Watch this excellent introduction to the evolving internet by Michael Wesch, who’s an assistent professor in Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University. Ideal material to introduce your colleagues with the concept of Web2.0. It explains why some changes are happening. For example, why the need to separate form from content? “I like Word!?”, ever heard that? I have.

If you’re interested there’s also the creator’s explaination, where he refers to We are the web by Kevin Kelly. Next on my list to read.

While I’m at it: consider watching these CommonCraft introductions to Microblogging and Social Media (thanks FackeldeyFinds).

Weeks ago, I took part in a recruitment campaign for my employer. Just now, I found myself online:

Nice nah?

Original testimonial (dutch, pdf), photos at Flickr

One up for Michael Arrington:

It’s time for these companies to do what’s right for the users and fully adopt OpenID as relying parties. That doesn’t fit in with their strategy of owning the identity of as many Internet users as possible, but it certainly fits in with the Internet’s very serious need for an open, distributed and secure single log in system (OpenID is all three).

With “these companies” referring to AOL, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo!. I couldn’t agree more.

Via Twitter

Lijst is something I’ve had on my mind for years. The concept evolved. Today I think it is mature enough to be announced: lijst.com

Feedback is highly appreciated.

When Martijn Faassen introduced me to Zope3 in December 2004, something happened. I fell for her logic, her view on the future. Her looks were promising. We quickly partnered in a small project I was working on.

Then things started to get messy. Evenings of joy turned into evenings of long, frustrating conversations. She just wouldn’t dance with me anymore. She complained about my lack of understanding.

Last week I received Philipp’s updated Zope counseling guide. A fresh impulse to give our relation a second chance. Hopefully Philipp will assist me in understanding her better.

On first sight things seem promising. Zope3 let go some of her complexness and grew a bit more mature. Let’s see if we can get to dancing again!

I’ve been infected: twitter.com/nederhoed (RSS)

Follow me

Blogged with Flock

You’ll enjoy this. To improve security I’m forced to change my password for the Dutch tax website at least yearly. Easy enough, wouldn’t you think?

Translated:

Your password should:

• be different from your previous passwords
• have 3 characters not in your previous password
• be at least 6 characters long
• not contain more than 3 identical characters
• contain at least 3 letters
• contain at least 1 digit

These rules, combined with a given username analogous to NL0001239988 make it impossible for me to remember my credentials. As a result, I have to write them down, making it less safe. The first time I had to think up a password for the site, the result was fuck123. Somehow, these rules don’t work with me.

Additionaly, the Belastingdienst stores all my past passwords! If they’re so concerned about security, they should not store passwords at all. Every developer should know that.

Sigh. I don’t mind paying taxes. I do mind the hassle and illogic.

The semantic web has been above my radar for some time now. Still I find it hard to grasp the available standards. My focus has been primarily on XTM (XML Topic Maps). Sure, I’ve read the TAO and played around with online examples. I even presented the concepts of the semantic web to 20 non-tech colleagues.

But… crafting a nifty simple XTM document myself? Not yet. It’s verbose. It’s hard.

Tonight, I found an apprehensive introduction: The Topic Maps Handbook (pdf). Pages 12 to 15 will get you up to speed with your first XTM. I chose ATC definitions as a domain for my topic map (see below). It’s a start.

Next step is visualization. I’m considering XSLT => dot => PNG. More on that later, if I succeed.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<topicMap
xml:base=”http://www.nederhoed.com/topicmaps/gstandaard.xtm”
xmlns=”http://www.topicmaps.org/xtm/1.0/”
xmlns:xlink=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”>
<!– Domain description –>
<topic id=”atc”>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<occurrence>
<resourceRef xlink:href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomical_Therapeutic_Chemical_Classification_System” />
</occurrence>
</topic>
<!– Associations –>
<topic id=”atc”>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<occurrence>
<resourceRef xlink:href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomical_Therapeutic_Chemical_Classification_System” />
</occurrence>
</topic>
<!– Domain contents –>
<topic id=”J01″>
<instanceOf>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc”/>
</instanceOf>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Antibacterials for systemic use</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<baseName>
<scope>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc” />
</scope>
<baseNameString>J01</baseNameString>
</baseName>
</topic>
<topic id=”J01A”>
<instanceOf>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc”/>
</instanceOf>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Tetracyclines</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<baseName>
<scope>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc” />
</scope>
<baseNameString>J01A</baseNameString>
</baseName>
</topic>
<topic id=”J01AA”>
<instanceOf>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc”/>
</instanceOf>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Tetracyclines</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<baseName>
<scope>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc” />
</scope>
<baseNameString>J01AA</baseNameString>
</baseName>
</topic>
<topic id=”J01AA01″>
<instanceOf>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc”/>
</instanceOf>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Demeclocycline</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<baseName>
<scope>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc” />
</scope>
<baseNameString>J01AA01</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<occurrence>
<resourceRef xlink:href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demeclocycline” />
</occurrence>
</topic>
<topic id=”J01AA02″>
<instanceOf>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc”/>
</instanceOf>
<baseName>
<baseNameString>Doxycycline</baseNameString>
</baseName>
<baseName>
<scope>
<topicRef xlink:href=”#atc” />
</scope>
<baseNameString>J01AA02</baseNameString>
</baseName>
</topic>
<!– Medications –>
</topicMap>

Source: denationalepopquiz.nl (new quiz available in January 200

Above a famous female singer pictured as Smurfette. I got hold of this picture in a preview for the 2008 quiz. Do you recognize her? Not that hard. I thought it to be artistic enough to share it.

I was touched by this plea for common sense in legislation for distribution of digital products and user generated content.

Read more from Mr. Lessig on his weblog