20 Mar
New W3C CEO Dr. Jeffrey Jaffe
The W3C has a new Chief Executive Officer who will work with Director Tim Berners-Lee, staff and the public to distribute the W3C’s vision.
Dr. Jeffrey Jaffe is responsible for their global operations and managing the organisation’s shareholder’s interests and organisation. This is all to ensure that the W3C continues to leaders for the technical development of the Web.
Who is the W3C
Source – W3C News
.20 Mar
Facebook removing their stalker apps
A number of applications on Facebook claim to show users who is viewing their profile and these are potentially stalker applications, Facebook says it will be ‘aggressively disabling’ them.
Facebook announced that these applications don’t allow said functions and don’t work and to help spread the application’s prominence, unwitting users have installed it. The applications, ‘Stalker Check” and “Who has visited my profile”; to name a few, have since disappeared from Facebook.
These applications are dangerous because once a user has installed it, the creators have potential to offer services such as advertising to make money; moreover, they can direct victims to websites containing viruses and other malicious software.
So the question still stands; Should Facebook introduce an application vetting process somewhat like Apple’s App Store?
Mark Zuckerberg’s (Facebook Founder) response to this question was, “Our philosophy is that having an open system anyone can participate in is generally better.”
Source – BBC
.14 Feb
Goojje launches in China
A new search engine by the name of “Goojje” has been launched in china with a very similar branding to that of Google.
The syllable “jje” in word Goojje is similar to the Mandarin word for older sister (jiejie), thus dubbing the browser as the older sister to Google.
The browser currently has restrictions which filters searches for sensitive content in accordance with Chinese regulations; the California-based firm launched in 2006 said it would only remain in China if the government would relax their censorship.
Google has decined to comment on the subject matter
Source – BBC
.13 Feb
Google drops support for Internet Explorer 6
The search engine giant (amongst other web-based services) Google, is beginning to phase out support for Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 calling it a “cyber attack” on their servers.
Google recommends that firms and individuals begin to upgrade to a more recent version of Internet Explorer as hackers use the flaws in IE6 to gain access to servers which potentially leads to personal user information. Google’s drop of support for the browser also  has them threatening to withdraw from China as attacks have been said to originate from the country. As of March 1st, Google will began by phasing out support starting with Google Docs and Google Sites.
French, German and the UK (potential) governments have began advising their citizens to switch to a different browser; Microsoft has reacted to this by updating their browser three weeks ahead of its regular security update and asks that its customers install the update as soon as possible.
.12 Feb
Internet Explorer 6 phase out
Microsoft’s 2001 Internet Explorer 6 is being criticized for having security flaws and outdated technology says Dan Frydman’s Downing Street petition which would also like the browser to be dropped from the UK government.
Though the software is still used by many government department and organisations, a drop for support of the browser has began, the most popular being the Department of Health advising the NHS no longer support it. The NHS computers currently use the IE6 browser and the Department of Health Informatics Directorate believes that they should be upgraded to IE7 as soon as possible.
Since Internet Explorer 6 has been released, Microsoft has launched version 7 and 8 of the browser. Microsoft has issued a statement saying that they will support Internet Explorer 6 until 2014. That being said, IE6 currently has 20% of the browser market compared to IE8’s 22%.
Dan Frydman’s Downing Street petition
.8 Feb
The increase in modern-day exam cheating
Ofqual shows figures of a 6% raise in cheating in the A-level and GCSE’s 2009 exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with over 4,400 people being caught
Mobile phones and other forms of technology are the main devices which are used for cheating; some of these devices were obtained from online websites which sell “exam cheating equipment”. To combat this, schools are beginning to use detection equipment in their examination rooms as well as post warning posters which display strict rules for the use of electronic equipment in the exam halls. Lastly, disqualification; any peculiar looking stationary or electronic devices found on a person in their possession during the duration of the exam will result in an immediate disqualification says Ofqual.
Source –Â BBC
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