The big news on Digg several weeks ago revolved around the fact that algorithm changed. Whether this was due to people finding out the original algorithm or simply for Digg to ensure that actual user-driven and approved content was hitting the main page is completely up to whoever is speculating.
Over the past weekend, I was watching stories in Upcoming events (pretty lame I know but I was recovering from a nasty cold) as well as checking which stories made it to the Digg Recently Popular (main) page. Of course, the ones with the highest hit count made the page and those with low hit counts ( mine included) traveled into Digg oblivion and later to the back end of some 31,000,000+ hit Google search. (Try Lindsey Lohan)
While making this observation, I also noticed that there were a ton of stories hitting the Digg main page that had never once touched the Upcoming page. Stories from the major news sites, big-hit blogs and the like were flying up the charts.
These stories were getting 1000+ hit counts and they had never once touched the Upcoming page!
5 Questions:
How is this possible?
Why are sites that already getting millions of hit in a day from the sole fact that they are not only running a professionally maintained site but they also have televised news?
Why are sites like MSNBC, CNN, Fox News (this should never make the main page unless it's completely ludicrous!) implementing Digg into their websites?
Have minor bloggers such as myself made that much of impact that we are now trying to be blocked out by the giants?
Is what we say as influential and quality as what they say?
____________________________________________________________________
I'm viewing this as inspirational and something to keep me blogging. News sites feel like they losing a battle that never really was meant to happen. The stories that are climbing through Upcoming page and bringing in hits the "real" way are earning my respect. I have been made friends with a lot of these Diggers and I Digg them!
To my Digg friends: I will Digg you to the top if your material is good! You are all the reason why Digg was started! You have earned my respect and I will Digg you to the end!
To the network news sites: Is it really necessary to infiltrate Digg to boost your "all knowing egos?" I enjoy what you have to write and I read it on your sites. I don't need to read it on Digg as well!
To the major blogs: I'm not criticizing you in the least. You have worked you @sses off and you have reached a level that every blogger wishes to reach. Keep up the great work and, again, I'll Digg you to the end!
To all other Digg submitters: Digg original material. Don't copy crap and call it your own. I don't need to hear from Joe Blow in Peidmont, ND that Apple released SDK when it's been on every major news site, tech site and reputable blogger for the past 4 hours.
Be Creative!
Have a great day!
Showing posts with label MSNBC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MSNBC. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Are Hackers Good or Evil?
As always, news seems to filter in a little more slowly on the weekends when it comes to sites like Digg and Reddit. The majority of the news stories are from the major classic news sites like CNN and MSNBC. It makes sense right? People are enjoying time with their families, working out, watching a sporting event, reading a book, anything. They are simply decompressing from the previous week and re-energizing for the upcoming week that seems to move in too fast!
Well one of the major news site stories yesterday caught my eye. The reason it did so was the due to the way it was written and what it was written about. The story came from CNN.com and it was about a small group of hackers from China (also known as "crackers" for their ability to crack programming languages and code) who were making a bold statement by supposedly infiltrating several very secure mainframes and databases in the U.S., Germany, Britain and France.
Reports keep filing in that the a surprising amount of information has been lost or corrupt since several hits on the Pentagon last year. Now we come find that these hits aren't coming from one single hacker or a massive group of hackers, but rather a couple of young guys sitting in their apartment in China or any number of smaller hacking "units."
But the real question is: IS THIS A BAD THING?
This group of hackers has found "backdoors" and "loopholes" in government and private company firewalls and have been able to access this with little to no formal training. They simply know how a website works, how to do some simple coding for a vast number of program languages and that's it.
This should be the number one indicator for Fortune 500 companies and governments alike; YOUR SECURITY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!
So why not use this information and start working with the issue. If these guys can break what you spend millions of dollars on to sleep at night, you better start losing some sleep because they will keep breaking it until you fix. They are handing you opportunities left and right and you better be grabbing them now.
My suggestions:
#1. Take sensitive data offline. The last time I checked, I can't say that I've ever heard of anyone walking about the "TOP SECRET" basement at Langley or the White House with a cart full of files and never returning. (This is similar to the Windows notice this week about not putting a password on your machine to ensure no one hacks you.)
#2. You thought you had the "best" working for you; well you just found out you DON'T! These guys are doing this from their apartment for enjoyment and to make a name for themselves. Why not? I'm pretty if anyone could do it and get away with like they are, everyone would do it! I would!
#3. Take advantage and use common sense. These guys are doing that. They are thinking and behaving like anyone with some basic logical thinking capabilities would do.
I didn't view this article as something to be scared off, but rather as a great warning to the governments of the world, Fortune 500 companies and anyone with a website or blog.
Secure yourself online. Take the appropriate measures to make sure you aren't embarrassed. Be smart. Use common sense. No one is completely anonymous.
Think about it!
Have a great day!
Well one of the major news site stories yesterday caught my eye. The reason it did so was the due to the way it was written and what it was written about. The story came from CNN.com and it was about a small group of hackers from China (also known as "crackers" for their ability to crack programming languages and code) who were making a bold statement by supposedly infiltrating several very secure mainframes and databases in the U.S., Germany, Britain and France.
Reports keep filing in that the a surprising amount of information has been lost or corrupt since several hits on the Pentagon last year. Now we come find that these hits aren't coming from one single hacker or a massive group of hackers, but rather a couple of young guys sitting in their apartment in China or any number of smaller hacking "units."
But the real question is: IS THIS A BAD THING?
This group of hackers has found "backdoors" and "loopholes" in government and private company firewalls and have been able to access this with little to no formal training. They simply know how a website works, how to do some simple coding for a vast number of program languages and that's it.
This should be the number one indicator for Fortune 500 companies and governments alike; YOUR SECURITY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!
So why not use this information and start working with the issue. If these guys can break what you spend millions of dollars on to sleep at night, you better start losing some sleep because they will keep breaking it until you fix. They are handing you opportunities left and right and you better be grabbing them now.
My suggestions:
#1. Take sensitive data offline. The last time I checked, I can't say that I've ever heard of anyone walking about the "TOP SECRET" basement at Langley or the White House with a cart full of files and never returning. (This is similar to the Windows notice this week about not putting a password on your machine to ensure no one hacks you.)
#2. You thought you had the "best" working for you; well you just found out you DON'T! These guys are doing this from their apartment for enjoyment and to make a name for themselves. Why not? I'm pretty if anyone could do it and get away with like they are, everyone would do it! I would!
#3. Take advantage and use common sense. These guys are doing that. They are thinking and behaving like anyone with some basic logical thinking capabilities would do.
I didn't view this article as something to be scared off, but rather as a great warning to the governments of the world, Fortune 500 companies and anyone with a website or blog.
Secure yourself online. Take the appropriate measures to make sure you aren't embarrassed. Be smart. Use common sense. No one is completely anonymous.
Think about it!
Have a great day!
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