香港開源通訊 HK Open Source Newsletter #7 (2012/02/21)

本期重點消息

1. GNOME 亞洲峰會 2012 決定在香港舉行
2. Open Source Workshop #4 (March 2012) (3/3 城大)
3. World Internet Developers' Summit 2012, Mozilla 及特別優惠
4. 大學生暑假參與開源軟件開發，來賺零用錢和結識外地朋友吧 - Google Summer of Code 2012
5. 台灣第一個 Javascript 會議 JSDC.tw (May 19) 及誠徵議題
6. OSDC.tw - 台灣 Open Source Developer Conference 2012 (Apr 14-15)
7. 其他文章、消息及活動

#1
GNOME 亞洲峰會 2012 決定在香港舉行

十幾年來，今年香港將舉行第一個亞洲區大型自由及開放原始碼軟件會議！繼北京、越南、台灣、印度後，香港 OAKA / HKLUG 成功申辦 2012 年的 GNOME.Asia Summit。 到時全球各地的自由及開放原始碼軟件，尤其是 GNOME / GTK 義務的開發者、市場推廣人員、用家等，也會乘飛機來到這個東方之都，雲集在香港。在香港的計劃書上，在 建議的一星期 GNOME.Asia Summit 2012 中，平日將會進行 GNOME 小型 Hackfest 和內部會議 (meeting)，而週末則舉行公開會議 (public conference)。Conference 則提供 3 場 keynotes、16 場演講 (分 2 tracks)、Lightning talks 等活動，約可容納 300-400 人出席。而且很多外國自由軟件朋友來到香港，他/她們也想在香港觀光遊覽，官方也可能會舉辦香港一天遊。

香港第一次舉辦大型國際性自由及開放原始碼軟件會議，絕對需要各界的支持！

香港社群需要的例如是....

• 協助籌備活動的人員，以及活動當天的義工；
• 協辦的團體；
• 媒體、贊助商；
• 等等。

希望大家盡快跟 HKLUG 主席 Haggen So 或與 OpenSource.HK 及 OAKA 顧問 Sammy Fung 聯系，出一分力，一起共同在香港辦一場最好的國際性開放原始碼會議及活動。給其他國際開放原始碼的軟件計畫或團隊作個好參考，吸引他們多些來香港舉行國際 性會議及活動。至少也不忘記得要來出席會議啊！

以上文章來源: http://sammy.hk/
Official Announcement from GNOME Foundation - http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.comp.gnome.foundation.announce/514

#2
Open Source Workshop #4 (March 2012)
3月3日 (六) 14:30-18:00 城大 G5-215 課室

本月 Sammy 會分享一些香港及亞洲區自由及開放原始碼軟件社群的新消息，同時我們仍在找尋和有待確認更多的有趣題目作短講、工作坊或小組討論。如果

Open Source Workshop 簡介:

• 帶我們大家的 open source / Linux 問題和 ideas 來 workshop，向別人尋找答案、幫助、ideas。
• 在 5 分鐘的閃電講 / 25 分鐘演講，向別人介紹和分享你的經驗和知識。
• 幫助新手在他們 laptop 上安裝 Linux，向新手講述和討論為何、如何使用 open source / Linux。
• 跟舊朋友聚舊，認識新朋友，建立你在社群的人際網絡。
• workshops 後可以一起去吃晚飯，繼續聊天。

報名: https://www.facebook.com/events/317087504996785/ 或 email 給 webmaster@opensource.hk

#3
World Internet Developers' Summit 2012, Mozilla and a special offer to YOU!!!

WIDS 網頁: http://www.isoc.hk/wids

本網會員及香港Linux用家協會會員的折扣及免費優惠: 讀者只需以相同真實名字和電郵登記本網會員、加入以下 HKLUG facebook 群組、或/及 "like" 以下 Open Source Hong Kong facebook 頁面，便可以 HKLUG 臨時會員身份報名 World Internet Developers' Summit，可享受折扣及免費優惠出席部份工作坊和會議。如對本優惠有任何查詢，請電郵至 webmaster@opensource.hk。

Mozilla 基金會 (台灣辦公室) 會安排講者前來 WIDS 作演講及工作坊，詳請可瀏覽 WIDS 網頁。

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hklug/
https://www.facebook.com/opensourcehk
http://www.opensource.hk

#4
大學生暑假參與開源軟件開發，來賺零用錢和結識外地朋友吧 - Google Summer of Code 2012

Spread the word to your friends! 如果你是大學生，這個夏天你又有興趣參與 open source projects 工作，就要密切留意 Google Summer of Code 2012 網站了。

參加 Google Summer of Code，除了可以賺零用錢和結識外地朋友外，你也可為自己 CV 加上一項好的經驗作別人參考。

http://google-opensource.blogspot.com/2012/02/google-summer-of-code-2012-is-on.html

