Silicon Valley and the Meaning of the Words: Case 'Open'

Words are the main tools for communicating new ideas. In the Silicon Valley, and other places as well, words can also be used quite innovatively as marketing tools. After critical inquiry some of these words can be later identified, and called as buzz words.

Mass media, classical or new, are the main forums for presenting new ideas, and new infomation. Therefore it is really important that especially the journalists are aware of the very meaning of words.

Financial Times has a great supplement called Digital Business, which is continuously dealing with new, emerging technologies. It was most excellent to find out that Chris Nuttall in San Francisco has realized that "open" is the latest word with which you have to be very carefull.

Obviously, there are several different levels of openess.

Innovation - Already Vol 7.

Sustainable energy and health seems to be on the top of the themes when reporting about innovations, especially in a Singaporean magazine called Innovation. It is a joint publication of The National University of Singapore and World Scientific Publishing Co.

BBC at Silicon Valley

BBC News Online: Inside the Silicon Valley tech bubble

"Silicon Valley and the Bay Area around San Francisco have long been a crucible for technology innovation. In decades past it led the world in chip development, and more recently it has been at the forefront of web applications."

Science Journalism/U.S.

Knight Science Journalism Tracker: The decline in daily US newspaper science writers

EU & Science Awareness

European Comission: Commission launches call for analysing public perception of science programmes on European TV and radio stations

"A special edition of DG Rearch's quarterly was dedicated to European attitudes on research.The European Commission wants to improve public awareness of science among the largest number of European citizens possible, including young people, and mass media are an important tool in achieving this goal."

Science Journalism

SciDev.net: How journalism can hide the truth about science

"The process of science is far less linear than the media's image of a neat series of breakthroughs suggests."