mip's scan

New Position, New Start In Blogging

Hello dear readers!  By now, some of you have probably heard that I am changing jobs.  I've been the Director of IT at a wonderful actuarial firm for the past 4 years.  I am excited to be moving to Project X on March 23 as their VP, Consulting.  

With this upcoming move, my mind has begun to transition to new things.  I was surprised as I did some planning in my home office that I'd not used certain skills over the past while; facilitation, strategic consulting, and, (no surprise here), tech research & blogging.  Over the past couple of weeks, I've gotten back into looking at new, broad IT concepts, broad IT technology and their application both in business and personally.  And so, with my upcoming move, I am moving back to blogging on a regular basis, not only here on mip's scan but also over on the Project X blog when the topics are more around data warehousing and business intelligence.  

mip's scan use to be a weekly email that I would send out to clients when I first started consulting.  I would pull my thoughts together and share them with clients in a brief email.  With the onset of blogging I moved that approach to the web via this blog and now that I am returning to consulting, I look forward to once again begin posting here at mip's scan.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and getting your input!

I Love Being Right

Do you recall a rant I wrote up back in February, 2007?  I was unhappy with the idea of a tax being impose on iPod, with that collected money going to the recording industry to compensate them for stolen music.  I was ticked off with this idea for a number of reasons, one being that it would effectively "fine" me for a crime that I didn't commit (i.e., I don't steal music...I buy it!).  More importantly, I thought that such a levy would basically give people who did steal music the argument that "hey, I didn't steal anything....I've already compensated you (recording industry) through the tax I paid on my iPod".  When I wrote about that, people emailed me for a week telling me I was off my rocker.

Well, seems that the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), who has been fighting for this levy, has suddenly changed their mind and are looking to NOT have this in place.

The Canadian Recording Industry Association this week quietly filed documents in the Federal Court of Appeal that will likely shock many in the industry.  CRIA, which spent more than 15 years lobbying for the creation of the private copying levy, is now fighting to eliminate the application of the levy on the Apple iPod since it believes that the Copyright Board of Canada's recent decision to allow a proposed tariff on iPods to proceed "broadens the scope of the private copying exception to avoid making illegal file sharers liable for infringement."

The CRIA has come to the realization that they could actually be making the situation worse by imposing such a stupid needless tax.  You don't  fight piracy by making people pay for the stuff they are stealing.  If you've paid for it in advance, you aren't stealing it!  Further, you upset people who aren't stealing music.  That is what I said 7 months ago and I'm glad to see the CRIA has caught up to the program here.  Boy I love being right.

In truth, I think that the industry should embrace what Steve Jobs at Apple is doing.  Through an awesome online store, outstanding iPods and new buying mechanisms like WiFi purchases on the iPod Touch and the iPhone, and creative partnering like WiFi music buying in Starbucks, he's making it way more fun to buy music legally than to go and steal it!

Steve and Bill Chatting At D

I watched with pleasure this interview that took place yesterday between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.  I made me stop and think, pausing so to speak, that it has really been an amazing time with regards to technology.  Not just from a tech perspective, meaning, great software, feature rich gadgets, etc. etc.  What struck me most about this interview is the historical context that gets communicated and the sense that these two guys really have been risk taking visionaries, that they've enjoyed the ride and that good technologies come out of companies that are built well. 

Give it a watch and enjoy!

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful

Well, as we get hit with a fairly bad storm and now freezing rain here in Souther Ontario I was exploring, of course weather tools.  Lots out there and mostly all the same.  And then I cam across an interesting one I though I'd share called Weather Bonk.  Yeah, weird name but cool site.  What do I like about it? 

Well first, they've leverage Google Maps and that is really well done.  With Google Map as the centre piece, they layer on after you select radar, real time weather info.  Temperature and precipitation, if I understand the map.
Around the map, they've made it very "portal like", aggregating data from other sources.  I like how they show traffic cams on the left that change as you zoom in or navigate to other parts of the map.  If there is no traffic cam in that area, they'll show you the closest one and tell you the distance from your location to that camera.  Nothing beats a good visual of a jammed highway with cars stuck in the snow to really drive home the fact that you shouldn't....well...drive home.

