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GeekNights 20110718 - Face Recognition and Federated Clouds
Tonight on GeekNights, we begin a discussion on the ramifications of face recognition technology as manifest in its coming ubiquity (and hamfisted attempts at usefulness), then slide into some talk of why the federated cloud is (or at least should be) the real future of computing. We also discuss the "cartels" that can arise when the navigation of bureaucracy becomes more important than the services being rendered, and Google is trying to encourage bad behavior for its own benefit with Google News Badges.
- Scott's Thing - Steam Mover
- Rym's Childhood's Thing - M.A.S.K. First Episode
Comments
*shudders and cries*
EDIT: here.
I got the impression that Anon+ plan to use some kind of federated/P2P to do the social networking, like that awesome new P2P chat with no central server...
P2P (File Exchange, Money, Chat, Social networking...) looks like the rising new Google (Search, e-mail, maps...). Maybe Google will be the king of 2.0 and P2P will be the 3.0 king...
The Department of Homeland Security largely works to provide security to municipalities. For example, perhaps some big city like New York City is looking to protect itself from some specific kind of attack. The police force, the government employees of New York state, the government employees of New York city all then need to know the information regarding this protection. However, these are citizens without any kind of DoD or DoE clearances. If DHS classifies any of their studies or findings, then the municipalities that are affected by such findings cannot learn about it or utilize it.
So we basically end up having a "classification" called "For Official Use Only." Such clearance is pretty much on the honor system. I won't tell you what I know, because I believe it is in the interest of national security (or I'm just being dutiful, cuz some of this shit really is obvious and/or not worth even FOUO classification). However, unlike making Secret information public, there is no punishment such as Treason charges, etc. The only punishment is that you'd pretty much get fired and never work in the gov't or military sector again.
The interaction between municipalities and national security is fairly interesting when it comes to moving information.
Here are some options, with 802.11 already commercially viable. My smart phone, which I carry around with me everywhere, has Wi-Fi support and I believe can do ad hoc. Cellular/microwave transmitters and receivers might become consumer grade for more rural areas (if they aren't already), to extend the reach of The Rogue Backbone as it is being built up.
Maybe in some dystopian apocalyptic future, individuals would stand up their own cell towers and establish communications with the cell towers of their distant neighbors, creating a cellular network within The Rogue Backbone, or burying their own fiber between neighboring farmlands.
EDIT:
More relevant technologies enabling high bandwidth ad hoc solutions for individuals; why must ISPs be in charge?
The process for getting a contract is just complicated because of numerous laws passed over the years with good intentions. Many of these laws were meant to enforce fairness but only ended up piling on the paper work thus creating costs only the giant companies can afford. This bureaucratic overhead is the problem. You are generally right though with your airport restaurant analogy.
As for horizontal integration...forget about it. Each OPDIV (agency) functions like it's own company. I already have to go through almost two weeks of BS to get web application changes deployed. If I had to go through a centralized data-center it would be a NIGHTMARE.
All the people I work with, FTEs and contractors, are not the chumps you make them out to be. We work hard and take pride in our work for our country.
Can't be too far off
It turns out not only is each service its own company, but they actually view each other as competition. Working together only happens on the battlefield. As far as bureaucracy goes, they don't play well together nor do they want to.
EDIT: If this makes the country "look" weak, then maybe these military bureaucrats should fix up their game a little bit.
Having the best intentions at heart mean nothing if the implementation or result is horrid or abominable. I'm not saying that what cmoga refers to is either of these. However, that loaded phrase is used so often I kinda want to punch people when they use it as any part of a verbal defense. By using it as a defense, it also secludes and sequesters the individual using it, which leads to an implication that all other people involved in the conversation must not be caring about the best interests of the country. That use also pisses me off.
The only thing I learned while working for the country is that politicians run the science program where scientists should be running it. I make no excuses for the ineptitudes of these individuals, but it doesn't mean I believe the opposite of "work harding for the country" and "taking pride in the country". Programs that should be cut continue to run (at the cost of millions of dollars each year) because the politicians want to show their product wasn't a complete failure, no matter how much money must be thrown at it to fix it. The alternative is the responsible approach: abandon failed products and pursue new ones with better technological promise. This is almost never done from what I've seen. Politicians in science leadership roles refuse to admit failure because it makes them look bad; instead they expound the failure.
hawt.
We're living in the future, you guys.