Certification - July 2008 - (Page 39)

Our favorites include the clever Mac Daddy, featuring what looks like an old-school Macintosh SE/30; Rollin’ in my 64, featuring a graphic of the old Nintendo 64 game controller; and Viva La Evolución, which substitutes a chimp for the iconic image of revolutionary Che Guevara. The Evolution Will Not Be Televised There’s no shortage of Web sites dedicated to covering IT culture and news, but one recent addition has caught the collective eye of the CertMag editors. Launched in October 2007, Internet Evolution aims to take the IT conversation to the next level. The Web site, owned by CMP Technology, has gathered a formidable collection of bloggers dedicated to exploring the future of the Internet. According to the site, “the next huge leap forward in the history of the Internet is happening now,” and the goal of the site is to “gauge its likely impact on every aspect of life as we know it.” Those are some highfalutin’ goals, and we’re a bit doubtful of their ability to cover “every” aspect of life, but so far we like what we see. The site’s “The Big Report” features occasional in-depth articles on Web-related issues. Recent reports range from the banal to the grandiose, including “Top Ten Ways YouTube Has Ruined Life for Good” (check out CertMag’s coverage of the societal effects of YouTube on page 24 of this issue) and “Can The Internet Save the Planet?” The site also features the standard Web 2.0 fare: discussion boards, video and webinars and blogs. It calls the blog section ThinkerNet, a “moderated blogosphere of Internet experts.” While simply using “blogosphere” was almost enough to make us close the browser right away, we’re glad we didn’t let our revulsion for the kitschy term get the best of us. Image courtesy of BustedTees in homes and businesses in a 2-square-mile radius of downtown San Francisco. The company aims to have the whole city covered by the end of 2008. And with $20 million in venture capital in hand, it has the means to make it happen. We like that it’s a people-powered revolution that has the potential to remake Wi-Fi initiatives in California and around the world. Geek Chic It used to be that the popular image of the IT pro was a guy in ill-fitting clothes, pocket protector firmly in place, a massive calculator watch on his wrist and thick, tapedup glasses adorning his face. But fueled by a Webenabled world and a shift in popular tastes, IT guys (and gals) have enjoyed a renaissance of sorts during the past few years. A case in point: the rise of hipster irony and its reverence for computer and gaming culture. With a flair for sarcasm and double entendre, clothing supplier BustedTees is riding the hipster wave with a collection of snarky T-shirts and hoodies available for sale through its Web site. While some are genuinely amusing and others borderline offensive, most designs don’t fail to entertain. Recent posts such as “Beyond the Green Platitudes” and “Private Lives and Public Surfing” got us thinking about how the Internet is increasingly and intricately intertwined into our lives and culture. They’ve got a long way to go to live up to their promise to cover how the Internet is going to impact every aspect of life, but so far so good. 8 July 2008 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE 39 http://www.bustedtees.com/macdaddy http://www.bustedtees.com/rollininmy64 http://www.bustedtees.com/rollininmy64 http://www.bustedtees.com/vivalaevolucion http://www.internetevolution.com/ http://www.bustedtees.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification - July 2008

Certification - July 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data System Virtual Village Tech Careers Dear Techie Academic Connection Look Ahead Troubleshooting Testing Your Foot in the Door: Certification at the Entry Level Analyzing the Societal Effects of YouTube Interface Spread the Knowledge: Becoming an IT Trainer Inside Certification Ad Index What We Like Endtag

Certification - July 2008

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