Technology News: Microsoft wins right to disclose FBI’s demand for info about Office 365 customer
In a significant victory for transparency and free speech, a federal judge in Seattle granted Microsoft permission to unseal documents related to an FBI investigation into one of its cloud customers. The case relates to a National Security Letter issued to Microsoft in 2013 that ordered the company to turn over information about one of its enterprise customers, whose identity remains a secret. The customer stores data on Microsoft’s Office 365, a service that lets companies keep email and work collaboration tools in the cloud.
Read full story => Gigaom

Programming News: Upgrading to Ruby 2.1 (and why complex regexes will inevitably hurt you)
When we first launched FreeAgent, it ran on Ruby 1.8.6 MRI (and Rails 1.2!). We graduated to 1.8.7 REE when that became popular, then in the summer of 2011 we upgraded to Ruby 1.9.3. We’ve been running on that version (1.9.3-p194 to be specific) ever since. It has served us well, but performance is not one of Ruby 1.9.3’s strong points and we’ve seen our application server response time gradually grow over the years to the point where we really wanted to do something about it. Just over a year ago, Ruby 2.0 was released. This introduced DTrace support and GC optimisations, both of which were of particular interest to us at FreeAgent since they allow us better insight into what Ruby is spending its time doing. As an added bonus, we also expected an improvement in performance. Late last year we spiked up a branch of FreeAgent that ran on Ruby 2.0 but before we’d even started to QA this, Ruby 2.1 was released on Christmas Day!
Read full story => Freeagent

Photography News: Forget the Street Photography Gimmicks, Concentrate on the Image
A lot of what gets praised as great street photography these days has to do with juxtaposition, forced perspective or some bizarre subject matter. For sure, those images deserve their due. However, I tend to favor photos that have great light and composition, and where the subject is a little more sublime. Take this picture by Swiss photographer Alexander Ess, for example. The three girls aren’t doing anything particularly exciting but the photo captures a sense of detachment, or perhaps boredom. You’re especially drawn to the girl on the left, whose face is wonderfully highlighted by the soft light coming through the window.
Read full story => HuffingtonPost

Technology News: IBM Smarter Planet – Open and Collaborative: Cloud’s Future
Cloud computing offers businesses and individuals another way to do important work — on computers that they don’t always own or manage. The cloud transforms computing into a utility, like electricity or water. It’s all about speed and convenience. Many organizations are operating large cloud data centers packed with hundreds of thousands of server computers, and their technologists are looking for ways to differentiate their services from their competitors while reducing complexity. Today, many of them use technologies that originated in the personal computing era to power their data centers.It’s a one-size-fits-all approach that’s out of sync with the demands of the cloud era. In addition, these organizations still face critical issues like system utilization and management complexity. The ideal approach is a “lights out” model and technologies that support that model.
Read full story => A Smarter Planet

Programming News: Java Build Tools Survey
Here come the result for the last week’s Java build tools survey. 675 people responded – thanks everyone who contributed! The answers were not mutually exclusive and a good portion of responders selected several answers. I interpret that as “I use Maven at work and Gradle at home”. Or maybe there are multiple projects that the guys are working on and the old projects aren’t migrated from Ant to Maven/Gradle. 480 out of 675 people indicated that they use Maven, which makes 71.1% out of all responders. Actually this number somehow matches my personal assumption about Maven share. Jason actually confirmed that this should be in line with the previous similar surveys.
Read full story => Java Lobby

Photography News: Take better DSLR shots using…your smartphone?
Photos are meant to be viewed large. Yet when taking a shot—that crucial moment when we should be most discerning—we usually rely on the camera’s small LCD to preview the image. The traditional solution has been to “tether” the camera to a computer, so you can view shots on a large screen as they’re captured, or even control the camera’s settings and trigger the shutter remotely. That approach lets you correct the scene or settings and reshoot immediately if anything looks amiss.
Read full story => TechHive

