Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Turing Test
The Turing Test includes having a human and computer talk to an alternate party. If that alternate party can not tell between the human and the computer, then the computer is intelligent. In order for the computer so successfully convince or fool the alternate party in to thinking that they are no different then a human is a difficult process. Obviously, one we are still working on and will continue to work on for years to come. Although, in my opinion we really should focus on what computers can do better than us opposed to how they can be exactly like us. To begin, the computer needs a strong sense of the written English language. Including a strong sense of grammar, vocabulary, slang, how words change in context. In addition, it needs a strong sense of the subject that they will be talking about and to know and lot of names and facts about that topic. Furthermore it needs to know a lot about current events and hot topics, in case someone mentions it, refers to, or relates their main topic with a current event. Finally, I believe the computer needs to know how to defer questions that they don't know. Many humans do not know how to answer all questions, which is why I think it's vital to answer the right way if you the computer doesn't know the answer. Questioning the questioner is a really obviously productive way to do this. Good luck to my new robot in successfully fooling the world!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Diebold Voting Machines
Electronic voting is obviously a really big problem in our country. Some of the main reasons concerns within the Diebold voting machines are its lack of security. It is simply easy for just anyone to hack in to. Not to mention they had released all of their program including passwords on their website "accidentally." However, even within out the passwords their is a back door type program that goes in untraceable where you can simply delete and put what ever number of votes you want in it's place. It takes about 10 seconds for someone who has never used the program to change the votes. In addition, you can also put a vote alternation program on a memory card which can terminate after it infects the machine with virus that can change your vote to a vote for the opposing candidate.Obviously a serious problem for anyone wanting fair elections. Not to mention, Diebold is a private company in which they can hire workers to manage or alter machines. Making it very easy to go in and put a patch for a certain winner and no one will ask questions.Do you really want the voting process in the country to be running off machines that no one knows how they work.
If I were in a position to change the voting process it would surely be a difficult topic. Paper ballots are subject to rigging but at least they have a paper trail. As for the electronic voting machines which can be changed with no indication of their change. If the government could maintain security the best opportunity would be for the government and not private parties to be in control of the voting machines. Which could also lead to hacking in to if the wrong president is in control of the country and let it happened. Which is why I believe that to start electronic voting machines should be made and maintained by the government. It must have a paper trail which prints out for each voter and well as a paper trail for the county that is controlling the election. If we can make ATM machines secure, surely we can do the same for electronic voting machines. The only problem is that someone doesn't want to. Private companies are to easily swayed and controlled by money. The democracy that gives each person the right to vote just can't simply be affected by mindless corrupt politics any more. We must ensure that voting is fair, truthful, and secure for the sake of our country.
If I were in a position to change the voting process it would surely be a difficult topic. Paper ballots are subject to rigging but at least they have a paper trail. As for the electronic voting machines which can be changed with no indication of their change. If the government could maintain security the best opportunity would be for the government and not private parties to be in control of the voting machines. Which could also lead to hacking in to if the wrong president is in control of the country and let it happened. Which is why I believe that to start electronic voting machines should be made and maintained by the government. It must have a paper trail which prints out for each voter and well as a paper trail for the county that is controlling the election. If we can make ATM machines secure, surely we can do the same for electronic voting machines. The only problem is that someone doesn't want to. Private companies are to easily swayed and controlled by money. The democracy that gives each person the right to vote just can't simply be affected by mindless corrupt politics any more. We must ensure that voting is fair, truthful, and secure for the sake of our country.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Digital Divide
The digital divide is obvious in terms of the United States and developing countries. However, the digital divide is still very obvious within the United States as well. The divide occurs between race, gender, age and financial situations. I will begin by talking about some of the problems that could be a potential problem within education.
To begin not all schools have equal opportunities to technology. For, one a public school in a poor part of a San Francisco will not have equal access to computers as someone in a private school in a richer neighborhood. Furthermore, a poorer school might not have teachers that are educated with computers, so although some poor school might get the opportunities for technology, their teachers don't know how to use them. Which leads to their being a demand within schools not only for computers but for someone to train the teachers on them. Making it even more difficult for the schools who might not be as financially stable as a private school to take part in the luxury of technology.
The next potential problem within the digital divide is government. The government is currently stepping up their participation in the web. Their are now many tasks such as filing taxes and renewing your license that can all be done online. Making it much easier for people to complete things that would take time in the D.M.V that they can now do online. The down side is that not everyone has equal opportunities to the Internet. Therefore, their is a sense of people without a high economic standing to have a disadvantage against those that do.
Health is another potential problem that is effected by the digital divide. It is pretty obvious that everyone should be able to access the same health care benefits no matter what their situation is. Unfortunately, this is obviously not the case. People in Haiti for instance do not have the same advantages as someone at Standford hospital. Meaning they don't have the same diagnosis tools to figure out what people have and what they need in order to cure their diseases. Obviously people in poorer countries and even in our country not everyone has equal opportunities for health care with hi-tech digital diagnoses tools.
Entertainment is another problem in the digital world. Since buying tickets and movie reviews. Online television and online movie rentals have become more and more popular over the few years, its making it harder for people with out Internet access to be able to access the same tools as those who do. It is now easier and cheaper to rent movie from Netflix, where you have no late fees and you can have a unlimited amount of rentals for a rate much cheaper then in stores. This new system makes it much easier and cost efficient if you have access to the Internet. Unfortunately, many people don't have access to Internet.So these new easy tools for technology that we take for granted are not even available to people who can't afford Internet service.
