Month: October 2005

IEEE Spectrum – The VoIP Backlash. A seven-year-old Mountain View, Calif., company, Narus Inc., has devised a way for telephone companies to detect data packets belonging to VoIP applications and block the calls. For example, now when someone in Riyadh clicks on Skype's “call” button, Narus's software, installed on the carrier's network, swoops into action.… Continue reading IEEE Spectrum – The VoIP Backlash

Hidden Codes in Printers Cracked.. Hidden Codes in Printers Cracked. r84x writes “A research team led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) recently broke the code behind tiny tracking dots that some color laser printers secretly hide in every document. The U.S. Secret Service admitted that the tracking information is part of a deal struck… Continue reading Hidden Codes in Printers Cracked.

Info Science Blends Design, Technology.. The Cornell Daily Sun: Info Science Blends Design, Technology. “Cornell now has a new undergraduate major and Ph.D. program: Information Science (I.S.). I.S. looks at the uses of computing and the way information systems affect society’s culture, economy, law, government and research. The major focuses on how people interact with… Continue reading Info Science Blends Design, Technology.

Writeboard: 1 code base = 2 features + 1 app. We've just launched Writeboard integration for Basecamp, which means that all projects now have the option of associating Writeboards with them. This is interesting because it shows how the “app-less app” design allows us to reap the benefits of development thrice. From a single code… Continue reading Writeboard: 1 code base = 2 features + 1 app

Keeping up with Ruby on Rails. The beast has certainly taken on a life of its own. It seems like every day brings new, exciting announcements from all sorts of expected and unexpected corners. Here's a short recap of some of the latest developments: Professional training programs: Dave Thomas and Mike Clark just announced the… Continue reading Keeping up with Ruby on Rails

Startup Ideas.  Paul Graham, well known entrepreneur and business writer, has published a very nice essay on where, and how, startups get their ideas. What people usually say is not that they can't think of ideas, but that they don't have any. That's not quite the same thing. It could be the reason they don't… Continue reading Startup Ideas

U.S. Regulators Require Two-Factor Authentication for Banks. Two-factor authentication is coming to U.S. banks: Federal regulators will require banks to strengthen security for Internet customers through authentication that goes beyond mere user names and passwords, which have become too easy for criminals to exploit. Bank Web sites are expected to adopt some form of “two-factor”… Continue reading U.S. Regulators Require Two-Factor Authentication for Banks

Venture Voice Podcast interview. Venture Voice just posted their 51 minute interview with me from last week. It covers a range of topics from the early pre-37 days to starting 37 to moving into product development, to handling support, to working with a remote team, and beyond (including a few hints of what’s coming next).… Continue reading Venture Voice Podcast interview

Tighten Web Security, Banks Told. With phishing growing more sophisticated and online banking customers more vulnerable than ever to theft, the feds step in and order banks to devise better security measures. [Wired News]

Cafe 2.0: After the Gold Rush. Good coffee, free Wi-Fi and cool design have helped make Ritual Coffee Roasters the place to code in Web 2.0-obsessed San Francisco. By Ryan Singel. [Wired News]