Victims build app tackling cyber bullying

Sammy Riley with students Amy and Sarah test the Bullydown app. Picture: CALUM ROBERTSON Source: adelaidenow

TEENAGE victims of cyber bullying in the northern suburbs are fighting back with a smartphone application they have developed to link children to the help they need.

Co-developer Corey, 17, said his motivation to get involved stemmed from realising that cyber bullying is serious after being bullied himself.

"It might be a really blunt comment but cyber bullying is killing people," he said.

"Bullying doesn't end at 3.30pm like high school.

"I have gotten messages saying `I'm getting bashed' and `I have been told to kill myself'."

Corey is part of a group of about 20 young people from UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide's Fresh Connections alternative education program who have created the free app called Bullydown.

The app is launched today at 11am at Northern Sound System in Elizabeth. Bullydown project officer Sammy Riley said the app wouldn't solve the problem, but would start a conversation.

"We just try to promote good choices and then refer them on to other services," he said.

Sarah, 15, has lost two people to suicide because of bullying.

She said the app would help those who feel they have no options left.

For help, call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

View the original article here

Australia should build a Silicon Valley

Ben Huh, co-creator of I Can Has Cheezburgers, picture in 2008 in New York City. Picture: Joe Kohen/WireImage Source: Getty Images

• LOLcats entrepreneur Ben Huh talks to news.com.au
• Huh says Australia should build its own Silicon Valley
• 'National broadband is a great idea, but at what cost?'

THE MAN who introduced the web to LOLcats visited Australia last week, and had a few things to say about the tech culture Down Under.

South Korean entrepreneur Ben Huh, bought popular website I Can Has Cheezburger - a site dedicated to cute pictures of cats with misspelled captions - in 2007, when the site was in its infancy.

Since then the site has made Huh a multi-millionaire and he has gone on to launch other popular websites including Know Your Meme and Failblog - which is dedicated to documenting human stupidity.

In town to promote computer company, Dell, Huh told news.com.au that he was really excited to be here, but was sad Australia was losing so much of its tech talent to the US. The Federal Government should be trying to build a Silicon Valley of its own and encourage local talent to stay and work locally.

"The culture of entrepreneurism is there, he said. People are willing to take risks but we need to be willing to be bolder about the challenges they tackle.

"Policies and government structures play a big role in that."

He said Australia was making progress but was not there yet.

"Australia is suffering from a brain drain where risk takers are moving to the US," he said.

One thing the government should do to encourage innovation locally is stop taxing people for money they don't yet have, he said.

In Australia if you are given stock options in a start-up company, you are taxed for those shares immediately, even if you have yet to earn anything from them.

In the US, people do not have to pay taxes on stock options until they have been paid out, he said.

"Imagine walking into a casino and they told you upon entry 'we're going to tax you now for money you haven't earned, in case you earn $10,000'," he said.

"At face value that seems like a terrible idea; having to pay taxes on something that may not be worth anything."

Huh said the entrepreneurial spirit was strong in Australians. He said the government should be cultivating that by allowing them to foster a local community of innovators and allow them to keep challenging themselves.

"Nothing is essential to innovation except making it easier to take risks, " he said.

But will the National Broadband Network help in fostering this innovation? Huh said government-funded fibre was a huge political risk but also a little bit brave.

"Fibre is not essential to innovation, but it will lead to innovation," he said. "I just don't know how much."

Huh said if it comes down to return on investment, fibre was best left up to private industry.

"But if the government wants to spend that money, then that's their choice. It's a pretty brave move.

"I think national broadband is a great idea but at what cost?"

Huh said the US had "terrible fibre" but said the best stuff could be found in Kansas where Google was installing fibre optic broadband "because iIt has decided to dump a crap load of money there".

He said part of the problem in the US was the lack of competition. Huh said the Australian Federal Government should learn from the US example by creating competition between Internet providers.

He acknowledged though, that it would take "political courage".

"Spending billions on infrastructure to wire up the country ... you'd need to weigh up the odds," he said

"A lot of people smarter than me are trying to solve the problem but $34 billion (to build the NBN) doesn't seem like it's going to lead to innovation."

