Building a Medical Endo-Microscope using open source software
Presenter(s): Janaka Subhawickrama URL: http://www.linux.org.au/conf/2009/programme/schedule/view_talk/217%3Fday=friday.html Introduction and Product:Optisca...
By: Linux.conf.au 2009 -- Hobart, Australia
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Building a Medical Endo-Microscope using open source software - Video
Allow me to get all-technical for five minutes.
So, what is the big deal with open source software? Besides the fact that its free, and it gives you all of the freedoms without all of the licensing restrictions. The business agility open source offers is quickly eroding the main stream. In a 2013 survey with over 800 participants from both vendor and non-vendor communities it was reported that open source software has matured to such an extent that it now influences everything from innovation to collaboration among competitors to hiring practices.
According to Forrester analyst, Jeffrey Hammond, 76% of developers have used some form of open-source technology. Today the open source way is more than an operating system platform. Open source is describing the free exchange of ideas in any atmosphere. It brings people together to share creative ideas and collaborate, experiment with your practical ideas, and create a global community for everyone to work together. Mozilla Firefox, Linux, and Googles Android are all examples of open source software. Anyone online is readily able to download and use the open source code to do pretty much whatever they want with it whether its changing it, distributing it, etc. So why are not only companies but also private users trending toward open source?
Quality
In the aforementioned survey participants were also asked why they made the switch to open source. The most common response, above price and freedom, was quality. Quality, being the biggest factor in open source adoption, is clearly a good enough reason to shift over. Users of open source argue that when a bug in the system or a problem arises, users are able to confront the program and combat the issue as a community. Putting all of the brain power together to solve the issue is a lot more efficient than one lone programmer trying to come up with a solution on his own.
Stratoscale is one of the growing names trending amongst open source communities. They are integratable with open source products within their own service and are contributors to the leading open source coding initiatives such as Openstack and KVM. Their hyper convergence infrastructure is built upon a private initiative to incorporate both major open source and proprietary software applications to run your own application, with no restrictions and with a high level of efficiency.
FREE!
People love things that are free. In this sense of the word, open source is not only free as in it costs nothing to the user, but its also free as in it gives you freedom. Freedom to do what you want with the platform and freedom to say what you want without worrying about your intellectual property or anything else you say being recorded or tracked. The cost advantage however is very significant. How else could a company like Netflix for example manage to charge just 8$ per month for their service? The answer is they built everything using open source software.
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How And Why The World Is Trending Towards Open Source
GCHQ
GCHQ has released its own "fun, free, educational" Android app to teach secondary school students about cryptography.
The Cryptoy app, which has no permissions to access confidential information on Android devices, helps children understand basic encryption techniques and create their own encoded messages.
The government hopes the app could help find the next generation of cyber-spies. Minister for the cabinet office Francis Maude said that it was a "creative solution in the hunt for expertise, but with a 21st century spin."
Cryptoy is only available on Android at the moment, but an iOS version for iPads will be available in 2015, GCHQ said. It is aimed at Key Stage 4 students and covers both the theory and practice of cryptography as well its history.
The idea was first developed by GCHQ's industrial placement students as a test project for the Cheltenham Science Festival, but growing interest from teachers to use the app in schools persuaded GCHQ to make it publicly available. The spy agency said examples of cryptography used in the app are from an "earlier era" but were still relevant to today's techniques.
"Building maths and cyber skills in the younger generation is essential for maintaining the cyber security of the UK and growing a vibrant digital economy," said GCHQDirector Robert Hannigan.
He described Cryptoy as a "colorful, interactive way" for students and teachers to explore cryptography. The app is compatible with Android 4.1 and up and is available to download now.
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UK spy agency makes an Android app—but it won’t spy on you
12 hours ago by Nancy Owano
Up on Google Play this week is Cryptoy...something that you might want to check out if you or someone you know wishes entry into the world of cryptography via an educational and fun app. You learn more about ciphers and keys; you learn techniques, including their history, of Shift, Substitution, Vigenre and Enigma. You learn to create encrypted messages to share with friends.
Who created Cryptoy? Not one person but Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students sponsored by GCHQ, which stands for Government Communication Headquarters, the UK intelligence agency. The app was tested on versions 4.1.2 through 4.4.2 of Android and was trialled at a number of science fairs. The video shows how the app works, complete with letter sliders and bars showing original message and encrypted message. The BBC said the app marks the agency's first computer tablet app. The BBC said the students are three "industrial placement" students. Specifically, the students who designed the app were on an industrial-year placement at GCHQ. They created the app as part of a project to show encryption techniques at the Cheltenham Science Festival, and then the app was used at other outreach events. According to GCHQ, "The app was a hit, and GCHQ received interest from teachers who wanted to use it as a teaching aid. Therefore it was decided to make it publicly available."
