August 2010
7 posts
6 tags
Another Take on the Web is Dead: Limits to...
The Wired cover story on “The Web is Dead? A Debate” has in fact caused an intense debate of the question, taking place — of course — on the web. It may be seen as somewhat ironic that on just the following day we get two pieces of news from Google that would point in the other direction: a demo of the future of browser games and a Chrome OS tablet together with Verizon...
3 tags
Mind Blowing Reading
I love it when I come across math, science or computer writing that is really mind blowing. This can be something I already know but is presented in a different way that offers a deeper understanding.
A couple of weeks ago I picked up on a lark at a bookstore at London Heathrow a gem like that: “Why does E = mc^2?” by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw. It provides a really lucid...
Privacy and Facebook's Widgets
I am not generally scared about privacy. For instance, I have always
thought that sites using cookies to remember a few things about me is a
good idea and that the WSJ’s recent cookie story was mostly
sensationalist. I also happily use foursquare to share
my location with friends and use Twitter often several times a
day.
Still, when I go to a site and see the Facebook social widgets,...
The Software Inventor's Patent Dilemma
The Oracle-Google law suit highlights another problem with software patents. Many folks who are opposed to software patents (either entirely or at least to their current breadth) work for companies that have to play by the existing patent rules - which means filing lots of patents so that you have some bargaining chips when you inevitably get sued down the road. The net result is that inventors...
3 tags
Cloud Storage/Backup Recommendations?
Last night I managed to fix my ReadyNAS NV+ with a replacement PSU purchased from PC Warehouse (bypassing customer support but shelling out a bit over $100). I updated the forums with the relevant links and am happy to once again have a running RAID array for backup at home.
More importantly though, this incident made it amply clear that in addition to my local backup I absolutely need a cloud...
3 tags
Net Neutrality Is Critical for Innovation
I am glad to see the net neutrality debate raging. As Union Square Ventures and on our personal blogs (AVC, Continuations) we have long been proponents of net neutrality (the USV link is from 2006!). Our own bias here is clear: we are pro-startup and pro-innovation. Both are of course essential to the venture capital business, but we believe they are also the lifeblood of the economy. ...
5 Days and Nights (Without My Blackberry)
While on family vacation in Europe, the SIM card in my Blackberry broke. I have no idea how that could even happen, seeing how it is a chip on a piece of plastic, but it provided an interesting experiment that I would not otherwise have engaged in! During the first few hours I instinctively (addictedly?) looked at my BlackBerry several times to check for new emails. By Day 2 I was cured of that...