Finally, work is another obstacle the digital divide is facing. Many job these days require at least basic knowledge of computers and often a proficiency in tools like excel in required. Meaning that older workers need to be retrained and that retraining needs to be taught in a time when they are able to attend. Where as people who are younger and grow up with these devices need no new training and have a clear advantage over older people who do not know how to use these devices and programs. Furthermore, most of the new hiring is done online, so if they don't know how to use the Internet they are no able to use online job posting sites.
There is a clear advantage to people who have the luxury of using wonderful technologies such as the Internet, computers, and electronic diagnosis tools. Unfortunately, billions of people have the opportunity to use digital products but are unable to in less they can cross barriers. Barriers such as economics and education. Their are people who are trying to addressing the problem but more can always be done. Unfortunately, economics seems to be a serious issue in the digital divide, one that will take a lot of work to overcome. So next time you are using these luxuries remember that they are luxuries that not everyone has the opportunity to receive.
To begin not all schools have equal opportunities to technology. For, one a public school in a poor part of a San Francisco will not have equal access to computers as someone in a private school in a richer neighborhood. Furthermore, a poorer school might not have teachers that are educated with computers, so although some poor school might get the opportunities for technology, their teachers don't know how to use them. Which leads to their being a demand within schools not only for computers but for someone to train the teachers on them. Making it even more difficult for the schools who might not be as financially stable as a private school to take part in the luxury of technology.
The next potential problem within the digital divide is government. The government is currently stepping up their participation in the web. Their are now many tasks such as filing taxes and renewing your license that can all be done online. Making it much easier for people to complete things that would take time in the D.M.V that they can now do online. The down side is that not everyone has equal opportunities to the Internet. Therefore, their is a sense of people without a high economic standing to have a disadvantage against those that do.
Health is another potential problem that is effected by the digital divide. It is pretty obvious that everyone should be able to access the same health care benefits no matter what their situation is. Unfortunately, this is obviously not the case. People in Haiti for instance do not have the same advantages as someone at Standford hospital. Meaning they don't have the same diagnosis tools to figure out what people have and what they need in order to cure their diseases. Obviously people in poorer countries and even in our country not everyone has equal opportunities for health care with hi-tech digital diagnoses tools.
Entertainment is another problem in the digital world. Since buying tickets and movie reviews. Online television and online movie rentals have become more and more popular over the few years, its making it harder for people with out Internet access to be able to access the same tools as those who do. It is now easier and cheaper to rent movie from Netflix, where you have no late fees and you can have a unlimited amount of rentals for a rate much cheaper then in stores. This new system makes it much easier and cost efficient if you have access to the Internet. Unfortunately, many people don't have access to Internet.So these new easy tools for technology that we take for granted are not even available to people who can't afford Internet service.
Finally, work is another obstacle the digital divide is facing. Many job these days require at least basic knowledge of computers and often a proficiency in tools like excel in required. Meaning that older workers need to be retrained and that retraining needs to be taught in a time when they are able to attend. Where as people who are younger and grow up with these devices need no new training and have a clear advantage over older people who do not know how to use these devices and programs. Furthermore, most of the new hiring is done online, so if they don't know how to use the Internet they are no able to use online job posting sites.
There is a clear advantage to people who have the luxury of using wonderful technologies such as the Internet, computers, and electronic diagnosis tools. Unfortunately, billions of people have the opportunity to use digital products but are unable to in less they can cross barriers. Barriers such as economics and education. Their are people who are trying to addressing the problem but more can always be done. Unfortunately, economics seems to be a serious issue in the digital divide, one that will take a lot of work to overcome. So next time you are using these luxuries remember that they are luxuries that not everyone has the opportunity to receive.
Mashups
Mash-ups are most likely the best thing given to our world. I think my life is surely complete now that they are a part of it. Many time I find my self wondering what should I eat for lunch. Where should I go? Which is why my first and favorite mash-up is Wheel of lunch. The reason I enjoy it so much is because I love to eat. I love to eat good and new food. Finally, there are so many restaurants in San Francisco that you could go to a new restaurant everyday so why not let someone else choose where to go. The 2nd mash-up that I enjoyed was Broadway2day.
The reason why this is another mash-up that I enjoy because I love Broadway musicals and this locates the theater, says how much the tickets cost and which shows are playing there. This is really useful for if you are traveling to New York City and obviously want to watch a Broadway show.The final mash-up that I chose was 7 world wonders map. It was a mash-up between Google maps and the 7th world wonders. I love to travel and I would love to visit all the 7 world wonders before I die. I think this is really useful because not only does it tell you what the 7 world wonders are but it tells you where they are specifically in the country they are. For instance, I may not know exactly where the Colosseum is but with this program I can whip out my google map/ 7 world wonders and find exactly where it is. I love mash-ups!
The reason why this is another mash-up that I enjoy because I love Broadway musicals and this locates the theater, says how much the tickets cost and which shows are playing there. This is really useful for if you are traveling to New York City and obviously want to watch a Broadway show.The final mash-up that I chose was 7 world wonders map. It was a mash-up between Google maps and the 7th world wonders. I love to travel and I would love to visit all the 7 world wonders before I die. I think this is really useful because not only does it tell you what the 7 world wonders are but it tells you where they are specifically in the country they are. For instance, I may not know exactly where the Colosseum is but with this program I can whip out my google map/ 7 world wonders and find exactly where it is. I love mash-ups!
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