Archive for October, 2005

Old friends collide in online software showdown

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Old friends collide in online software showdown

Once considered a crazy idea, the concept of online, or “on-demand,” software has become a hot market as thousands of companies decide they would rather lease applications monthly than pay an upfront licensing fee and deal with the costs — and headaches — of installation, maintenance and the inevitable software upgrades.

Bill Gates receives all the attention, but Larry Ellison is the guy I most admire for his technology vision. Gates seems to buy or steal technology, while Ellison invests and makes things happen. Tem years ago Ellison predicted we would see what we are starting to see now and it looks like Ellison & Gates share something in common…tons of cash and the ability to buy the technology companies

Watch these developments very closely and if you look back at Ellison’s speeches 10 years ago you will see what the market place will look 5-10 years from now.

31 October, 2005 | No comments

Blog Search Market Heats Up

EContentMag.com

“The number and influence of blogs continues to rise,” says David Schatsky, SVP of JupiterResearch, who points to a consumer survey conducted recently by his firm that shows that “11% of online consumers read blogs at least monthly, a number that is rising rapidly.” Technorati reports that the number of blogs online is doubling every five-and-a-half months. In September Technorati was tracking 17.2 million blogs and 1.5 billion links. During the summer it found that 80,000 new Weblogs were being created daily—that’s almost one every second. Similarly, in September Intelliseek’s BlogPulse tool was tracking 16.1 million blogs and adding 50,000 new blogs per day.

It seems Blogs have caught the attention of the big companies. Now it is time for the smallcompanies who have supported the growth to stay the course and attempt to repel larger companies attempts to take their market.

28 October, 2005 | No comments

As online advertising explodes, so do ways companies can reach customers

As online advertising explodes, so do ways companies can reach customers

Companies spent $5.8 billion on Internet advertising during the first half of 2005, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, up a whopping 26 percent from the year-ago period. And it’s expected to keep rising as more advertisers join the party and existing Internet advertisers learn new ways to take advantage.

Some might miss the significance of the increase in online adverstising as a means of connecting with digital stakeholders.

28 October, 2005 | No comments

Microsoft aims to trounce Google

BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft aims to trounce Google

“The beauty of software is that we are always making breakthroughs. We will have more in the next 10 years than we have had on the last 30,” he said in an exclusive BBC interview.

Excellent article about what Bill Gates thinks is in the future for MS. Basically he wants to rule the technology world, but you already knew that Seriously it is an interesting read and lets you see a bit in the future a Bill is clearly the most influential technology executive.

27 October, 2005 | No comments

Blogging opens new medium for academics

Blogging opens new medium for academics
A follow up story to the events unfolding for former faculty members of the University of Chicago who blog.

26 October, 2005 | No comments

Long Armed Law of the Wiki

Long Armed Law of the Wiki

I’m just an amateur, but it seems to me that Mike Langberg is afraid of loosing his job. Can’t blame him, The Mercury News just went through a round of layoffs and print media economics are in shambles.

Ok, I know the above quote doesn’t do this article justice, but it is what got the article started. Mr Mayfield does a great job of reviewing what makes blogs, wikis, and even IT great. Despite what the critics say. This article is a definte must read.

25 October, 2005 | No comments

AOL, and Other Online Keys

AOL, and Other Online Keys

The most ferocious battle on the Internet these days is between Microsoft Corp., the incumbent software giant, and Google Inc., the extraordinarily profitable Internet search firm. It’s both an epic clash over this era’s new mass medium and a cool development for people who use computers, because the companies constantly try to top each other with new products, such as mapping and desktop organizers.

A lot is going on with AOL these days and there appears to be quite a few interested parties. This story does an excellent job of reviewing and speculating. In addition this graphic nicely presents the situation.

24 October, 2005 | No comments

More ID May Be Required for Online Banking

More ID May Be Required for Online Banking

Consumers who use online banking services could be required to provide additional identifying information each time they log in, under guidelines issued by federal regulators hoping to stem the rising tide of identity fraud and theft.

Instead of relying on just a user name and password, for example, consumers might be asked to enter an access code that is beamed to a device they carry, or to scan a fingerprint, before they can log in to their accounts.

But some computer security experts warn that the guidelines, issued last week, fall well short of needed requirements to thwart computer crime.

Greater security is a good thing, but convenience has been a driver of online banking. If it becomes too much of a hassle we could see the return of face-to-face banking which would have a negative impact on the banking industry because of the increased costs. But what’s the alternative?

We need to continue these discussions, like this article, and make sure we find a balance that minimizes risk while maximizing convenience. The technology is avialable and it could be implemented in a cost effective manner. There just needs to be a mandate and some standardization to make it happen.

22 October, 2005 | No comments

‘Phishing’ Keeps Luring Victims

‘Phishing’ Keeps Luring Victims

If you see an e-mail this weekend asking you to donate to the victims of Hurricane Wilma, be careful. A scammer may be “phishing” in your e-mail inbox.

