CloudWyze, a homegrown North Carolina internet and managed service provider and GREAT Grant recipient, is expanding service inNash County, N.C. in their continued efforts to close the digital divide.

If you have a pickup truck that you use for work, chances are good that you might not spend a lot of time washing and cleaning it. You might be too busy with work to worry about this type of thing, or you might not think that it's really worth it to clean your work truck when you know that it will just get dirty again. However, taking your pickup truck and having it detailed by a good detailing crew is a good idea from time to time for these reasons and more.

Maintain a Professional Appearance for Your Business

There is a good chance that you might have added decals, magnets, or a vehicle wrap to your work truck so that you could advertise your company's name and logo. This is because you probably want people to see your company's name and information, which can help with advertising. If you want people to look at your truck when you're driving around or when you pull into a client's driveway, however, you should know that the appearance of your work truck does matter. If your truck looks dirty and as if you don't take good care of it, it could reflect negatively on your business. If you have your truck detailed every now and then, you can help ensure that your truck gives off a professional appearance.

Avoid Getting Dirty Yourself

You might find yourself leaning on your truck when you're getting something out of the bed of your truck or when you're talking on the phone. If this is the case, then you might get dirty if you don't have your truck detailed. You probably want to feel clean and confident when you're meeting with a client or walking into a restaurant for lunch, and keeping your truck clean is one way that you can avoid getting dirtier than necessary when you're at work.

Protect Your Truck

If you don't clean the outside of your work truck, then you have to worry about the paint job being damaged. If you don't clean out the inside of your work truck regularly after working in it, then there's a chance that dirt and other particles could get ground into the carpet or the seats, which could result in permanent damage. You could find yourself replacing your expensive work truck sooner than you would like to if you don't take good care of it, but a detailing shop can help you keep your work truck in good shape for as long as possible.

Contact a local truck detailing service to learn more.

Soilwork

Melvins

This posting outlines how I bound the (almost) complete works of Horace.

• Keywords: book binding; librarianship;
• Source: This posting was originally published as a part of Infomotions's Musings.

This blog posting describes how I have begun to use network graphs to illustrate ("read") texts.

• Keywords: network graphs; reading;
• Source: This posting was originally published as a part of Infomotions's Musings.

$20 off logo design

Marking their 50th Anniversary in the printing industry and the corporation’s 110th Anniversary in business, SHARP South Africa celebrated their success and unprecedented business growth during a partner event recently held in Johannesburg, South Africa. This event was a follow up from the Sharp summit in 2020 where representatives from SHARP Middle East & Africa [...]

The post SHARP announces Exceptional Performance and Launches its Future Workplace A3 MFPs appeared first on Braves News World.

[Nile Post] The survey, conducted across 12 districts, was presented at Makerere University's School of Public Health, shedding light on the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the HIV epidemic among this vulnerable population.

[Liberian Observer] A group of Physician Assistants, Nurses, Pharmacists, and OR-Technicians, representing the Professional Health Workers Association of Liberia, has formally petitioned the Liberian Senate to include provisions in the 2025 National Budget for the implementation of the Reclassification Policy for Health Workers and the hiring of volunteer healthcare workers.

[CPJ] The Committee to Protect Journalists, along with 26 other press freedom and human rights organizations, sent a letter on November 12 to the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) seeking updates on the urgent appeal filed on November 14, 2023, concerning the imprisonment of Egyptian writer Alaa Abdelfattah.

February 13, 2006 – With tax time fast approaching, the scam artists are out in droves. They are using a variety of ploys to fool consumers and engage in identity theft. Although most of these tricks have been used in the past, consumers continue to fall for them.

Adam Curry and Dave Winer mused about the concept of a commercial Podcasting Network for some months, but their commercial partnership never materialized. So others walked the talk and the 'The Podcasting Network' opened its doors yesterday. Its run by Mick Stanic and Cameron Reilly, the duo behind G'day World Podcast. "The Podcast Network will be the best collection of podcast’s available

It has been said that in October of 2004 a Google search returned less than 6,000 results for the term podcasting. Today, a similar search yields more than 857,000 results. Like the blogging phenomenon, podcasting has come out of nowhere and attracted an enthusiastic following.

While some traditional radio talk shows have begun providing podcasts of their regularly-scheduled broadcasts, the bulk of the podcasts that have cropped up tend to be independent broadcasters who have a fascination with technology. As a result, some podcasts are a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it is clear that the technology provides a significant opportunity and potential. Even nay-sayers believe that podcasting is more than a passing fad.