I also like how they have a feature called Route Weather.  You give it your starting and ending point (i.e., where you are leaving from and where you are trying to go) and it'll tell you when the best time to go will be.  Very neat feature.

Hopefully, if you're reading this in an area where you got hit by snow and ice, you got home safe and sound.

Social Networking & Exploring Facebook

What is it about social networking that is so intriguing?  Why does it work?  Why are we drawn to it?  Why do young people seem to "get it" more so than older people? 

Those are question I've asked myself again and again at various times like when exploring other social networking phenomenons like mySpace or YouTube, Wallop from Microsoft or even blogging.  Why is it that it has such mass appeal?  Is it because we live in such a fast paced, spread-out society that we yearn to connect and do so online? Social networking has become such an important social trend that even consumer products like the Zune mp3 player from Microsoft have started to build it into the product and give it the tag line: Welcome to the Social. 

Again this question of the "why" came to me as I began to explore a new tool / site / social network that was suggested to me called Facebook.  That little badge you see at the top of this post is from Facebook - it updates my status for example dynamically as I change it.  The question is, why change it?  Why put anything into something like Facebook?  Let me tell you what I've experienced in the past few days.

Love This Little Car - Introducing Car 2.0

I've started a new category here at mip's scan on technology that relates to becoming environmentally friendly.  I call the category EcoTech.

Ok, so for today's post, I bring your attention to a great little car called the City Car.  You know I love my Smart car.  Well, if this little City Car came available, I'd buy one...on the spot.  I'm so excited to see new tech coming down the pipe that will focus on reducing our consumption of energy.

Check out this great interactive demonstration of the City Car.

To read all about it in more detail, click here for the article.

An MP3 Tax for Us Canadians?

Like we don't already pay enough tax in Canada...now we have to consider another one.  An MP3 tax eh?  Hmmm?  Because we're all thieving Canadians ripping off music.  You, me, my grandmother.  The whole lot of us.  Sigh. 

I hate this idea of a music tax.  I didn't like it when the Zune launched and they were giving a portion of the sale to the recording industry to compensate them for people stealing music.  And I don't like it now when this kind of nonsense is being looked at here in Canada.

Canadian music industry representatives are re-opening an old debate about MP3 players that could see the average price of the devices climb by as much as $75.

The Canadian Private Copying Collective, an association of composers, recording artists, publishers, and record labels is asking the Copyright Board of Canada to re-introduce a controversial extra fee into the sale price of MP3 players in Canada.

David Basskin, a member of the CCPC's board of directors, said it's time artists be compensated for the copying of their files onto the digital devices.

What does this mean really?  If I pay this tax on my next iPod...well, then the recording industry has been compensated on music I might steal.  I don't steal music!!!!!  I buy my music.  Mostly in iTunes, but still in CD format as well occasionally.   So why penalize me by charging me more for my next iPod?  Does that mean that if I pay more for my iPod and the tax is paid to the Canadian Private Copying Collective, that now I can go unpaid music?  I mean, if they are being compensated for that, then why should I buy music?  This kind of taxing will lead to music theft, not prevent it.  The recording industry cannot, I repeat, CANNOT, have their cake and eat it.  I don't steal music, so don't ask me to compensate you by charging me more for my MP3 player.  If you force me to pay the tax then I've compensated you for something that I don't have...so I should go get it right?

Now some will say..."mip, mip...it isn't about stealing...it is about not copying music, even if you own it, to your digital devices."  Well that is just plain stupid if you ask me.  If you want me to pay for a CD copy of music and pay for a digital mp3 copy of that album...so be it. Say so.  Make both available.  And I'll only buy the digital mp3 version.  If you want to charge me for having multiple formats, that is fine. Consumers like me will just elect to go for the digital version since we listen to the music on our MP3 players.  By why tax the device?  That makes no sense.  That means that if I buy and album and move that to my iPod, the device tax has paid the compensation to the CPAA.  What about in a years time when I by another MP3 player - I pay the tax again!!!!  Thus, I keep repaying to compensate the CPAA for the same album.  Why do they get compensated over and over again?   

I really hope this thing gets shot down.  To get all the details, read about it here.

What is the Web Becoming?

Having a creative side to my personality I really enjoy reading/watching things relating to technology that have been done in a creative way.  I came across this video on YouTube that shows the evolution of the web, from where it started to where it is to where it is going.  I don't want to spoil it for you so...just watch it!

