Casey Doig

Digital Applications

Professor Fleury-Lawson

Extra Credit Blog

This article was written by Doug Gross and published on March 22^nd, 2012. The Boston globe covered an intriguing story but has only recently became a large topic of discussion.  This article is based around the rights that employees have within their workplace.  An event occurred where an employee was asked for his username and password to his Facebook account.  Asking for the credentials to a personal webpage at an interview is extremely unacceptable.  This shows complete dishonest trust from the start and does not establish a good relationship between the company and employee.  One event stated, "I submit that handing over your Facebook (or Twitter or whatever) login ID and password is analogous to handing over the key to your house," (http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/304850) Many people agree with this point of view.  The fact that an employee has a Facebook does not give them any right to invade into your personal life.  If the company wanted an employee they would want them for the characteristics they show upon arrival at the workplace.  The fact that an interviewer would ask for a password to such a personal thing is beyond me.  I do not understand it.  I do understand when they look at Facebook accounts.  See a little bit of their employee’s background.  This could be useful, but to ask for complete access to a person’s Facebook account is extremely immature.  If you can’t control your business and hire the right people without stalking their lives you do not deserve to own a business or be looking over employees.  There are too many variables to things that could even go wrong.  This has not been a large problem but there have been reported accidents.  The main argument here is that a good employee does not completely mean an employee willing to give someone complete access to there absolute personal life.  This is wrong and should never be allowed. 

Facebook Password Isn’t Your Boss’ Business

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/304850

The article I chose to read was called “Facebook Password Isn’t Your Boss’ Business.” It was written by Doug Gross and published on March 22^nd, 2012. The article is mainly about how employers are asking job applicants for access to their Facebook profiles. The American Civil Liberties Union says that what they are doing is an invasion of their privacy, and they say some employers are requiring access to their profiles on their job applications. Some other companies ask for access to their Facebook or ask the applicant to “friend” the employer. One example of this occurred in 2010 when Robert Collins was looking to be reinstated to his job at a correctional officer, he was asked for access to his Facebook. He said that he gave up his password, and his boss started going thru his wall posts, messages, and his photos to make sure that he wasn’t part of a gang. I think that this is ridiculous and that companies are taking the Facebook thing way too far. People have personal things in their messages and it is private for a reason. There could be a really embarrassing conversation within the messages and the employer may judge the applicant based on the conversation. Also, the employer has no right asking for the applicant’s personal information, as it is a violation of personal privacy. It is also against Facebook’s terms of service to share a password. To me it does not make sense to judge somebody by what they have on their Facebook. Unless all their pictures and conversations are drug related, I do not see a problem.

The internet benefits from under sea cables

In the article A giant undersea cable makes the Internet a split-second faster, written by David Goldman on March 30, 2012; The article explains how countries throughout the world are connected physically by subsea fiber-optic cables that circumnavigate the world. The cords stretch along the bottom of the ocean. One of the biggest subsea cable providers reaches about 130,500 miles of fiber; enough to circle the earth five times. Subsea fiber-optic cables are significant because they provide safeguards that ensure the internet wont all of the sudden go out. The cables also increase the internets speed. These cables underwater can potentially help people a lot, but they can also put stock traders at a greater risk for losing millions of dollars in a span of time. Having these cables at the bottom of the ocean have benefited from many things such as not requiring large towers to hold them and being shielded from wind, trees, storms and etc. Once placed at the bottom of the ocean they can be left there without being touched for a quarter century. There are possibilities the cables can be accidently cut by ship anchors. The cables have a GPS within them so that it allows ships to be able to locate where the wires are. The more connecting cables throughout the countries, the less likely the internet is to be disrupted. I found this article very interesting. I would think that submerging cables within the ocean would be much more complex and dangerous, but it actually seems to be very helpful. If I had not read this article I would not have had any idea about this. It is fascinating what we can do with technology now a days. I think that putting cables underwater is a very smart ide. Just as Goldman points out in the article, large towers are not required to hold them and we do not have to worry about destructive conditions, for the most part, causing them harm.

