Joel has some useful comments on Microsoft’s latest attack on other software companies: “free” antispyware software. Wiping out the competition surely opens up a can of worms (I agree with Joel that it is highly unlikely that Microsoft will truly wipe out your spyware – especially when a friendly media conglomerate has paid to put it on your vulnerable pc).
Indiana’s Anti-Municipal Broadband Legislation (Did not pass)
News.com on the lobbying behind the failed Indiana bill that would have killed any type of municipal broadband (Local telco monopoly SBC was behind this).
Underheim/Burmaster Forum
Wisconsin DPI Superintendent Candidates participated in a forum yesterday, sponsored by wispolitics.com. Alan Borsuk has the details.
Jerry Brown Starts to Blog – of course
Garbage Survellience
Though he foresaw many ways in which Big Brother might watch us, even George Orwell never imagined that the authorities would keep a keen eye on
your bin.Residents of Croydon, south London, have been told that the microchips
being inserted into their new wheely bins may well be adapted so that the
council can judge whether they are producing too much rubbish.If the technology suggests that they are, errant residents may be visited
by officials bearing advice on how they might “manage their rubbish more
effectively”.
I wonder if Madison’s forthcoming trash bins include this “feature”?
Zach Stern on Local Voter Apathy
UW Student Zach Stern on Tuesday’s Primary and voter apathy in general.
New Madison Parks?
Aubre Andrus on the Park Commission’s plans.
HR 310 – Broadcast Indecency Act: Baldwin votes Yes
Interesting vote by Representative Tammy Baldwin on HR 310, the Broadcast Indecency Act. She voted Yes.
The quality of TV in general has certainly not gone up. Advertising is also, to some extent keeping pace (Mike Ditka throwing a football through a flaming tire for a viagra type product is just one example).
Horace & Selling Out
Dave published an essay today, let’s call it an essay “mini” in keeping with the times, on product development & selling out. Well worth reading.
Dave’s words remind me of past experiences in the large, corporate world. Product A is created or acquired. Over time, the things that made Product A useful, interesting and marketable are slowly taken away (juice content (Pepsi Slice), flavors, quantity) while prices go up. We might refer to this as an MBA approach to product development, though that is too harsh. Perhaps it is more of a corporate vs entrepreneur approach.
In any event, it happens all too often.
Consumer Database Giant Gives Personal Information to Fake Firms
Criminals posing as legitimate businesses have accessed critical personal data stored by ChoicePoint Inc., a firm that maintains databases of background information on virtually every U.S. citizen, MSNBC.com has learned.
The incident involves a wide swath of consumer data, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, credit reports and other information. ChoicePoint aggregates and sells such personal information to government agencies and private companies.
California is the only state that requires these personal data mining firms to notify people who have had their information compromised. I wonder where our political leaders stand on this?