Technology News: Cloud will enable ‘As-a-service’ technologies
A Forrester report outlines that by 2020, the rise of “as-a-service” technologies, empowered workers, and a radically more complex business environment will challenge IT infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders to deliver higher levels of value, agility, and employee satisfaction, all while reducing the cost of IT services. This will require I&O organisations to shift from the role of primary provider of IT services to a broker of public and private services. Today’s I&O teams are doing more than just prioritising workforce computing investments — they’re placing big bets on the solutions and policies that have the potential to transform how your business operates. Consumerisation, mobility, client virtualisation, and employee self-service are all important, but what your business really needs is an integrated strategy to support flexible work styles. A deeper understanding of workforce experiences built on virtual and cloud technology, combined with updated processes and enhanced self-service to transform employee engagement and work-style flexibility seem to be the plausible answer.
Read full story => MoneyControl

Programming News: Computer Science, What Is It?
Computer science itself is a surprisingly difficult thing to define. If you do a search on the web you’ll turn up quite a few definitions for computer science. Some people take a very academic approach and say that computer science is about studying computation and systems of computation. (What the heck does this mean?) Other people will define it in terms of what they believe it is about, saying things like computer science is using computers to solve problems. None of these definitions or attempts at defining computer science sit well with me. Why it is important to know what computer science is? So, you might be thinking “who cares?” “What does it matter what computer science is?” Well, the reason why it matters is because many of us programmers and software developers either have a degree in computer science, are studying to get a degree in computer science, or simply associate our knowledge with the field of computer science. It seems kind of silly to have a degree in something that you can’t clearly define nor can anyone else.
Read full story => SimpleProgrammer

Photography News: How to Find Photo Projects in Your Own Backyard
Finding a good photo project is always a challenge, but the staff of The Herald in Jasper, Indiana, a town of about 15,000 people, has been coming up with a photo essay every week for the past 35 years. What’s more, photographers at The Herald have won a number of major photo prizes for their work over the years. David Weatherwax, chief photographer of The Herald, has won Photojournalist of the Year (in the small market category) in the NPPA Best of Photojournalism competition for the past two years. He recently explained in a PDN interview how he and his colleagues come up with so many story ideas in their own backyard. At The Herald, they rely plenty on the personal contacts they accumulate in their day-to-day work as newspaper journalists. Photographer Carrie Niland, who has worked as a photo editor at The Seattle Times, AOL, and The Post-Standard in Syracuse, says the key to finding good local stories it so start a lot of conversations, asking people to tell you about the most interesting people they know.
Read full story => PDNpulse

Technology News: Most Americans don’t want wearable tech like iWatch, Google Glass
Apple’s anticipated iWatch and Google Glass have provoked plenty of headlines, but a recent poll shows that a majority of well-heeled Americans with college degrees wouldn’t consider buying or wearing such devices. The April telephone poll of 1,011 Americans 18 and older found that only 34% of those polled who make $100,000 or more a year would consider buying or wearing a consumer-grade smart watch or smart glasses. For those with a significantly smaller income, $35,000 annually, the percentage of those interested in the technology increases to 47%. College graduates are also least likely to buy wearable technology, according to the survey. College grads interested in wearable technology was no higher than 37%, but the interest level rose to 45% for those with a high school degree or less.
Read full story => PC Advisor

Programming News: Understanding, Comparing, and Using Java Cloud Platforms (PaaS)
There are so many Java Cloud Platforms on the market today: CloudFoundry, CloudBees, Google App Engine, OpenShift, Heroku, and Oracle Java Cloud Service. How can you possibly choose? Fortunately, Khanderao Kand is on hand to help in this JAXConf 2013 presentation. He’ll compare the various platforms through examples, and give you an idea of what key factors to look for when selecting the right cloud platform for your application.
Read full story => JAXenter

Photography News: 5 tips to improve your photography skills and your photos (contd..)
In the previous post (5 tips to improve your photography skills and your photos), I am writing a set of general guidelines on how to improve your photos. Taking better photos does not only deal with knowing your equipment and its settings better, in fact, the best of photographers always claim better technique and temperament as one of the prime techniques of taking better photos. I would love it if you could provide comments on whether you agree or disagree with such tips, and if you feel that you have tips you want to share, please do let me know via the comments. Here goes …
Read full story => 5PhotoTips

