The Beginning of the Next Edition...
One of the more interesting challenges of writing Geekonomics was keeping pace with new and shocking facts about cyber crime that came to light on a monthly, if not weekly basis. Deciding upon which stories to include in the book was frustrating rather than enjoyable. In fact, it was, and remains, rather unpleasant. To be inundated with cyber crime stories, to see the scope and scale of the damage (and the depth of infiltration into our computer systems) does not make for restful nights. And this is only based on the public news stories related to cyber crime. Cyber espionage is the darker and more shadowy of the two. Cyber crime is far more sexy, more in-your-face, more apparent. As such, cyber crime is reported more often and easier to reference. Cyber espionage remains hidden and difficult to bring to light. If cyber criminals are bleeding financial institutions of their cash and treasure, those practicing cyber espionage are bleeding the very futures of corporations around the globe. The economic damage is stunning. Restful nights do not come easy.
This all happened so fast. Or, at least, it seems that way. I spent over two years researching Geekonomics and over ten years living the stories told within its pages. In that time, for every article describing how dire the situation might be, another article appeared stating the situation was even worse than originally thought. I had to cut off the constant stream of news at some point and finally get the book out the door (much to the joy of my publisher and myself, I might add). Nonetheless, the stream of news stories about the tumult in cyber space is relentless. The period of time I "relaxed" after Geekonomics went to print saw two more pronounced stories. One in CSO Magazine, "Inside the Global Hacking Service Economy" and the other in the San Jose Mercury News, "Cybercrime, How Online Crooks Put Us All At Risk." Both articles are harrowing to say the least...and only scratch the surface of what is really happening.
And so, this blog allows me to delve deeper into the underlying themes of Geekonomics as well as keep pace by documenting, referencing, and commenting on what will be perhaps the most tumultuous and decisive decade(s) for technology in general and software engineering in particular.