#5
台灣第一場JavaScript開發者研討會 (JSDC) 誠徵議題

台灣第一場JavaScript開發者研討會(JSDC)，將在2012年05月19日於中研院人社館舉辦，報名預定於四月初公告 。現正在誠徵議題中，截止收件日期為3月10日。

JavasScript 這幾年的崛起，尤其在 HTML5 和 Node.js 出現之後更讓 JavaScript 程式蔚為風潮 。 目前不論是前、後端的開發，只需要用JavasScript一種語言便可以建置起整個網頁或是移動平台產品。 隨著近年來Web與Mobile程式的蓬勃發展、JavaScript這當初單純的網頁開發腳本語言, 衍生出了jQuery、 YUI以及NodeJS等各種應用。 在各開發領域(如:桌面程式、手機、等等)中也逐漸成為不可或缺的一部分.

目前JSDC主要針對兩大方向:
一、使大眾能夠理解 JavaScript 的現況、變化以及最新的應用
二、突破程式語言藩籬透過 JavaScript 讓開發者之間互相經驗交流與分享

就從現在投稿議題,　和JavaScript社群一起撼動未來。在此徵求JavaScript相關議題， 本次JSDC共兩種議題型式，Session 為 30分鐘，Lightning talk 為 5分鐘。

http://opensource.hk/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E5%A0%B4javascript%E9%96%8B%E7%99%BC%E8%80%85%E7%A0%94%E8%A8%8E%E6%9C%83-jsdc-%E8%AA%A0%E5%BE%B5%E8%AD%B0%E9%A1%8C

#6
OSDC.tw - 台灣 Open Source Developer Conference 2012 (Apr 14-15)

台灣 OSDC 2012 (4/14-15) 兩天的議程也可在網站看到，恭喜香港 Java User Group 的 Sunny 成為講員之一講述Garbage Collection Algorithms in OpenJDK。

http://osdc.tw/

#7
其他文章、消息及活動

1. 詭辯老輸執書日記簿: 二月份Open Source Workshop簡報~~~ http://marcolibrary.blogspot.com/2012/02/open-source-workshop.html
2. webOS & Android open source project - governance model compared: http://arst.ch/shq
3. More on Wayland Architecture: http://goo.gl/l0M9y
4. Open Advice is a knowledge collection from a wide variety of Free Software projects. It answers the question what 42 prominent contributors would have liked to know when they started so you can get a head-start no matter how and where you contribute (PDF download available): http://open-advice.org/
5. 3月28日 - 文件自由日 Document Freedom Day http://documentfreedom.org/
6. 8月份 - 台灣開源人年會 COSCUP (兩大台灣開源會議) http://www.coscup.org/
7. 9月15日 - 軟件自由日 Software Freedom Day http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/

文/Editor: Sammy Fung

Why QR Codes Won’t Last

mashable.com

Like most technology fans, I am always ready and willing to try any technology that promises to simplify my life. QR codes seemed to present an accessible and uniform way for people with smart devices to interact with advertising, marketing and media. Those little squares of code seemed to open a world of opportunity and potential. But after using them for a length of time, I shifted my perspective.

My initial honeymoon with QR codes was very short-lived. The initial rush that I had received from trying to frame the code on my device had lost its luster. I started to view QR codes as a barrier to additional information. And in many instances, the rewards (whatever I received as a result of scanning the code) did not measure up to the effort of the transaction itself.

Consider a recent study by comScore, which states that only 14 million American mobile device users have have interacted with a QR code. In essence, less than 5% of the American public has scanned a QR code. So where’s the disconnect?

Inadequate technology, lack of education and a perceived dearth of value from QR codes are just three of the reasons mobile barcodes are not clicking with Americans. But it goes deeper than that.

Humans are visual animals. We have visceral reactions to images that a QR code can never evoke; what we see is directly linked to our moods, our purchasing habits and our behaviors. It makes sense, then, that a more visual alternative to QR codes would not only be preferable to consumers, but would most likely stimulate more positive responses to their presence.

The QR Alternative

Enter mobile visual search (MVS). With MVS, you simply point at a product or logo and shoot a picture with your smartphone’s built-in camera. Within seconds, the MVS application will provide product or company information, or even the option to make a purchase right then and there on your mobile device.

MVS is a far more compelling and interactive tool to enable mobile marketing and commerce. In today’s increasingly mobile world, instant gratification is the norm, and taking the extra step of finding a QR code scanner on your mobile device no longer makes sense. With MVS, you are interacting with images that are familiar and desirable, not a square of code that elicits no reaction.

