It's all about the scale
Oregon has recently increased investments in education and research, particularly at the higher, post-secondary level, to spur job growth (among other goals). For a state our size, and in comparison to the past, the investment is not insignificant.
However, when looking at what other states are doing, we must wonder at our commitment. The recent
article on the Georgia Research Alliance, showing that they have invested $436 million in public and private dollars since 1990 to grow the Georgia economy. The private investment in Oregon is likely not as substantial, but there is a number that we should tout as well.
"open" for profit
Software contributors for many open source projects are helping companies provide service to stitch all of the open source together. Most contributors do not mind this as it gives them many opportunities. . be part of a community, get recognition, practice, etc.
But folks translating conte
nt for Facebook may think differently. Facebook is asking people to translate their site for free, just to help the for-profit social networking site grow. While this is certainly a way to gain users in a country -- those translating are likely to brag that they did it! and drive traffic to the site, will there be resentment from the free labor?
How will global warming impact Microsoft?
"Windows is collapsing"
Gartner analysts say. Ok, not because of global warming, but because it does not fit in the new, smaller, greener, more portable world we are all about to live in. Now, I have several laptops, a smartphone, and been around people with lots of "mini" computers. And now I've watched younger folks (4+) use computers. Will we all stop using desktops, and local memory, and go to smaller computers & web apps?
I am not convinced. I still go to too many places where net connectivity is not stellar, or is too expensive. And the citywide wireless networks . . .although greatly touted. . . do not seem to be happening as quickly as promised. (A few months ago Wired magazine had an update on these initiatives, but I could not locate it in a quick search.) So, bring on the web apps -- I hate Vista just as much as the next person. But make sure there is 100% connectivity -- even in the "un-creative" class places -- before you do. . .
"How much" v "open acces"
The recent sale of spectrum, where AT&T admitted that they paid much more to avoid open access (aah, makes one proud to be an AT&T subscriber) leads the
Silicon Valley Insider to ask how much
more the US government could have gotten if they had removed the open access requirement. . would the bidding have grown even more if the spectrum remained proprietary?
Given the recent discussion on
Open Innovation (see
this review paper), what is the proper way to "weigh" open access v financial gain? Not a dissimilar question to how to discuss benefits from access to research v proprietary access to research.
Make yourself famous
Tired of googling yourself? Or linking to people you know on every social networking site you can imagine? Want to move to the next level? Part of intellectual property is trademark. . managing your brand. . and now you can create your own biography on
Biographicon. You can even link to others you may know (or not know). Go ahead! Write your biography, just ready for the obituary pages.