How Podcasting Works

Podcasting is RSS that is used to syndicate and distribute audio files. Podcasting contains an audio file in the RSS feed's enclosure tag. An enclosure tag is used in RSS feeds to include certain types of files. The file contained in an enclosure tag can be: an image, a data file, a video file, or an audio file. Podcasting specifically refers to RSS feeds that contain audio files in their enclosure tag. The RSS version that currently supports enclosure tags is RSS version 2.0. All podcasts are currently created using this specification.

How Podcasting Works

It has been said that in October of 2004 a Google search returned less than 6,000 results for the term podcasting. Today, a similar search yields more than 857,000 results. Like the blogging phenomenon, podcasting has come out of nowhere and attracted an enthusiastic following.

While some traditional radio talk shows have begun providing podcasts of their regularly-scheduled broadcasts, the bulk of the podcasts that have cropped up tend to be independent broadcasters who have a fascination with technology. As a result, some podcasts are a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it is clear that the technology provides a significant opportunity and potential. Even nay-sayers believe that podcasting is more than a passing fad.

How Podcasting Works?

While some traditional radio talk shows have begun providing podcasts of their regularly-scheduled broadcasts, the bulk of the podcasts that have cropped up tend to be independent broadcasters who have a fascination with technology. As a result, some podcasts are a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it is clear that the technology provides a significant opportunity and potential. Even nay-sayers believe that podcasting is more than a passing fad.

How Podcasting Works

It has been said that in October of 2004 a Google search returned less than 6,000 results for the term podcasting. Today, a similar search yields more than 857,000 results. Like the blogging phenomenon, podcasting has come out of nowhere and attracted an enthusiastic following.

While some traditional radio talk shows have begun providing podcasts of their regularly-scheduled broadcasts, the bulk of the podcasts that have cropped up tend to be independent broadcasters who have a fascination with technology. As a result, some podcasts are a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it is clear that the technology provides a significant opportunity and potential. Even nay-sayers believe that podcasting is more than a passing fad.

How Podcasting Works

Publishing Podcasts
In three simple steps, independent broadcasters can have their voice heard:

1. Publishers create audio content, posting it on a website for listeners.

2. Create or edit an existing RSS feed including a link to the audio file in the "enclosure" field of an RSS 2.0 feed, uploading it to a website.

3. Tell the world that a podcast is available.

How Podcasting Works

It has been said that in October of 2004 a Google search returned less than 6,000 results for the term podcasting. Today, a similar search yields more than 857,000 results. Like the blogging phenomenon, podcasting has come out of nowhere and attracted an enthusiastic following.

While some traditional radio talk shows have begun providing podcasts of their regularly-scheduled broadcasts, the bulk of the podcasts that have cropped up tend to be independent broadcasters who have a fascination with technology. As a result, some podcasts are a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it is clear that the technology provides a significant opportunity and potential. Even nay-sayers believe that podcasting is more than a passing fad.

How Podcasting Works Video Tutorial

Podcasting is RSS that is used to syndicate and distribute audio files. Podcasting contains an audio file in the RSS feed's enclosure tag. An enclosure tag is used in RSS feeds to include certain types of files. The file contained in an enclosure tag can be: an image, a data file, a video file, or an audio file. Podcasting specifically refers to RSS feeds that contain audio files in their enclosure tag. The RSS version that currently supports enclosure tags is RSS version 2.0. All podcasts are currently created using this specification.

How Podcasting Works

As work continues on Saudi Arabia's futuristic mirrored megacity, the Line, new details have now been revealed. Government authorities have given an update on the progress so far and named the architects in charge of making this desert dream a reality.

Continue Reading

Category: Architecture, Lifestyle

Tags: Neom, Building and Construction, Saudi Arabia

Urges Mr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to get relevant countries to work collectively under coordination from India to impress upon Israel to give up its illegal occupation, surrender its settler-colonial policies, work towards a one-state solution.

Ubisoft had cancelled another three projects last month to combat revenue losses and work on its long-term growth

(Telecompaper) Skyworks Solutions reported revenues for its fiscal fourth quarter to September of USD 1.025 billion, better than in the previous quarter but still down around 16 percent from a year earlier...

(Telecompaper) Exponential-e, UK provider of cloud, communications, connectivity and cyber security services, has secured a place as a supplier on the new Crown Commercial Service (CCS) G-Cloud 14 Framework...