View the original article here

Australia should build a Silicon Valley

Ben Huh, co-creator of I Can Has Cheezburgers, picture in 2008 in New York City. Picture: Joe Kohen/WireImage Source: Getty Images

• LOLcats entrepreneur Ben Huh talks to news.com.au
• Huh says Australia should build its own Silicon Valley
• 'National broadband is a great idea, but at what cost?'

THE MAN who introduced the web to LOLcats visited Australia last week, and had a few things to say about the tech culture Down Under.

South Korean entrepreneur Ben Huh, bought popular website I Can Has Cheezburger - a site dedicated to cute pictures of cats with misspelled captions - in 2007, when the site was in its infancy.

Since then the site has made Huh a multi-millionaire and he has gone on to launch other popular websites including Know Your Meme and Failblog - which is dedicated to documenting human stupidity.

In town to promote computer company, Dell, Huh told news.com.au that he was really excited to be here, but was sad Australia was losing so much of its tech talent to the US. The Federal Government should be trying to build a Silicon Valley of its own and encourage local talent to stay and work locally.

"The culture of entrepreneurism is there, he said. People are willing to take risks but we need to be willing to be bolder about the challenges they tackle.

"Policies and government structures play a big role in that."

He said Australia was making progress but was not there yet.

"Australia is suffering from a brain drain where risk takers are moving to the US," he said.

One thing the government should do to encourage innovation locally is stop taxing people for money they don't yet have, he said.

In Australia if you are given stock options in a start-up company, you are taxed for those shares immediately, even if you have yet to earn anything from them.

In the US, people do not have to pay taxes on stock options until they have been paid out, he said.

"Imagine walking into a casino and they told you upon entry 'we're going to tax you now for money you haven't earned, in case you earn $10,000'," he said.

"At face value that seems like a terrible idea; having to pay taxes on something that may not be worth anything."

Huh said the entrepreneurial spirit was strong in Australians. He said the government should be cultivating that by allowing them to foster a local community of innovators and allow them to keep challenging themselves.

"Nothing is essential to innovation except making it easier to take risks, " he said.

But will the National Broadband Network help in fostering this innovation? Huh said government-funded fibre was a huge political risk but also a little bit brave.

"Fibre is not essential to innovation, but it will lead to innovation," he said. "I just don't know how much."

Huh said if it comes down to return on investment, fibre was best left up to private industry.

"But if the government wants to spend that money, then that's their choice. It's a pretty brave move.

"I think national broadband is a great idea but at what cost?"

Huh said the US had "terrible fibre" but said the best stuff could be found in Kansas where Google was installing fibre optic broadband "because iIt has decided to dump a crap load of money there".

He said part of the problem in the US was the lack of competition. Huh said the Australian Federal Government should learn from the US example by creating competition between Internet providers.

He acknowledged though, that it would take "political courage".

"Spending billions on infrastructure to wire up the country ... you'd need to weigh up the odds," he said

"A lot of people smarter than me are trying to solve the problem but $34 billion (to build the NBN) doesn't seem like it's going to lead to innovation."

View the original article here

Australia should build a Silicone Valley

Ben Huh, co-creator of I Can Has Cheezburgers, picture in 2008 in New York City. Picture: Joe Kohen/WireImage Source: Getty Images

• LOLcats entrepreneur Ben Huh talks to news.com.au
• Huh says Australia should build its own Silicon Valley
• 'National broadband is a great idea, but at what cost?'

THE MAN who introduced the web to LOLcats visited Australia last week, and had a few things to say about the tech culture Down Under.

South Korean entrepreneur Ben Huh, bought popular website I Can Has Cheezburger - a site dedicated to cute pictures of cats with misspelled captions - in 2007, when the site was in its infancy.

Since then the site has made Huh a multi-millionaire and he has gone on to launch other popular websites including Know Your Meme and Failblog - which is dedicated to documenting human stupidity.

