In a recent Wall Street analyst briefing (documented in a New York Times article), Microsoft executives delivered their case for why Microsoft should be considered a growth stock. But one of the most interesting comments was made by Will Poole, the Microsoft executive in charge of desktop systems. He said that Apple has experienced an iPod “halo effect” which has enabled them to go after the PC users who have previously relied upon Microsoft products.
So what is this “halo effect.” Is this the impact of an other-worldly, angelic figure (Steve Jobs???), or is this the sound of Microsoft being fragged by a denizon of Halo 2?
-CyclingRoo-

Like so many others before him, Steve Rubel is now giving advice on Google’s ranking schemes. While many folks are just guessing, I think Steve has a pretty good idea about what he is talking about.
And his advice is pretty simple: choose good terms for the title of every posting – and make sure you’re a profligate link whore. I guess I need to stop being cutesy with my posting titles. Oh well.
-CyclingRoo-

I just saw an article over at Digg that has sent chills down my spine. It is titled “Windows Vista and IE7 Beta 1 on Bit Torrent.” Well, won’t that raise some eyebrows. I am sure that Microsoft expected the new beta builds to end up on the net. And I am sure that there is relevant digital watermarking and tracking capabilities so that Microsoft may be able to trace the source of the leak – should they choose to. But I am amazed at how quickly the code is on the Net and how quickly it is being reported. Boy, things move fast in the connected world.
But I want to challenge the author of the article at Digg. The Windows Vista software is not available “on” BitTorrent. Indeed, BitTorrent is not another P2P network. There is no “on” in association with BitTorrent. BitTorrent is a protocol for file exchange – not a server for storage. So pirated software cannot be “on” BitTorrent any more than it can be “on” ftp or smb. To treat BitTorrent like other P2P networks is to trivialize it and associate it with Napster or Kazaa. Worse, it is like saying http is tantamount to piracy. No one would outlaw http (i.e., the Web) simply because some people use it for nefarious purposes. Unfortunately, there are those who have called BitTorrent an illegal hacking tool. And stories like this will just add fuel to such arguments.
Don’t get me wrong. We need to pursue those folks who would use any technology to facilitate the piracy of copyrighted material. And no one should be exploiting the Microsoft beta program just to get cool new “gizmos” for their collection. But let’s not get rid of a good technology simply because there are imprudent or illegal users of that technology.
-CyclingRoo-

Congratulations to the Discovery team – in this case, the NASA team that sent America back into orbit. It’s been over two years – and I’m thrilled that we have returned to the stars. I pray for continued safety for every mission. But we need to remember that space is not the same as our local streets and highways. Yet even our local streets and highways can be dangerous. Every time we pull out from our own driveway, we are accepting a calculated risk. And every time we launch any vehicle towards the heavens, we are taking a calculated risk. Let’s ensure that we manage the risk factors. And let’s always remember those risks so that we will remain ever-vigilant.
-CyclingRoo-

Yahoo! has announced its acquisition of Konfabulator. But what is Konfabulator? Konfabulator is a JavaScript runtime engine for Windows and Mac OS X. But in simple English, the tool is a scripting engine that allows Windows and Mac users to build desktop widets that perform all sorts of amazing things. Earlier this year, Wired News said the tool was Kon-Fabulous.
Now that the product is free, I have downloaded it and I am trying it out. My first impression is similar to the Wired News opinion. The widgets that ship with the product are great. They are visually appealing – and fairly functional. I love the WiFi Signal and Weather widgets. And after a few minutes, I think I will like the Stock Ticker widget as well.
But the real value of the product is the Javascript functionality. For those folks who don’t use Firefox (and shame on you for not doing so), this tool includes a Javascript engine that can (and will) be used for all sorts of new applications. I think Yahoo! has made a pretty good purchase. But we won’t know just how valuable this will be for quite some time.
BTW, the new product name is Yahoo! Widgets.
-CyclingRoo-