Back to the Garage of Innovation

Wired recently posted a really inspiring article Back to the Garage: How Economic Turmoil Breeds Innovation

The article states that for the bravest inventors economic turmoil breeds innovation. One of the most inspirational stories is Bill Hewlett of HP who built the pocket calculator during the 1969-1970 depression.

Tom Siebel is a shining example - according to the article he sold Siebel Systems to Oracle in 2005 and is now working on a project that is underwraps.

Only time will tell whether the conditions are right or not. But as I like to think when there is an opportunity there is no time like the present.

Online fraudsters 'steal £3.3bn'

Symantec released these figures after looking into the internet underground economy.

BBC stated that:

"Symantec research indicates that there is a certain amount of collaboration and organisation occurring on these forums, especially at the administrative level," it said.

"Moreover, considerable evidence exists that organised crime is involved in many cases."

As the internet becomes more collaborative credit card details and personal details are always going to be under threat. Surely though it is also up to ISPs and companies to help stop this happening. E.g. employee these criminals to help stop other criminals. They could open up their security script to a limited number of people and get them to work collaboratively to plug the so called holes in the system. This would then hopefully make a more secure web.

BBC News Story here

Reuters Quit Second Life

Is Second Life Dead?

That indeed is the question. I'd really say that it might be a good thing for the users of Second Life and the employees of Linden labs.

Why?

Because ultimately Second Life has a very strong community that I'm sure will ride out the financial crisis. With more and more people staying at home rather than going out, perhaps their second life will be much more virtuous. I'd say second life still has a great potential to expand and develop, there is so much going on in the world economy that a second life would appeal to all, no mortgage. Only problem is whilst your living in your second life it won't stop the bayliffs coming in to remove your household furniture.

But will IBM and other digital companies start to withdraw? Perhaps Reuters are just the first of many to move.

Unhappy People Watch TV

A recent survey from University of Maryland stated that unhappy people watch more TV. More happy people read and socialize.

They also state that as the economy worsens perhaps more people will watch TV. I guess only time will tell on this one. Yet aren't unhappy people just happy with TV?

Also I wonder whether the population of the internet are all happy since most users read and socialize on the web?

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