Bitcoin: More ideology than trustworthy currency
Bitcoin's appeal is its promise to fulfil certain libertarian geek fantasies, but right now, there's little to distinguish this digital currency from an elaborate scam.
The Full Tilt
Stilgherrian delivers an undiluted dose of criticism and analysis of the ways digital technology is changing our world and the spin that goes with it. Mostly in words -- sometimes in audio or video formats -- always cynical. Incorporating the Patch Monday podcast.
Stilgherrian
Stilgherrian is a freelance journalist, commentator and podcaster interested in big-picture internet issues, especially security, cybercrime and hoovering up bulldust. He studied computing science and linguistics before a wide-ranging media career and a stint at running an IT business. He can write iptables firewall rules, set a rabbit trap, clear a jam in an IBM model 026 card punch and mix a mean whiskey sour.
Latest Posts
Summly sale storytelling hides horrible home truths
Summly's presumed boy-genius founder and its $30 million sale to Yahoo got global media attention, thanks to classic dodgy startup-culture myth making. Time for a reality check.
Backwards attitude to online identity erodes our power
Demanding that people use their real names to access internet services, except in special circumstances, is a dramatic, but largely undiscussed shift of power away from individuals to corporations and governments.
Will you stop with all your 'cybering' already?
When someone starts warning you of "cyberthreats", check your wallet and keys. You're probably about to be conned.
Beware! Anonymous has become the Hello Kitty of hacktivism
If you think hacktivists are a problem now, just wait. The tools are becoming increasingly easy to use, and the hacktivists increasingly stupid — making everyone a target.
PS4 socials all the gaming, says Sony; but why?
With PlayStation 4, Sony joins the cavalcade of companies sacrificing your privacy to replace the profits lost thanks to plummeting hardware prices. Fun, but at what cost?
Influence, vanity metrics and other internet astrology
Science-free vanity metrics from Kred, LinkedIn, and all the rest are gamifying you and your business -- and you're the loser.
Berners-Lee, Silicon Valley, and Australia's cultural cringe
Sir Tim Berners-Lee's visit to Australia drew out the same cultural cringe that drives that eternal, daft question, "how can we create our own Silicon Valley?"
Some of that ol' NBN religion
Discussions about Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN) has long since departed the realm of rational existence to become purely symbolic--and it'll stay like that until the election in September.
Australia's National Security Strategy? Or Labor's election-year cyber gimmick?
The Australian Cyber Security Centre that was announced yesterday may be useful, but seems more like an election-year gimmick that will tempt governments to increase surveillance and control.