Comments for The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com Cast Iron Ideas and Thoughts for the Scrap Heap Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:54:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Getting the Intel on Social Networking by swfoundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/getting-the-intel-on-social-networking/#comment-89 swfoundry Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:54:46 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/?p=90#comment-89 Thanks for the observation. I like the comparison of your local market/deli and a social networking site in terms of the kind of information known about your personal habits, lifestyle, residence, etc. No doubt, these local businesses also do in fact know and use your personal information to better market you. Where I feel the differences lie are in - The size, scale, sharing, and automation of these well-funded multi-national conglomerates - Terms of service that often grant many loopholes - The abilities of secondary businesses and governments to obtain, use, and potentially abuse this information An interesting story that relates to your comments and these points is how the US intelligence services were allegedly using credit card records of purchases at Middle Eastern Delis to perform data mining operations. Just a small example of how such records can be abused. Thanks for the observation. I like the comparison of your local market/deli and a social networking site in terms of the kind of information known about your personal habits, lifestyle, residence, etc. No doubt, these local businesses also do in fact know and use your personal information to better market you.

Where I feel the differences lie are in
- The size, scale, sharing, and automation of these well-funded multi-national conglomerates
- Terms of service that often grant many loopholes
- The abilities of secondary businesses and governments to obtain, use, and potentially abuse this information

An interesting story that relates to your comments and these points is how the US intelligence services were allegedly using credit card records of purchases at Middle Eastern Delis to perform data mining operations. Just a small example of how such records can be abused.

]]> Comment on Getting the Intel on Social Networking by scotchcart http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/getting-the-intel-on-social-networking/#comment-88 scotchcart Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:49:35 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/?p=90#comment-88 Inside-out intelligence. The way not to knot one's knickers is to study social trends and where we are going because we want to be there with people we love. To illustrate, let me contrast my local grocery stores. The big sophisticated supermarket chain spends a fortune on intelligence and then bamboozles me with bribes to shop there and even sends me vouchers to get my money back. They have no idea who I am or what I like to eat or what I am likely to buy next week. If I wanted to make an ethnic dish of mine, they couldn't care and they have no mechanism to help. My local supermarket has a loyalty card but that's where mechanical analysis of me ends. They know my name in store, they point out to me if I am buying something in an expensive way (say there is a 2 for 1 offer that is similar) and they will find things for me when I can't find them. They would notice if I was asking for unusual things but they would end there. My deli doesn't know my name yet (I go there less often) but they remember all my purchases, they do know the country I am from (pronounciation and tastes) and they will refuse to sell me things that are a bad idea (in their mind). Yep, they veto sales and suggest something more to their taste. The local hardware store is the same. Purchases deemed silly because they are too expensive are blocked. Purchases deemed dangerous probably would be blocked as well - the owner used to be a fireman. At the local gym, I heard the proprietor ringing a parent, very gently and kindly, to verify why a teenager was able to pay his membership fee in cash. That's where intelligence comes from. Our wish to provide fine service to people we care about. Inside-out intelligence. The way not to knot one’s knickers is to study social trends and where we are going because we want to be there with people we love.

To illustrate, let me contrast my local grocery stores. The big sophisticated supermarket chain spends a fortune on intelligence and then bamboozles me with bribes to shop there and even sends me vouchers to get my money back. They have no idea who I am or what I like to eat or what I am likely to buy next week. If I wanted to make an ethnic dish of mine, they couldn’t care and they have no mechanism to help.

My local supermarket has a loyalty card but that’s where mechanical analysis of me ends. They know my name in store, they point out to me if I am buying something in an expensive way (say there is a 2 for 1 offer that is similar) and they will find things for me when I can’t find them. They would notice if I was asking for unusual things but they would end there.

My deli doesn’t know my name yet (I go there less often) but they remember all my purchases, they do know the country I am from (pronounciation and tastes) and they will refuse to sell me things that are a bad idea (in their mind). Yep, they veto sales and suggest something more to their taste.

The local hardware store is the same. Purchases deemed silly because they are too expensive are blocked. Purchases deemed dangerous probably would be blocked as well – the owner used to be a fireman.

At the local gym, I heard the proprietor ringing a parent, very gently and kindly, to verify why a teenager was able to pay his membership fee in cash.

That’s where intelligence comes from. Our wish to provide fine service to people we care about.

]]> Comment on Please be Nice to Your Brother When he Goes to War by Allie Wojtaszek http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/please-be-nice-to-your-brother-when-he-goes-to-war/#comment-76 Allie Wojtaszek Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:29:09 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/please-be-nice-to-your-brother-when-he-goes-to-war/#comment-76 Indeed. Indeed.

