Wikipedia Editors Exposed

CIA and Vatican Edit Wikipedia Entries. Glenn Chapman. AFP (via Yahoo! News). August 18, 2007.
A program created by Virgil Griffiths identifies the origins of Wikipedia edits. For example, a U.S. Democratic Party computer was used to malign talk show host Rush Limbaugh, and a BBC computer was used to deface an article on President Bush.
This is yet another example of the shortcomings of this popular online encyclopedia. While some of its articles may indeed be well-written, the degree of confidence that can be placed in the quality of any random article is low. Too often they are biased or uninformed. In better encyclopedias, articles are signed, objectively written by recognized authorities, and conscientiously edited and updated.

An Interview with Brewster Kahle

Scan this Book! Andrew Richard Albanese. Library Journal. August 15, 2007.
In this interview Kahle, of the Open Content Alliance, explains what's at stake for librarians as Google and Microsoft continue to scan materials and place restrictions on them.

Computers Playng Games

Computers Master the Game Board. Chris Gaylord. Christian Science Monitor. August 8, 2007.

In 1997 IBM's Deep blue defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov. Since then computers have been programmed to master many other games, including poker, and may provide insights into real-world situations.

Jimmy Wales Interview

Jimmy Wales Talks on the Future of Wikimedia. Dan Nystedt. IDG News Service. August 12, 2007.

The co-founder of Wikipedia discusses his plans for the future, including his efforts to make the Wikimedia Foundation a model organization allong the lines of the Red Cross.

DVD to be Released in Unfamiliar Formats

Next-Gen DVD Formats Square Off for the Holidays. Gary Gentile. Newsfactor Network. August 10, 2007.
Consumers, already confused about HD DVD and Blu-ray formats, are bound to be unhappy in the coming months as movies are released exclusively in one format or the other, each requiring its own player.