WikiLeaks and the Information Era

I just finished Bill Keller's piece in The Times.

I beg to differ.

I believe Mr. Keller does not know what Information is. A strong statement from a physicist about a journalist: I explain here.

Julian Assange invented Scientific Journalism.

Mr. Keller claims the NYT did. Not quite; he says that all journalists post online, more information than never before, thus Assange did do squat.

What Mr. Keller misses is that he is not a computer expert and Assange is. The NYT team had to bring along the ``technicians'', should we say. Their in house experts. He misses the point that only a physicist can do physics, he doesn't bring his in house physicist to do physics.

``From 2003 to 2006, Assange studied physics and mathematics at the University of Melbourne. He has also studied philosophy and neuroscience.[40] He never graduated and received the minimum passing grades in most of his math courses.He allegedly dropped out because his fellow students were doing research for Pentagon's DARPA.[2][22][41] On his personal web page, he described having represented his university at the Australian National Physics Competition around 2005.[2][42]''

Wikipedia

We have here a case of the ``Two Cultures,'' made famous by C.P. Snow. Mr. Keller very likely is as smart as Mr. Assange, but he was not trained as a mathematical-physical thinker. He does not understand those like myself , and Assange that have  scientific training.

I do not explain that difference now, my intention is to bring to fore, a possible lack of understanding, and lack of respect, from Mr. Keller to Mr. Assange. That much is clear to me after reading his piece.

I respect Assange.