(Telecompaper) Telekom Slovenije announced it is actively participating in the Endurance project, a new initiative funded by the European Commission's Horizon...

(Telecompaper) UK ISP Fusion Fibre Group has partnered with Platform X Communications (PXC), wholesale network division of TalkTalk Telecom Group, to expand its UK network coverage...

(Telecompaper) 1&1 has again slightly lowered its estimate for service revenues this year, to EUR 3.31 billion from a previous estimate of EUR 3.33 billion...

(Telecompaper) France's telecom authority Arcep has published draft recommendations for public consultation with the aim to clarify what operators should do in...

(Telecompaper) Cisco is publicising a deal with consulting firm LTIMindtree to deploy secure edge technology for its hybrid workforce and global consulting client base...

(Telecompaper) Ziply Fiber has agreed to acquire the Pacific Northwest assets of Unite Private Networks (UPN) from owner Cox Communications, for an undisclosed amount...

(Telecompaper) The UK government has announced the launch of a new forum to advise on the future of UK television. Led by Media Minister, Stephanie Peacock MP, the working group will include senior representatives from regulator Ofcom, TV broadcasters, infrastructure providers, and audience/viewer groups. It will...

(Telecompaper) Canadian vendor Vecima Networks has announced the successful completion of a first-phase linear ad insertion deployment for US fibre and IPTV carrier Hotwire Communications. The first phase introduces linear parity ad insertion, enabling zonal ad placements in IPTV streams. In the next phase,...

From incorporating the philosophy of wabi-sabi to focusing on functionality, these solid wood furniture makers are making a mark in a fragmented industry

Honda has filed a patent for a twin-screw supercharger, similar to the one found on the Kawasaki H2.

1. NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab laying off 5% of its workforce  Space.com
2. JPL Workforce Update  NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
3. NASA’s JPL to cut 325 positions amid budget tightening  The Pasadena Star-News
4. NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab announces hundreds of layoffs: 'Painful but necessary'  Fox Business

1. Video: Mike Tyson shows he's not your typical 58-year-old during open workout  MMA Junkie
2. Tyson vows to bring 'devil himself' into Paul fight  ESPN
3. Watch 58-Year-Old Mike Tyson Crush Pads Days Away from Jake Paul Fight  Sports Illustrated
4. Mike Tyson-Jake Paul: How to watch the fight, time, odds  The Associated Press
5. The Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing match shows streaming is just cable now  The Washington Post

Summary: This spring's IIW was full of interesting people and interesting discussions with people from around the globe.

We recently completed the 38th edition of the Internet Identity Workshop. We had 330 people from around the world who called 169 sessions. As usual there was lots of energy and thousands of side conversations. IIW is a place to get things done and it showed in the energy and the comments people made to me about how much they enjoyed it.

As you can see by the pins in the map at the top of this post, there were attendees from all over the world. Not surprisingly, most of the attendees were from the US (241), followed by Canada (11). Germany, India, and Switzerland rounded out the top five with 9, 8, and 7 attendees respectively. Attendees from India (5), Thailand (3), and Korea (3) showed IIW's diversity with attendees from APAC. And there were 4 attendees from South America this time. Sadly, there were no attendees from Africa again. Please remember we offer scholarships for people from underrepresented areas, so if you'd like to come to IIW39, please let us know. If you're working on identity, we want you there.

For states and provinces, California was first with 122. Washington (16), Utah (10), Texas (10) and New York (10) rounded out the top five. San Francisco (14) Oakland (13), San Jose (12), Seattle (11), and New York (9) were the top cities.

In addition to sessions, we have a demo hour on Wednesday that is a little like speed dating. There were 20 different projects highlighted. There's always more than one session that I want to attend in any given time slot and choosing is hard. That's a common refrain. Luckily we have sessions notes that we publish in a Book of Proceedings.

Here's pictures from all three days courtesy of Doc Searls

You belong at IIW! IIW is where you will meet people to help you solve problems and move your ideas forward. Please come! IIW 39 will be held October 29-31, 2024 at the Computer History Museum. We'll have tickets available soon.

Tags: identity iiw

Summary: We know that LLMs hallucinate. And we know that we can overcome some of that problem with better prompts. But can LLMs provide references for their work? I conducted an experiment.

Recently my friend Scott Mace asked this on X in response to a post about the evolution of software and how LLMs will likely follow that same trajectory:

Yes, but how trustworthy will it be? Can I at least see the links it used to create its response?

