Even sneakier, development on this could be pursued by a private agency, betting on the commercial prospects once it has been proven out.
Imagine the value of a centralized database that gathers together just public information about people, let alone private. Basically, it would become an automated mini-private eye service, which could mined for all sorts of useful information.
Just because this might not survive the Congress doesn't mean the idea won't be pursued...
When it comes to the scale of illicit software trading in the US, is there a sense of how much is coming from outside the country as opposed to purely domestic activity? I would think that stemming the international traffic would be much more difficult due to varying legal climates in different countries.
The one thing I'd say in response is that these companies aren't really going for fire-sale prices. The market has had a strong runup over the last few months, and by all accounts could still be classified as highly valued.
Your overall point is well taken, though - as the old saying goes, "the market has predicted 10 of the last 5 recoveries."
This is the latest in a series of buyout announcements that have come along in the last few weeks. It looks like the business community is preparing for economic recovery and these deals are meant to position themselves all the better for it. Most significantly, these deals are coming from several different industries:
Is there a solid timetable for that to occur? I agree, a shift like that could have a big impact, but it seems like this has been waiting in the wings for years...
Exactly - that's why, for anything other than IE to succeed, it needs to offer a truly compelling reason to get people to install and use it over IE. No longer does IE have to be the best - it just has to be good enough. Good enough to make users comfortable with what they already have, and good enough to make the creation of a greatly superior product an arduous task.
It's like the author says, however - truly this is a gripe by developers, not users. 9 out of 10 users are quite happy with IE, so much so that if there are any goofy problems with various sites, it's assumed that it's the site's fault, not IE (which, frankly, can often be true).
Quite the contrary, most people fill out the registrations honestly - they're not so hung up on supposed "privacy" concerns. What the NYT gets in return is a more valuable set of eyeballs to its advertisers. All this goes to support an infrastructure that brings you in-depth news coverage quickly, easily, and at no (financial) charge to the reader. I think that's a pretty good deal, really...
A better example is Ma Bell - the growth of services and plummeting of costs since the AT&T breakup has been astounding. When Ma Bell had the market cornered, there was no pressure to innovate.
Frankly, I think we need stronger anti-trust action...
Sounds like Rivethead - he's an autoworker who basically cracks after years on the line. He also describes the various means of getting the job done while getting drunk/stoned/laid and trying to keep things interesting...
That's basically the result of Clinton's success - he raced to the middle ground on many (economic) issues, and showed his party that that's where the votes are.
A ways down the road, look for this guy, Harold Ford from Tennessee, to make an impact. He's a Democratic rep from Tennessee, who has fans on boths sides of the aisle.
*obligatory note* I lived on the same hall as Harold in college, and he's a sharp guy who knows how to listen as well as how to speak (something far too rare among politicians these days).
From the 1998 index, here are the reporting criteria:
Life expectancy Adult literacy rate Combined first-, second- and third-level gross enrollment ratio Real GDP per capita (PPP$) Adjusted real GDP per capita (PPP$) Life expectancy index Education index GDP index Human development index(HDI) Real GDP per capita (PPP$) rank minus HDI rank
Hmmm... nothing I'd really classify as politically motivated one way or the other, really.
Drat - so getting the terrorists married and loading them up with kids won't work...
Re:What genius figured this out?
on
AOL: Amazon Who?
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Exactly - there was a recent article over at Slate comparing Amazon to QVC, basically making the case that QVC has been miles ahead of Amazon in terms of actually generating profits. So why is AOL pursuing a strategy that's proven to be a low-margin, highly competitive one? Who knows, they're desperate...
Very, very, very true. The first few years of marriage seem carefree now that I've got three kids in the fold (16-month old twins, and their 15-week old little brother). Basically, my day is now a morning blur getting everybody ready for the day and out of the house, following by a tranquil interlude that is my tedious workplace, followed by another blur of activity when I get home (dinner-playtime-storytime-bedtime). Basically personal time is gone for the short-term. With luck I can get in some America's Army Ops after the kids are asleep.
Gotta say, though, it is a blast. I don't know how many times I've gotten frustrated and tired, only to have one of the kids flash those "you're powerless, I'm too cute" smiles and you realize that what makes you upset is hanging on to old, obsolete priorities.
Only after engaging in super-secret don't-tell-Congress enemy government-destabilizing activities. Obviously, it's the epitome of politico-military technology...
