aaronfegan

[aaronfegan]

The Sum of All Knowledge

Listening to John Siracusa talk about Wikipedia on the Hypercritical podcast #52: Marked for Deletion and #53: Brad Pitt Gets to Contribute got me thinking about the expectation compared to the reality of information contained within Wikipedia.

The Wikipedia Problem

Wikipedia is generally thought of as a place to contribute and find information about everything and anything. This view is widely held by both its users and contributors. And it's not surprising considering Wikipedia states:

Wikipedia's goal is to compile the sum of all human knowledge into a Web-based, free content encyclopedia

However, the below caveat is less well known.

Articles should be based on reliable, third-party, published sources with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy

Rather than being a place to contribute and compile the sum of all human knowledge, Wikipedia has defined its terms of reference as a place for verifiable information. Which is a little surprising considering how rarely it is accepted within education as a reference source.

One problem with the premise of information being verifiable is that these guidelines are not widely known within its user base. This can have a negative effect on its contributors who have their edits marked for deletion with little explanation or recourse.

A bigger problem is that there are vast amounts of unverifiable information which are intrinsically valuable to society, such as original research or explanations of differing opinions.

For example, a publication which is known for fact-checking and reliability may publish factually incorrect information. Due to its past reputation the information could be added to Wikipedia with a valid citation, therefore making its removal unlikely. This can have the unintended consequence of disseminating factually incorrect information or validating urban legends.

Equally, there is a risk associated with adding original material or research to Wikipedia as it may have no verifiable citation. On the Hypercritical podcast Siracusa mentions an example whereby an astronaut who travels to the moon would be unable to add their findings to Wikipedia directly, and would instead need to cite a reputable source to ensure verification.

How Not to Solve the Problem

One solution could be to create an alternative web-based encyclopedia; however getting traction with contributors and users could be difficult given the dominance and notoriety of Wikipedia.

Another solution could be to get a reputable newspaper or journal to write an article on your original research, which could then be used as a citation for the information on Wikipedia. However, errors could potentially be introduced during the reporting process. Additionally, the source of the information is unable to contribute to the topic on Wikipedia and then cite the reputable source due to rules surrounding self-referential articles.

A Better Solution

Given the misalignment of Wikipedia's stated goals to its users expectations, a better solution could be to build on the success of the existing platform. This could be achieved by building an offshoot of Wikipedia specifically for contributing original research or works which are not specifically cited by a reputable publication.

It could be an extension of the existing Wikipedia website, or branded differently to distinguish it from the information contained within the current incarnation of Wikipedia.

The additional information on the new Wikipedia would bring it closer to compiling the sum of all human knowledge; providing vast amounts of information which have not been previously captured in an indexable and searchable form.

Although this solution could be fairly simple to implement, I imagine there would be resistance from the existing editors, due to fears of its reputation being eroded.

Capturing this information for future generations could be greatly more beneficial to society than its existing form; expanding its remit to much wider and more esoteric subjects.

Although I'm doubtful that we will see this solution implemented within the existing Wikipedia framework, I'm hopeful that one day we have a searchable repository which contains the sum of all human knowledge. However, given the intrenched nature of the wikipedia establishment, we may need to leave it up to a service like Wolfram|Alpha to achieve something quite so ambitious.

[aaronfegan]

Positive Politics

Left or Right. Liberal or Conservative. Socialist or Capitalist.

Politics is a powerful tool. Its effect on our future can be profound. But it feels like we’ve inherited a system which is less about making a better society to live in, and more about creating political personalities and pushing party politics.

When a political party creates a policy which is tangibly different to its opposition, it is derided and ridiculed by them. Current political problems are blamed on previous government policies. It works both ways, regardless of political bias or who is in power at the time. The mainstream media proliferates the echo chamber by taking sides and looking for an angle to cause greatest harm or good.

We exacerbate the problem, by identifying with a single party and voting for them regardless of their policies. Maybe it’s because our parents voted that way, or our friends dismiss the policies put forward by the other parties. We surround ourselves with newspapers that support our perceived ideals and reject arguments which undermine them.

