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Census to replace “approaching obsolescence” American FactFinder
The Census Bureau is soliciting proposals for a new Data Access and Dissemination System (DADS) in preparation for the 2010 Decennial Census to replace the existing systems. "The government recognizes that DADS systems are approaching obsolescence," Census said in its solicitation. (Census Acquisition Information. DATA ACCESS AND DISSEMINATION SYSTEM (DADS II))
"DADS is made up of the American FactFinder system for dissemination of data, the Data Product Production System for Census 2000 product tabulations and the American FactFinder Advanced Query system for Census 2000. IBM Corp. is the incumbent, having provided DADS since 1997." (Census to modernize data distribution systems, by Mary Mosquera, GCN, 01/09/07)
Continue readingApple’s iPhone brings multi-touch interface to the masses?
As we all know, computing technology affects what users can do and how they do it and it has major impacts on libraries. We don't usually cover technology as such on FGI because it is well covered on so many other sites on the web.
But one technological breakthrough that we've been watching in development for more than a year, "multi-touch" screens, definitely deserves mention today. See Another video of next generation computer interface for some links. WATCH THE VIDEO and you'll understand why we think this technology "will likely have the same impact on the way we interact with information today as the web had on the way we used to interact with text-based databases: more use, more users, easier use, more options, less instruction..."
So, why mention this today? Because Apple is using this technology on its new "iPhone." I thought the breakthrough would happen when we had really large screens with this technology, but between Apple's design sense and high visibility, this is probably the consumer device that will spur the development of this technology into other areas.
Check out the demonstrations on the Apple site to get a feel for the small screen version of multi-touch technology!
Continue readingHHS to post comparison of hospitals’ heart attack and heart failure death rates
USA TODAY reports that " the government plans to post a consumer-friendly comparison of hospitals' heart attack and heart failure death rates on the Internet."
- Government to list hospitals that falter in heart attack care, By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY (1/10/2007)
Consumers will gain access to the results of the analysis in June, when the agency posts data from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 on a Medicare website called Hospital Compare, hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. Rather than directly posting hospitals' death rates, the site will simply report whether a hospital performs better, worse or on par with the national average. Hospital Compare now offers a rundown of hospitals' diligence in providing the best therapies for heart disease and other conditions, based on the available scientific evidence.Continue reading
FCC Releases and Withholds Ownership Documents
FCC Releases, Withholds Ownership Documents, By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable, 1/5/2007. Eggerton says, "The FCC's Media Bureau has released a number of documents and audio transcripts related to its media ownership proceeding, but has withheld some 1,400 pages of documents, including two draft reports, citing various privilege exemptions." I believe the documents released are here: Additional Materials documents identified by Commission staff pertaining to localism, media ownership, minority ownership and other related issues Federal Communications Commission Continue reading
Net Neutrality 101
If you are looking for a quick introduction to what net neutrality is all about and why you should care about it, you can't do much better than the "Inside Risks" column in the current issue of the Communications of the ACM.
- Ma Bell's revenge: the battle for network neutrality [subscription required] by Lauren Weinstein, "Inside risks" Communications of the ACM Volume 50, Number 1 (January 2007), Page 128.
If you can't get that, an almost identical version appeared earlier on Weinstein's blog as Why Consumers Should Care About Network Neutrality, Lauren Weinstein's Blog (October 30, 2006). Lauren Weinstein is co-founder of People for Internet Responsibility (www.pfir.org).
He says:
The outcome of this controversy will affect everybody who comes into contact with the Internet... Neutrality is an aspect of the Internet that is so taken for granted that it seems invisible and intrinsic, but it has been critical to the Internet's success to date. ...most Internet users simply don't realize how drastically and negatively they could be affected if anti-neutrality arguments hold sway. Getting true network neutrality back after it's been lost is likely to be effectively impossible. Except for the anti-neutrality camp itself, we'd all be worse off with a non-neutral Internet, and that's a risk we simply must not accept.Continue reading
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