Since they aren’t allowed to go after the actual software (thank god!), they are now focusing their attention on the trackers. Trackers have a hub-like use, people connect to the tracker to see who else is sharing the same file.
Moves are already in progress to decentralise the tracker, this will be sure to speed up progress. Also in my experience, the average tracker only stays online for a few days before it is removed anyway…
It is also quite an interesting case, as the tracker sites don’t actually host any of the files themselves anyway, simply a 'link' to people who do…in a lot of cases they may not even know what they are linking to.
Full Article Here
Found this wonderful collection of photos depicting everyday life in china.
Gallery Here
Penn State University in the US told all 80,000 students to dump IE and make the switch to a better and more secure browser, such as Firefox, Safari, Opera etc…
Their main reason for doing this was to the improve security of the networked computers.
Continuation of the end for IE…
Article Here
A cool design for a plan, which uses a rotational fan (a similar idea to that of a steamboat paddle) instead of a main wing.
Apparently this enables it to fly at a much slower pace than conventional aircraft, take off in a smaller space and have better fuel economy than a helicopter. The US and UK governments are apparently interested in using the technology for spycraft, as they can go so much further than the conventional ones on a single tank of fuel.
They are also talking of using these as intercity taxis…sounds pretty funky, although in their words, if the rotor blades stop turning 'it drops like a stone'.
FanWing Homepage
NYT Article Here (BugMeNot required)
Some (surprisingly sane) scientist seems to think he has worked out anti-gravity and invisibility techniques using the Grebennikov Cavity Structure Effect…but only in insects.
Back in 1988 he discovered anti-gravitational effects of the chitin shell of certain insects. But the most impressive concomitant phenomenon discovered at the same time was that of complete or partial invisibility or of distorted perception of material objects entering the zone of compensated gravity. Based on this discovery, the author used bionic principles to design and build an anti-gravitational platform for dirigible flights at the speed of up to 25 km/min. Since 1991-92 he has used this device for fast transportation.
He created a floating segway-style device, which he quotes as being able to travel at 25 km/min (aprox 930mph)…think there could be a problem in translation there.
Either way, this all looks very dubious to me…
Article Here
Well this is a somewhat weird invention, the coffe table which uses table football rods connected to sugar and milk dispensers…looks ultimately messy and difficult to use, so it must be art!
The page also includes a useful section showing you how to convert your ikea table in an amazing 3 steps…basically, cut holes, fix rods, add jars…duh
Table Here
Found a collection of clean and basic fonts specifically designed for programming…
no more mistaking {( or O0 ,.
Collection Here
Well Jakob Nielsen (^) believes the basic rules are pretty much the same.
There are some interesting comments in this article, although he does seem to go off on a tangent about search engines near the end of the page. Although makes the interesting analagy that the search engine today is becoming the operating system of the web.
ok, really this was just an excuse to use the comedy picture of Dr. Nielsen 
Article Here
I gotta get me one of these…the ultimate monitor!
bet it is a pain to find the pointer though…
Info Here
Well I have been hearing the rumors for years…actually, ever since the new beetle was first publicised. But so far i have seen very few pictures of it (or what it might look like)…
Heres one…looks kinda cool, wonder if it will top 70mph though
Heres Some More
Believe me…if i had an iPod I would be doing this instead of blogging about it…
engadget has a cool tutorial which allows you to change most of the icons used on the iPod (all gens, mini + photo apparently), fonts, battery indicator etc…
unfortunately you do need a pc to do it with though, so the true die-hard mac people will have to find an x86 friend to help out…
Tutorial Here
A list of the oldest, active domain names has recently been published…heres the spoiler:
03/15/1985 SYMBOLICS.COM
04/24/1985 BBN.COM
05/24/1985 THINK.COM
07/11/1985 MCC.COM
09/30/1985 DEC.COM
It is a very good list of the early adopting companies when the web first started…
Full List Here
In the latest twist to the ilfated attempt to 'nuke' the spammers by distributing a screensaver which sent a LOT of traffic to certain distributors, lycos has pulled the screensaver after it was a little too successful.
The idea was that it was supposed to 'hold off' after the ping rate got to a certain level, so as to avoid the possibility of being accused of nuking the servers (and then promptly sued). Apparently this didn’t really work quite as planned, so they have had to give up on the idea.
Now the spammers are taking the micheal…someone has started an email-based trojan which poses as the screensaver and does the usual forwarding, bot creating etc…
all I can say is, they simply underestimated their opponents…
Article Here
Past Blog Items
Found an online gallery with some really cool anime works of art. Defiantly worth a look, simply for the minute detail in each piece.
Gallery Here
This is a very cool idea, the interactive shop window is a large touch screen interface placed in the window of a shop, allowing customers to browse the products in the shop without having to go inside.
Combine this with online ordering systems and it could potentially mean shops never have to close.
fantastic…!
Article Here