Damien Mulley

John Battelle asked Google what details they store and I think this has stark implications for Ireland with the new Data Retention Spy Law.

These “server logs” typically include your web request, Internet Protocol address, browser
type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser

In other words, yes, Google does record this data. But, does it KEEP that data, I asked? The answer:

Yes

Kind of on the same topic, via Google Blogoscoped is a mini video on why the L in Google is green.

EDIT: Rick just realised he’s not in the country on the 11th. So, changing it to then.

Irish Blog Awards – Sat March 11th 7pm, Buswells Hotel, Dublin.

Just made a provsional booking with Buswells* for the Awards. Room cost is €200 ex vat and I’m sure that if everyone puts in a fiver each we should be able to cover the cost of it. If you want Tea/Coffee and biscuits the cost is €4 per head or €8 if you want tea/coffee and sandwiches. I will need numbers in advance if people want to avail of these.

I’m going to try and get everyone free wireless access if they want it but let me know.

Map to Buswells:

*Note to Rick and all the other grammar police, I’ve checked their website and nowhere on it do they call it Buswell’s, instead it is known as Buswells

Now I must go off and figure out what the trophies will be and whether I can get some nice certificates.

There are just over one computers per 10 pupils in Ireland compared to 3 computers per 10 students in most first world countries.

From RTE:

The study found that around 90% of Irish students have access to computers at school. But only 25% of Irish students say they use a computer in school regularly, compared to around 70% in the UK.

It was also found that Ireland is among a group of countries which show the least positive attitudes among students towards computers.

More details from the OECD.

Seems Nintendo announced a deal today with BT where you can play your Nintendo DS at 270 BT Openzone Hotspots in Ireland. You still have to pay for this Wifi service though, but connecting to the Nintendo network to play other users is free.

What is also interesting is that Nintendo are installing more BT WiFi hotspots in a whole heap of new locations, though it doesn’t say whether these are free or not either. From the press release:

Nintendo will also be installing BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots into major video games retailers such as GAME, HMV, GameStop and Smyth’s Toys in addition to other key outlets across Ireland.

I would assume that these are not Nintendo only hotspots so it means Wifi coverage will increase again. The more the merrier.

What BT should be doing, in my opinion, is tying the Hotspots to the broadband customers or business customers who can’t get broadband. So if you have a BT broadband account you can use the hotspots for free and if you are a homeuser then maybe it would cost you can extra fiver or more a month to use these Hotspots. I would think they would make a lot more from their hostpots that way as well as gaining a lot of extra customers. The less bills and logins for people, the better. Course that would mean getting the billing system working properly.