Archive for December, 2007
Update Bittorrent Tracker Demonoid Down
Posted on Dec 31, 2007 09:05:02 PM
Admin wrote:
The vastly popular BitTorrent tracker Demonoid is down due to threats from the CRIA (Canadian Recording Industry Association). Demonoid rents its servers from a Canadian company, and the CRIA apparently threatened this company which shut down Demonoid’s servers.
Demonoid.com is currently down, and the site sports the following message:
“The CRIA threatened the company renting the servers to us, and because of this it is not possible to keep the site online. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for your understanding.”
After the recent crackdown on OiNK, it seems that the BitTorrent tracker season has officially begun.
Brand New Internet Physics Of Hard Drives Wins Nobel
Posted on Dec 31, 2007 07:55:04 AM
Admin wrote: Two physicists who discovered how to manipulate the magnetic and electrical properties of thin layers of atoms to store vast amounts of data on tiny disks, were named winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
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Internet Done Deal: Ftc Gives Green Light To Google-doubleclick
Posted on Dec 30, 2007 12:50:16 PM
Today,
Reports surfaced last night that the Federal Trade Commission was set to approve Google’s $3.1 billion acquisition of DoubleClick, and today those reports have been confirmed. After a vote of 4 to 1 to approve the deal, here is the statement issued by the FTC:
“After carefully reviewing the evidence, we have concluded that Google’s proposed acquisition of DoubleClick is unlikely to substantially lessen competition … Because the evidence did not support the theories of potential competitive harm, there was no basis on which to seek to impose conditions on this merger. We want to be clear, however, that we will closely watch these markets and, should Google engage in unlawful tying or other anticompetitive conduct, the Commission intends to act quickly”
Not surprisingly, Google CEO Eric Schmidt agrees, and issued the following statement:
“The FTC’s strong support sends a clear message: this acquisition poses no risk to competition and will benefit consumers … We hope that the European Commission will soon reach the same conclusion, and we are confident that this deal will deliver more relevant ads for consumers, more choices for advertisers, and more opportunities for website publishers.”
The EC rejected the Google-Doubleclick deal last month, but will likely be reconvening in March to take another look.
After recent delays, it didn’t appear that the deal, first announced all the way back in April, would close this year in the US, but with the spat of acquisitions made by Google’s competitors and the recent announcement of a $500 million tie-up between Microsoft and Viacom, perhaps the FTC felt it was time to finally vote.
Google’s competitors, most notably Microsoft, lobbied hard against the DoubleClick deal, including a show-down in September before the Senate judiciary committee on antitrust.
Brand New Impressive Intel Widens Lead In Making New Chip
Posted on Dec 29, 2007 12:40:22 AM
Admin wrote: In the latest display of its manufacturing might, Intel is opening a $3 billion factory in Arizona, widening its lead over Advanced Micro Devices in the industry’s switch to a new chip-making technique.
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New Internet Recursos Académicos Para Estudiantes Y Maestros
Posted on Dec 28, 2007 07:10:10 AM
Admin wrote: Librarian Chick mantiene una excelente lista de recursos educativos organizados en las siguientes categorías. Books/Audio booksCalculators/MathematicsClass Management/WorksheetsCollaboration/Social NetworkingCollege/Student LoansComputers and TechnologyCulture, Arts and MusicDictionary/ThesaurusForeign LanguageGPA CalculatorsGraphs/PresentationHighlighters/Web AnnotationHistory/GeographyHome LibraryLectures/SpeechesMemorizationNotes/Forms/WritingOnline Learning/OpenCourseWareOrganizationPoetry/QuotesReference/ResearchScience/SpaceTest Taking/PrepTambién, mantiene un wiki sobre software de código abierto y freeware relevante al mundo educativo: 3D GraphicsAnti-Spyware/Anti-Virus/Anti-RootkitAudio/MP3/PodcastBrowsers/PluginsBusiness/Finance/OfficeCalendar/Events/RemindersCD & DVD Burning/RippingCommunication/Email/SMSDesign/Image Tools/Font ToolsDesktop EnhancementDownload Management/FTP/P2PEducational/ReferenceFile ConversionFractal GeneratorsGames/Fun/EntertainmentInternet/RSS/Search/BookmarksIS/IT/File Management/BackupMacro/AutomationPassword Recovery/ManagersProgramming/DevelopmentRemote AccessVideo/Vlog/Multimedia/De seguro que en ambos sitios encontrarás herramientas y recursos para facilitar el proceso de aprendizaje.’(Vía) Tags: ebooks, Freeware, Open Sourceebooks, Freeware, Open Source Compártelo Visita DigiZen para leer más artículos similares a éste. (Source: DigiZen: Un blogfesor aprendiendo)
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Updated Happy Holidays Hulu Style: 2500 Invites
Posted on Dec 27, 2007 08:40:14 AM
Admin wrote:
Perfect timing for the lull in new shows and the repeats of all the Christmas specials, Mashable is giving away 2,500 invites to Hulu! That might sound like a lot, but Hulu beta invites are a hot commodity since you can’t send invites if you already have an account. So get them now (must be within the United States to stream videos)!
In case you don’t know by now, Hulu is the online video joint venture between News Corp and NBC Universal which we previously introduced here and here (when they broke away from YouTube), and here (went the private beta first went live) and here (announcing that only US viewers can stream videos), 20+ Awesome Hulu Shows to Watch toolbox list, here (when NBC broke away from iTunes) and most recently here (when Hulu became available on MySpaceTV).
My favorite shows to watch on Hulu right now are: 30 Rock, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Family Guy and Arrested Development. Be sure to check out classics such as Doogie Howser, MD, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and WKRP in Cincinnati.
