Trends and Issues in Extension

The latest edition of the abstracts (subscription information is on the site) of the Journal of International Agriculture and Extension Education is online in PDF format.

Slate has a review of VoIP (voice over internet protocol) services. I’ve talked about one provider, Skype, here. VoIP is another collaborative tool that helps Extension professionals to connect and build social networks.

From Cool Tools comes this tip about keeping a disposable camera in your car. Makes sense, but as usual I have not followed up and done it yet. I can think of several times that I could have used it. The premise is that the quality is better than your camera phone. My problem: I seem to collect disposable cameras that all have a few pictures on them instead of using up just one.

The NY Times (registration required) has an interesting review of PalmOne’s Treo 650 Smartphone. The article also contains an interesting overview of the history of the Palm/PalmOne/Handspring saga. Are we moving towards one device to do everything? Probably, but for now it seems that most of us are willing to pay a premium for individual, high quality devices. Hence the need for ipods, cameras, organizers and phones.

Wired News has two interesting articles on the Grokster decision.

The first is an editorial discussing how the Supreme Court decision merely delays the move away from the current business model the entertainment industry uses. I tend to agree with this viewpoint.

The second explores how the Grokster decision adds ambiguity to the use of podcasts by iTunes. The Grokster decision seems to have muddled things in its attempt to protect copyright.

My fear? Even more time wasted by Extension professionals making sure that all material used in podcasts, etc. is completely, absolutely, without a doubt legal. More lawyers adding more steps at the same time we are asking our professionals to be more entrepreneurial.

iTunes now has podcasts. I’ve downloaded the new version (4.9) and am browsing the various podcasts. Download the software and then hit the music store. Now if I can just get some juice out of my iPod battery….

Extension professionals working in public issues education or that just want a quick five minute 101 course in stem cells should check out this article at Wired News. A good, quick introduction.

Wired New’s Katie Dean says "Grokster Loss Sucks for Tech." Hmmm….guess how Wired feels about this….

In another decision the Supremes’ handed down a ruling supporting the FCC and favoring cable companies. The 6-3 ruling rejects a move to force cable companies to share their cable infrastructure with other providers (AOL for example). Expect less competition. The impacts for Extension: less competition for true broadband service meaning the only alternative will continue to be DSL. DSL will not allow the same level of service with video and higher level functions. The Extension services like Purdue that have already committed to T-1 access will contiue to have advantages in using distance saving techologies like IP video. Clientele will also have less access to alternative providers, slowing the availability and capabilities of higher levels of data transmission.

Once again, good coverage can be found at the NY Times (registration required). Here is the story.

The Supreme Court ruled today in favor of the entertainment industry in the case of file sharing. It found that companies can be guilty of promoting illegal file sharing, even if the file sharing is done by individuals accessing their services. It will be interesting to see how this will affect peer-peer file sharing for the future. Cory Doctorow offers an editorial in Popular Science. See the NY Times (registration required) for a story with links to video and the complete text of the decision. Probably bad news for free sharing services, maybe good news for itunes and others (now including Napster) that offer fee services. I’m sure there will be serveral editorials over the next few days with insights into both sides of the debate.

What does seem clear is that there is plenty of consumer demand for media and information that consumers can control and use at their leisure. I do not see this trend reversing at all. Extension will need to look at their delivery systems and create ways of providing information to a customer base that is used to having choices.