While the grandparent may have overstated the case, Sun is indeed going through some rough times these days, rougher than most big tech firms. Linux is presenting a tempting option that's eating away at Sun's customer base, forcing Sun to move into lower-end markets than they have in the past, and providing a drag on their high-margin business. The future outlook for Sun is cloudy at best (pun intended).
In short, Linux threatens Sun in the short- to medium-term far more than it threatens Microsoft, and if there's any third party who stands to gain by SCO succeeding in this current mess, it's Sun.
Since the stock deal represents roughly 1.5% of SCO's outstanding shares, Sun would probably be better off taking the cash and running. Since SCO is currently trading around $11 a share, Sun could buy at $1.83, sell immediately and pocket about $2 million profit. Given the recent runup in the SCO stock price, perhaps Sun is waiting to see how much more they could make...
Just some extra time for thought and consideration isn't enough, though. What is needed is time for the "laboratories of democracy," the states, to work through the various laws that have recently been passed, and see how they work out. Does the Texas model work better or worse than what's being done in Virginia, for example? Only time and a few high-profile cases will tell, and we should wait until then before enacting something at the federal level...
Particularly with Amazon, they partner with other companies to supply most non-media products. Those relationships that have been worked out are relatively new, so of course they're going to start in the U.S. only. Taking such a partnership global is a gigantic step in business complexity - there are trade laws, tax laws, and other regulatory concerns that apply in each different jurisdiction.
Guess what? Grocery stores already do something like this, with their preferred-shopper cards. In fact, any store could do this based on credit card records attached to previous sales.
My question is, what are people so afraid of? I doubt stores would loudly greet you with an automated "welcome back to MegaStore, Mr. Consumer - your favorite scat-fetish magazines can be found in Aisle 8, on special today only!"
The bottom line is that you have very little "privacy" today anyway. In Scott McNealy's words, "get over it."
Slashdot Mirror
Even sneakier, development on this could be pursued by a private agency, betting on the commercial prospects once it has been proven out.
Imagine the value of a centralized database that gathers together just public information about people, let alone private. Basically, it would become an automated mini-private eye service, which could mined for all sorts of useful information.
Just because this might not survive the Congress doesn't mean the idea won't be pursued...
When it comes to the scale of illicit software trading in the US, is there a sense of how much is coming from outside the country as opposed to purely domestic activity? I would think that stemming the international traffic would be much more difficult due to varying legal climates in different countries.
The one thing I'd say in response is that these companies aren't really going for fire-sale prices. The market has had a strong runup over the last few months, and by all accounts could still be classified as highly valued.
Your overall point is well taken, though - as the old saying goes, "the market has predicted 10 of the last 5 recoveries."
This is the latest in a series of buyout announcements that have come along in the last few weeks. It looks like the business community is preparing for economic recovery and these deals are meant to position themselves all the better for it. Most significantly, these deals are coming from several different industries:
Peoplesoft & JD Edwards (software)
Oracle & Peoplesoft (software)
Lehman Brothers & Neuberger Berman (finance)
Yellow Freight & Roadway (trucking)
Boise Cascade & Office Max (office products)
Let's see what the next few months bring, but the mood is definitely shifting.
Is there a solid timetable for that to occur? I agree, a shift like that could have a big impact, but it seems like this has been waiting in the wings for years...
Exactly - that's why, for anything other than IE to succeed, it needs to offer a truly compelling reason to get people to install and use it over IE. No longer does IE have to be the best - it just has to be good enough. Good enough to make users comfortable with what they already have, and good enough to make the creation of a greatly superior product an arduous task.
It's like the author says, however - truly this is a gripe by developers, not users. 9 out of 10 users are quite happy with IE, so much so that if there are any goofy problems with various sites, it's assumed that it's the site's fault, not IE (which, frankly, can often be true).
Quite the contrary, most people fill out the registrations honestly - they're not so hung up on supposed "privacy" concerns. What the NYT gets in return is a more valuable set of eyeballs to its advertisers. All this goes to support an infrastructure that brings you in-depth news coverage quickly, easily, and at no (financial) charge to the reader. I think that's a pretty good deal, really...
A better example is Ma Bell - the growth of services and plummeting of costs since the AT&T breakup has been astounding. When Ma Bell had the market cornered, there was no pressure to innovate.
Frankly, I think we need stronger anti-trust action...
Sounds like Rivethead - he's an autoworker who basically cracks after years on the line. He also describes the various means of getting the job done while getting drunk/stoned/laid and trying to keep things interesting...