The announcement from the agency said it was "critical that the UK builds a knowledge base of cyber security skills." The app was designed in such a way that it also offers an interactive experience, for students and their teachers, to explore cryptography.
According to the BBC, a GCHQ spokesperson said the app was a "fun teaching aid" to help students ages 14 to 16 "studying at the Key Stage 4 level" to learn about code making and code breaking.(The National Curriculum is divided into four Key Stages that children are taken through during their school life. Key Stage 4 refers to the two years of school education when pupils are between 14 and 16.)
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Robert Hannigan, GCHQ's director, said, "Building maths and cyber skills in the younger generation is essential for maintaining the cyber security of the UK and growing a vibrant digital economy."
Ever wondered how to send a secret message? Although Cryptoy is mainly directed at Key Stage 4 student, the app can be used by anyone with an interest in learning about or teaching cryptography, said the agency.
"The Cryptoy app is currently available for download free-of-charge to Android tablets only," said the GCHQ. "It is hoped that an iOS version for iPads will be available in 2015."
Explore further: Vermont students rally against cyberbullying
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Fun cryptography app pleases students and teachers
Brittany Hillen
Julian Assange, the man behind WikiLeaks, has spent the last couple of years (and a handful of months) in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid what would be an unfortunate extradition to Sweden. Using the WikiLeaks Twitter account, he retweeted a crowdfunding drive that is seeking funding to create a whistleblower monument of sorts, which will include a life-size statute of Assange himself, as well as Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden.
The crowdfunding campaign is for a life-size bronze sculpture called "a monument to courage", and the finished product -- should it come to fruition -- will show the three aforementioned individuals standing on chairs. A third empty chair will be located next to the trio, the intention being that members of the public can stand on it to show their support.
Part of the work piece has already been finished, which you can check out on the crowdfunding campaign's page. The folks behind the statue are seeking 100,000, of which only about 20-percent has been pledged. Plans are in place to parade the statue "from country to country" to further make a point.
The campaign itself has been organized by British journalist Vaughan Smith, who told The Independent: "I got excited by it because I thought it was some art that suggested, rather appropriately, that these whistleblowers were our true friends rather than the politicians who pretend to be."
SOURCE: The Independent
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Julian Assange seeks crowdfunding for whistleblower monument
InnocentCryptoKitty 004 CryptoCurrency Bitcoin P2P CCBP DCBP EEV Innovation VideoMix Canarias Spain
http://www.twitter.com/VanosEnigmA + http://www.facebook.com/VanosEnigma http://www.facebook.com/pages/CCBP-Canarias-Crypto-Bitcoin-P2P-Juegos-Games/471825526290207 ...
By: VanosEnigmA Enigmaisland
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InnocentCryptoKitty 004 CryptoCurrency Bitcoin P2P CCBP DCBP EEV Innovation VideoMix Canarias Spain - Video
Days after Vertcoin forked its network to implement an anti-ASIC algorithm Lyra2RE, another cryptocurrency with similar objectives was launched. Named as Kryptohash, the new altcoin is promising new features against ASIC mining, one among which is a brand new POW algorithm.
KSHAKE320 The New POW Algorithm The new algorithm is aiming to reduce mining costs by completely eradicating ASICs from the picture. A small description of KSHAKE320 describes it as a new Proof-Of-Work algorithm (POW) based on the Keccak-F 1600 Sponge function in a mode called Extendable-Output (a.k.a. SHAKE). SHAKEs variable output makes it ideal for a Proof-Of-Work solution, as it can easily be configured to require large amount of memory which increases the computing cost to those attempting to perform large-scale ASIC attacks.
Incidentally, Vertcoin is also using the hash function Keccak in its chain algorithm, which also includes other algorithms like Skein, Groestl, Blake and Lyra2. However, the Kryptohash developers have implemented a 320-long mining hash, while Vertcoin uses the 256 one. Also, there is no mention of SHAKE in the Lyra2E whitepaper, which makes KSHAKE320 a truly unique algorithm thanks to handful of new features..
Mining Incentives The block solvers are promised to be paid a fixed 0.5% fee. The absence of ASIC mining will indeed eradicate mining monopoly, as the probability of solving one block would be same for each miner. The block difficulty will be adjusted every 100 blocks using a PID algorithm. Here is the block reward and fee structure listed on Kryptohashs official website.
