Blog Index for July 2016

A "server" computer is one that's probably running continuously, and exists primarily to handle requests from client software. Client software makes a request of a server, waits for the response, then does something useful with that response. The phrase "client/server" describes this paradigm.

There are lots of kinds of server software - each serving its own purpose. The word "server" implies that the server software is in service to client software.

What's the difference?

It wasn't that long ago that online news sites began killing off the traditional news services. Many newspapers and magazines have either shut down (costing many cities a vitally necessary check on local government), or else shrank, or else transitioned to an online service. A generation of writers and journalists are under turmoil in a time period where we desperately need a check on the powerful elite. The 1% are in the process of doing grave harm to democracy and good governance around the world, and we need the Press to fulfill its rightful role.

One of the bright spots was the rise of citizen journalism - with one of the biggest such websites being examiner.com. Examiner.com allowed "anyone" to sign up to start writing articles, and had arranged with the likes of Google News to be a recognized news source. The result was .. uh .. spotty, since many Examiner writers did not try to practice proper journalism. A few, such as myself, did take the work seriously and produced good work through examiner.com.