Professor Klerfell, director of The Link Institute, has announced the “Link 100” — one hundred online ambassadors for the Australia 2020 Summit who will attend via Wi-Fi linked workstations. Chairman Rudd, meanwhile, has announced that the Summit will be funded from MPs’ salaries, “since it is normally the job of MPs to come up with policy ideas for Australia’s future, the MPs have decided that their pay for the week the forum will be donated to pay for the event.”
New website policies
I’ve decided to write a Comments Policy, Privacy Policy and Legal Disclaimer for this website. I think you’ll find the lengthy Privacy Policy decidedly… different!
I’ve been meaning to write a Privacy Policy like this for ages, ‘cos I think most website privacy policies are a load of shite. What do you think?
Mark Pesce on the “forward” button
Mark Pesce has knocked off a quick piece for the ABC on how the power of the “forward” button is changing politics. He reckons it’s a bit rushed, but I think it still has value.
Today’s partial solar eclipse
Sydney (as well as other places) will have a partial solar eclipse today. The peak moment is 1534 Sydney time, though the moon will only take a small bite out of the sun.
Wednesday, in which I fail to learn about Web 2.0
Well if you were following my Twitter feed just now, you’d know that I abandoned the “Web 2.0” presentation put on for the ACS Web Technology SIG. 15 minutes in, I hadn’t heard anything I didn’t already know, and there was no sign that would change. Disappointed.
It unfolded like this:
- I arrive just after Mr IBM started. Room of cubicle droids are astounded by a YouTube video of “Does it blend?” Much polite lolz. Apparently you can upload your own videos to YouTube.
- We’re told there’s a trend away from the desktop. Gosh. Does that explains how I can Twitter from my phone? I notice there’s no pizza left. I don’t want pizza anyway.
- Mr IBM introduces Runescape as an example of a virtual world, and then shows a static screenshot of IBM’s tennis presence in Second Life from the Australian Open. Why not actually demo SL?
- Audience member asks what the most popular site is. Mr IBM says it’s hard to say, probably BigPond in Australia and hard to say globally. Audience member asks if he means “the web or Second Life”. SL, he says. Sheesh, if you don’t know for sure, just tell ’em it’s the furrysex dungeon and go for lolz, yeah?
- I decide there’s no way I can raid the chocolate biscuits without drawing attention to myself, and I’m not learning anything new.
- Pub.
The guy from IBM would be wrapping up and chatting with the crowd about now. I’ve already gone to the pub, had a beer and a “Thai” chicken salad, and posted this. That’s Web 2.0.
Abandoned party girls
Spotted on Oxford Street, Sydney last night: an abandoned clothing boutique, recently repossessed by the landlord, with these rather forlorn-looking dummies holding an impromptu party.