Turing Test

In order to pass a Turing test, the subject computer would need to know how to communicate with a human like a human. A Turing test winner would have to know basic speech, how to respond to simple things like hello, goodbye, how are you, etc. It would also need to understand how to respond using proper and understandable grammar. Some machines say incoherent responses. Likewise, the machine would have to be able to recognize and respond to basic slang terms. In order for a machine like this to exist, it would need a large memory base and an extended vocabulary. Unlike SmarterChild on AIM a Turing bot would need to understand what something vague like "what's up" means. It would also need to have a variety of responses. Most chat bots will use the same responses over and over again if they don't understand something, or even when they do understand. It would also need variety, unlike bots that specialize in telling you a specific thing like the weather or movie times. Expanded knowledge on multiple subjects would also call for a larger memory base. It is easy to tell that you're talking with a machine if all they do is agree with you, repeat themselves and only know a few things.

Problems with E-Voting

1.) There are multiple flaws and glitches with the Diebold voting machines that make people skeptical about them. For one, the documentary proved that the tallying program, Gems, can be hacked in less than a minute, even if you don't know the administrative password. They simply went in the code of a mock high school president election and changed the outcome. With an administrative password, Howard Dean logged into Gems and changed everything without having to deal with codes at all. Likewise, they also showed that Diebold votes can be hacked on just the memory card, without going into Gems at all. On the memory card they wrote a program that reverses the number of votes per candidate, but keeping the total number of voters the same. That way, it doesn't look suspicious because the number of total votes is proportional. Also, the reciepts that get printed and signed by a precinct official are wrong. Unlike a Gems hack, where the original local votes are accounted and signed for but the flaws come with the total votes at the end, the memory card hack is undetectable. This is incredibly frightening considering the elections in the past decade have been incredibly close and that having a different president may have changed the course of history completely. Also, the documentary showed that votes from local precincts are not compared with the county results. After digging in garbage to find the original signed voter receipts, they did not match the 'copies' that were printed at the voting center. Aside from hacks, Diebold has been accused of promising votes to winning candidates for money, they throw away original voting receipts that are protected under law, they inadequately test machines, and when they are presented with one of the multiple flaws in their system, they simply lie about it. I think that flaws like this are one of the reasons that the voting outcome has been so low lately.

2.) If I was in charge of monitoring elections in California, I would make many revisions to the system to make sure the elections are fair, especially if I was an elected official. The Rolling Stone article noted that it is not required that voting machines print out a paper trail anymore, which is frightening because that was one of the few comparison pieces. I would enforce paper receipts at all precincts AND a monitor to make sure that the totals from the signed documents match the totals from Gems. In fact, I would have multiple monitors and they would be handpicked random officials whose identity would be more secret than the MPAA Rating Board. However, that covers a Gems hack, but not the just as easy to complete memory card hack. I'm not sure if there could be a fool proof plan to protect the memory cards at the local electorate level but I would attempt to make their movement more secure. If Diebold can have ATM machines that very few can hack, and if they can find adequate means to transfer all that money around, I'm sure they can also find a way to make voting memory cards secure. Maybe kept in a lockbox that only a nonpartisan third party can access, preferably not also a Diebold employee. At the state level I would also make sure that all memory cards are accounted for and don't "accidentally" get lost somewhere. However, I would pressure Diebold to make the memory cards more secure. Because that would be out of my jurisdiction, I would attempt to enforce Diebold to encrypt their memory cards better, I know it is possible. Government agencies, school records, banks, even online games use strong encryption that makes it difficult to hack at all, let alone in a few minutes. Votes are more precious and should be secure, Diebold simply has to try, retest, and wait until they have a product that is far more reliable than what they're currently testing.

The Digital Divide

The digital divide is a growing problem in the computer science world that doesn't get much mention. Many people who hear the digital divide assume that it only pertains to economic status, however the divide occurs due to health issues, location, age, and general understanding of computers as well. Those who know and understand how to correctly use computers have an overall easier time in most aspects of life. Categories in which the digital divide affect people are education, government, health, entertainment and work.
In the education industry, computers are an essential part of learning. However, schools that cannot afford computers are at a severe disadvantage against schools in better off communities that can buy new technologies. Likewise, if a computer lab is built in a school they still must teach the students how to use them to their best capacity. This can be a problem in a school where computers were never present before because there might not be adequate faculty to teach the students. Also students who own a computer have an easier time filling out college and SAT applications online. They are also more aware of web resources and utilizing the internet to their full learning potential.
In government, things are becoming more and more web based. For example, appointments at the DMV, tax filing, paying off a traffic ticket or 'attending' traffic school can all be done online. Because those who are poorer cannot afford a computer and those who are elderly have less need for a computer, they are at a disadvantage for these opportunities. Instead they have to wait in longer lines at the DMV or risk making errors (such as in tax software that guides you through steps and has a warranty against audits).
For health, the internet has become a useful tool for finding doctors, applying for insurance and even looking up symptoms and household remedies on the internet. Again, elderly and the poor have to look up doctors and insurance the old fashioned (and therefore more long and tedious) way. Also, they may not be able to search for their symptoms and if they don't have health insurance, they are missing out on home solutions to simple health problems that could benefit them. Likewise, people with disabilities who cannot use a computer are also at a disadvantage to making doctors appointments or renewing subscriptions, both of which are available to do on the internet in many places.
In entertainment, the internet is a haven for celebrity gossip, ticket sales, information on movie listing, and guides to city attractions. Without the web, people would have a harder time getting to purchase tickets to a sporting or music event. For example, presale tickets are usually online only now. For people who are looking for a night out, one may check the internet for various events, but without the web it is difficult to find last minute things to do.
Lastly, the digital divide is very prominent in employment. Many employers post jobs on Craigslist or Monster.com. Again, poorer people without a computer miss opportunities for jobs. Another growing problem concerning employment is that many jobs are developing in the tech industry. Those without knowledge of computer skills are at a severe disadvantage for finding a job. As more jobs become tech oriented, more people without computer skills lack employment or funds to purchase a computer, causing a vicious cycle for the less tech savy.

Web 2.0 Lab

1.) http://www.mapsexoffenders.com/
I like this mashup because I like to know who my neighbors are. It's also going to be useful for when I want to find an apartment. Sex offender locations are also a good indicator of what property value in an area is like. This mashes up the Meghan's Law database with GoogleMaps

2. http://www.findthatpet.com
This mashup is great. I'd be really sad if my dog ever got away, and this would be a great tool to help me find her. They mashed up Google Maps and their pet reporting system to help people post that a pet ran away, and to post if they found a lost pet.

3. )http://www.scholr.co.uk/
Uses Amazon E Commerce to find a book you like and relate it to other books, similar to last.fm. I like this app because I read a lot and like to find new books. Unfortunately it's British, so I only use it for reference, if I want to buy a book I have to find it myself.