Firefox 2.0 is pretty cool -- not quite amazing, and I find some of the basics
like navigating and creating bookmarks clunky. But I love that it can print
perfectly without needing to click the printer-friendly option. (Ever try to
print from Microsoft.com without using printer-friendly? It's a disaster, Fay!)
Maybe I'll be more bowled over by Firefox
3.0, which is now in alpha (just the fact that Mozilla doesn't invent new
terms for alphas and betas is enough reason to use Firefox).
I'm still waiting to find out if they will actually build the file system
to manage search and bookmarks they specifically promised me. Here
is my blueprint for the perfect Web browser.
Tell me if I'm nuts or on to something at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on December 18, 20060 comments
When I steal an idea, I admit it (unlike Dilbert's Scott Adams, who hasn't come
clean for stealing my Bill Gates for president proposal!), so this next item
was lifted directly from Bob Brown, a former colleague and executive editor
of
Network World.
Bob discovered a wacky new site where
you upload your photo and learn
what celebs you look like. Bob, a world record-holder in the yo-yo and former
national toboggan competitor, ran Bill Gates (who looks like Placido Domingo)
and Steve Ballmer (who resembles Michael Moore) through the process, along with
a host of other vendor execs.
As for me, I'm not sure if I'm ugly, good-looking or a woman: Apparently, I
look like Al Gore, Viktor Yushchenko (after his face was destroyed by dioxin
poisoning), Christopher Walken, Leslie Neilsen, Pierce Brosnan and Samantha
Fox.
Posted by Doug Barney on December 18, 20060 comments
As we mentioned Monday, Patch Tuesday is this week. If you haven't started
plugging the latest holes, you're a day late, so get to steppin'.
There is a flaw in Visual Studio 2005 that lets hackers take over your machines,
but it takes a lot of effort to build the exploit. In any event, it might be
wise to fix this hole anyway, as the attacks can be severe.
IE 5 and 6 got patched, so all you pioneers that have IE 7 (or Firefox) needn't
worry. Get full details here.
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
Microsoft can barely contain its irritation with MIT's $100 Linux laptops for
the Third World -- after all, why buy a $100 Linux box when you can buy a $1,000
Vista machine?
Now MS
is offering to put Windows on these machines so the poor and downtrodden
can decide if they want to spend their time troubleshooting Linux command lines
or trying to get spyware off of Windows. Maybe Steve Jobs should enter this
fray.
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
When the 'Net first started, criminals from around the world used it to communicate,
conspire and, sometimes, commit the crimes themselves.
Now the cops are fighting back, identifying
criminals and gathering evidence from Web postings. Most times, the criminals
are too dumb for their own good -- posing with weapons or stolen goods, or making
detailed threats. The lesson here: Be careful of what you or your kids post.
It may come back to bite you!
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
A small percentage of users will move to Vista in the first year, but that small
group will still account for some
$70
billion in overall revenue, according to IDC. One chunk is the 35 million
copies sold that will be sold in 2007, but most of the dough comes from new
hardware, applications, migrations and, of course, support!
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
A Seattle man caused an accident involving three other cars and a city bus --
all because
he was busy with his BlackBerry.
There was no word on whether the driver was a Microsoft employee, or if the
mail was work-related or just a note to his mistress.
With its tiny keys, there's no way I could crank out a message and look
at the road at the same time -- even if it was to my mistress!
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
When Microsoft announced plans to offer developers free licenses to use
the Office UI for their apps, I was skeptical. First, I thought back to reporting
I did a decade or so ago at InfoWorld, where Microsoft announced pretty much
the same thing.
Then, I wondered how competitors would feel. Turns out it doesn't matter how
they feel since -- at least, according to one ISV -- competitors aren't invited.
Gen-9 was all set to support
the UI for its data management tool. But after learning that rivals can't use
the interface, the company ditched its plans because it "might" overlap
with some Microsoft tools.
And a partner today is a rival tomorrow. So what happens when Microsoft decides
to get into your market? Do you have to give the interface back?
Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments
Redmond contributing editor Greg "Greggo" Shields pointed out a little
blooper in the Vista RTM event log. Instead of "browser," they talk
about a "bowser" event type. Wonder if Sha Na Na has heard the news?
Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments
OpenXML, a new format for Microsoft Office, was
approved
as a standard by Ecma, a Swiss standards group. This is good news, but having
good native support of the OpenDocument format would be better still.
I'll be curious to see how many ISVs build OpenXML into their apps. I'm not
expecting any huge lines.
Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments
HP will
pony
up over $14 million to settle charges that it spied on reporters, employees
and directors. The cash is all going to the state of California, which -- after
Gray Davis -- could use the dough.
My guess is that the victims will start lining up soon, and will be asking
for real money!
Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments