links for 2008-12-16

In between being far too kind about my own series of blog posts on site search, Michael Nolan gives a really valuable insight into some of the strengths and weakness of search within the UK HEI sector, and there are also some good contributions about search strategies within the comments as well.

"China appears to have banned a number of foreign websites, including the BBC's Chinese language news site and Voice of America in Chinese". And that appears to be your answer to how long the "freedom" legacy of the Olympics would last...

"Those who create and mediate visual information have a fantastic opportunity in 2009. I'd like to see more short video explainers, useful online applications, and accessible graphic design. It is up to the design community to re-calibrate their value system - to celebrate accessibility rather than complexity and look to serve their users rather than impress them."

This is one of those 'culture shock' perspectives on being back in the UK after living in Greece. So what we are saying here is that basically at the taxpayers expense we now have to set up mobile field hospitals in central London because as a society we can't control our alcohol intake at Xmas?

Union spokesman says "How ironic that those documenting persecution and intimidation on UN Human Rights Day should be subject to such abuse and intimidation". Possible Alanis Morissette use of the word 'ironic' there. I'd say it would be more accurate to call it absolutely f$%!ing outrageous.

"Reformed Irish band Boyzone have joined the chorus of voices wanting Top of the Pops back on the screen". I suspect TOTP is becoming the new "One Man and His Dog". Everybody thinks it *ought* to be in the TV schedules on principle, but nobody actually wants to particularly *watch* it

"If Amazon wants our custom back it needs to ditch the unnecessary software". I've spent ages designing the interfaces for this kind of music download manager tool, and I've still *never* seen an operating system that couldn't handle the task natively. Why oh why oh why do it?