Technology News: NSA has cloud technology allowing other agencies to view its data from the field
The Salt Lake Tribune has published an excellent overview of the NSA’s many data storage facilities and installations in the United States. The piece goes into some depth regarding the technical specifications required to power and operate such an extensive, global surveillance architecture. It also includes this fascinating detail, presumably referencing FBI and CIA access to NSA’s huge troves of data:

The NSA also has pioneered so-called "cloud-centric’’ technology to let outside agencies reach remotely into its enormous data pools.

Read full story => PrivacySOS

Programming News: What’s new in Linux 3.10
A second SSD caching framework and support for the new Radeons’ video decoder are two of the most important enhancements in Linux 3.10, which is now out. This version also includes several new and improved drivers and a change to the network stack to speed up HTTP connections. Linus Torvalds released version 3.10 just nine weeks after Linux 3.9 was released, making this development cycle about one week shorter than many previous cycles. This speed is particularly impressive considering more changes were integrated into the latest kernel version than ever before, at least if you go by the number of commits in the source code management system – the number of lines changed is about the same as for previous versions.
Read full story => H-online

Photography News: Family Holiday Photo Tips
Going on holiday with your family and your camera isn’t the same as going on a photographic holiday. So here are a few tips on how you can still go out and enjoy your photography but keep the peace with your family at the same time. A DSLR and a variety of lenses packed in a case is OK for photographic holidays but it can get a little heavy when you’re heading out with bags of sun cream, hats, buckets and spades, too. If you want to use a DSLR try fitting a zoom lens that gives you a variety of focal lengths in one lens or pocket a compact camera so you can still capture the shots you want but in a less obtrusive way. Point-and-shoot cameras are easier to pack too as they don’t take up too much room and many can fit in a pocket so can be accessed quickly if needs be.
Read full story => ePHOTOzine

Technology News: Web 2.0 Business Technology: Social Media and eLearning
As business needs change, there is a rising demand for technological advancement. Today, internet based communication tools provide essential operation and marketing solutions. Therefore, the first step to ensuring success in future endeavors is to accept new business technology. Web 2.0 describes how the types of tools people use for internet based communication are in their second generation.
Read full story => Interactyx

Programming News: Building an App Using the Personal Cloud Application Architecture
The personal cloud application architecture is a post-Web 2.0 programming model that separates users data from application logic and application data. This post explains how to build PCAA-style applications by converting a simple, JavaScript-based TODO list application into one that stores user data in the user’s personal cloud.
Read full story => Phil Windley

Photography News: Vulture Equipment Works A4 Camera/Equipment Strap
You might be wondering why I’m about to spend so many words on a review for a camera strap. Some of you are perfectly content to use the small strap the manufacturer tosses in the box or pick up a slightly better one at your local camera store. Well, let me bring up an old adage… “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
Read full story => PhotoFocus

Technology News: Ten Myths About Technology
Sometimes my view on technology seems paradoxical and messy. Sometimes it feels like cognitive dissonance. I hang with Luddites and Technophiles. I join #chats and write blogs and yet I frequently criticize technology. So, this list might seem conflicting. Or nuanced. You can make up your mind.
Read full story => EducationRethink

Programming News: Reclaiming Your Data and Your Software
Lately I’ve been discussing quite a bit with Leo about the current state of the ‘Net. Sure it’s nice to get all those services in the cloud for free, but in the end, you either have to worry about what exactly happens with your data, or what you can do against companies shutting down cloud based services like the Google Reader, leaving you with a pile of useless XML files, a bit like letting you take home the remnants of your car after compactification.
Read full story => ArchitectsZone

