By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. John Gruber[Edit][Delete]: And Oranges, Daring Fireball [Edit][Delete] June 16, 2006
Why would a longtime Apple user switch to Linux? When the person in question is Mark Pilgrim, people want to know, since Pilgrim is well known for his work on web syndication and web standards. This article takes an almost detached look at his reasoning. In the end, for Pilgrim, it comes down to this: "I'm creating things now that I want to be able to read, hear, watch, search, and filter 50 years from now. Despite all their emphasis on content creators, Apple has made it clear that they do not share this goal. Openness is not a cargo cult. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Various authors[Edit][Delete]: Rever, June 16, 2006
Interesting video upload service that attaches an advertisement to your video and pays you when people click on it. "Since the Revverized ad is embedded in your video, and can be changed anytime, you get paid no matter where your video may go." The site, in other words, is making syndication work for it, creating revenue while distributing bandwidth requirements across the network. Rever is hosting the infamous Coke and Mentos video, well worth a watch for the giggle. Or the pointless and deservedly obscure Hungry Tree. You can also find the Dixie Chicks video on the site. Legit? Who knows. Still, it's a good idea and might even work. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Unattributed[Edit][Delete]: EdNA Online Strategic Directions, EdNA [Edit][Delete] June 16, 2006
Where is Australia's EdNA going? Released in April, "A draft EdNA strategic directions paper (PDF) is available for comment," according to today's EdNA newsletter. Take the short online survey or send them email. According to the report, "In 2005-2006, the full suite of EdNA infrastructure and services received $1.92 million of funding. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Karen Myers and Patrice de Broucker[Edit][Delete]: Too Many Left Behind: Canada s Adult Education and Training System, Canadian Policy Research Networks Inc. [Edit][Delete] June 16, 2006
"There is a lot of talk in policy circles about the importance of life-long learning," note the authors of this report. "But how well do we walk the talk in Canada? It seems not very well at all. Too many less-educated / less-skilled adults in Canada are being left behind, with little chance to improve their skills, their knowledge, and their earnings. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Will Richardson[Edit][Delete]: Digg for EdBloggers / Do We Need to Get Our Act Together?, Weblogg-Ed [Edit][Delete]Weblogg-ed [Edit][Delete] June 16, 2006
Maybe it will work, though I have my doubts. Full marks, though, for the initiative. The idea being promoted is to create a Digg for edubloggers - the idea is that the edubloggers would recommend education stories from each other and the popular press. Why do I have doubts? Well, I have my doubts about these 'collective' sites in general. If edu-Digg makes sense, then why not UK-edu-Digg, to get away from the American dominance? But then, when Digging, where does one's loyalties lie. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]Scott Jaschik[Edit][Delete]: In Whose Interest?, Inside Higher Ed [Edit][Delete] June 15, 2006
I think this is a very good question. As the article notes, scholarly groups in the U.S. are lining up against legislation that would require open access to publicly funded research within six months of publication. Why this opposition? Open access, if it helps anyone, helps the reserachers these groups represent. So why are these groups opposed? My view echoes Peter Suber's. "[He] said that these criticisms showed that the anthropology association (and others like it) have a conflict of interest. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. T.J. Medrek[Edit][Delete]: Classical Music Goes New-School on Web, Boston Herald [Edit][Delete] June 15, 2006
Can educators learn from classicial musicians? "But savvy classical music marketers are discovering that if you want to attract young people, you've got to go where they are. Thus MySpace is becoming a valuable marketing tool for some of today's biggest classical stars - and is poised to be even more important as young musicians promote their own careers." Or can they learn from Hollywood movie producers. More...