From X
Referenced 2024-05-21T18:09:06-0400

The short answer is "no", but the real answer is a bit more nuanced because of how LLMs like ChatGPT work. First the short answer: LLMs don't understand what they're saying so they can't reference the material that it used to create a response. They don't work like that. They don't go out, do a bunch of research and then create a response. Instead lots (and I mean LOTS) of material is fed into the program that creates the model, a multi-dimensional matrix of word orders. Then when you ask a question ("give it prompt" in LLM-speak), it processes the question and generates text based on the probabilities of words in its model¹. There's no way it can satisfy Scott directly because the model doesn't—can't, as far as I know—include the references that it used to create the text because it's generating it on the fly from material that has been thoroughly blended together.

But, in fairness, that's not what people do most of the time either. If you asked me over lunch or at the end of a tech presentation to describe zero trust and its pros and cons, I'd start talking. I wouldn't start looking up things on the web and somehow weave them into text complete with references. I'd go look for references if you asked me to back up something I said. So, let's try that with ChatGPT 4o. I gave it the following prompt:

You are a writer for a website focusing on technology. Your specialty is security. Write a 150 word explanation of zero trust with three pros and three cons.

ChaptGPT answered with this text:

Zero Trust is a security model based on the principle of "never trust, always verify." Unlike traditional security models that assume everything inside the network is safe, Zero Trust assumes that threats can exist both inside and outside the network. It requires strict identity verification for every user and device attempting to access resources, regardless of their location.

Pros:

1. Enhanced Security: By continuously verifying users and devices, Zero Trust reduces the risk of breaches and unauthorized access.
2. Minimized Attack Surface: It limits access to only what is necessary, reducing potential entry points for attackers.
3. Improved Compliance: Helps meet regulatory requirements by ensuring strict access controls and logging all access attempts.

Cons:

1. Complex Implementation: Deploying Zero Trust can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a significant overhaul of existing systems and processes.
2. Increased Costs: The initial investment in technology and training can be high.
3. User Experience Impact: Continuous verification can lead to friction and inconvenience for users if not implemented smoothly.

Zero Trust is essential for modern cybersecurity, but it requires careful planning and resources to implement effectively.

That's pretty good. But what if we need some references to other material to back up the pros and cons? I asked ChatGPT to supply them:

Now repeat that task, but this time include references as hyperlinks to back up each pro and con.

ChaptGPT answered with this text:

Zero Trust is a security model based on the principle of "never trust, always verify." Unlike traditional security models that assume everything inside the network is safe, Zero Trust assumes that threats can exist both inside and outside the network. It requires strict identity verification for every user and device attempting to access resources, regardless of their location.

Pros:

1. Enhanced Security: By continuously verifying users and devices, Zero Trust reduces the risk of breaches and unauthorized access (CSO Online).
2. Minimized Attack Surface: It limits access to only what is necessary, reducing potential entry points for attackers (NIST).
3. Improved Compliance: Helps meet regulatory requirements by ensuring strict access controls and logging all access attempts (Gartner).

Cons:

1. Complex Implementation: Deploying Zero Trust can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a significant overhaul of existing systems and processes (Forrester).
2. Increased Costs: The initial investment in technology and training can be high (ZDNet).
3. User Experience Impact: Continuous verification can lead to friction and inconvenience for users if not implemented smoothly (TechRepublic).

Zero Trust is essential for modern cybersecurity, but it requires careful planning and resources to implement effectively.

That looks great! Nice references for each bullet. There's just one problem. All the links, except the NIST reference, are dead. I don't know if they're wrong, made up, or stale. I tried finding content on a few of the sites by searching and came up dry. As I heard Johannes Ernst say once, ChatGPT is a "large language model" not a "large fact model" and this bears that out.

Still, asking for references or evidence for statements is something people are going to want. So, I tried a different tack. This time I asked this:

Why do you say complex implementation is a problem for zero trust? Can you give me a few references on that I can read myself?

