Podcast Update

OK. If you have been watching, you would think I have been listening to anything from IT Conversations, but that isn't true. I just haven't had time to log it. But, here's the most recent lot. I will list the others and at least highlight my favorites.

• Gary McGraw, CTO at Citigal, talked about Software Security. He referenced a book he recently published on the same subject that you can learn more about and purchased at the link just included. I thought the presentation was excellent and thought his focus on the programming techniques and procedures were right on target.
• Paul Levine, General Manager at Local Yahoo!, Inc., talked about The Architecture of Participation. Paul clearly understood his subject matter and I recommend this presentation. I haven't spent anytime on checking out Local Yahoo, but will now, should I get the time. I think participation is a central tenet of modern software development and instrumental in many ways. It is being embraced in many ways both for open and closed software development. Paul talked a lot about search and most importantly how it should be focused more on purposeful search and results. He is right on.
• Cory Doctorow, European Affairs Coordinator for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, talked about Europe's Coming Broadcast Flag. While I sometimes find the EEF's statements and policies a bit extreme, Cory's presentation was not so extreme. In fact, I found it informative and interesting. I especially like the obvious assertion that the mainstream media producers are treating their customers as the culprits against which they need to put in protections. Thereby, thwarting innovation and creating motivation for the very audience that paid for the media to find a different way to get content they are willing to purchase if they wish to use it in an alternative manner. He is right on the money!
• Carolyn Porco, Cassini Science Imaging Team Leader, talked about the Cassini mission at Saturn as part of the Explorer's Club at Pop!Tech. This was a very interesting presentation. I highly recommend listening and checking out the Cassini website.
• Jaime Sguerra, CTO, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, delivered a presentation called A Services Oriented Architecture for Competitive Advantage. Since I work in the insurance software industry and SOA is a major interest, it was quite interesting to hear Jaime's perspective. Very well presented and dead-on!
• Mark Lynas, Author of High Tide, talked about Global Warming. This enlightening presentation should provide plenty of motivation for all of us to start taking our behavior and its potential impact on our environment a lot more seriously. I recently read an article from Men's Health that talked about the dangers we runners face when we run while pollutants are high. Put these 2 tidbits together (Mark's presentation and this article) and man it makes for some sobering thoughts. Mark also pokes fun at our government's (especially Republican) attempts to treat Global Warming as a non-issue. His particular example included a reference to Congress asking Michael Creighton, a novelist, for an opinion on the subject. According to Mark, no expert/scientist in the field disagrees with the contention that something is happening and that it does not bode well for humanity.
• Lee Felsenstein, PC Pioneer, spoke with Larry of Larry's World. Lee is a famous moderator of the Homebrew Computer Club (think where early Apple Computers and others such were shown and discussed). Listening to Lee talk about the history of PC technology and the personalities of some of the now famous folks as they were before they were famous was extremely enjoyably. Highly recommended.