Back in August, Pandia interviewed Robert Massa about Searchking's publicly selling Google page ranking, but Massa didn't see that as a problem.
The interviewer (Jono Craig) asks Robert Massa, "Don't you view the monetarization of PageRank or your service as a threat to Google's successful business model?"
Massa's reply is, "Absolutely not. Of course that's what you'd expect me to say. The thing is, Google has invested a lot of time, money and technology into developing PageRank as a way to determine the quality of a Web page. They have a very sophisticated system of filters designed to do nothing more than find the good and catch the bad. Whether a link is free or paid for does not alter the content of the page the link goes to."
Later, Massa talks more about Google's possible response. " What I do know is if Google would strike a small Internet businessman like myself down for capitalizing on the credit given to me by Google themselves, then we all have much more to fear than some guy in Oklahoma selling a few ads. That would be an indication that Google fully intends to overthrow Bill Gates and rule the world."
How about helping students break their addiction to floppies? Point out the extra hours they'll gain if they store and exchange info using other media--your network, for example.
You can also easily store or exchange a Meg of files in an attachment to a Hotmail message.
How about providing students with Macs? Then they don't have to worry about apps crashing and losing their work. But even when I used Windows, I just saved interim files on the hard drive while I worked and did my real back-up at the end of the day. (Beep beep beep) YMMV.
I love dead-tree books, but when you are looking for something--if you have even a vague idea what it is, you can't beat a computer.
For example, I wanted to quote that great pseudo-riddle from Lewis Carroll -- "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" But which Alice book did it come from? In two minutes I found both text files at Gutenberg, searched for "raven", and there it was. (The Mad Hatter came up with it, in _Alice in Wonderland_. )
The Internet is, IMO, the best free ebook--it sure is the biggest. Unlike dead tree books, you get a wide choice of search engines. Of course, you can pick up a lot of weird stuff there too. So, surf safely--I myself always wear a condom.
A squabble over one report on bio-terror--that's the spin a reporter dreamed up, not the story.
Three of the most-respected US scientists--the heads of three groups that "were created by the federal government to advise it on scientific and technological matters"--have come out with some important and clearcut advice. Let me quote from the story:
The category of "sensitive but unclassified" was poorly defined, the presidents said in a "Statement on Science and Security in an Age of Terrorism."
"Experience shows that vague criteria of this kind generate deep uncertainties among both scientists and officials responsible for enforcing regulations," the statement said...
A successful balance between security and openness, the presidents said, "demands clarity in the distinctions between classified and unclassified research."
Here is what I see as the heart of the story: If researchers know that anonymous bureaucrats can block publication on any grounds they choose, you are going to see self-censorship that is more dangerous than any external censorship could be. Young researchers especially will stay away from "sensitive" areas, because they have a lot to lose if their work disappears into some bureaucratic black hole.
The reporter suggests the statement reflects "at least partly" some trouble over a government-financed report about bio-terror.The NAS spokesman denies that report is the issue.
If the government paid for this research, why can't they suppress it? Most important scientific research is paid for by government--that is, by taxpayers--with the idea that the result of this research could benefit the public. As a taxpayer, I don't want bureaucrats left free to hide any results that don't suit them. I paid for that research, and I'm entitled to know what it said unless there's some very clear reason to keep it secret. Most privately-funded research (Viagra anyone?) is already secret.
"Is this really a science story?" Some major science guys are calling attention to a government policy that hurts science and scientists directly, and the public only indirectly. But I suppose if you consider any criticism of government on any grounds to be political....
Yes, but this ad did more than just imitate Apple's "real people" switcher ads. It made explicit as well as implicit claims to be true.
The first sentence of this ad was "It's the truth."
In addition to all those personal details about her husband, her height, etc., how about that "Girl Scouts honor" line?
When confronted, MS spokeswoman told AP story was about a real switcher.
When confronted, Mallinson told AP she was the real switcher. If she were really an 8-year Mac veteran, she would not get excited about spending a day setting up a new computer and re-installing software after crashes.
I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, and I know most first-person ads are fictional. Some, however, are real testimonials, and Microsoft gave the go-ahead for an ad that did everything possible to claim to be one.
"Yes, it's true." That's the very first sentence in Valerie Mallinson's "Convert Thrilled" story.
The whole piece stresses it's just her own plain, honest story--"Here's the skinny!", "Girl Scout's honor", all those homely details about her husband and renting a Lexus.
