How to measure a website's IQ?

The creator of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, has made an odd request: for a kind of rating system to help people distinguish sites that can be trusted to tell the truth, and those that can't.

Berners-Lee was speaking at the launch of the World Wide Web Foundation, which aims to ensure that everyone in the world benefits as the web evolves.

In his speech he referred to the way fears that the LHC could destroy the worldspread like wildfire online. As the BBC puts it, he explained that "there needed to be new systems that would give websites a label for trustworthiness once they had been proved reliable sources."

He went on to say that he didn't think "a simple number like an IQ rating" is a good idea: "I'd be interested in different organisations labelling websites in different ways". Whatever process is used to hand out the labels, it sounds like a bad idea to me.

Berners-Lee himself directed us towards some of the its biggest problems:

"On the web the thinking of cults can spread very rapidly and suddenly a cult which was 12 people who had some deep personal issues suddenly find a formula which is very believable...A sort of conspiracy theory of sorts and which you can imagine spreading to thousands of people and being deeply damaging."

There are plenty of arguments online already about whether Scientology is a cult. I find it unlikely anyone will be keen to step in and label sites on either side as not to be trusted. Others might reasonably argue that all religions - whether established or not - should come with a warning message.
As for wading in to put a stop to conspiracy theories, I can't image anything their proponents could benefit from more.

Berners-Lee also mentioned the system would help people find out the real science behind, for example, the LHC's risks. You might think handing out rating for sites about science would be easier, with publishers of peer-reviewed science, for example, receiving a top rating without problems.

But there will be papers in the archives of any journal that have been entirely superseded. And a whole lot more that present results that are valid, but can be misleading to some readers. Web licences to ensure that people only read sites they can handle are the next logical step.

Fortunately it's much more likely that the whole idea will quietly be forgotten, which will at least prevent Berners-Lee receiving one of the first "potentially misleading" badges for thinking it up in the first place.

Let's hope the World Wide Web Foundation and its laudable goals have a rosier future.

Airtel brings fastest broadband service till date in India !

Airtel introduces fastest ever speed for broadband users in India

Begins offering ultra fast 50 Mbps speed in select areas in Delhi and Gurgaon • Offers fastest wireline broadband on VDSL2 technology in India • Tariff Plan at Rs. 8999/- with data transfer limits of 200 GB New Delhi, March 28, 2010 : Bharti Airtel, one of Asia’s leading integrated telecom service providers, has pioneered 50 Mbps broadband – the fastest wireline broadband for its consumer segment on VDSL2 -- in the country. Initially, the service would be available in select few locations in Delhi and Gurgaon. As the leading private broadband service provider in the country, Bharti Airtel has been the pioneer in introducing high speed broadband in India with the launch of its 16 Mbps plans last year. Announcing the launch,  K. Srinivas, Joint President-Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel, said, “Airtel, with this step, brings in a world class experience for its broadband customers. We are delighted to introduce 50 Mbps speed - the fastest, wired broadband service on next generation VDSL2 technology. This ultra-fast broadband connection will allow customers, the convenience to download songs in seconds and full length feature films in less than three minutes.” Powered by Airtel’s Carrier Ethernet Network, the service will be initially available in select few premium locations in Delhi and Gurgaon, with phased roll-out in cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Customers can avail the following plans for ultra high-speed broadband: A. 50 MBPS - @ Rs. 8999 per month, experience 50 Mbps broadband speed with free data transfer upto 200 GB and additional free value added services (VAS) like Parallel Ringing, Website Builder (Basic), PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), Online Storage, Unlimited Gaming on Games on Demand . B. 30 MBPS - @ Rs. 7999 per month, experience 30 Mbps broadband speed with free data transfer upto 200GB and additional free VAS like Parallel Ringing, Website Builder (Basic), PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), Online Storage, Unlimited Gaming on Games on Demand. VDSL2 (Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line) is the newest and most advanced standard of DSL broadband wire line communications. It is designed to support the wide deployment of Triple Play services such as voice, video, data, IPTV, high definition television (HDTV) and interactive gaming. VDSL2 also enables customers to stream HD Content anywhere from the internet world as well. Airtel provides broadband (DSL) and telephone services (fixed line) in 94 cities and had 29,88,545 customers as on December 31, 2009 of which 41.5% were subscribing to broadband/ internet services. For further details, customers can visit www.airtel.in or call at 1800 103 0121 or SMS ‘www’ to 53636.