Stephen Wolfram: Computing a theory of everything

Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica, did a brilliant talk at TED2010, about his quest to make all knowledge computational, able to be searched, processed and manipulated. His new search engine, Wolfram Alpha, has no lesser goal than to model and explain the physics underlying the universe.

Still creator of a “new kind of science“? What about Alan Turing and Benoit Mandelbrot contribution?

Blog information.

TED Link.

Stephen Wolfram’s TED Talk: Computation Is Destined to Be the Defining Idea of Our Future

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A Classification of Computer Science Research

Work is going hard, but once in a while i need to distract mind.

This is a view of computer science research. Sarcasm abounds. This is supposed to be funny, but it can offend people. Don’t read if you are easily offended, and don’t get angry if your most favorite research topic is not presented appropriately.

• Security: The art of thinking about unsolvable problems.
• Theory: The art of creating unsolvable problems.
• Systems: The continuous re-implementation of ideas that appeared in 1950′s.
• Compilers: The science of arguing that every thing is either NP-complete or undecidable, and showing that neither is relevant.
• Artificial Intelligence: A line of research whose existence is motivated and justified by the failure of natural intelligence, or the lack thereof.
• Networking: An excuse for doing research in security.
• Computer Architecture: The only successful branch of computer science research, although it has nothing to do with science, or research.
• Graphics: Drawing pots and kettles on computer screens.
• Databases: A research topic that was resolved in the 60′s.
• Parallel Processing: This is what you claim to be doing when you want the government to spend a lot of money to support you.
• HCI: A philosopher in front of a Mac.
• Geometric Modelling: That’s what people who get tired of theory move to. They then retire.
• Modelling and Simulation: A glorified priority queue that has been hacked to death.
• Programming Languages() = Incomprehensible Math + Programming Langauges();
• Software Engineering: Creating upper layers of software, then moving the bugs from the lower layers to the newly created layers. Repeat until there are no bugs or you die.
• Fault Tolerance: A line of research that considers paranoia a science.

Thx Mootaz

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Data Visualization Presentation from RIAdventure

Doug McCune’s a “Data Visualization Engineer”, made a interesting presentation on the RIAdventure conference about the past, present, and future of data visualization.

On the RIAdventure conference I gave a presentation about the past, present, and future of data visualization as I see it (fun side note: RIAdventure is the only conference I can say I “went on”). Luckily, the organizers filmed the entire thing, and we now have the video of the whole presentation that you can watch. This presentation covered a brief history of the field of data visualization, with the focus on the invention (in the not too distant past) of many data visualization techniques we take for granted. The point of the historical exercise was to point out that new opportunities with new data that we have before us present new opportunities for invention. I talked about new trends I see emerging in the data itself (massive datasets, city data, you life data, stream data) and what those trends mean for us as data visualization software engineers (I also argue that everyone will be a “data viz” engineer to some degree in the future).

I hope you enjoy the presentation, it was a lot of fun to create and to present. I learned a ton from the research and it was exciting thinking about the future of the field. Below is the full video (low resolution streaming from vimeo, or you can find higher resolution streaming form screencast here, or you can even download the full video file). Also embedded below are the slides that go along with the presentation, and you can always download the slides as a PDF.

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Entity Extraction & Content API Evaluation

Rob DiCiuccio wrote a very broad and complete comparisson of Entity Extraction & Content API Evaluation and content evaluation tools. Check it out:

…The technologies developed by these partners have allowed us to leverage powerful tools for entity extraction and content discovery, and facilitate integration with the emerging Semantic Web. These tools allow us to focus more of our efforts on creating an engaging user experience, as well as building new open source tools for content curation, without duplicating the efforts of others…

Complete post.

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Apple showcases HTML5 demos

After the fight with Adobe,  Apple is pushing out their first demo samples of HTML 5 in Safire.

• Video effects
• Web typography
• Web gallery
• Photo transitions
• Audio
• 360°
• VR
• Canvas pixel manipulation
• Sticky notes
• Concert Poster
• Checkers
• Light table
• Offline calendar
• Movie trailers

More.

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First Draft of SPARQL 1.1

The SPARQL Working Group has published a First Public Working Draft of SPARQL 1.1 Federation Extensions, which defines extensions to the SPARQL Query Language to support distributed SPARQL query execution. The group also published 5 updates, listed below. The group seeks feedback, particularly on open issues identified in each document. Learn more about the Semantic Web.

• SPARQL 1.1 Query adds support for aggregates, subqueries, projected expressions, and negation to the SPARQL query language.
• SPARQL 1.1 Update defines an update language for RDF graphs.
• SPARQL 1.1 Service Description defines a vocabulary and discovery mechanism for describing the capabilities of a SPARQL endpoint.
• SPARQL 1.1 Uniform HTTP Protocol for Managing RDF Graphs describes the use of the HTTP protocol for managing named RDF graphs on an HTTP server.
• SPARQL 1.1 Entailment Regimes defines conditions under which SPARQL queries can be used with entailment regimes such as RDF, RDF Schema, OWL, or RIF.

More.

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What is data science?

Mike Loukides produced an interesting article, studing how companies and people can that turn data into products.

In the post In this post, he examines the many sides of data science — the technologies, the companies and the unique skill sets.

Check the article.

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Hacker Monthly #1 Out

Code Quarterly is still looking for writers, but there is a new magazine in town.

The issue nº 1 of Hacker Monthly is out, it includes 16 articles, from programming to startup, contributed by programmers, hackers and big names like Steve Blank and Paul Graham. It has 40 pages.

You can download here, or buy nº 1 here.

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Linked data keeps rolling

A Library Linked Data Incubator Group was formed at W3C. The mission of the Library Linked Data Incubator Group is to help increase global interoperability of library data on the Web, by bringing together people involved in Semantic Web activities—focusing on Linked Data—in the library community and beyond, building on existing initiatives, and identifying collaboration tracks for the future.

The charter of the group is available on-line.

The home page of the group also includes information on how one can join the group.

More.

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Historical browser statistics

A clear graphical visualization representing the percent of people using different browsers ranging back to 2002

View it HERE.

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