Category: Digital Culture

"The Bleeding Hearts Club: Heartbleed Recovery for System Administrators"

David Grant has posted "The Bleeding Hearts Club: Heartbleed Recovery for System Administrators."

Here's an excerpt:

The Heartbleed SSL vulnerability presents significant concerns for users and major challenges for site operators. This article presents a series of steps server and site owners should carry out as soon as possible to help protect the public. We acknowledge that some steps might not be feasible, important, or even relevant for every site, so the steps are given in order both of their importance and the order they should be carried out.

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"More Inheritable Rights for Digital Assets"

Charles Phelps has published "More Inheritable Rights for Digital Assets" in the Rutgers Law Record.

Here's an excerpt:

Death, as uncomfortable of a subject as it is for some, is a guaranteed component of human existence. . . . There is no denying the psychological and emotional attachment that is affixed with objects that hold memories of loved ones who have passed on before us.

Within this frame work, lawyers use legal tools of wills, trusts and estate laws to carry out grantors or inheritors desire on how to bestow certain possessions. However, within all the complexities of bestowing property, lawyers are now increasingly being confronted with how to pass on digital assets.

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World Wide Web Timeline

The Web turned 25 on 3/12/14. The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released the World Wide Web Timeline.

Here's an excerpt:

1990

  • 42% of American adults have used a computer.
  • World's first website and server go live at CERN, running on Tim Berners-Lee's NeXT computer, which bears the message "This machine is a server. DO NOT POWER DOWN!"
  • Tim Berners-Lee develops the first Web browser WorldWideWeb.
  • Archie, the first tool to search the internet is developed by McGill University student Alan Emtage.

Want more Internet history? See the Hobbes' Internet Timeline 11 and the Timeline of the Open Access Movement.

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Digital Life in 2025

The Pew Research Center has released Digital Life in 2025.

Here's an excerpt:

To a notable extent, the experts agree on the technology change that lies ahead, even as they disagree about its ramifications. Most believe there will be:

  • A global, immersive, invisible, ambient networked computing environment built through the continued proliferation of smart sensors, cameras, software, databases, and massive data centers in a world-spanning information fabric known as the Internet of Things.
  • "Augmented reality" enhancements to the real-world input that people perceive through the use of portable/wearable/implantable technologies.
  • Disruption of business models established in the 20 th century (most notably impacting finance, entertainment, publishers of all sorts, and education).
  • Tagging, databasing, and intelligent analytical mapping of the physical and social realms.

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The Web at 25 in the U.S.

The Pew Research Center has released The Web at 25 in the U.S..

Here's an excerpt:

In a new national survey to mark the 25th anniversary of the Web, Pew Research finds further confirmation of the incredible spread and impact of the internet:

Adoption: 87% of American adults now use the internet, with near-saturation usage among those living in households earning $75,000 or more (99%), young adults ages 18-29 (97%), and those with college degrees (97%). Fully 68% of adults connect to the internet with mobile devices like smartphones or tablet computers. . . .

Impact: Asked for their overall judgment about the impact of the internet, toting up all the pluses and minuses of connected life, the public's verdict is overwhelmingly positive:

  • 90% of internet users say the internet has been a good thing for them personally and only 6% say it has been a bad thing, while 3% volunteer that it has been some of both.
  • 76% of internet users say the internet has been a good thing for society, while 15% say it has been a bad thing and 8% say it has been equally good and bad.

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State of the Internet Report: Third Quarter, 2013

Akamai Technologies, Inc. has released the State of the Internet Report: Third Quarter, 2013.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

This report includes data gathered from across the Akamai Intelligent Platform about attack traffic, broadband adoption, mobile connectivity and other relevant topics concerning the Internet and its usage, as well as trends seen in this data over time.

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Tablet and E-reader Ownership Update

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released the Tablet and E-reader Ownership Update.