Funny she knows so little about Macs, though, after using one for eight years.
Funny that other SlashDotters have tracked down her name on the web, troubleshooting M$ products last year and writing M$ instructions as far back as 1998.
Funny too, when reporters find her, she still claims it's all true, telling AP "I guess I can tell the truth."
Isn't it nice that someone so interested in truth is working for Microsoft?
Slashdot Mirror
The interviewer (Jono Craig) asks Robert Massa, "Don't you view the monetarization of PageRank or your service as a threat to Google's successful business model?"
Massa's reply is, "Absolutely not. Of course that's what you'd expect me to say. The thing is, Google has invested a lot of time, money and technology into developing PageRank as a way to determine the quality of a Web page. They have a very sophisticated system of filters designed to do nothing more than find the good and catch the bad. Whether a link is free or paid for does not alter the content of the page the link goes to."
Later, Massa talks more about Google's possible response. " What I do know is if Google would strike a small Internet businessman like myself down for capitalizing on the credit given to me by Google themselves, then we all have much more to fear than some guy in Oklahoma selling a few ads. That would be an indication that Google fully intends to overthrow Bill Gates and rule the world."
You can also easily store or exchange a Meg of files in an attachment to a Hotmail message.
How about providing students with Macs? Then they don't have to worry about apps crashing and losing their work. But even when I used Windows, I just saved interim files on the hard drive while I worked and did my real back-up at the end of the day. (Beep beep beep) YMMV.
For example, I wanted to quote that great pseudo-riddle from Lewis Carroll -- "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" But which Alice book did it come from? In two minutes I found both text files at Gutenberg, searched for "raven", and there it was. (The Mad Hatter came up with it, in _Alice in Wonderland_. )
The Internet is, IMO, the best free ebook--it sure is the biggest. Unlike dead tree books, you get a wide choice of search engines. Of course, you can pick up a lot of weird stuff there too. So, surf safely--I myself always wear a condom.
Three of the most-respected US scientists--the heads of three groups that "were created by the federal government to advise it on scientific and technological matters"--have come out with some important and clearcut advice. Let me quote from the story:
Here is what I see as the heart of the story: If researchers know that anonymous bureaucrats can block publication on any grounds they choose, you are going to see self-censorship that is more dangerous than any external censorship could be. Young researchers especially will stay away from "sensitive" areas, because they have a lot to lose if their work disappears into some bureaucratic black hole.
The reporter suggests the statement reflects "at least partly" some trouble over a government-financed report about bio-terror.The NAS spokesman denies that report is the issue.
If the government paid for this research, why can't they suppress it? Most important scientific research is paid for by government--that is, by taxpayers--with the idea that the result of this research could benefit the public. As a taxpayer, I don't want bureaucrats left free to hide any results that don't suit them. I paid for that research, and I'm entitled to know what it said unless there's some very clear reason to keep it secret. Most privately-funded research (Viagra anyone?) is already secret.
"Is this really a science story?" Some major science guys are calling attention to a government policy that hurts science and scientists directly, and the public only indirectly. But I suppose if you consider any criticism of government on any grounds to be political....
Mean old Microsoft also took down that little kid's personal testimonial to Encarta. There's a pretty funny account at The Register.
- The first sentence of this ad was "It's the truth."
I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, and I know most first-person ads are fictional. Some, however, are real testimonials, and Microsoft gave the go-ahead for an ad that did everything possible to claim to be one.In addition to all those personal details about her husband, her height, etc., how about that "Girl Scouts honor" line?
When confronted, MS spokeswoman told AP story was about a real switcher.
When confronted, Mallinson told AP she was the real switcher. If she were really an 8-year Mac veteran, she would not get excited about spending a day setting up a new computer and re-installing software after crashes.
"Yes, it's true." That's the very first sentence in Valerie Mallinson's "Convert Thrilled" story. The whole piece stresses it's just her own plain, honest story--"Here's the skinny!", "Girl Scout's honor", all those homely details about her husband and renting a Lexus. Funny she knows so little about Macs, though, after using one for eight years. Funny that other SlashDotters have tracked down her name on the web, troubleshooting M$ products last year and writing M$ instructions as far back as 1998. Funny too, when reporters find her, she still claims it's all true, telling AP "I guess I can tell the truth." Isn't it nice that someone so interested in truth is working for Microsoft?