This week on Radar: A deep look at how PC-based software and mobile apps handle data acquisition; why "human density data" could be a game changer; interesting data lessons from the Victorian age; friction at the eG8 forum; and a look at Google's new Wallet.
While the first eG8 Forum in Paris featured hundreds of business and digital luminaries, some of the policies discussed should be of serious concern to entrepreneurs, activists, media and citizens around the world.
How to Kill Innovation in Five Easy Steps (Tech Republic) -- point four is interesting, Rely too heavily on data and dashboards. It's good to be reminded of the contra side to the big-data-can-be-mined-for-all-truths attitudes flying around.
Architecture of Open Source Applications -- CC-licensed book available through Lulu or for free download. Lots of interesting stories and design decisions to draw from. I know when I learned how Perl worked on the inside, I learned a hell of a lot that I could apply later in life and respected its creators all the more.
Bullying in 140 Letters -- it's about an Australian storm in a teacup, but it made me consider the short-form medium. Short-form negativity can have the added colour/resonance of being snarky and funny. Hard to add colour to short-form positive comments, though. Much harder to be funny and positive than to be funny and negative. Have we inadvertently created a medium where, thanks to the quirks of our language and the way we communicate, it favours negativity over positivity?
Google offers NFC stickers in the first phase of its Wallet program, while Square reaches beyond merchants with a customer-friendly app. Also, major US banks take a cue from PayPal and finally make it easy to send money.
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