Blake

On Reading Issues of Wired from 1993 to 1995

In “Scenarios,” a special edition from 1995, the guest editor Douglas Coupland took it upon himself to compile a “reverse time capsule,” which he deemed “not a capsule directed to the future, but rather to the citizens of 1975.” What artifacts, he asked, “might surprise them most about the direction taken by the next 20 years?” Included in the capsule—alongside non-tech items such as a chunk of the Berlin Wall, Prozac, and a Japanese luxury sedan—were a laptop (“more power in your lap than MIT’s biggest mainframe”), an Apple MessagePad (“hand-held devices are replacing secretaries”), and a cellular phone. Scanning my apartment, I can spot progeny of all three. One suspects that, were we to engineer our own reverse time capsule today and ship it back to the citizens of 1995, they might not be all that surprised by the direction we’ve taken. They might think they’d seen this future already—in the pages of Wired.

From On Reading Issues of Wired from 1993 to 1995 – The New Yorker

In “Scenarios,” a special edition from 1995, the guest editor Douglas Coupland took it upon himself to compile a “reverse time capsule,” which he deemed “not a capsule directed to the future, but rather to the citizens of 1975.” What artifacts, he asked, “might surprise them most about the direction taken by the next 20 years?” Included in the capsule—alongside non-tech items such as a chunk of the Berlin Wall, Prozac, and a Japanese luxury sedan—were a laptop (“more power in your lap than MIT’s biggest mainframe”), an Apple MessagePad (“hand-held devices are replacing secretaries”), and a cellular phone. Scanning my apartment, I can spot progeny of all three. One suspects that, were we to engineer our own reverse time capsule today and ship it back to the citizens of 1995, they might not be all that surprised by the direction we’ve taken. They might think they’d seen this future already—in the pages of Wired.

From On Reading Issues of Wired from 1993 to 1995 – The New Yorker

June 8, 2016 by Uncategorized

The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It

Still, not all the major players agree on whether the web needs decentralizing.

“The web is already decentralized,” Mr. Berners-Lee said. “The problem is the dominance of one search engine, one big social network, one Twitter for microblogging. We don’t have a technology problem, we have a social problem.”

One that can, perhaps, be solved by more technology.

From The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It – The New York Times

June 8, 2016 by Internet

The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It

Still, not all the major players agree on whether the web needs decentralizing.

“The web is already decentralized,” Mr. Berners-Lee said. “The problem is the dominance of one search engine, one big social network, one Twitter for microblogging. We don’t have a technology problem, we have a social problem.”

One that can, perhaps, be solved by more technology.

From The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It – The New York Times

Still, not all the major players agree on whether the web needs decentralizing.

“The web is already decentralized,” Mr. Berners-Lee said. “The problem is the dominance of one search engine, one big social network, one Twitter for microblogging. We don’t have a technology problem, we have a social problem.”

One that can, perhaps, be solved by more technology.

From The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It – The New York Times

June 8, 2016 by Internet

You May Soon Binge Books Just Like You Binge Netflix

But publishing company Farrar Straus and Giroux believes the TV model can lend momentum to a book series. In a move that takes as much from Victorian novels as from limited-run Netflix series, the publisher’s FSG Originals imprint is experimenting with serialized fiction. After releasing Lian Hearn’s fantasy novel Emperor of the Eight Islands in late April, FSG Originals will offer the three remaining books in her Tale of Shikanoko tetralogy—including Autumn Princess, Dragon Child, out today—before the end of September.

From You May Soon Binge Books Just Like You Binge Netflix | WIRED

June 7, 2016 by Books

With Bookshots, James Patterson thinks he’s invented the “Uber of books”

If short, face-paced novels don’t seem particularly novel, that could be because innovation in publishing doesn’t seem to resonate with readers. Profitable book and reading “disruption” hasn’t born out: Speed reading apps had a moment a few years ago, as did snack-themed ebooks, but neither has stuck. So perhaps Patterson would do best to call these what they are—short, fast reads. If his track record is any indication, he’s sure to sell books.

From With Bookshots, James Patterson thinks he’s invented the “Uber of books” — Quartz

June 7, 2016 by Books EBooks

LitHub Launches Book Marks, a Rotten Tomatoes for Books

“Book Marks will help readers find books they will love by giving them access to the critical discourse that is an essential part of our ecosystem,” LitHub executive editor John Freeman said in an announcement.

The book reviews come from over 70 outlets—when a book garners more than three reviews, they are aggregated on the site. The Book Marks staff assigns letter grades based on the criticism, which are then published as an average score.

From LitHub Launches Book Marks, a Rotten Tomatoes for Books | | Observer

“Book Marks will help readers find books they will love by giving them access to the critical discourse that is an essential part of our ecosystem,” LitHub executive editor John Freeman said in an announcement.

The book reviews come from over 70 outlets—when a book garners more than three reviews, they are aggregated on the site. The Book Marks staff assigns letter grades based on the criticism, which are then published as an average score.

From LitHub Launches Book Marks, a Rotten Tomatoes for Books | | Observer

June 7, 2016 by Books

Libraries in care homes can improve residents’ mood and memory

A growing number of care homes are discovering that libraries and reading groups can transform the lives of their residents, including those with dementia. Residents at Mayflower Court can join the reading group which meets every Tuesday morning in the library.

Former librarian and resident, Pat Marton, runs the reading group. “Reading is a fantastic way to encourage the group to keep mentally active and engaged,” she says.

From Libraries in care homes can improve residents’ mood and memory | Norman Miller | Society | The Guardian

A growing number of care homes are discovering that libraries and reading groups can transform the lives of their residents, including those with dementia. Residents at Mayflower Court can join the reading group which meets every Tuesday morning in the library.

Former librarian and resident, Pat Marton, runs the reading group. “Reading is a fantastic way to encourage the group to keep mentally active and engaged,” she says.

From Libraries in care homes can improve residents’ mood and memory | Norman Miller | Society | The Guardian

June 7, 2016 by Libraries

There’s A Good Reason Canadians Won’t Give Up Their Libraries 

Perhaps most importantly, libraries provide their programs and services to those who are often marginalized or can’t afford to go elsewhere for enrichment. And it’s not just knowledge that libraries give to those in need. A pioneer of the sharing economy, the library lending model is expanding to create greater community access to other useful things through innovative initiatives like toy and tool libraries. We agree with Singh that libraries really are a tremendous equalizing force.

From There’s A Good Reason Canadians Won’t Give Up Their Libraries | Craig and Marc Kielburger

Perhaps most importantly, libraries provide their programs and services to those who are often marginalized or can’t afford to go elsewhere for enrichment. And it’s not just knowledge that libraries give to those in need. A pioneer of the sharing economy, the library lending model is expanding to create greater community access to other useful things through innovative initiatives like toy and tool libraries. We agree with Singh that libraries really are a tremendous equalizing force.

From There’s A Good Reason Canadians Won’t Give Up Their Libraries | Craig and Marc Kielburger

June 7, 2016 by Libraries

The Rise of Plagiarism in the Age of Self-Publishing Books on Amazon, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble

Many authors who sell their work directly on platforms like Amazon are having their stories plagiarized, which can take an emotional and financial toll.

From The Rise of Plagiarism in the Age of Self-Publishing Books on Amazon, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble – The Atlantic

Many authors who sell their work directly on platforms like Amazon are having their stories plagiarized, which can take an emotional and financial toll.

From The Rise of Plagiarism in the Age of Self-Publishing Books on Amazon, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble – The Atlantic

June 5, 2016 by Amazon Books Google Publishing Technology

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