The MicroCompactHome

Oh baby.  I love this.  Talk about downsizing.  You know me...I like small efficient things...like my great SMART car (which by the way, for all the nay-sayers who told me it wouldn't fair well in the winter...wrong...been just fine). 

Well, I came across this site for something called the Micro Compact Home.  Wow.  This is so great.  What is it?

The micro compact home [m-ch] is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its compact dimensions of 2.6m cube adapt it to a variety of sites and circumstances, and its functioning spaces of sleeping, working / dining, cooking and hygiene make it suitable for everyday use.

Informed by aviation and automotive design and manufactured at the micro compact home production centre in Austria, the m-ch can be delivered throughout Europe with project individual graphics and interior finishes.

The product was first launched in Munich in November 2005 with the development of a case study village sponsored by O2 Germany, which is currently occupied by students of TU Munich. The m-ch will make its UK debut at the Grand Designs Live 2006 exhibition, London Docklands, in June 2006.

Love that they have a SMART car parked next to the compact house.  That aside, why do I like it?  Because I think we are a society of excess and I'm always looking for innovations and technologies that can help us move back to living smaller - comfortable, but smaller.  For the sake of the environment I don't think we have a choice.  That is why something like the Micro Compact Home is so interesting an idea to me. 

Of course, this isn't something for me now. It is for one or two people, not a family of four.  But what about in 10 or 15 years time?  When the kids move away?  We talk about downsizing - well, this would be an exercise in extreme downsizing.  Doesn't seem to be available here yet, but in time, I would suspect we'll see this here. 

Art and Technology

Over the holidays we went to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) several times.  Last weekend we went again as my kids are taking some art classes there and I had an opportunity to re-visit some of my favourite things on exhibit, and I noticed a very interesting technical element that was being experimented with.

As I walked into their The Future Now exhibit, where the gallery invites you to experience art through their experimental installation strategies, I noticed a little icon on a number of signs depicting a cellphone.  At first I thought that it was one of those "no cellphones please" signs - you know the ones that are intended to keep people from yapping away on their cellphones while others are trying to quietly enjoy the art around them.  But this little icon didn't have the strikeout symbol on it.  Rather it was encouraging the use of cellphones.  Hmmmm....I was curious.  What they are doing is this.  At certain exhibits, for example, let's take a painting, you will find a sign beside or beneath the work of art that displays the little cellphone icon and a phone number.  It also provides options you can select once the number has been dialed.  An automated recording answers your call and you can select an option to hear commentary on the art you are standing before.  I think this is a great idea.  I've been to museums and galleries where you are issued a headset when you arrive.  What I've never liked about that approach is:

1. you are using headsets and gear that countless others have used
2. you need to listen to the commentary in a linear fashion, hence you can't walk the gallery as you like.

What is really nice about this cellphone approach at the AGO is that it allows you to move at your own pace, it allows you to get commentary on the items you want and it allows you to easily replay something you might want to hear again while standing there.  Everyone carries a cellphone, so the gallery can easily extend this added dimension to art to their visitors without the need to provide equipment.  I wandered from piece to piece, pressing different options (e.g., press 2 to hear a professor of art tell you the history of the piece, press 3 to hear an art student describe the changing roles of gender in art, etc., etc.).  I really was surprised, impressed and pleased to see something like this being tested at our very own art gallery here in Toronto.

Other technology things that the AGO is doing are things like:

• maintaining a blog
• photographing the kids art they do there during kids programs for creation of a website
• providing a podcast

All of these things make art accessible in a different way and I think it is exciting and very positive.  One of the things that the AGO could consider doing was something I saw at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.  There they were leveraging the fact that many many people carry/have iPods, especially young people.  In an effort to reach out to young people they provided art exhibition information on a computer in iTunes at the Museum of Art.  People would simply plug their iPod in, sync the content and then wander from exhibit to exhibit listening to the content. 

So hats off to organizations using technology to make art more accessible.  Art is an important part of society that is often overlooked, when it should be viewed as important.  Good for the AGO for exploring this as well as they undergo their transformation!  I look forward to seeing more of this in my ongoing visits to the gallery.