Brand New Article Links For 2007-10-27 [del.icio.us]
Posted on Dec 26, 2007 12:20:05 PM
Admin wrote: Adventures in Knowledge: Lessons learnt or a learning ecology?Adventures in Knowledge: What is your conversation strategy?Knowledge Jolt with Jack: There are many forms of networkCollaborative Thinking: From Corporate Responsibility to Backstory ManagementCollaborative Thinking: The Enterprise In A Networked WorldCollaborative Thinking: Social Networking (?) With Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007Portals and KM: illumio – a Smart Content Filter that also offers Enhanced Collaboration and Content SharingPortals and KM: Google Releases Google Search Appliance Version 5.0 (Source: Library clips)
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Brand New Source 100+ Expected For Mashmeet Dc Tonight
Posted on Dec 25, 2007 07:15:03 PM
Admin wrote:
MashMeet DC is TONIGHT! I’ll be there, along with our Marketing and Community Directory Adam Hirsch. We have more than 100 signed up via our various online invites, so it should be a great opportunity to network with fellow Mashable readers and Web industry folks in the DC area.
FYI, here is what we look like, please introduce yourselves!
A word to the wise: dress warm, it’s going to be in the low 30s tonight.
Once again, a thank you to our sponsors - Clearspring, Mixx, Feedhaus, AmnestyWidgets and Searchles (see below).
Reminder of details:
Who? Mashable Editor Adam Ostrow, Mashable Community Director Adam Hirsch, Mashable readers, and new startups.
Where? MEZÈ, 2437 18th St. NW, Washington, DC
When? 7:00 - 10:00 PM, December 7th 2007
Dress? Informal
RSVP Required? Nope
You can also find the details of this event at:
My Mashable MashMeet DC Group
Meetup.com
Facebook Event through Facebook Page
Upcoming (more…)
New Internet Berkman Buzz, Week Of December 21
Posted on Dec 25, 2007 02:45:18 AM
Admin wrote: BERKMAN BUZZ: A look at the past week’s online Berkman conversationsThe Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law SchoolWeek of December 17, 2007* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *What’s going on… take your pick or browse below.*Wendy Seltzer describes yet another questionable DMCA takedown.*OpenNet Initiative: Responses to Surveillance.*Doc Searls explains why social networking sites are the new walled gardens.*Digital Natives: Digital natives under attack! (as a metaphor).* Citizen Media Law Project: Congress Passes FOIA Reform Bill, Expands Definition of News Media.* Weekly Global Voice: The troubled pasts of Burkina Faso.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *The full buzz.Earlier this month, comedy group The Richter Scales released a funny music video, Here Comes Another Bubble. The video showed a montage of Silicon Valley images over a sound-track adapted from Billy Joels We Didnt Start the Fire, lampooning the Web 2.0 bubble that seems near bursting again. The video must have touched a nerve, as well as a funny bone, because it got wide linkage and discussion and became the weeks top-rated video. Then, it was removed from YouTube, due to a copyright claim by a third party. Photographer Lane Hartwell says she objected to use of her photograph of Valleywags Owen Thomas, so she sent a DMCA takedown notice to YouTube.Wendy Seltzer, Here Comes Another Takedown For better or worse, surveillance is increasingly a part of modern life. …
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Source Why Google Gets A Free Ride
Posted on Dec 24, 2007 02:35:19 PM
Today,
Steven Hodson asks why Google gets a free ride on this whole accusation of monopoly thing. It’s a great question, and a sentiment that I’ve heard growing ever since the privacy concerns began surfacing after Google Street View (and one that will likely get asked more and more under growing ad privacy concerns and OpenSocial domination). Microsoft, since I was but knee high to a web-server, has always been the subject of ridicule and scorn because of an alleged monopoly they’ve held on the market.
Meanwhile, if my server logs are in any way indicative of what is going on in the wilds of the web, Google has achieved what could charitably be called the lion’s share of the search business, or more accurately be called complete and total dominance of search.
What gets Google the pass? It is easy to point to their good PR, and their “do no evil” moniker. Shoemoney blog points to their philanthropic donation of $200+ million to Mozilla. If that’s not charitable enough for you, you can always take a gander at Google.org, and their contributions to climate change and public health research. With prominent positive PR like that, it’s easy to overlook any negative or monopolistic moves Google might make.
To answer directly, though, the question of monopolies by Google, Microsoft, or anyone else in the tech business, I took myself back to basic economics class and did some research on the terminology and the math behind it. I wanted to peg this answer as best I could, and get a grasp of what our terminology means in the most literal sense. A monopoly is defined by a persistent situation where there is only one provider of a product or service in a particular market. Further, one of the main dangers, at least on the consumer side, is that monopolies inhibit innovation, slow down advancements, as well as give the monopoly holders license to raise rates for the product to heights that are considered gouging.
I could go on and on with more econ-speak, and analyze supply and demand, and mathematically determine whether Google is facing a horizontal demand curve or not, but let’s back this up and attempt to keep this at least near-laymen terminology as possible.
First, of all the allegations that can be made against Google, you can’t say they don’t innovate and advance technology. Their entire corporate culture is centered around “blue sky research and development,” while continually working to improve their core services. This week’s OpenSocial initiative should be evidence enough to prove that point.
The bottom line is, though, where Google dominates markets is not where a product or service is being sold. Take search, for example. Search is not the product - you and your search queries are the product. Those, in turn, are sold to the advertisers. In the world of advertising (or even the world of online advertising), Google is not the sole competitor. There are many other very strong competitors in online advertising. While Google does own a significant portion (or even majority share) of a certain types of the online advertising market, it in no way can be called a monopoly.
In essence, I think the biggest reason why Google gets a pass on being accused of monopoly is that by the very definition of the word, there is no monopoly.