]]> Comment on At Least He Made the Planes Run on Time by Eric Palmieri http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/at-least-he-made-the-planes-run-on-time/#comment-52 Eric Palmieri Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:54:40 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/11/19/at-least-he-made-the-planes-run-on-time/#comment-52 I find it interesting, that Bush would open up MILITARY AIR SPACE to COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS during the Thanksgiving holiday. I guess if there is one thing that trumps Bush's responsibility to "protect America at all costs," it's holiday travel. -Eric Palmieri www.ericpalmieri.com I find it interesting, that Bush would open up MILITARY AIR SPACE to COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS during the Thanksgiving holiday. I guess if there is one thing that trumps Bush’s responsibility to “protect America at all costs,” it’s holiday travel.

-Eric Palmieri

http://www.ericpalmieri.com

]]> Comment on Over-prosecution and the Jena 6 (Million) by Over-prosecution Meets Mandatory Minimum Sentences Meets the Drug War « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/over-prosecution-and-the-jena-6-million/#comment-27 Over-prosecution Meets Mandatory Minimum Sentences Meets the Drug War « The Software Foundry Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:28:51 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/over-prosecution-and-the-jena-6-million/#comment-27 [...] « Over-prosecution and the Jena 6 (Million) Next Generation Robotic Trucks in “Maximum Overdrive” [...] [...] « Over-prosecution and the Jena 6 (Million) Next Generation Robotic Trucks in “Maximum Overdrive” [...]

]]> Comment on Be Nice to Your Hall Monitor – or Else Do 7 Years Hard Time by Over-prosecution and the Jena 6 (Million) « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/be-nice-to-your-hall-monitor-or-else-do-7-years-hard-time/#comment-26 Over-prosecution and the Jena 6 (Million) « The Software Foundry Wed, 26 Sep 2007 04:37:48 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/be-nice-to-your-hall-monitor-or-else-do-7-years-hard-time/#comment-26 [...] As the article shows, the real issues in Jena are complex and nuanced, but the questions raised by the protesters are indeed valid.  And unfortunately, they are nearly identical to the story of Shaquanda Cotton that I commented on in this post.  [...] [...] As the article shows, the real issues in Jena are complex and nuanced, but the questions raised by the protesters are indeed valid.  And unfortunately, they are nearly identical to the story of Shaquanda Cotton that I commented on in this post.  [...]

]]> Comment on Marriage and Matters of the Heart by (Linguistic) Love Greek-Style « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/marriage-and-matters-of-the-heart/#comment-22 (Linguistic) Love Greek-Style « The Software Foundry Sat, 04 Aug 2007 05:25:58 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/marriage-and-matters-of-the-heart/#comment-22 [...] while I was bashing on marriage a few weeks ago in this post and lamenting that the “Eros” version too often only happens when one returns after an [...] [...] while I was bashing on marriage a few weeks ago in this post and lamenting that the “Eros” version too often only happens when one returns after an [...]

]]> Comment on Evil Ex-Felons – Don’t Vote by Best to Decline Chuck Berry’s Offer to Use His Restroom « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/05/20/evil-felons-dont-vote/#comment-21 Best to Decline Chuck Berry’s Offer to Use His Restroom « The Software Foundry Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:31:53 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/05/20/evil-felons-dont-vote/#comment-21 [...] squeaky-clean character.  He has in fact had several brushes with the law (although I did mention his felony record in an earlier [...] [...] squeaky-clean character.  He has in fact had several brushes with the law (although I did mention his felony record in an earlier [...]

]]> Comment on In the Garden of the Gods with the Truffle-Truffle Trees by Seussologic Dendrology « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/04/01/in-the-garden-of-the-gods-with-the-truffle-truffle-trees/#comment-6 Seussologic Dendrology « The Software Foundry Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:08:29 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/04/01/in-the-garden-of-the-gods-with-the-truffle-truffle-trees/#comment-6 [...] , Humor I was corrected by someone with more knowledge of Seussology than myself that in my Joshua Tree post I appeared to have mixed up the Truffle and Tuttle -Tuttle Trees from [...] [...] , Humor I was corrected by someone with more knowledge of Seussology than myself that in my Joshua Tree post I appeared to have mixed up the Truffle and Tuttle -Tuttle Trees from [...]

]]> Comment on U.S. Epidemic of Incarceration and Sentencing Alternatives by Be Nice to Your Hall Monitor - or Else Do 7 Years Hard Time « The Software Foundry http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/us-epidemic-of-incarceration-and-sentencing-alternatives/#comment-5 Be Nice to Your Hall Monitor - or Else Do 7 Years Hard Time « The Software Foundry Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:37:16 +0000 http://swfoundry.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/us-epidemic-of-incarceration-and-sentencing-alternatives/#comment-5 [...] 22nd, 2007 Crime and Punishment , Government Your honor, in defense of my past posts on the Epidemic of Incarceration,  I would like to enter into the public record Exhibit [...] [...] 22nd, 2007 Crime and Punishment , Government Your honor, in defense of my past posts on the Epidemic of Incarceration,  I would like to enter into the public record Exhibit [...]

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