Algorithms are becoming increasingly sophisticated at finding and categorizing information. Indeed, for a thought-provoking talk on the importance of algorithms in general, check out this TED presentation, entitled, “How Algorithms Shape Our World.” Google, for example, has built a business on algorithms. Google’s PageRank algorithm ranks search results for researchers based partly on the authority of links. Google Scholar applies algorithms that purport to identify for US cases (1) how a case has been cited; (2) the documents that are cited by a particular case; and (3) related documents. There is even a patent. I applaud Google’s research and development. But can algorithms replace human editorial expertise? Not yet. Read further >

If you read this, you are most likely a regular internet user. Without a doubt you exchange sensitive and private information with many different websites on a regular basis. You have been told that in such cases you should look for, even demand, a secure internet connection. But how vulnerable is that system? Read further >

I’ve posted in the past about visiting China and working with Wolters Kluwer’s strategic partners there, such as Commercial Press and China Financial & Economic Publishing House. The progress is exciting. Read further >

Solvency II, which will be effective as of January 2013, is a set of new and stronger European Union-wide requirements for insurers. These new requirements on capital adequacy and risk management are meant to help protect policy holders and will reduce consumer loss or market disruption in insurance. The regulation has three portions or pillars that include quantitative requirements (regulatory reporting), disclosure, and transparency in communicating to shareholders and enterprise risk management (ERM). Read further >

Without a doubt the internet, and with it websites, have brought about a change in how publishers and advertisers can ‘track and trace’ readers behavior. If you are into web analytics and have heard about cookies you probably know what I am talking about. Recently I had the pleasure to attend the Adobe Omniture Summit. One of the talks was about the ePrivacy Directive, Adobe’s Chief Privacy Officer, Meme Jacobs Rasmussen, has posted an extensive blog post on the European ePrivacy Directive. While this puts the Directive into perspective for Omniture customers it is a must read regardless if you use Omniture. Read further >

InContext Design’s Shelley Wood made a comment to my recent post about the eroding distinction between content and software. I had the privilege of attending a few years ago a training session in contextual design given by Shelley. Her comment on my post reminded me about the importance of contextual design in creating solutions for customers. So I thought it would make sense to write more comments about it here in this post. Read further >

There has been a lot of news about a recent enhancement to Google: Google Instant (I actually think of it as “Google Instant Search”). This new feature essentially predicts your search and shows your search results before you finish typing. Users can turn it on or off. It is not yet available through mobile devices. Google automatically turns it off for slow connections. As of today, it is available for users of certain browsers in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. However, it is foreseeable that Google will expand the number of countries in which it is available. Also foreseeable is Google optimizing it for mobile devices and slow connections (or perhaps the bandwidth of mobile devices will expand to accommodate it). Read further >

I must confess that I am a voracious reader. I regularly read e-mails and e-newsletters on my BlackBerry, as do many other smart phone users. I recently started reading books on the device – something I never expected to do – and I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. While waiting for a delayed flight, I discovered that I didn’t have any traditional reading material with me and I didn’t want to buy any. I had heard about Kobo e-book reader for mobile devices and I thought this would be a good time to try it. Read further >