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Another Anti-ASIC Cryptocurrency Launched | NEWSBTC
Edward Snowden: Movie Mash-Up
An English 124 movie mash-up project on Edward Snowden, the most wanted man in the world. Video clips from NBC News, Vanity Fair, and The National. Music from #39;24 #39; Theme and scored by Sean ...
By: Zack Hinson
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Edward Snowden: Movie Mash-Up - Video
Like Americans, most Russians have seen the TV disclaimer: "All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental" just maybe not so much in this case.
The storylineof "Where the Motherland Begins,"a Russian spy series that aired on state television this fall,opens with a hurried flight from Hong Kong to Moscow inJuly 2013.There's a skinny American dressed in what passes as DC-office casual. He's a former NSA contractor. He hasa laptop. He has exposed Americansurveillance of people across the globe. And he's wearing glasses those glasses.
Ladies and gentlemen,meet "James Snow." Remember: any resemblance to anyone real is "purely coincidental."
When I got the script, I was like 'Hey, wait. It's ... it's ... it's ... Snowden,' says ArnasFedaraviius, the 23-year-oldLithuanian actor cast in the role.
Edward Snowden the real Edward Snowden is still living in Moscow after being granted asylum in Russialast August He gives the occasional interview, but most details of his life are left to speculation.We do know he'sstill trying to raise awareness ofmass surveillance.
But for James Snow the fake Edward Snowden the Moscow adventure is just beginning.For one, that plane from Hong Kong never quite landed.The eight-part "Where the Motherland Begins"takes the storyline in another direction entirely.
Over the course of the show,we learn that James Snow is no simple ex-NSA contractor:He's the child of a Soviet molewho infiltrated his way into Reagan-era America. And now he's coming home. (No word on a crossover episode with "The Americans," sadly.)
In the real world,Fedaraviius says Moscow is nice,but it's definitely not home.And James Snow is hopefully a stepping stone to bigger things. He's already appeared alongside John Malkovich in 2012s "Siberian Education," and he's starringin his first feature film later this year,a Russian production called The Guest.
Still, for the Snow role, Fedaraviius found himself watching the early Guardian videos of Snowden, picking up on his various physical ticsand wondering about the man on the screen.You get the feeling he's very confident about everything he says in the interviews ... and very humble,"Fedaraviius says
But between the filmed moments, he wondered if the real Snowden was more fragile. He sensed some hand trembling"and tried to inject that into the role.
Link:
I'm not Edward Snowden, I just play him on TV | Public ...
In June, when President Obama was in Europe for a visit, Harald Range, Germanys top public prosecutor, toldthe German Parliament that he was undertaking an investigation. Former National Security Agency employee Edward Snowden had claimed that the United States government had bugged Chancellor Angela Merkels phone, as part of the country'slarge-scale electronic espionage, and listened in, for years. In May, Obama saidthat Snowdens disclosures about spying on an ally had created strains in Americas relationship with Germany.Merkel had called him onthe phoneprobably ona landlineto seek clarification, and Obamahad apologized.Considering the leaders were about to see each other, for a summit in Brussels,the timing of Range's announcement was a little awkward.
But this week, according toReuters, Range announced that there is no proof that U.S. Intelligence had, in fact, tapped Merkels phone. He said, "The document presented in public as proof of an actual tapping of the mobile phone is not an authentic surveillance order by the NSA. It does not come from the NSA database."
"There is no proof at the moment which could lead to charges that Chancellor Merkel's phone connection data was collected or her calls tapped."
The document presented in public as proof of an actual tapping of the mobile phone is not an authentic surveillance order by the NSA.
Harald Range, German prosecutor
Range said that neither Snowden, nor Germanys foreign intelligence agency, nor Der Spiegelwhich held a document that seemed to be evidence of tappinghad offered further evidence for his prosecution.
Which leads to a whole bouquet of new questions: could Snowdens information possibly be inaccurate, or could it be some sort of disinformation? What was the Der Spiegel document that seemed so convincing a few months ago? And: if the tapping wasnt real, why did Obama rush to apologize and make nice to Merkel? If true that there was no wiretap, an entire diplomatic drama needs to be reinterpreted.
Meanwhile, Germany's Green and Left parties have rallied to bring Snowden to Berlin (from Moscow) to furnish evidence about NSA machinations. Buton Friday, according to the Guardian, Germanys constitutional court ruled against them. The German government maintained that Snowden's presence in Germany could be detrimental to relationships with the U.S.
Whats behind this sudden new friendliness? Possibly, it will require a new Snowden to find out.
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