Political campaigns feel like they’re designed from the outset to deliver a positive outcome for the current government at just the right time to maximise votes before the next election. Surely it would be better to create policies which deliver improvements in the future, regardless of whether it’s today, tomorrow or in twenty years time. And if politicians don’t agree with party policies, they should be able to voice their opposition without the threat of being shunned at the next party shake-up.

We should judge political success not on policies being delivered before the next election, but on how well they have been executed along the journey. Cherry-pick the policies we believe in, regardless of the political party which popularised it. And question the ideas which don’t improve the society we live in. Politics should be the product of many individuals thinking independently about what’s best for the country. When the opposition comes up with a good idea it should be built upon, re-mixed and made part of the manifesto. Politicians should stop worrying about having to be original and instead create policies which are achievable and forward-thinking.

We need a more diverse politics, made up of fewer career politicians. We need to ensure people who have good ideas and experience within industry become the politicians of tomorrow. We need simple policies such as full employment and investment in real things. And we need to educate people about the political system, to make it less partisan and more inclusive.

We need positive politics.

[aaronfegan]

Changing of the Guards

Over the summer of 2011 there have been a number of announcements which signify a changing of the guards in the consumer PC market.

HP announced that it is to sell its consumer PC business.

HP also announced a fire sale of its TouchPad tablet and the splitting up of WebOS as a platform.

Apple's Steve Jobs stood down as CEO and was appointed Chairman of the Board, with Tim Cook announced as his successor.

The background to the importance of these announcements has developed over the past four years, at which point the original iPhone had just been released with the majority of media and cell phone industry analysts believing the iPhone would have little impact due to high costs and a mature cell phone market. Additionally, the Mac market share was fairly stagnant at around 5% worldwide with the majority view being that Mac's were over-priced compared to their PC counterparts.

Meanwhile, the mainstream PC manufacturers were locked in a price battle which was causing a race to the bottom and the $500 netbook to be born. Feature differentiation was hard to achieve given that the same components and operating system were being sold with razor thin margins. This left little profit for adding value by creating ecosystems for content and applications, or ensuring the product was well designed and manufactured.

The general consensus at the time was that Apple could only compete with the onslaught of netbooks by joining the rest of the PC business in building low-cost netbook's. One of the main reasons for this view was the dire economic situation following the sub-prime crash of 2008, which would be felt in the 'luxury' market first.

However, rather than following general consensus, Apple stuck to its plan and rolled out more products which were well designed, easy to use and integrated into the Apple ecosystem.

During this period, Apple also worked with its component suppliers where it provided loans to invest in the manufacturing of components which led to the reduction in component costs. The Apple way was - and still is - in stark contrast to many of its competitors who squeeze their suppliers and operate businesses on the basis of high sales volumes, with small margins. Tim Cook, as Apple's Chief Operating Officer, was the one who crafted the relationship with its suppliers and in turn Apple's ability to secure competitive component pricing. 

Prior to 2007, Apple sold great products at a premium, to a specific market segment who were willing to look beyond the only trump card of its competitors. Price.

Today Apple stands as a company which is growing faster than most of its competitors in terms of market share and profits, and it recently overtook Exxon as the most valuable company in the world by market capitalisation. Apple not only maintains its premium product status but also competes, and often beats the competition on pricing too.

As Shawn Blanc points out in Apple's Four-Year Product Rollout:

For $29 you can’t buy a better operating system than OS X Lion.

For $0.99 there’s not an easier way to buy a song — regardless of where you are — than on iTunes.

For $199 you can’t buy a better phone than the iPhone.

For $999 you can’t buy a better laptop than the 11-inch MacBook Air.

For $499 you can’t buy a better tablet than the iPad.

So coming back on topic to the three points at the start of this piece.

HP's intention to abandon the consumer PC market alludes to the fact that competing in this market has little rewards financially - even when you're the world's largest PC manufacturer. No wonder PC manufacturers aren't able to innovate or compete anymore, as they're forced to cut costs where possible and even have the added burden of the Microsoft Windows OS license cost.

Conversely, Apple has been able to commoditise it's software business in order to drive sales of it's computer and phone hardware, which is proving to be profitable and growing year-on-year at a sector beating rate. 

