5 for Friday

Image by shersteve via FlickrIn this week's 5 for Friday feature that allows me to catch up on sharing items with you that I found this week, let's start with this:

But as the demonstration by Vuagnoux and Pasini suggests, any device that emits radio frequency waves may be vulnerable to a sophisticated eavesdropper. The two researchers conclude that wired keyboards are not safe to transmit sensitive information.


Given the risks of wireless keyboards, which require even less sophistication to intercept, it appears there is no safe way to enter sensitive information into a computer, apart from Tempest-protected equipment as described by various national communication security information memorandums.

But in all likelihood NSA spooks with antennas aren't waiting for you to type your bank logon details. So there's no need to panic yet.

Yes, there is an exploit now to intercept the signals your keyboard emits. Read the full story here.

2 -

The gym I belong to has an inspirational message posted that changes weekly. Today there was a quote from Barbara Hall from her book A Summons to New Orleans that ended:

Look. Listen. Choose. Act.

And I thought, "that's the perfect way to explain how to get started with social media."

Read the remainder of this explanation to get started with social media here.

3 -

A word is an arbitrary label—that’s the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell, incantation, curse, or prayer can change the world. Don’t snicker: Would you ever say “Nothing has gone wrong yet” without looking for wood to knock?

Read the remainder of Steven Pinker's thought provoking article here

4 - I found this one this week although it was posted 9/24/08.

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved maps — studying them and trying to figure out the mysteries that lay behind their representations.

Then I stumbled on this map. And I thought, "What is going on here?" If you haven't seen this before, take a few moments to study it and see if you can figure out the key.

You will need to click through to view the map and then figure out the rest. It will be worthwhile visiting Roger Van Oech's site.

5 - And finally

Over at the Monday Note blog, former Apple/Be maven Jean-Louis Gassée poses a rhetorical question to Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT): How do you compete with free? But it's not just "free" that Microsoft's competing with here, and it's not "open," either. It's "agile."

Agility's a buzzword, to be sure, but it's one that's coming up again and again to smack Microsoft in the face. The Windows legacy -- or maybe I should say, legacy Windows -- is both its biggest accomplishment and its greatest hindrance.

Read the full posting on the InformationWeek website here

How do you compete with free?