The opportunities are boundless with MVS. Unlike two-dimensional barcodes and QR codes, MVS will have wrap-around and three-dimensional recognition capabilities. Even traditional advertising will be revitalized with MVS. For example, picture an interactive print campaign that incorporates MVS as part of a competition or game. Marketers can offer instant gratification in the form of videos, mobile links, coupons or discounts as incentive for taking the best pictures of a particular product or logo.

The world has already started to migrate to MVS. For example, companies in Argentina and South Korea currently allow commuters waiting for subways or buses to view images of groceries or office supplies. Embedded within these images are recognitions triggers: Smartphone users place and pay for an order to be delivered or picked up within minutes.

Also, MVS can cash in on word-of-mouth marketing. Marketers will seamlessly link their campaigns to social networks so consumers can share photos and rewards, such as vouchers, coupons or music downloads, with their friends and followers.

QR Code Security Risks

In addition to being a more versatile medium, mobile visual search is also more secure than QR code technology. Cybercriminals are able to cloak smartphone QR code attacks due to the nature of the technology — QR codes’ entire purpose is to store data within the code. There is no way to know where that code is going to take you: a legitimate website, infected site, malicious app or a phishing site. MVS’s encryption modality will eliminate the opportunity for malicious code to download to your smartphone.

Recently, there have been documented cases of QR code misuse and abuse around the globe. For instance, infected QR codes can download an app that embeds a hidden SMS texting charge in your monthly cellphone bill. QR codes can also be used to gain full access to a smartphone — Internet access, camera, GPS, read/write local storage and contact data. All of the data from a smartphone can be downloaded and stolen, putting the user at risk for identity theft — without the user noticing.

Mobile visual search is a safer and more secure technology that can provide more information and content than a QR code, without as many security risks. By focusing on real-world objects and images rather than code, MVS lessens the risk of a virus or Trojan attack.

Safety, security and versatility — there are many reasons that MVS will supplant QR codes. However, there is one important, largely overlooked reason to favor MVS over QR codes: For the first time, we will be able connect with our actual surroundings in a truly interactive way. We will be able to provide a virtual marketplace that is familiar and accessible. Humanizing this interaction and making it more visual are the foundations of MVS’s imminent success.

Jon Barocas is the founder and CEO of bieMEDIA, a Denver-based online marketing and media solutions company that specializes in video content production and distribution, mobile visual search, technology platforms, SEO, VSEO and more.

FBI might shutdown the Internet on March 8

rt.com

Millions of computer users across the world could be blocked off from the Internet as early as March 8 if the FBI follows through with plans to yank a series of servers originally installed to combat corruption.

Last year, authorities in Estonia apprehended six men believed responsible for creating a malicious computer script called the DNSChanger Trojan. Once set loose on the Web, the worm corrupted computers in upwards of 100 countries, including an estimated 500,000 in America alone. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation later stepped up by replacing the rogue Trojan with servers of their own in an attempt to remediate the damage, but the fix was only temporary. Now the FBI is expected to end use of those replacement servers as early as next month and, at that point, the Internet for millions could essentially be over.

When functioning as its creators intended, the DNSChanger Trojan infected computers and redirected users hoping to surf to certain websites to malicious ones. Traditionally, DNS, or Domain Name System, servers translate alphabetical, traditional website URLs to their actual, numeric counterpart in order to guide users across the World Wide Web. Once infected by the DNSChanger Trojan, however, websites entered into Internet browsers were hijacked to malicious servers and, in turn, directed the user to an unintended, fraudulent site.

In coordination with the arrests in Estonia, the FBI shut down the malicious DNSChanger botnet network, and, additionally, replaced them with surrogate servers to correct the problem. Those servers, however, were installed "just long enough for companies and home users to remove DNSChanger malware from their machines," according to the court order that established them. That deadline is March 8, and those surrogate servers are expected to be retired then. At that point, computers still infected with the Trojan will be essentially unable to navigate the Internet.

Who, exactly, will be affected? Security company IID (Internet Identity) believes that half of all Fortune 500 companies and more than two dozen major government entities in the US are still currently infected with the worm as of early 2012. Unless they take the proper steps to eradicate the Trojan from their systems, millions of users worldwide will be left hog-tied, helplessly attempting to navigate to nonexistent servers and, in effect, without the Web.

“At this rate, a lot of users are going to see their Internet break on March 8,” Rod Rasmussen, president and chief technology officer at Internet Identity, cautions Krebs On Security.

Currently, both the computer industry and law enforcement are working together through a coalition they’ve established called the DNSChanger Working Group. That group has been tasked with examining the options in phasing out the surrogate servers set up by the feds, but unless an alternative plan is agreed on, a great port of the Web will go dark next month.

“I’m guessing a lot more people would care at that point,” Rasmussen adds. While infected users are cautioned to correct the problem now, millions internationally are still believed to be infected. “It certainly would be an interesting social experiment if these systems just got cut off,” he adds.