Photography News: New tech will keep your photos safe in (and from) the cloud
A modern connected life means balancing privacy with convenience. For example, many of us willingly hand all of our private personal photos over to third party cloud services in exchange for the convenience of easily accessing them across our polygadget, multi-platform digital lives. And then all our stuff is just kind of up “there,” and we just hope the Googles, Facebooks, and Flickrs of the world (not to mention mischievous hackers) aren’t doing anything creepy with it.
Read full story => Tech Hive

Technology News: Carriers face challenges to compete in cloud computing services market
Cloud computing is gaining momentum, and telecom operators are battling for cloud computing customers. Carriers face fierce competition in this emerging market, and many have to solve several issues before becoming strong competitors. Almost all data center and infrastructure providers have included some kind of cloud service offering in their portfolio, and they have entered this field with the intention of gaining a huge share of this market.
Read full story => RCRWireless

Programming News: 5 Illustrated Tips On How To Be A Better UX Designer
If you’re a regular subscriber to our email newsletter, you’ll be familiar with the UX Quick Tip that we include in each issue. This tip is a short reminder (sometimes a quote from a thought leader who we respect) to help you be a better UX Designer. We like to go the extra mile with our quick tips and include an illustration to go with each one.
Read full story => UXMastery

Photography News: A Starry Sea of Cameras at the Unveiling of Pope Francis
Here’s a startling side-by-side comparison of news photos that has begun floating around on the social web. Both photographs show a large crowd gathered to witness the unveiling of a new pope. The top one was what AP photographer Luca Bruno saw in 2005 when Pope Benedict XVI was introduced, while the bottom one is what AP photographer Michael Sohn witnessed yesterday at the election of Pope Francis. CNN’s live news cameras witnessed the same thing as Pope Francis strolled out onto the balcony.
Read full story => PetaPixel

Technology News: Microsoft’s Cloud Goes Dark Across the Globe
Just before 2 p.m. Pacific time, Microsoft reported worldwide problems with its Windows Azure cloud computing platform. The problem has to do with the security certificate used by Azure’s storage service, which in turn affected a number of other Azure services.
Read full story => Wired

Programming News: JavaScript, the weird parts
To say that JavaScript is becoming more and more popular is such a typical and boring way to start such an awesome post…Anyway, JavaScript is becoming more and more popular each day…There’s client-side JavaScript with awesome API, you can do whatever you wish with it – write 3D games, stream video and audio, process files…There’s also a server-side JavaScript which is also awesome (I guess awesome will be a common word for this post). JavaScript is exiting language with big expressiveness power.
Read full story => Minko Gechev’s blog

Photography News: Olympus-Sony partnership now completed
AP reports that “Sony has today become the largest shareholder in Olympus as the firms complete a £400m deal first announced last year.” Only in the years to come we will see how far the Olympus and Sony partnership will go when it comes to develop their digital cameras. For now there is no doubt that Olympus will keep reinforcing the MFT system and Sony will do the same with the NEX system. But they may share some tech like sensors, OLED technology and more.
Read full story => 43rumors

Technology News: Storm Warning: Why 100% Cloud Uptime Is Impossible
When Amazon Web Services crashed on Christmas Eve (which brought down Netflix among other high-profile sites), Amazon offered this explanation: its elastic load balancers failed. Load balancers, as the name implies, distribute the network’s workload. Among their most important functions is protecting the system’s components from becoming overburdened and shutting down.
Read full story => ReadWrite

Programming News: Optimize your JavaScript with RequireJS
RequireJS is an effective way to improve the speed and quality of your JavaScript code additionally making it a lot more readable and easier to maintain. In this article I’ll introduce you to RequireJS and how you can begin using it. We will go through requiring files and defining a module and even touch on optimization.
Read full story => Webdesigner Depot

Photography News: Finding Your Way Around the Mode Dial
Your camera’s Mode Dial is the gateway to its exposure modes. Knowing which exposure mode to use, and why, is the key to creative photography, and to taking photos like the one above. If you want to create beautiful images then you need to know how to control your camera’s settings. It all starts with your camera’s Mode Dial (not all cameras have a Mode Dial, but most do).
Read full story => Digital Photography School