The Stream

Skip the Xbox, wear a Kinect on your head

- CNN

      For the extra credit blog I didn't read an article instead I watched the video on the development of the Xbox kinect headset as a viable option to replace the kinect console.  The video starts with developers speaking on the large popularity in the selection of the Xbox kinect as a gaming console.  The kinect is a device that actually lets the gamer emerse itself in the game quite literally.  The kinect uses an advance technology that takes virtual pictures of the gamer and puts its outline on the screen.  Technology is developing that the gamer can use to let the gamer put the console on top of their head and uses digital mapping to tell where they are in relation to the room.  The kinect headset goes farther than most users realzie it can help plumbers in locating pipes to eradicate unnecessary drilling, and it can help tournaments in going to the next level of gaming.  People have been sited as the headset as a combination of new technologies.  Tom Blank has been quoted as saying that his project the kinect head set would propel his industry for the next five to ten years.  Microsoft took the lazer project from inside the kinect and made the lazer work on structured light to make it work as their own particular cameras.  The head set is described as having more room for error and helps develop the gamer's experience in more of a developmental aspect.  The camera's have more room to improve resolution, cameras, and overall quality.  For the kinect you must be between four and twelve feet tall, while the headset requires the gamer to be between six and twelve feet high that aspect should diminish sales of the innovational product dramatically.  Other than the new found height requirements I don't see anything really wrong with the new product, I would give it two thumbs up it sounds like a tremendous product.
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/304850

US Investigates Possible Internet Threat to NYC

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/304850

The article I read was called “US Investigates Possible Internet threat To NYC.” It was published April 3^rd of this year. It says that the “US law enforcements and counterterrorism officials are looking into recent occurrences on some websites that they think have links to Al-Qaeda.” The website contains a picture that some people think resembles a future attack directed at New York City. The website where it was posted on is called the Ansar al Mujahiddin Arabic Forum, and the image is a picture of Manhattan where a text located in the skyline of the picture reads “Al-Qaeda – Coming soon again in New York.” The website is believed to have connections with the Afghan Taliban, and a key militant leader in Jordan. I think that this conflict with the Middle East will never die down and go away, especially when things like this arise and start another issue. This obviously has the United States’ attention, which will lead to yet another investigation and stir up another conflict with the Middle East. I don’t think that the problem in the Middle East will go away as there always is something that always seems to arise. I think that there will always be issues between the United States and the Middle East for at least the next decade, and that this is just one of many more threats directed at the United States that will surface. I think the Middle East is trying to get inside our head and try to make us think of possible attacks they might launch in the future. Some may not think this, but I think that the Middle East is trying to start something with us. It may not lead to a huge war like the one that has been going on for over a decade, but I think that they are trying to make the United States send more soldiers over to their countries. Also, maybe this has to do with the fact that Obama withdrew the soldiers from their land and since the terrorists have minds like no others, they might be angered that they left.

Most finders of lost phones try to access personal data, survey finds By Amy Gahran, Special to CNN updated 10:39 AM EDT, Tue March 20, 2012

In this article 50 android smartphones were deliberately lost to see how people dealt with finding a lost phone, they looked at what files were accessed and what information was looked at that should not have been. In the study 95% of the people who found one of these lost phones looked at personal files that they should not have been, including records of financial and credit card statements. I think that it is pretty sad that if you do lose your phone you can almost guarantee that its going to be searched for your personal files. Instead of just returning the phones to the owners. People feel the need to go through other people belongings to find out information on a total stranger. It’s really kind of pathetic. In order to avoid this there are a few thing you could do, Including: Putting a pass-lock on your phone, and not keeping any importnant financial data on you phone. Also another great way to avoid this problem is to not lose your smart phone.

Kinect could make its way to laptops by By Christina Bonnington, WIRED updated 9:42 AM EST, Mon January 30, 2012


After XBOX came out with the Kinect System, which allows users to control movements on the screen by simply moving their hands, Windows Operating systems is trying to integrate this same format of motion sensors into their computers. This system which would now allow PC users to Control on screen movements by using their hands would be one of the greatest new technologies to become available for the computer. These new products would be a great addition to windows already commanding control over the personal computer networks systems. I think that this is a great idea. I have used the Kinect System for the XBOX and although its more difficult than anything to use when you first start using Kinect. It does become easier. With this new technology for Windows I believe that it will start creating a new market for computers. One of the biggest issues that may arise with the integration of this technology into a computer would be the cost. With the Kinect system now in computers which are already an expensive item, how much would adding the Kinect feature add to the cost of a computer? I think it will be a great idea and make great products, if the cost is kept low on computers with it.