“CleanSoftware.org is a resource to help Windows users find the best free daily-use software, free from nasties: adware, spyware, harmful/intrusive components, and threats to privacy.” (via Slashdot) Versions of the software included are accompanied by red, yellow and green dots indicating the level of reliability. The Full Software Index (updated at the discretion of the… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: December 2004
Blogs Once Again Provide Valuable Real Time Reports on Breaking News
The New York Times reports on examples of how blogs are providing readers around with world with real time updates, photos and first person accounts of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the resulting tsumanis. Additional sources that are posting updates on the disaster that has impacted 12 countries and claimed over 52,000 lives… Continue Reading
CIA Will Not Confirm Existence of Abuse Documents
According to the Boston Globe, the CIA is invoking the Glomar response to forestall responding to FOIA requests submitted by advocacy groups for documents and photos related to detainee abuse. the “CIA . . . asserts that it is not able to confirm or deny whether it has any records relating to its purported involvement… Continue Reading
New Search Engine Targets Content On Search Engines
Pandia Search Central (which features as a logo my favorite Leonardo da Vinci portrait, Dama con l’Ermellino) has launched a very useful tool for researchers, Pandia Search Engine Topic Search, powered by Gigablast – “Use this search form to search the best search engine oriented sites, blogs and forums on the Web.” See also the… Continue Reading
Well Deserved Acknowledgement For the Role of Federal Court Librarians
Law Libraries Mix Online with Hard Copy to Ease Access, Cut Costs: “”At the heart of much of the federal Judiciary’s work is legal researchthe hunt for precedent, consensus, legislative intent, and other decision-making factors. Federal court librarians can ease that often-daunting task amid today’s technology explosion.” Continue Reading
New Compliance Regs Result in More Secure Networks
From the RedSiren press release: “A new survey of computer security professionals reveals that while many of them believe that the time they need to comply with increased government regulations has cut into their ability to secure their computer networks, they also admit that those networks are safer as a result.” Related references: Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA,… Continue Reading
Useful Comparison Chart of Desktop Search Tools
“Goebel Group, Inc. a leading integrator of search technology products and services…released the first comprehensive matrix detailing and comparing the status of technologies and other features of the industry’s current and future Desktop Search applications… The matrix includes versions and searchable document types of the industries leading Desktop Search Applications…” (including AOL, Autonomy, Ask Jeeves,… Continue Reading
The Growing Impact of Blogs in the Corporate Arena
Fortune.com has an extensive article on the slippery slope effect of relying on the “viral” linking aspect of blogs to promote products, as well as highlighting recent examples of the enormous impact of bloggers’ responses to instances of what they perceive as corporate misdeeds and the marketing of faulty products. Related article from the New… Continue Reading
Dennis Kennedy’s 2004 Legal Blogging Awards
I am delighted and honored that Dennis Kennedy has chosen beSpacific as the Best Overall Legal Blog for 2004. To be in the company of experts in the legal blogging sphere such as Tom Mighell, Ernest Svenson, Denise Howell, Kevin O’Keefe, Jerry Lawson and Martin Schwimmer is just terrific. I relish spotlighting news, resources and… Continue Reading
What Your Vehicle’s Black Box Is Reporting
The Christian Science Monitor reports on growing concerns about privacy issues related to vehicle event data recorders (EDRs) or “black boxes” (although they are apparently grey in color). Vehicle manufacturers are currently not subject to uniform standards regarding the data this equipment gathers. However, information collected from the EDRs often plays a prominent role in… Continue Reading
A Look At Desktop Search Tools Still Under Development
James Fallows reviews cutting edge work underway in the area of desktop search applications, with a focus on I.B.M.’s Unstructured Information Management Architecture Project. “An Unstructured Information Management (UIM) application may be generally characterized as a software system that analyzes large volumes of unstructured information (text, audio, video, images, etc.) to discover, organize and deliver… Continue Reading
Best Wishes for the Holiday Season
Thank you for reading beSpacific, and please stay in touch. I am delighted to hear from you about topics of interest, relevant links and resources, tips on new research applications, tools, and techniques, and your comments in general. This has been a challenging and productive year, and I wish you all good health, peace, the… Continue Reading
