Enterprise 2.0 as part of a larger theme
In light of the McKinsey report which showed that many companies were dissatisfied with Enterprise 2.0 implementations, Eric Norlin of Defrag gives his view on the role of technology in solving persistent issues: “So, let me answer the question: Is enterprise 2.0 b*llsh*t? In a word: ‘no.’ However, I do get the sense (and this is all just gut) that the ‘enterprise 2.0 movement’ is about to enter the often hard and trudging ‘trough of disillusionment’ that Gartner made famous… Why then, am I so ready to say that enterprise 2.0 is *not* just bunk? Because I believe that it is actually just one piece of a much, much, much larger puzzle.”

Prof tweets about course, ends up moving whole class online
On Ars Technica, John Timmer talks about Professor Dave Parry’s successful experiment using Twitter for the class discussions of his graduate students: “As more of the student population gets access to broadband connections, faculty at major universities are exploring how rich media and online interactivity can enhance, supplement, and even replace the classroom experience.”

You Call That Broadband? Group Decries Plodding Pace of US Net Speed
The latest data show the US lagging behind other industrialized nations in terms of broadband growth. TechNewsWorld’s Walaika Haskins reports on one of its most vocal critics, the Communications Workers of America labor union: “Broadband speeds have barely nudged over the past year, and they remain a mere fraction of those found in other developed countries. The group says slow Internet connections hinder the growth of new technologies like telemedicine.”

Study: Fastest Growing US Companies Rapidly Adopting Social Media
Marshall Kirkpatrick presents new research, this time from the University of Massachusetts, that affirms social media is on the rise. “A one year follow up on a study of social media adoption at 500 of the fastest growing companies in the US has found that familiarity with and use of blogs, podcasting, wikis, online video and social networking has skyrocketed in 2008 to nearly double what it was in 2007.”

Storms in the cloud leave users up creek without a paddle
After numerous cloud services crashed in the last few weeks, Peter Bright of Ars Technica mulled their impact on customer perception: “The appeal of these services is obvious—they should be a reliable, scalable, cost-effective resource you can access from anywhere. But the recent disruptions show some of the risks of online services. What do you do when they go down?”

If You Love Your Data, Set It Free
In this podcast on TechNewsWorld, Dana Gardner interviews several leading players in the data services industry. “In the past, data was structured, secure and tightly controlled. The bad news is that the data was limited by the firewall of personnel, technologies and process rigidity. Today, however, the demand is for just-in-time and inclusive data, moving away from a monolithic data system mentality to multiple sources of data that provide real-time inferences on consumers, activities, events, and transactions.”

What happens when a Web 2.0 site dies?
Vongo’s dead. Now, John Brandon of Computer World ponders about consumer rights when companies holding their data go bust. “If you read the terms of service closely at most sites, you’ll find that – in most cases – your data is protected in terms of privacy but not necessarily from loss or damage. There is no service level agreement, and no contract that says the company must retain your data if they close up shop. In fact, as it relates to data protection, there is really no guarantee whatsoever, and you are on your own for back-ups.”

Barack Obama Overtakes Kevin Rose On Twitter
Just how important is social media in public relations today? TechCrunch’s Erick Scholfeld tracks Obama’s tech-savvy campaign strategy. “Up until last night, the person with the most followers on the micro-messaging service was Digg founder and Web celeb Kevin Rose, with 56,482 other people following his every public mind burp. It took none other than Barack Obama (or, rather, Obama’s campaign machine) to take the Twitter crown away from Rose. Obama can now finally stand tall knowing that 56,791 people subscribe to his campaign Tweets.”

McCain tech policy: crack down on piracy, fix patent mess
He may be candid about his aversion to computers, but if he becomes president, he still needs to craft a credible technology policy. Can McCain do it? Ryan Paul from Ars Technica examines the Republican senator’s position on various issues. “Presidential candidate John McCain has issued a policy statement that provides details of his position on a wide range of issues that relate to technology. Like most political statements from members of both major parties, it is heavy on promises and light on specific solutions.”