In town to promote computer company, Dell, Huh told news.com.au that he was really excited to be here, but was sad Australia was losing so much of its tech talent to the US. The Federal Government should be trying to build a Silicon Valley of its own and encourage local talent to stay and work locally.

"The culture of entrepreneurism is there, he said. People are willing to take risks but we need to be willing to be bolder about the challenges they tackle.

"Policies and government structures play a big role in that."

He said Australia was making progress but was not there yet.

"Australia is suffering from a brain drain where risk takers are moving to the US," he said.

One thing the government should do to encourage innovation locally is stop taxing people for money they don't yet have, he said.

In Australia if you are given stock options in a start-up company, you are taxed for those shares immediately, even if you have yet to earn anything from them.

In the US, people do not have to pay taxes on stock options until they have been paid out, he said.

"Imagine walking into a casino and they told you upon entry 'we're going to tax you now for money you haven't earned, in case you earn $10,000'," he said.

"At face value that seems like a terrible idea; having to pay taxes on something that may not be worth anything."

Huh said the entrepreneurial spirit was strong in Australians. He said the government should be cultivating that by allowing them to foster a local community of innovators and allow them to keep challenging themselves.

"Nothing is essential to innovation except making it easier to take risks, " he said.

But will the National Broadband Network help in fostering this innovation? Huh said government-funded fibre was a huge political risk but also a little bit brave.

"Fibre is not essential to innovation, but it will lead to innovation," he said. "I just don't know how much."

Huh said if it comes down to return on investment, fibre was best left up to private industry.

"But if the government wants to spend that money, then that's their choice. It's a pretty brave move.

"I think national broadband is a great idea but at what cost?"

Huh said the US had "terrible fibre" but said the best stuff could be found in Kansas where Google was installing fibre optic broadband "because iIt has decided to dump a crap load of money there".

He said part of the problem in the US was the lack of competition. Huh said the Australian Federal Government should learn from the US example by creating competition between Internet providers.

He acknowledged though, that it would take "political courage".

"Spending billions on infrastructure to wire up the country ... you'd need to weigh up the odds," he said

"A lot of people smarter than me are trying to solve the problem but $34 billion (to build the NBN) doesn't seem like it's going to lead to innovation."

View the original article here

Fired tweet developer wants to 'build bridges'

Source: Supplied

ADRIA Richards, the developer fired after tweeting about sexist comments made by fellow attendees at a conference, has spoken for the first time about the event.

In a statement to news.com.au, Richards said she couldn't have possibly imagined how a tweet could spiral into such a public debate.

"I certainly did not, and now that the severest of consequences have manifested, all I wish to do is find the good in what has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life," she said.

The San Francisco "developer evangelist" for email company SendGrid, tweeted a photo of a group of men sitting behind her at last weekend's PyCon conference who made a comment about "big dongles."

Richards' tweet set off a social media tsunami with ominous overtones, including threats and name calling directed at Richards. The fallout led to her firing, as well as the dismissal of one of the men in the photo by his employer, PlayHaven, a San Francisco mobile-game company.

However the developer seems to have no regrets about the events that led to her firing. She there was "good to be found" from the situation, and that "Debate and recrimination can and must give way to dialog that explores the root causes of these issues in the tech industry."

Read the statement in full below:

"Those who know me well in the the developer and tech community recognize that I have always tried to conduct myself in a way that builds bridges for everyone. My central aim is to do everything I can to help create new, inclusive inroads for all, no matter who they are, where they come from or what they believe. Development is about innovation, creativity, and in a grand sense, the betterment of human society through technology. So, it stands to reason that everyone should have a seat at the table, and everyone involved in this vital community should feel welcome, safe and respected. In essence, the worldwide community of developers can and should function as a reflection of what our wider society strives to be.

“I cannot comment at this time on the specifics of what occurred at PyCon on March 17, and the subsequent events of the following days, but I can offer some general thoughts. I don’t think anyone who was part of what happened at PyCon that day could possibly have imagined how this issue would have exploded into the public consciousness the way it has. I certainly did not, and now that the severest of consequences have manifested, all I wish to do is find the good in what has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life.