HP's exit from the consumer PC market could have a big effect on the rest of the consumer PC market, where only a few dominant players exist. If this situation arises, these companies could challenge Microsoft's dominance as an Operating System vendor and demand a lowering of wholesale pricing. What effect would this have on Microsoft's profits and share price?

In the tablet space, the abandonment of HP's TouchPad and splitting up of WebOS is probably due Leo Apotheker's view of where HP should be in the future. But it could equally be due to the fact that Apple already sells a great tablet at a price which most manufacturers can't compete with. Given Apple's relationship with its suppliers and their insistence on upholding patents and copyright, it will be hard for manufacturers to compete in the tablet market whilst also creating a viable and sustainable business.

Personally, I hope WebOS is revived and brought to market, as reviews seem to suggest it's a great alternative to Apple's IOS platform. The rumoured Amazon Tablet would also be a welcome addition as it would give Apple some needed competition and could potentially build on Amazon's existing ecosystem.

So given all of this, the timing of Steve Job's departure as CEO of Apple looks pretty spot on - if not deliberately planned for quite some months. He leaves the company at a point where its product lineup is mature and sales are growing, where the PC and cell phone industries have been shaken up by the big moves made by Apple in the past four years, and where Apple is now the most valuable company in the world.

Some 14 years ago Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell computers was asked what could be done to fix the Mac maker. His response was this:

What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.

I wonder what he thinks of Apple now, and I guess Apple's shareholders are thankful that Steve Jobs, rather than Michael Dell, has been the CEO for the past 14 years.

[aaronfegan]

Eric D Snider on how religion isn't dead: "Skeptics mock the enthusiasm of Apple's most ardent supporters. "Those Apple fanboys are so gullible!" they say. "If Steve Jobs were to poop in his hand, call it the iPoo, and sell it for $499, everybody would buy it!" This is an exaggeration, of course. First the Appleists would complain that the iPoo didn't have a video camera, and THEN they would buy it." Snide remarks always puts a smile on my face.

[aaronfegan]

Cyclocross in Epping Forest.

[aaronfegan]

Beardyman, what a legend. If you got a spare hour, sit down and watch this. If not, just jump in a watch a bit.

This was inspired by watching a gig of Bellatrix from the Boxettes at the Southbank Centre. Also if you like this, then checkout Dub FX. I stumbled across him in Bristol town centre doing an impromptu gig.

Great music from them all, and Beadyman is pretty funny too.

[aaronfegan]

Faulty LED sign on the tube. Maybe it means there's light at the end of the tunnel.

[aaronfegan]

A big police presence on bishopsgate today. Feels like 28 days later.

[aaronfegan]

An ever changing wall of graffiti. Holywell Ln, Shoreditch, London. July 2011.

[aaronfegan]

It's amazing to see the difference between a great newspaper, such as The Guardian, which creates brilliant pieces of investigative journalism vs. one that thrives off of sensationalisation and questionable practises i.e. Murdoch's News of the World. In this video Nick Davies explains the controversy behind the phone hacking scandal and shines a light on where the investigation could go next.

[aaronfegan]

Fireworks at the MK Bowl on Sunday 3rd July 2011. Lineup included Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro & Jimmy Eat World. Plus special guests Seasick Steve & Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones.

[aaronfegan]

Kirby Ferguson argues that progress comes from three things: copying, transforming and combining.

He also dispels some myths about the development of the PC.

Great piece.

ps. a kickstarter campaign will be launching with Part 4 in the autumn.

[aaronfegan]

Oxford to York by Bike - Part 3

We were up bright and early on the Wednesday, and didn't waste any time before setting off. With the day's plan of getting to Sheffield and both of us wanting see the Peak District, we headed though Swadlincote, west past Derby and then via Idridgehay before stopping in the village of Wirksworth.

It was still early, but after cycling 40 miles it was the perfect place to stop for some lunch. Two man-sized sandwiches, a milkshake and a hand full of directions later - and we were back on the bikes heading up into the Peak District. The roads and scenery just got better and better. There were quite a few tough climbs but they were followed by some great descents. With the empty roads it felt like being in a prolific cycle race, as we lent over round the corners and sped up on the straights.

