An Unprecedented Look at Stuxnet, the World’s First Digital Weapon

My recent book, The Universal Machine, opens its chapter on hacking with the deployment of the Stuxnet computer virus. Allegedly created by Israel and US intelligence services to target Iran's nuclear bomb programme it was the world's first state against state digital weapon. With North Korea now being accused of hacking Sony perhaps it's time to revisit this story. Wired has recently published an excerpt from a new book on Stuxnet - recommended reading.

Where were the world's first computer animations produced?

With the final instalment of the Hobbit about to be released, and Frozen still charming the littlies, computer animation has never been more prominent. You'll be surprised though to discover where computer animation started. This blog post by Brian Clegg (who's blog I recommend) will inform you of the start of computer animation in a science lab.

Bogus Journal Accepts Profanity-Laced Anti-Spam Paper

My colleague Mark Wilson brought this to my attention. Like all academics my inbox always receives conference and journal calls for papers, some of which are bogus and are just a way of scamming naive researchers from some money. You can read one academic's response to this practice in this blog article.

Robot Servants Are Going to Make Your Life Easy...

...Then They’ll Ruin It.

Well that's the opinion of Evan Selinger in a recent article for Wired. JIBO, the "world's first family robot" is heralding an age where robots or digital personal assistants anticipate our needs and perhaps even start making decisions for us. That's where Selinger believes the danger lies. Watch the JIBO promotional video below and make up your mind.

The Imitation Game

It's not often that Hollywood makes a movie about the "Father of Computer Science;" but, on November 14th, The Imitation Game about British Mathematician Alan Turing, opens in the US and Europe.  Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley the film has already won awards at seven film festivals and is tipped for next year's Oscars. Watch the official trailer below. Sadly, the movie doesn't open in New Zealand until January 2015.

Do you remember Teletext?

Do you remember Teletext? Do you still remember some of the page numbers of your favourite information. If so then you'll be interested in this Guardian Witness project: Teletext memories: your stories and experiences. Some of this blog's younger readers probably don't even know what Teletext is. Think of it like the Web on your TV before the Web existed. 
Ceefax (in the UK) succumbed to the digital switchover nearly two years ago, but the world’s first teletext service is still remembered fondly by the slightly older TV generation. For 38 years it provided vital information to passionate current affairs readers and sports fans alike. 
TVNZ's teletext service closed at midday on April 2nd 2013.

Techvana - the New Zealand Computer Museum is now open!

We have a new computer museum! The  project to create the Techvana  computer museum in Auckland is making good progress. The museum has occupied its premises at 105 Cook Street, Auckland and for the near future is open from 12 to 5 on weekends. Visitors are most welcome.
The museum is built around the collection of Mark and Katie Barlow – much of their collection is on display. Many of the computers and game-machines are in working order and may be tried-out.