Here's an excerpt:

The number of Americans ages 16 and older who own tablet computers has grown to 35%, and the share who have e-reading devices like Kindles and Nooks has grown to 24%. Overall, the number of people who have a tablet or an e-book reader among those 16 and older now stands at 43%.

Up from 25% last year, more than half of those in households earning $75,000 or more now have tablets. Up from 19% last year, 38% of those in upper-income households now have e-readers.

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Who’s Not Online and Why

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released Who's Not Online and Why.

Here's an excerpt:

As of May 2013, 15% of American adults ages 18 and older do not use the internet or email.

Asked why they do not use the internet:

  • 34% of non-internet users think the internet is just not relevant to them, saying they are not interested, do not want to use it, or have no need for it.
  • 32% of non-internet users cite reasons tied to their sense that the internet is not very easy to use. . . .
  • 19% of non-internet users cite the expense of owning a computer or paying for an internet connection.
  • 7% of non-users cited a physical lack of availability or access to the internet.

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ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2013

EDUCAUSE has released the ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2013.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

See the 2013 report for a full list of key messages, findings, and supporting data.

  • Students recognize the value of technology but still need guidance when it comes to better using it for academics.
  • Students prefer blended learning environments while beginning to experiment with MOOCs.
  • Students are ready to use their mobile devices more for academics, and they look to institutions and instructors for opportunities and encouragement to do so.
  • Students value their privacy, and using technology to connect with them has its limits.

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Teens and Mobile Apps Privacy

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released Teens and Mobile Apps Privacy.

Here's an excerpt:

Here are some of the key findings in a new survey of U.S. teens ages 12-17:

  • 58% of all teens have downloaded apps to their cell phone or tablet computer.
  • 51% of teen apps users have avoided certain apps due to privacy concerns.
  • 26% of teen apps users have uninstalled an app because they learned it was collecting personal information that they didn't wish to share.
  • 46% of teen apps users have turned off location tracking features on their cell phone or in an app because they were worried about the privacy of their information.

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The Demographics of Social Media Users—2012

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released The Demographics of Social Media Users—2012.

Here's an excerpt:

A late 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project shows that young adults are more likely than others to use major social media. At the same time, other groups are interested in different sites and services.

Internet users under 50 are particularly likely to use a social networking site of any kind, and those 18-29 are the most likely of any demographic cohort to do so (83%). Women are more likely than men to be on these sites. Those living in urban settings are also significantly more likely than rural internet users to use social networking.

| Digital Scholarship Overview | Digital Scholarship |

Presentations from the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee’s State of the Net Conference

The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee has released presentations from the State of the Net conference.

Here's a description of the conference:

Attracting over 600 attendees annually, the State of the Net Conference provides unparalleled opportunities to network and engage on key policy issues. The State of the Net Conference is the largest information technology policy conference in the U.S. and the only one with over 50 percent Congressional staff and government policymakers in attendance. The State of the Net Conference is the only tech policy conference routinely recognized for its balanced blend of academics, consumer groups, industry and government.

Here's an example presentation: First Sale and No Resale: Could SCOTUS and the Internet Redefine Content Ownership? .

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog | Digital Scholarship |

U.S. Public Libraries and BTOP [Broadband Technology Opportunities Program]

The American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy has released a draft of U.S. Public Libraries and BTOP. BTOP stands for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

Here's an excerpt:

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded just over $4 billion to 233 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) projects. . . .

This pre-publication report from the American Library Association presents state-level library projects underway across the country, and provides a broad (but not yet comprehensive) look at the library improvements and community impacts that are resulting from BTOP funding.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

How Teens Do Research in the Digital World

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released How Teens Do Research in the Digital World.