ChatGPT responded with this:

Implementing a Zero Trust security model can be challenging for several reasons:

1. Overall Complexity: Zero Trust requires a comprehensive understanding of your network's intricacies, including users, devices, applications, and data. This can involve significant changes to existing infrastructure, which can be disruptive and costly. Organizations need to be prepared for the extensive planning and resources required for successful implementation​ (Help Net Security)​​ (Enterprise Networking Planet​).
2. Legacy Systems: Many organizations have legacy systems that are not designed to operate within a Zero Trust framework. These systems might require different security measures or even complete replacement, adding to the complexity and cost (Help Net Security)​​ (Enterprise Networking Planet​)
3. Cultural Shift: Zero Trust is not just a technological shift but also a cultural one. It requires continuous verification and strict access controls, which can lead to user frustration and resistance if not managed properly. Ensuring user buy-in and minimizing disruption to workflows through training and communication is essential (Deloitte United States)​​ (Guidehouse).
4. Resource Intensive: Implementing and maintaining Zero Trust can put a strain on IT resources due to the need for continuous monitoring and management. The need for advanced security tools and ongoing updates further adds to the resource demands (Help Net Security)​​ (Enterprise Networking Planet​).
5. Stakeholder Alignment: Achieving buy-in from all stakeholders and aligning them with the Zero Trust principles is critical. This requires a coordinated effort to educate stakeholders, prioritize gaps, and ensure consistent understanding and application of Zero Trust principles across the organization (Deloitte United States)​​ (Guidehouse).

These challenges highlight the importance of a phased and well-planned approach to Zero Trust implementation, considering both technological and human factors. For more detailed insights, you can refer to articles from Help Net Security and Guidehouse.

Much better. The links in the bullets all work, but the ones at the end don't. The articles it references aren’t very detailed, so I wouldn’t say they’re stellar references, but at least there’s a pointer to outside material that discusses similar challenges. So, partial success.

I've found that when you're using ChatGPT to do research, treating it like a librarian and asking questions that follow up are the best way to gain confidence that the material is correct and find the supporting material, just as I did above. I'm sure you could wrap additional helper functions around an LLM to make getting references easier. But for now interrogation through chat is the best way to get comfortable with the results.

Notes

1. Yeah, this is really simplified and thus wrong, but it's directionally correct. For a better explanation, see What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?.

Photo Credit: Older Man Talking to Robot Librarian from DALL-E (public domain) Prompt: draw me a rectangular picture of an older man talking with a robot librarian. Use earth tones.

Tags: genai llm chatgpt prompt+engineering

Summary: We held the 39th edition of Internet Identity Workshop last week. Like always, it was a great week.

The 39th edition of the Internet Identity Workshop wrapped up last week. We have 364 attendees from around the world who called 178 sessions. I can't begin to describe the energy of the identity community when they all get together to discuss their favorite topics. If you like identity, or simply want to be part of an enthusiastic technical community, you should come to IIW.

As you can see by the pins in the map at the top of this post, there were attendees from all over the world. Not surprisingly, most of the attendees were from the US (251), followed by Canada (18) and France (14). Germany, Japan, and Australia rounded out the top six with 12, 9, and 7 attendees respectively. Attendees from India (5), Columbia (3), and Chile (2) show IIW's geographic diversity. Sadly, there were no attendees from Africa again. Please remember we offer scholarships for people from underrepresented areas, so if you'd like to come to IIW40, please let us know. If you're working on identity, we want you there.

For states and provinces, California was first with 131 attendees. Washington (19), Utah (14), New York (9), and Massachusetts (9) made up the rest of the top 5. San Jose (20), San Francisco (16), Paris (12), Oakland (11), and Seattle (9) were the top five cities.

We'll have the book of proceedings out in a month or so with notes from the different sessions and descriptions of the 20 demos given during demo hour. Past proceedings are available here.

The next IIW takes place April 8-10, 2025 at the Computer History Museum. This will be IIW XL, number 40! We'll have registration open the first part of December. If you're interested in sponsoring, send me a note.

Tags: iiw identity

Salt Lake City and 17 other Utah cities are planning to construct the largest ultrahigh-speed data network in the country using fiber optic cables. The project to complete a direct fiber optic connection to homes is considered by The New York Times as one of the most ambitious of its type in the world.

What difference would it make to be able to unlock ocean data at scale? How would deploying hundreds of marine sensing platforms improve marine weather predictability and accuracy? A company named Sofar is answering some of those questions these days due to their capacity to use real-time data to improve ... [continued]

The post How Networks Of Ocean Sensors Can Improve Marine Weather Predictability appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Christmas is just a few weeks away, and if you’re planning to work on some fun DIY projects—the earlier you do it, the better. Getting an early start on your holiday DIY projects comes with a long list of benefits, and here are five reasons why it’s always a good idea. More Time The earlier […]