That's basically the result of Clinton's success - he raced to the middle ground on many (economic) issues, and showed his party that that's where the votes are.
A ways down the road, look for this guy, Harold Ford from Tennessee, to make an impact. He's a Democratic rep from Tennessee, who has fans on boths sides of the aisle.
*obligatory note* I lived on the same hall as Harold in college, and he's a sharp guy who knows how to listen as well as how to speak (something far too rare among politicians these days).
From the 1998 index, here are the reporting criteria:
Life expectancy
Adult literacy rate
Combined first-, second- and third-level gross enrollment ratio
Real GDP per capita (PPP$)
Adjusted real GDP per capita (PPP$)
Life expectancy index
Education index
GDP index
Human development index(HDI)
Real GDP per capita (PPP$) rank minus HDI rank
Hmmm... nothing I'd really classify as politically motivated one way or the other, really.
Drat - so getting the terrorists married and loading them up with kids won't work...
Exactly - there was a recent article over at Slate comparing Amazon to QVC, basically making the case that QVC has been miles ahead of Amazon in terms of actually generating profits. So why is AOL pursuing a strategy that's proven to be a low-margin, highly competitive one? Who knows, they're desperate...
Whoever wrote the following line from that movie needs to be strung up by their thumbs:
"Don't you remember? We're aliens..."
Deriving the Optimal Method for Bathing and Dressing Toddlers While Outnumbered
The Pathology of Poopy Diapers, or, "Who's Eating Corn Now?"
The Guffaw Within: How to Be Stern with Your Kids While Trying Not To Laugh
Very, very, very true. The first few years of marriage seem carefree now that I've got three kids in the fold (16-month old twins, and their 15-week old little brother). Basically, my day is now a morning blur getting everybody ready for the day and out of the house, following by a tranquil interlude that is my tedious workplace, followed by another blur of activity when I get home (dinner-playtime-storytime-bedtime). Basically personal time is gone for the short-term. With luck I can get in some America's Army Ops after the kids are asleep.
Gotta say, though, it is a blast. I don't know how many times I've gotten frustrated and tired, only to have one of the kids flash those "you're powerless, I'm too cute" smiles and you realize that what makes you upset is hanging on to old, obsolete priorities.
Does the ship forget where it is?
Only after engaging in super-secret don't-tell-Congress enemy government-destabilizing activities. Obviously, it's the epitome of politico-military technology...
While the grandparent may have overstated the case, Sun is indeed going through some rough times these days, rougher than most big tech firms. Linux is presenting a tempting option that's eating away at Sun's customer base, forcing Sun to move into lower-end markets than they have in the past, and providing a drag on their high-margin business. The future outlook for Sun is cloudy at best (pun intended).
In short, Linux threatens Sun in the short- to medium-term far more than it threatens Microsoft, and if there's any third party who stands to gain by SCO succeeding in this current mess, it's Sun.
Now I've got a great new excuse when the wife stumbles onto things...
Since the stock deal represents roughly 1.5% of SCO's outstanding shares, Sun would probably be better off taking the cash and running. Since SCO is currently trading around $11 a share, Sun could buy at $1.83, sell immediately and pocket about $2 million profit. Given the recent runup in the SCO stock price, perhaps Sun is waiting to see how much more they could make...
On the other hand, it sounds like a classic case from the BOfH.
I think you meant mammary flashbacks!
Just some extra time for thought and consideration isn't enough, though. What is needed is time for the "laboratories of democracy," the states, to work through the various laws that have recently been passed, and see how they work out. Does the Texas model work better or worse than what's being done in Virginia, for example? Only time and a few high-profile cases will tell, and we should wait until then before enacting something at the federal level...
Particularly with Amazon, they partner with other companies to supply most non-media products. Those relationships that have been worked out are relatively new, so of course they're going to start in the U.S. only. Taking such a partnership global is a gigantic step in business complexity - there are trade laws, tax laws, and other regulatory concerns that apply in each different jurisdiction.
Guess what? Grocery stores already do something like this, with their preferred-shopper cards. In fact, any store could do this based on credit card records attached to previous sales.
My question is, what are people so afraid of? I doubt stores would loudly greet you with an automated "welcome back to MegaStore, Mr. Consumer - your favorite scat-fetish magazines can be found in Aisle 8, on special today only!"
The bottom line is that you have very little "privacy" today anyway. In Scott McNealy's words, "get over it."