Ideas….

There has been talk recently about standardizing Cloud Computing.  Discussion ranges from the implications standardization will have on innovation to whether competing companies would even consider doing this.  And while these are all very good ideas, I think the community needs to come up with a clear and concise definition of what cloud computing is.  There are whole papers written on “what is cloud computing”.  At the same time, people like Larry Ellison and Richard Stallman are suggesting that its just a buzz word.

There are organizations like the Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum that are looking into creating an API about APIs.  Sounds brilliant, but again, I think coming up with a clear and concise definition of what cloud computing is and what it is not will help with creating an API about APIs.  Once you create this clear and concise definition you can determine:

1. scope of cloud computing services
2. identify already existing APIs
3. find a common thread in those APIs

And while people like Jeff Boles at ComputerWorld may think the cloud is too old to be standardized; we may find that it is too disorganized to even know that its too old to be standardized.

No not a boy fellow, but a Fellow as in “I am learned” (supposedly). Specifically I’m a NITLE Technology Fellow

First you’re probably wondering who is NITLE.  Well besides being a great organization to work with, NITLE is:

a community-based, non-profit initiative that provides tools and resources for collaboration, professional development programs, and information services to undergraduate-centered colleges, universities, and educational organizations. NITLE (pronounced “nightly”) is also known as the National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education. NITLE is an initiative of Ithaka, a non-profit organization that seeks to accelerate the productive uses of information technologies for the benefit of higher education around the world.

That is of course straight from their website.  And so the next question is: what is this all about?  Well the Technology Fellows are:

• a professional development opportunity designed specifically for selected Fellows, in the areas about which they will teach/consult
• a commitment on the part of selected Fellows to offer three days of workshops or consultation at other NITLE participating institutions within 15 months of completing their professional development experiences with NITLE
• an honorarium of $500/day, paid to the Fellow’s institution, for each workshop/consultation day provided by the Fellow

So now you’re probably wondering what I’ll be researching and teaching. Well that’s simple…Cloud Computing.

Ok well cloud computing isn’t really simple. In fact people are arguing all over the place what the heck it is. But that’s besides the point. The point is I get to learn something new and then train people on it.

Anyway, its all very exciting so wish me luck and stay tuned for more later.

If you forgot your MediaWiki password, you’ll want to reset it.  If you can, go to the login page and have the password sent to you, this is of course the easiest thing to do.

Sometimes though, you’re a stupid Sys Admin (read me) and you set up a wiki real quick and think “I won’t forget the password!”. You then decide not to include your email address when creating the wiki account profile. So if you’re that Sys Admin (read me) here are the instructions for retrieving that password:

1. log on to mysql
2. type the following query:
   

   UPDATE user SET user_password = MD5(CONCAT(user_id, ‘-’, MD5(’newpassword‘))) WHERE user_id = uid

3. go back to the MediaWiki page and log in.

And next time don’t think you can remember a password, you can barely remember your name.