“Phishing” scams, in which e-mails and Web sites made to look official are used to trick people out of their credit card numbers or other personal information, are on the rise.

Phishing is one step worse than spam. Each day it seems like I get 4-5 of these e-mail messages and if it wasn’t for ECU’s spam marshal which filters out much of the junk it would probably be more of a hassle than it already is.

When responding to anything we must be diligent. Phishing is eroding much of the trust of the internet and is having a negative impact on digital stakeholder relationships.

22 October, 2005 | No comments

Tempted by blogs, spam becomes ’splog’

Tempted by blogs, spam becomes ’splog’ | CNET News.com

“Uh, ladies and gentlemen of the blogosphere, I think we have an emergency on our hands,” Tim Bray, Web technologies director at Sun Microsystems, wrote in his blog in response to what he called the “splogsplosion.”

More information on the splog bomb or splogsplosion as Tim Bray called it that occurred last week. This was a pretty sophisticated process . Someone clearly knew what they were doing and it is surprising to me that they have not been able to identify the culprit.

21 October, 2005 | No comments

Opera Enables Mobile Blogging

Opera Enables Mobile Blogging

Opera Software ASA has created a new community-centered site that allows users to blog and upload photos directly from their mobile phones.

Quietly launched in September to Opera browser users, the My Opera Community site is attracting an average of 1,000 new members per day, the browser developer has said.

Not that I would want to type these posts on my cell phone, but to have the option would be great. I would imagine that many people who commute on busses or train would find this feature wonderful. I have always liked Opera as a browser and think it is ahead of the competion. The only problem has been the way it renders some pages written for IE, but even that has improved in recent versions. Actually, I purchased one of the initial versions (3 I think), but have not upgraded becasue of Firefox. I was also pleased to read elsewhere that they are moving away from their ad supported model.

20 October, 2005 | No comments

CNN.com - Where are your wireless manners? - Oct 18, 2005

CNN.com - Where are your wireless manners? - Oct 18, 2005

“The more gadgets there are, the worse things seem to get. People get really wrapped up in their little technological world, and they forget that there are other people out there,” said Honore Ervin, co-author of “The Etiquette Grrls: Things You Need to Be Told.” “Just because it’s there at your disposal, doesn’t mean you have to use it 24/7.”

Here’s one of the articles I posted about earlier. There’s some good advice about cell phone use, but the key is how these devices while enahncing some of our relationships are hurting others.

20 October, 2005 | No comments

SynchroEdit: Simultaneous Editing for the Web

Life With Alacrity: SynchroEdit: Simultaneous Editing for the Web

The basic concept is that it allows multiple users to WYSIWYG edit a single web-based document, all at exactly the same time. SynchroEdit continuously synchronizes all changes so that users always see the same version. They can also see each others’ changes as they type, see where each user is currently editing, and see each others’ changes by color.

This is a really cool extension of the wiki concept. Imagine being able to work on a document with a colleage and watch it change in realtime and each makes changes. I expect we will see more of SyncroEdit in the future…or some variation.

20 October, 2005 | No comments

Turn on, tune in, drop out — today’s motto

Turn on, tune in, drop out — today’s motto

With one powerful iPod after another popping out of the computer company’s pipeline, portable entertainment has turned from a curiosity to a collective compulsion. Who knew, until word of the new video iPod broke last week, that the public was dying to pay $1.99 a pop to squint at next-day reruns of “Desperate Housewives,” “Night Stalker” or “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” on a 2.5-inch video screen on the bus or BART ride home? Apple knew. Apple always knows.

Great article about how digital stakeholder relationships are being changed by the iPod. I have seen several articles lately about declining social skills of individuals due to technology. One headline screamed “American’s Becoming More Rude.” Now you didn’t have to do a study, the rest of the world already knew it, but what was really interesting is that we are more rude, even by our standards. So while these technologies have the ability to reinforce relationships they also have the ability to errode them.

20 October, 2005 | No comments

A Google News alternative with ambition

Christian Science Monitor Blog | ScitechBlog Archive October, 2005

The site presents an interface that loosely resembles Google News, but when a visitor clicks a news story, rather than sending readers away from its site, Inform opens the link in the same window, surrounding it with useful tools. Users can (after a little time spent with the tutorial) find related content, track stories or people, and create their own “discovery paths” to delve into subjects of interest. Visitors can even create an account that saves their preferences and keeps them up to date on their favorite segments of the news. Perhaps the most attractive element of the site is its all-in-one feel; it’s as if someone has endowed all online news sources with the features of the best news websites.

Googlization….I like it. I wish I had thought of it. It is great to read about companies that have not given up on innovating, just because Google and MS know what’s best for us

20 October, 2005 | No comments

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