December, 16, 2002 archives

the los angeles times has a good article on the sorry state of the educatonal software market. i think the tone of the article gives too much credit to entertainment software squeezing the educational and edutainment software out. knowledge adventure and the learning co. went down a path of mutally-assured destruction that basically left the companies as mere shadows of what they were, and drove a large number of very creative people away.

under the usa patriot act, the fbi can tap the internet connections and get other records from public libraries, and the library is not allowed to let patrons know they're being watched. here's how some librarians are protesting.

when i was at the library a little while back, someone actually came in asking for books or information about enriched uranium. i have little doubt that he's on some government watch list now.

i've been seeing lots of references to the old yakov smirnoff punchline: in soviet union, television watches you! (not a direct quote.) my contribution to the spread of this meme: in america, library checks you out!