At less than 15 miles from Wirksworth, it wasn't long before we were standing in the heart of Bakewell debating whether to get a Bakewell Tart or a Bakewell Pudding.

We plumped for the Bakewell Pudding, which was enjoyed whilst sitting on the banks of the the river Wye. With the aim of getting to Sheffield at a decent time, we headed on towards Hassop before stopping to ring Rose. With 10 miles to Sheffield, we estimated that it should take another hour to get to our destination. Little did we know that after getting off the phone, we'd start on the long trudge up through Froggatt. It would be another three and a half miles before we reached the summit, by which time it felt like we were at the top of the Peak District. Our only saviour was the 6 miles descent though beautiful scenery, before dropping out into Sheffield with the promise of another day's riding over.

It was only 4pm and we were in Sheffield. So we met up with Rose and dropped off our stuff, before going for a stroll in the nearby Bingham Park. The parks and open spaces in Sheffield were great, and a bit of a surprise if I'm honest. I half expected the stereotyped image of a city scarred by the decline of heavy industry, but instead I found a fascinating place with loads of history and the Peak District on its doorstep.

On the way back home, we stopped at The Greedy Greek for a spot of dinner and then headed to the pub for a few drinks before bed.

Thursday morning, and it was another early start so we could get to York in good time. Not long after leaving, the cold got the better of me once again. After cycling 20 minutes out of the city, we stumbled across a sports shop, where I bought a long-sleeve cycle top which was actually the right size for me. It wasn't the best colour, in fluorescent green, but it kept me warm.

This time, rather then following the country roads we decided to use the National Cycle Network as there was a route which joined Sheffield to York. We assumed it'd be scenic and relatively quick. This was somewhat optimistic though as the route was fairly indirect and the directions were patchy at best. Often we'd loose sight of the blue signs, or come to a fork in the path with little indication of which route to take. Here's Beth at the bottom of a hill which was one of the 'detours' we took, just outside Chapeltown:

The best of the cycle route planning was found when following a canal for a number of miles. But rather than following it on one side, the route meandered back and forth across the canal. Each time requiring us to stop and wait for boats to pass and bridges to open

After stopping and working out that we'd moved little more than 20 miles in a few hours, we decided to hit the country roads once again and pick up the pace. We headed north east towards Mexbrough, before following the river Don past Doncaster. As we went further into Yorkshire the landscape flattened and the wind picked up.

We cycled though Airmyn before reaching Boothferry Bridge. But rather than having an easy crossing and a 15 mile cycle to our destination, we were met with a bridge closure and lots of orange cones. We asked a local workman how to cross, who helpfully advised us to cycle over the motorway. We pointed out that this was illegal, at which point he advised we cycle to the next bridge - which happened to be the Humber Bridge, a mere 60 mile round trip detour.

After a bit more investigation we found some information, helpfully placed behind the cones, which gave details of a free 'ferry' across the Humber estuary. 10 minutes later and we were loaded up and ready to cross. We were pretty glad to find the ferry as it would've been a long days cycling and the headwind had taken already its toll on our legs.

On the other side, we unloaded the bikes and set off for the last 15 miles. Over the entire 200-mile trip I hadn't had a single accident. That was until we pulled up to Beth's mum's house. As I stopped at the gate, I'd forgotten to unclip my spd shoes - so I fell to the ground, still attached to my bike. A quick twist of the ankle and I was unclipped, but with my dignity lost and Beth cracking up with laughter.

A hot shower and cup of tea later, and it almost felt like we could've got back on the bikes and carried on to the next place. But instead we sat in the kitchen eating homemade beef stew and reminiscing about our journey, before heading into the centre of York for a brief look at the city by night. We didn't have long before I had to catch the last train home, but we did manage to walk through the city walls, up past the cathedral and meander through it's enchanting cobbled streets before heading to the station.

Sitting on the train with a cup of tea in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other, it was amazing to think that it took us three days to get to York, and it would take less than three hours for me to get back to my flat in London. But if I had the time and commitment from my friends again, I'd definitely choose the bike ride over getting the train.