"And I do believe there is good to be found in this situation. Debate and recrimination can and must give way to dialog that explores the root causes of these issues in the tech industry. As developers and members of the startup community, we can welcome newcomers, women and people of color who, as of now, are under-represented in our ranks. And, all of us can learn a great deal from those who are well-established in the field. We can solidify the values of our workplaces (yes, conference spaces are workplaces!), and set new, positive and inclusive examples for other professional disciplines.

What happened at PyCon has cast a spotlight on a range of deep issues and problems in the developer world. As ugly as this situation has become, all of these issues have reasonable, and, I think, easily reached solutions that will help us cast conflict aside and construct a more cohesive and welcoming professional environment based on respect, trust and open communication. I do not, at this time, wish to concentrate on the fallout of the last several days. Instead, I want to be an integral part of a diverse, core group of individuals that comes together in a spirit of healing and openness to devise answers to the many questions that have arisen in the last week. Together, we can work to make the tech world a better place to work for everyone, and in doing so, we make the wider world a better place for all."
 

View the original article here

Fired tweet developer wants to 'build bridges'

Source: Supplied

ADRIA Richards, the developer fired after tweeting about sexist comments made by fellow attendees at a conference, has spoken for the first time about the event.

In a statement to news.com.au, Richards said she couldn't have possibly imagined how a tweet could spiral into such a public debate.

"I certainly did not, and now that the severest of consequences have manifested, all I wish to do is find the good in what has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life," she said.

The San Francisco "developer evangelist" for email company SendGrid, tweeted a photo of a group of men sitting behind her at last weekend's PyCon conference who made a comment about "big dongles."

Richards' tweet set off a social media tsunami with ominous overtones, including threats and name calling directed at Richards. The fallout led to her firing, as well as the dismissal of one of the men in the photo by his employer, PlayHaven, a San Francisco mobile-game company.

However the developer seems to have no regrets about the events that led to her firing. She there was "good to be found" from the situation, and that "Debate and recrimination can and must give way to dialog that explores the root causes of these issues in the tech industry."

Read the statement in full below:

"Those who know me well in the the developer and tech community recognize that I have always tried to conduct myself in a way that builds bridges for everyone. My central aim is to do everything I can to help create new, inclusive inroads for all, no matter who they are, where they come from or what they believe. Development is about innovation, creativity, and in a grand sense, the betterment of human society through technology. So, it stands to reason that everyone should have a seat at the table, and everyone involved in this vital community should feel welcome, safe and respected. In essence, the worldwide community of developers can and should function as a reflection of what our wider society strives to be.

“I cannot comment at this time on the specifics of what occurred at PyCon on March 17, and the subsequent events of the following days, but I can offer some general thoughts. I don’t think anyone who was part of what happened at PyCon that day could possibly have imagined how this issue would have exploded into the public consciousness the way it has. I certainly did not, and now that the severest of consequences have manifested, all I wish to do is find the good in what has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life.

"And I do believe there is good to be found in this situation. Debate and recrimination can and must give way to dialog that explores the root causes of these issues in the tech industry. As developers and members of the startup community, we can welcome newcomers, women and people of color who, as of now, are under-represented in our ranks. And, all of us can learn a great deal from those who are well-established in the field. We can solidify the values of our workplaces (yes, conference spaces are workplaces!), and set new, positive and inclusive examples for other professional disciplines.

What happened at PyCon has cast a spotlight on a range of deep issues and problems in the developer world. As ugly as this situation has become, all of these issues have reasonable, and, I think, easily reached solutions that will help us cast conflict aside and construct a more cohesive and welcoming professional environment based on respect, trust and open communication. I do not, at this time, wish to concentrate on the fallout of the last several days. Instead, I want to be an integral part of a diverse, core group of individuals that comes together in a spirit of healing and openness to devise answers to the many questions that have arisen in the last week. Together, we can work to make the tech world a better place to work for everyone, and in doing so, we make the wider world a better place for all."
 

View the original article here