Ottawa freelance tech journalist
There’s no shortage of fakes on Twitter: Fake celebrities, fake politicians, fake CEOs and well, it goes on.
However, as a journalist, I have to say, there’s on fake Twitter account that stands above the rest: FakeAPStylebook.
Granted, being Canadian, it’s the CP (Canadian Press) style guide I’ve had drilled into my head, but I’ve got to say, the Fake AP Style book has some good guidelines, such as the above wisdom on avoiding libel charges.
In 1993, a program called Ecco Pro was launched. It became a leading piece of software in the Personal Information Management (PIM) space, giving users a place to stash random notes, contact lists, tasks and many intelligent ways to sort all that information.
Many people crammed their entire lives into this piece of software.
Fast-forward to 1997, the software was discontinued.
However, despite having been killed off more than a decade ago, Ecco Pro still enjoys a cult-like following among devoted users.
As an installed piece of desktop software, Ecco Pro can be used unless future versions of Windows become incompatible with it.
This is the exact opposite of so-called “cloud computer,” where data and these days, even the software is stored on somebody else’s server.
The dangers of storing everything in the cloud were made obvious last week when Microsoft lost all the data for users of T-Mobile’s Sidekick phones.
Had the data been stored in the phone itself, like most, there’d be less of an issue with losing remote server data.
But trusting someone else to keep your data safe and do regular back-ups is only one part of the problem.
When it comes to using web-based applications, if a company shuts down, the app is gone forever.
This was true with Stikkit, a really nifty online note-taking and calendar application that went away forever when the creator was hired by Twitter.
Sticking to applications made by large, reputable companies isn’t a safe bet either. Anyone who used Google Notebook (myself included) learned that lesson the hard way.
So, while cloud storage and web applications certainly have their advantages (I can reform my computer without worrying about backing too much stuff up, cross-platform compatibility with web apps and access anywhere,) I’m really reluctant to invest my workflow into something that could disappear forever tomorrow.
Sometimes it can be worth looking through the spam folder, just because sometimes between having my masculinity challenged, there can be some truly surreal stuff.
Example, this missive that doesn’t seem to be selling anything, just warning to the world that actress Scarlett Johansson is a clone:
IT IS NOT A SPAM, but if you received that message second and plus time JUST CLICK DELETE button and have a nice day. Don’t feel bad, please understand original Scarlett’s family very desperate to shut down that humiliating antichristian "actress" clones line career development. Hello dear Ladies and Gentlemen! I would like inform you that Scarlett Johansson ?actress? actually is a clone from original person Scarlett Galabekian last name, who has nothing with acting career, surname Galabekian, because of adoption happened in 1992. Clones was created illegally by using stolen biological material. Original person is very nice (not d**n sexy),most important – CHRISTIAN young lady! I’ll tell you more,those clones (it’s not only one) made in GERMANY – world leader manufacturer of humans clones, it is in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Mr. Helmut Kohl home town. You can not even imaging the scale of the cloning activity. But warning! Helmut Kohl clone staff strictly controlling all their clones (at least they trying) spreading around the world, they are very accurate with that, some of them are still NAZI type disciplined and mind controlled clones, so be careful get close with clones you will be controlled as well. Original person is not happy with those movies, images, video, rumors and etc. spreading on media in that way it would be really nice if we all will try slow down that ”actress” career development, original Scarlett will really appreciated that. Please remember that original Scarlett’s family did not authorize any activity with stolen biological materials, no matter what form it was created in it was stolen and it is stolen. It all need to be delivered to authorize personals control in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Original Scarlett never was engaged, by the way! Her close friend Serge G. P.S. CONTROLLING ACTIVITY OF ANY CLONES IS US MILITARY OPERATION. Check also here: http://www.flickfilosopher.com/blog/2008/10/warning_stolen_biological_mate.html H.R. 534, the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003, was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on February 5, 2003. After discussion, it was passed on February 27 by a vote of 241-155. It now moves on to the Senate for consideration. This bill makes it unlawful for any person or entity to perform or participate in human cloning, or to ship or receive embryos produced by human cloning. The penalties are imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of $1 million or more. These now join other nations as diverse as Norway, Australia, and many other countries, which had already added cloning for any purpose to their criminal code. And in Germany where it carries a penalty of five years imprisonment they know a thing or two about unethical science.
Um…yeah.
All this said, I’m sure many guys out there see nothing wrong with the idea of cloning Scarlett Johansson.