[aaronfegan]

Oxford to York by Bike - Part 2

So after a good nights sleep and the final bit of packing - we were ready for the off.

Getting from Oxford to Banbury was thought to be a pretty straight forward 25 mile ride along the Banbury road. Though with the traffic bearing down on us, and little time to catch up, we decided to move off the busy A4260 and take a longer, more scenic route. Once we got past Bunkers Hill, we found some great undulating roads which meandered through Steeple Aston and Middle Aston before getting back on the A4260 to Banbury.

It was getting close to midday, so we grabbed some food, sat down by the canal and got out the map to plan the rest of the day's riding. It was fun watching the canal boats going though the lock - some glided though with grace whilst others bumped and jolted to the other side. Jumping back on the bikes, we headed in the direction of Rugby and Coventry.

It would be another 45 miles to Mythe Farm B&B, so after surviving the dual carriageway out of Banbury, we kept to the country roads as they were much more enjoyable. Middle England has some great places such as Cropredy - with its "cup and saucer" street - and the aptly named Napton-On-The-Hill. Where we of course took a break to enjoy the view and get our breath back.

Sitting atop this hill, I finally admitted that my efficient packing had got the better of me, as I'd been pretty cold for most of the journey. So I gave in to the peer pressure and put on Beth's spare cycling top under my t-shirt. I say put on, but what I really mean is Pulina and Beth shoe-horned me into a cycling top which was obviously made for someone a lot smaller than me. With the full length sleeves riding halfway up my arms, I quickly put my t-shirt over the top to regain some of my dignity.

From here on in the ride started to get harder mentally. The hills weren't getting any bigger but they felt like mountains. Pulina was finding the riding increasingly hard, so we took his pannier bags and stopped for regular breaks.

Only 7 miles from Coventry and 18 miles for the B&B, the cycling got the better of Pulina. Beth and I tried to convince him that a warm bed and a pub dinner would make all the difference, but it was to no avail. At the cross roads in Brinklow we said our goodbyes before Pulina headed west to Coventry and Beth and I set off north towards the B&B.

As we arrived into the village of Sheepy Magna, it was coming up to 7pm and the light was starting to fade. We rode up the dirt road to Mythe Farm B&B with a great feeling that we'd made it to our first day's destination, but tinged with the the fact that we were one man down.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, and we were heading back out to the nearby village of Pinwall. Dinner for two at the Red Lion pub didn't feel quite right, but the huge portions were just what we needed after a good days riding. It was pitch black on the way back to the B&B, and with some assistance from our bike lights, the stars led the way. With 70 miles under our belt, the getting to sleep part was a doddle.

[aaronfegan]

Oxford to York by Bike - Part 1

Since leaving Bristol in the summer of 2009, I catch up with my uni friends no where near as much as I’d like to. So with the suggestion of a getting together for a bike ride between the Easter and Royal Wedding bank holidays, it was time to get planning.

There were only three of us in for the ride this time, as other commitments and timings meant more people couldn’t join. In terms of the route, it wasn’t long before coming to the conclusion that starting in Oxford and somehow making our way to York would give us a good 200-mile three day bike ride without being too painful. After all, it was more about seeing new places and catching up with friends, than pushing our bodies to the limit. The route also meant we only had to find accommodation for one night, as we could stay with a friend in Sheffield.

The week before the trip the weather in London was great. The temperature regularly hit 25 degrees Celsius and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. So with great foresight I decided to forego the sensible packing of an experienced cyclist, and go for the light is best method. For starters the only cycling clothes I took were the ones I wore. This consisted of a t-shirt, shorts, spd shoes and a helmet. So I basically looked like a mountain biker on a road bike - which is of course what I am.

As for the rest of the things I packed, here’s my comprehensive list:

Clothes for going out in: lightweight jeans, shirt, converse shoes

Things to make me look & smell nice: toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, deodorant, hair product

Electrical essentials: phone & charger, front & rear bike lights

Bike spares: spare tubes, tyre leavers, puncture repair kit, pump, mini tool

These were all bundled into a small rucksack with some spare boxers, socks and a wallet, before being bungee’d to a quick release pannier rack. I also took a lock and water bottle which were attached to the bike, so all in all this was little more than I take on a decent Sunday ride.

