The issue with the error I made the other day upset me more than I thought and knocked me off my stride a bit. Regular-sized ResearchBuzz this afternoon.

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

TechCrunch: Twitter launches lower-cost subscription access to its data through new Premium APIs. “Twitter tried to mend its relationship with developers earlier this year with the launch of a new API platform which focused on streamlining APIs and the promise of additional tiers of access. Twitter said it would offer free APIs for testing ideas, self-serve access, as well as paid access for increased functionality, in addition to its enterprise APIs. Today, Twitter is delivering on its plans to offer developers paid APIs that are a step down from the needs of enterprise-scale businesses.” This should have happened years ago and it might be too late.

The Verge: Microsoft unveils special Skype version for freelancers. “Microsoft is creating a unique version of Skype for small business owners and freelancers. The software giant is planning to preview the new version of Skype shortly as a desktop client in the US. Microsoft’s ‘Skype Professional Account’ combines Skype calls, calendar meetings, and payments. This is particularly useful for freelancers that might use Skype to provide tutorials, training, or consulting.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Wall Street Journal: Google, Shmoogle. Reference Librarians Are Busier Than Ever. This might be paywalled. “Even in the internet age, reference librarians still dig up answers that require extra effort, searching old books, microfilm and paper files, looking for everything from owners of long-defunct firms to 19th-century weather reports. Though online searches are now at the fingertips of most people, many still prefer to call or visit a library. Some can’t or don’t use computers; others recognize librarians have search skills and access to databases that search engines can’t match.” And still others want to ensure credibility. Eighteen years ago I was quoted in the New York Times as saying “If you wanted to publish a book that says 2 plus 2 equals 5, you had to go through a lot of effort and spend a great deal of money. But the cost of putting up a Web page saying 2 plus 2 equals 5 is virtually nothing.” Thank your local reference librarian.

The Register: Inside Internet Archive: 10PB+ of storage in a church… oh, and a little fight to preserve truth. “At the Internet Archive’s headquarters in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, technologists, educators, archivists, and others fact-oriented folks gathered to discuss how they and the like-minded can save news from the memory hole – a conceit conjured by George Orwell to describe a political mechanism for altering the truth.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Ars Technica: FCC’s net neutrality-killing vote on track for December 14. “The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote on whether to overturn its own net neutrality rules next month. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will unveil his final proposal next week, setting up a vote at the commission’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting on December 14, according to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters. The FCC hasn’t publicly confirmed the December vote, but Bloomberg and Reuters say the timeline was confirmed by people familiar with Pai’s plans.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

PR Newswire: Smartphone and Social Media Use Is Correlated with Lower Relationship Quality, New National Survey Shows (PRESS RELEASE). “A comprehensive national poll released today reveals how new communication technology is affecting American families. Results indicate nearly half of Americans report that mobile phones have a positive effect on their relationships with family members, and a similar number say it has no effect. These generally positive self-reports on technology, however, contrast with other findings of the survey, which show the more time people reported that they spend on the phone, the higher the likelihood that they also reported concerns about their relationships in the past two years.” Good morning, Internet…

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