- Nudge Policies Are Another Name for Coercion (New Scientist) — This points to the key problem with “nudge” style paternalism: presuming that technocrats understand what ordinary people want better than the people themselves. There is no reason to think technocrats know better, especially since Thaler and Sunstein offer no means for ordinary people to comment on, let alone correct, the technocrats’ prescriptions. This leaves the technocrats with no systematic way of detecting their own errors, correcting them, or learning from them. And technocracy is bound to blunder, especially when it is not democratically accountable. Take heed, all you Gov 2.0 wouldbe-hackers. (via BoingBoing)
- Country Selector — turns a dropdown into an autocomplete field where available. Very nice! (via Chris Shiflett)
- Ebook Users Wanted — Pew Internet & American Life project looking at ebooks, looking for people who use ebooks and tablet readers in libraries.
- The Public Library, Complete Reimagined (KQED) — the Fayetteville public library is putting in a fab lab. [L]ibraries aren’t just about books. They are about free access to information and to technology — and not just to reading books or using computers, but actually building and making things. (via BoingBoing)
"HTML5" entries
Quid pro quo will define the author-publisher relationship
Peter Meyers on HTML5, ebook formats and the evolution of publishers and authors.
In this video interview, author and digital book producer Peter Meyers addresses the state of ebooks and book apps and weighs in on the changing relationship between authors and publishers.
A sensible look at HTML5 and publishing
Sanders Kleinfeld on how book publishers can put HTML5 to use.
Everyone in the publishing world seems to be boasting about HTML5, but what does HTML5 actually address and how should it be used? In this interview, "HTML5 for Publishers" author Sanders Kleinfeld discusses the technology's practical application.
Web-first workflows let publishers focus on the stuff that really matters
Hugh McGuire on the upside of web workflows and the future of book production.
In a recent keynote, PressBooks founder Hugh McGuire said web-first workflows streamline book production so publishers can focus on more important matters, such as writing, finding, and editing great books.
Exposing content via APIs
Fluidinfo's Terry Jones on the role of APIs in the future of publishing.
APIs enable developers to work with your content like a box of Legos, building solutions you may never have dreamed of. In this TOC podcast, Fluidinfo CEO Terry Jones says the real world is "writable" and describes how APIs can offer powerful publishing solutions.
Top Stories: November 14-18, 2011
America's tech schizophrenia, why Apple fans don't like Android, and the terrifying importance of embedded systems.
This week on O'Reilly: Doug Hill used Steve Jobs and Ted Kaczynski to examine America's love/hate relationship with technology, Mike Loukides criticized mobile carriers for messing with Android's UI, and engineer Elecia White shared her enthusiasm for embedded systems.
Publishers need broader and broader shoulders
From HTML5 to metadata to managing rights, increasingly complex content management issues fall squarely on publishers.
It's more challenging than ever to handle all aspects of content management internally. In this podcast, Firebrand Technologies founder and president Fran Toolan addresses a myriad of content management issues.
HTML5 for publishers: Drawing on the screen
Add a painting tool to a book with HTML5's Canvas.
This excerpt from "HTML5 for Publishers" shows how a simple finger painting canvas can be added to an HTML5-based children's book
Four short links: 11 November 2011
Technocracy's Blind Spot, Progressive Enhancement, Libraries and ebooks, and Library Fablab
Developer Week in Review: Adobe raises the white flag on mobile Flash
Adobe immobilized mobile Flash, Eclipse joins the vanity language fad, and one man asks if brainteasers really find good programmers.
Flash isn't dead, but Adobe is checking into hospice options. Eclipse adds another language to the list of ones almost but not exactly like Java. And how do you find good programmers? Probably not with brainteasers.
What to watch for in mobile web apps
How WebGL, device APIs, and ample experimentation will shape the future of mobile web apps.
Sencha's James Pearce discusses the most promising mobile web app technologies and explains why device APIs could make the web a lot more interesting.