With the ride starting in Oxford, the plan was set to head to Pulina’s house in Oxford on the Monday evening so we could work out a route and get a good nights sleep before setting off early on the Tuesday. Booking in advance, meant my train ticket was a bargain at less than £5. I got myself a coffee, locked my bike up next to the engine room and settled into the quiet carriage. Beth had the same idea and got an advanced ticket from York to Oxford for around £15. It wasn’t until the barriers wouldn’t work that she realised her non-stop ticket was for Monday 25th July not Monday 25th March. Three trains, five hours and £64 later, Beth arrived in Oxford in the dark ready for some food. So we dropped her bike off at Pulina’s house and headed out to a local fish restaurant.

As I’m sure you can guess, there wasn’t much time for planning the route that evening, since we didn’t get back from dinner until gone 10:30 at night. So we decided to make a plan over breakfast in the morning.

A nights sleep, a shower and a fried breakfast later we put together a plan for getting to Banbury where we’d be able to grab some food and plan the rest of the day’s journey.

[aaronfegan]

Kickstarter

The recent resurgence of tech startups has a feeling of longevity and creativity, which is unlike the tech bubble of the late 1990's.

The entrepreneurs behinds these startups are changing the way we communicate, accurately predicting the course of markets and companies, and aggregating information in new and interesting ways.

The transformative effect of the internet could have huge consequences in terms of re-balancing the power from the all encompassing big business, to smaller companies who understand their markets and build products or services that their employees want to use day-in-day-out.

But one thing that has often stood in the way of these people giving up their day jobs and making it on their own is a lack of available funds.

So two years ago, with the growing problem of finding enough money to start on their own, three young entrepreneurs created kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website which allows individuals and startups to pitch a creative project in need of funding. They profile their idea, decide the minimum amount required to turn it into reality and then allow kickstarter members to pledge money towards getting it off the ground.

It's an all or nothing approach, so if the minimum amount isn't reached, the project doesn't get funded. Kickstarter members avoid funding an unsuccessful project and it ensures there's enough money to complete the project.

So what do you get for your money?

Well that could be anything, from a limited edition print, to a private screening of a new movie, or even a new pair of eco-friendly shoes. Though my personal favourite has to be LunaTik.

LunaTik was thought up by Scott Wilson, the former Global Creative Director for Nike Watches, who wanted to create a premium watch strap to house the 6th Generation iPod Nano. With little interest from the big industry players, he decided to put the project on kickstarter with an initial funding target of $15k.

Over it's first 30 days, not only was the original funding target smashed, but all other kickstarter records too. It ended up with nearly a $1M in funding and many back orders to fill. Since then LunaTik has become a fully functioning company with the original watch design being produced and sold alongside newer, less expensive designs.

The great thing about kickstarter is that it democratises funding and allows creative ideas to be explored. If the general consensus is that the idea isn't right, then its unlikely to get past its target. No money exchanges hands, and the individual behind the idea has lost little, other than some pride. But hey, maybe a new idea will come to fruition and make it past the funding stage.

It also provides a platform which can be used to generate interest in a new product or service which might be hard to buy else where. As kickstarter's reach grows, the interest garnered by submitting a project could become the catalyst needed to get many idea's off the ground.

It feels quite fitting that three young, bright entrepreneurs should create a service which will hopefully create many more successful startups by giving them the platform needed to raise the initial funds.

[aaronfegan]

Full Text RSS

I'm a big fan of RSS feeds and normally use an RSS reader in conjunction with twitter to consume news, reviews, blogs and more.

RSS gets me one step closer to a clean looking web, where distractions are removed.

Truncating RSS feeds is a popular technique for ad funded websites as it forces you to view the source website, where you're typically served up adverts and other distractions.

Some RSS reader applications have started offering an option to download the full feed, however if this service isn't available you could always try http://fulltextrssfeed.com/.

It's a great service which allows you to paste in the original RSS link and get out a full text RSS link. Paste the new link into your favourite RSS reader and no longer do you have to deal with half the story.