummies: why you’re at greater risk than you ever imagined.

You pay the price: why consumers are legally and financially responsible for the mistakes of software manufacturers.

Broken windows: how software promotes epidemic cyber crime and threatens national security.

Who runs the show?: Why software manufacturers fought against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s attempts to protect the U.S. blood supply.

Protecting national infrastructure: real incentives for transforming software manufacturing.

Surviving the information superhighway: practical, must-read advice in a world of insecure code.

 

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xix

About the Author xx

 

Chapter 1: The Foundation of Civilization 1

Chapter 2: Six Billion Crash Test Dummies: Irrational Innovation and Perverse Incentives 19

Chapter 3: The Power of Weaknesses: Broken Windows and National Security 73

Chapter 4: Myopic Oversight: Blinded by Speed, Baffled by Churn 131

Chapter 5: Absolute Immunity: You Couldn’t Sue Us Even If You Wanted To 179

Chapter 6: Open Source Software: Free, But at What Cost? 243

Chapter 7: Moving Forward: Rational Incentives for a Different Future 273

 

Epilogue 321

Notes 325

Index 341

 

 

...

Authors: Tim Guest.
Hardcover, 288 pages
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 2008-02-19


Reviews :

    We’ve always dreamed of perfect places: Eden, heaven, Utopia. Imagine gambling without loss, love without heartbreak, sex without exposure, experience without risk. Welcome to the fascinating world of online virtual reality, the land of invented places and populations that is entered and inhabited every week by nearly fifty million people worldwide. Each participant creates a virtual body, works at virtual jobs, and makes virtual friends and family. In Second Lives, Tim Guest, an internationally acclaimed young journalist, takes us on a revelatory journey through the electronic looking glass as he investigates one of the most bizarre phenomena of the twenty-first century.

From Second Life to EverQuest and beyond, here are the computer-generated environments and characters that can easily become more engrossing and fulfilling than earthly existence. With the click of a mouse you can select eye color, face shape, height–you can even give yourself wings. Your character, or avatar, can build houses, make and sell works of art, earn money, get married and divorced.

In this fascinating and groundbreaking book, Guest meets people who found meaningful love and friendship despite never having met in person, catches up with the companies that have used virtual worlds to make big money, investigates the U.S. military’s massive online global model that trains soldiers to fight anyone anywhere, and travels all the way to gaming-crazed Korea to get a taste for just how big this phenomenon really is.

At first glance, these new computer-generated places seem free from trouble and sorrow. But Guest examines the dark side of this technology too, including the online criminals who plague imaginary worlds, from cyber mafiosos and prostitutes to real hackers and terrorists. It seems that one cannot escape greed, corruption, and human weakness–even inside a computer screen.
Are these virtual worlds a way to enhance life or to escape it? Guest explores this question personally as he lets himself be transported into myriad parallel universes. By turns provocative, inspiring, and disturbing, Second Lives is a crucial book for this millennium. After all, real life is so twentieth century.

Advance praise for Second Lives
“Tim Guest is a young writer with the literary goods. My Life in Orange, his hit memoir of growing up in a commune, looked at his past; his riveting new book, Second Lives, looks at our future: the world of virtual reality and the spellbound people who inhabit it. The book is some kind of revelation–by turns compelling, chilling, and illuminating. Curious, intelligent, offbeat, and artful, Guest is at the beginning of a big career.”
——John Lahr, senior drama critic, The New Yorker, author of
Prick Up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton

Praise from England for Second Lives
“An anthropological adventure but also Guest’s personal voyage . . . a fascinating portrait of rainbow landscapes and their inhabitants.”
–Time Out London

“Rich and colourful . . . an important mapping of a new social frontier.”
–The Guardian

“Remarkably timely.”
–The Sunday Telegraph

“Astonishing.”
–The Sunday Times...