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Showing posts from February 22, 2004
Oh well. It had to happen I suppose. Google is going public tomorrow morning, floating on the stock market. It's a shame. It was the world's best search engine. And tomorrow, it's going to become a management-heavy, run-for-the-investors company. What does that mean to us 'net junkies? Popups, advertising, slow service, reduced content and the slow, horrible demise of Google. I guess those at the top got greedy. It's a pity they don't remember what happened to altavista.com - once the world's top search engine. Look at it now - it doesn't even rank. It's so full of advertising, you can't find what you want in amongst the mess. And most of its searches turn up wrong results. By this time next year, Google will be a dim and faded memory, awash with corporate politics, fat-cat CEOs and tiers of VPs all skimming off the top. The programmers will all have been royally shafted, and will leave. And Google will become www.microsoftgoogle.com Shame.
Jeez. Politicians. They should all be shot at birth. They're discussing VOIP internet telephony in Washington today, and how consumers have the wonderful freedom of choice now. Apart from one senator who's out to ruin it for everyone. "VOIP is a wonderful innovation coming down the track like a speeding freight train," Alexander said. "I am here today to help make sure that our state and local governments aren't tied to the tracks ahead of this train." In other words, he wants to tax VOIP. Well. That didn't take long. Next on the agenda : Vonage and pulver.com file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as people can their VOIP services.
M&M is obviously hurting for a bit of cash. So he's sueing Apple because in one of their ads, a 10 year old kid sung a bad rendition of one of his songs. It's hard to believe you could make white-trash rap music any worse than it is, but apparently M&M wants $10M out of Apple...... And yes, I know I've spelled it wrong - that's supposed to be humour. Geddit?
Just listening to Van Diepen's Dance Department on trancesphere.com - they played an excellent set that reminded me of some of the Bug Jams we used to go to at Santa Pod. Ah. Those were the days :-) Also had a phone call from mum. Some dosy mare in an SUV (in Congleton?) ran into her in the car while she was waiting to turn right. The other woman was overtaking stationary traffic on the wrong side of the road and just drove straight into her. Idiot.