Here's an excerpt:

  • Virtually all (99%) AP and NWP teachers in this study agree with the notion that "the internet enables students to access a wider range of resources than would otherwise be available," and 65% agree that "the internet makes today's students more self-sufficient researchers."
  • At the same time, 76% of teachers surveyed "strongly agree" with the assertion that internet search engines have conditioned students to expect to be able to find information quickly and easily.
  • Large majorities also agree with the notion that the amount of information available online today is overwhelming to most students (83%) and that today's digital technologies discourage students from using a wide range of sources when conducting research (71%).
  • Fewer teachers, but still a majority of this sample (60%), agree with the assertion that today's technologies make it harder for students to find credible sources of information.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

Younger Americans’ Reading and Library Habits

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released Younger Americans' Reading and Library Habits.

Here's an excerpt:

Among the main findings:

  • 83% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 read a book in the past year. Some 75% read a print book, 19% read an e-book, and 11% listened to an audiobook.
  • Among Americans who read e-books, those under age 30 are more likely to read their e-books on a cell phone (41%) or computer (55%) than on an e-book reader such as a Kindle (23%) or tablet (16%).
  • Overall, 47% of younger Americans read long-form e-content such as books, magazines or newspapers. E-content readers under age 30 are more likely than older e-content readers to say that they are reading more these days due to the availability of e-content (40% vs. 28%).

| Digital Scholarship's Digital/Print Books | Digital Scholarship |

"Issue Brief: Massive Open Online Courses: Legal and Policy Issues for Research Libraries"

ARL has released "Issue Brief: Massive Open Online Courses: Legal and Policy Issues for Research Libraries."

Here's an excerpt:

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) raise significant legal and policy questions for research libraries, which are often asked to support the development of MOOC courses. These questions involve information policy concerns that are central to research libraries, including the proper application of fair use, the transition to open access as the default mode of scholarly publishing, and the provision of equal access to learning materials for students with and without disabilities. Where possible, research libraries should engage in conversations around MOOCs and promote their core values. By doing so, they will also promote the continuing vitality of libraries as partners in the educational mission.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

Learning Curve: How College Graduates Solve Information Problems Once They Join the Workplace

Project Information Literacy has released Learning Curve: How College Graduates Solve Information Problems Once They Join the Workplace.

Here's an excerpt:

Most graduates in our focus groups said they found it difficult to solve information problems in the workplace, where unlike college, a sense of urgency pervaded and where personal contacts often reaped more useful results than online searches. Graduates said they leveraged essential information competencies from college for extracting content and also developed adaptive information-seeking strategies for reaching out to trusted colleagues in order to compensate for what they lacked. At the same time, employers said they recruited graduates, in part, for their online searching skills but still expected and needed more traditional research competencies, such as thumbing through bound reports, picking up the telephone, and interpreting research results with team members. They found that their college hires rarely demonstrated these competencies. Overall, our findings suggest there is a distinct difference between today's graduates who demonstrated how quickly they found answers online and seasoned employers who needed college hires to use a combination of online and traditional methods to conduct comprehensive research.

| Digital Scholarship's Digital/Print Books | Digital Scholarship |

ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2012

EDUCAUSE has released the ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2012.

Here's an excerpt:

Findings and recommendations reflect four general themes:

  • Blended-learning environments are the norm; students say that these environments best support how they learn.
  • Students want to access academic progress information and course material via their mobile devices, and institutions deliver.
  • Technology training and skill development for students is more important than new, more, or "better" technology.
  • Students use social networks for interacting with friends more than for academic communication.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

"A Portrait of Today’s Smartphone User"

The Online Publishers Association has released "A Portrait of Today's Smartphone User."

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The OPA collaborated with Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to conduct the study, which found that the population of smartphone users is growing rapidly. An estimated 44% of the U.S. internet population, ages 8-64, owns a smartphone (107 million consumers*), up from 31% in 2011 (73 million consumers*) and expected to reach 57% by Q2 2013 (142 million consumers*). Aside from making phone calls, 93% of smartphone users regularly access content and information above any other activity, followed by accessing the internet (59%) and checking email (58%). The primary types of content smartphone consumers access are weather information (47%), video (31%), local news (29%) and national news (24%).

FCC Releases Eighth Broadband Progress Report

The FCC has released the Eighth Broadband Progress Report.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement :

Notwithstanding this progress, the Report finds that approximately 19 million Americans—6 percent of the population—still lack access to fixed broadband service at threshold speeds. In rural areas, nearly one-fourth of the population—14.5 million people—lack access to this service. In tribal areas, nearly one-third of the population lacks access. Even in areas where broadband is available, approximately 100 million Americans still do not subscribe. The report concludes that until the Commission's Connect America reforms are fully implemented, these gaps are unlikely to close. Because millions still lack access to or have not adopted broadband, the Report concludes broadband is not yet being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

The Rise of the "Connected Viewer"

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released The Rise of the "Connected Viewer".

Here's an excerpt:

Television's solitary screen is being supplemented by multi-screen interactivity. Half of all adult cell owners (52%) have used their phones recently for engagement, diversion, or interaction with other people while watching TV. The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project measured the prevalence of these multi-screen viewing experiences by asking the 88% of American adults who are cell owners whether they had used their phone to engage in several different activities while watching television in the 30 days preceding an April 2012 survey.

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog | Digital Scholarship |

A Portrait of Today’s Tablet User

The Online Publishers Association has released A Portrait of Today's Tablet User.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Key findings from "A Portrait of Today's Tablet User" include:

  • Today's tablet users represent 12% of the US internet population ages 8-64; that number is projected to grow to 23% by early 2012—a group that represents an estimated 54 million people
  • 87% of tablet users are accessing content and information, the dominant activity for this device
  • 93% of tablet users have downloaded apps; the average tablet user has downloaded 20 apps

See also the OPA's recent A Portrait of Today's Tablet User Wave II study.

| Digital Scholarship |

Delivering Web to Mobile

JISC has released Delivering Web to Mobile.

Here's an excerpt:

This report looks at the growth of mobile, the state of the Web and gives an overview of approaches to delivering content and services optimised for the mobile context. This includes approaches to Web design for responsive sites, leveraging access to device functions and capabilities and the use of Web technologies to build mobile applications.

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010: "This bibliography portal demonstrates that citation lists continue to play a role in research, in spite of the availability of powerful Web and digital library search engines and the near-extinction of print bibliography publishing. Summing Up: Recommended." — J. A. Buczynski, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries 45, no. 1 (1997): 58. | Digital Scholarship |

Know Your Limits: Considering the Role of Data Caps and Usage Based Billing in Internet Access Service

Public Knowledge has released Know Your Limits: Considering the Role of Data Caps and Usage Based Billing in Internet Access Service by Andrew Odlyzko, Bill St. Arnaud, Erik Stallman; and Michael Weinberg.

Here's an excerpt:

Regardless of the motivation driving its implementation, usage-based pricing has the potential to significantly impact how networks are designed and used. This, in turn, impacts the innovation that relies on those networks. Before deciding if and when usage-based pricing is desirable, it is critical to fully understand the history of usage-based pricing, how it impacts markets, and both the benefits and harms that such a model can bring.

This paper aims to explain the basic issues surrounding usage-based versus flat-rate pricing. Section I examines the trend towards usage-based pricing in both the wired and wireless markets. Section II then considers the benefits and justifications for using usage-based pricing. This is followed in Section III by a review of the history and economics of flat rate pricing. Since broadband access is central to so many national and societal goals, the penultimate section—Section IV—discusses the problems that might be caused by usage-based pricing. Finally, we end with a series of conclusions and recommendations for responsible implementation of usage-based pricing.

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Search Engine Use 2012

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released Search Engine Use 2012.

Here's an excerpt:

For more than a decade, Pew Internet data has consistently shown that search engine use is one of the most popular online activities, rivaled only by email as an internet pursuit. In January 2002, 52% of all Americans used search engines. In February 2012 that figure grew to 73% of all Americans. On any given day in early 2012, more than half of adults using the internet use a search engine (59%). That is double the 30% of internet users who were using search engines on a typical day in 2004. And people's frequency of using search engines has jumped dramatically.

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