Stolen Climate Change Information - Legal vs Ethical

Leaked Emails Fuel Climate-Change Firestorm
Summary

A hacker has stole thousands of emails and files from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit. Some of the pirated info was posted to a Russian server and linked to on a topic related blog. However, that seems to be the lesser of the news. The emails and documents that were hacked apparently contain information that suggest many scientists are working together to keep certain facts about global warning quiet. One email states that the scientists should hide the numbers indicating a colling climate. The research center claims the emails are taken out of context and that no such scheming has been going on. This attack took place just a month before the United Nations Climate Change Conference and is sure to affect thoughts are what should be done -if anything- to counter global warming.

Response

This presents an ethical dilemma for me to this about. On one hand, hacking such files is illegal. On the other, scientists with a major say in climate change may be lying about their findings which is unethical. Both are doing something wrong. My view is, that hacker should not have broken the law no matter his reasons. Still, these emails and documents should have found their way to the public in another way, perhaps a whistle-blower. It is not fun to think that other organization doing research on important global matters could also be falsely reporting information.

This is a good example of disinformation at its worst and hopefully measures will be taken to ensure this will not be able to happen again.

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"Leaked Emails Fuel Climate-Change Firestorm" by Katherine Noyes -TechNewsWorld 11/23/09

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Virtual Trade Shows - Huzzah!

Nice Meeting Your Avatar
Summary

Qualys is taking a step forward in trade show innovation by going the virtual route. There are a lot of advantages by leaving the show on the road and taking it to the Internet. One major advantage is the obvious savings in costs. For a physical trade show, renting a space and covering travel costs ten of thousands of dollars. A virtual trade show can be as low as $3,000. That is the reason why Qualys is eliminating their smaller shows and instead utilizing the Internet. Like most things, there is a catch.

A disadvantage of these virtual trade shows is the lack of face-to-face interaction. People value meeting each other in person because we are better able to understand the types of people we are dealing with. However, with video chat available, that may not be a reason why virtual trade shows are not big. Perhaps it is as simple as people not realizing they even exist.

Response

I have never heard of such an idea and I absolutely love it. It saves time and money. Right now, these online trade shows are only effective replacing small shows; but I believe that they will catch on quick and bigger companies will begin testing the virtual trade show waters.

I had to do a trade show for my Introduction to Marketing class and I would have loved to had the opportunity to possibly do it online. I will introduces this possibility to some of my marketing professors to see if it is an idea they would like to run with.
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"Nice Meeting Your Avatar" by April Joyner - Inc. 5/1/2009

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Navigating 'Yer Success

Information Navigation 101
Summary

In this article, Andrea Foster discusses information (il)literacy, specifically among college students. She believes that the current young-adult generation is not as tech-savy as previously thought. Foster explains how college research has largely been limited to search engines such as Google and that students simply do not know where scholarly information is or how it can be found.

Foster then goes into details on how universities like the California State University at Fullerton are taking initiative to eliminate information illiteracy across the student body. They are doing different things such as requiring students to take an Information Literacy course, using tests to gauge their level a info literacy, or having professors bring students into the library or a computer and having a librarian show them the 'information' ropes.

Response

Obviously information literacy is an important skill for students to learn; and what Cal State Fullerton is doing is great. I disagree with the idea that students do not do scholarly research because they are not aware how to even begin with such a task. Instead, I agree with the sentiment that search engines like Google are just so easy and convenient. For example, I understand perfectly how to locate an article through the library's website for my LIB 103 class; however, I first do a Google search to make sure that same article is not more easily available. It is easier for me to go to Google, type in the article title and author and have it show up at the top of the page; rather than going to UNCW's main page, clicking on the library link, and searching to see if we have the full text online or in the library.

The process for finding scholarly information is considerably lengthier than using a search engine. Of course, the desired article is not always readily available through Google searches; but it is worth the try if it is there half the time.

The problem is not getting students to be information literate; the problem is making the information easier to access
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“Information Navigation 101" Andrea L. Foster - Chronicle of Higher Education 3/9/2007

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Google: Use Sparingly

The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google
Summary

Librarians are worried their students are getting (mentally) obese with too much “unhealthy information.” Students use Google for just about anything they need to do on the Internet; so why would they go somewhere else to look for research? Online databases that are homes to millions of scholarly works are just too confusing to use, and Google is just so user friendly.

So what is there to do?

Some librarians do not agree with this thought, but a lot of others believe these databases should be simplified or “Google-ized.” That is, students find the online databases where most of the quality research information is housed to be too difficult to navigate; so the obvious solution is to make them more like Google and as a result more appealing to students.

Response

I find it hard to believe that this idea that started several years ago has barely been developed. I will go ahead and assume the databases are a lot easier to use now than some odd years ago; however, they still have a long way to go if they want the type of traffic Google receives when individuals go info-searching. Innovation is the key for any business to be successful and it seems these databases are doing the wrong things to increase users by not innovating.

By trying to simply get as many journal articles as possible and not caring about the quality of the work, databases are actually decreasing the value customers receive from their service. The “Google-ize” solution is far better and would benefit the users far more than irrelevant or questionable articles. Students are all about ease of use and convenience, and databases have a ways to go to catch up with Google.
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“The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google”. By: Bell, Steven J., Chronicle of Higher Education, 00095982, 2/20/2004, Vol. 50, Issue 24

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