i202 Fall 2009 School of Information, UC Berkeley

Foolishness reigns in the Old World.

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/cdc-/630785.html

A recent report by the department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that the sole central database for Medicaid claims and eligibility information is riddled with problems. The database, operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is incomplete, out of date, and less accurate than claimed.

Article - click here to read

Proving identity in India can sometime result in frustrating experience. If you go to Bank for opening an account, they will ask for Permanent Account Number (PAN) card issued by finance ministry of India. If you hail from low income group and want to take advantage of subsidized food provided by the government then they will ask for ration card.

Collecting information is not the same everywhere. This article by The Economist reveals different methods used to collect information for digital maps: from using sophisticated GPS systems in England, to note-taking in India and voluntary contributions in Nigeria. There is no single way to get data from every place, and different information is needed by different users in a variety of contexts. The following questions arise: How do we standarize all these different data-collections?

This Economist article describes the use of bar codes in conjunction with mobile phone cameras to provide users with real-time, context-sensitive information. An example of this is the traveller photographing a barcode at a railway station with his mobile phone to obtain train timetables. Despite of varying bar code standards, the author suggests their free, open standard nature will encourage wider adoption.&#1