Rubenerd

Eager to capitalise on the concerns we share regarding Google's decision to "officially" drop Do No Evil, Frank X. Shaw from Microsoft has responded with a posting on the TechNet blog. Seriously!

I had an MSDN subscription in high school

During the last week or so, there has been a fair amount of discussion about how Google is making some unpopular changes to some of its most popular products. You can see some of the concerns and worries about lack of choice and so on in these links.

I no longer link to Gawker or Murdoch publications on principle; but otherwise that was the introduction. You have my attention Mr Shaw!

When we read the coverage last week, it was clear people were honestly wrestling with the choices that had been made for them and were looking for options or alternatives.

This is definitely true. I can only speak from my elitist circle of snobby tech nerds on Twitter and newsgroups, but the number of threads and tweets concerning Google alternatives has been exploding of late. There's even evidence average folk are paying a little more attention; I've overheard several conversations in coffee shops and trains saying their "tech friends" or "smart people" have told them to look elsewhere.

But enough about my thoughts, lets wrap up Mr Shaw's comments.

The changes Google announced make it harder, not easier, for people to stay in control of their own information.

That's it in a nutshell. Mmm, nuts.

Now for our alternatives

From then on, Mr Shaw goes on about how we should be using Hotmail, Bing, Office 365 and Internet Explorer, and how Microsoft wants "to give [us] control over [our] data". A little ironic given they were once the poster child for vendor lock-in, and that Office still has sketchy support for their own ISO standards. It also doesn't help that I can't try IE because I'm not on Windows on my production machines ;).

Still, under the IE subheading Shaw points out something:

The world’s most popular browser, now with Tracking Protection, offering controls over your privacy as you browse.

Previously their "implementation" of tracking protection seemed needlessly different given the world had standardised on DNT headers, but according to Microsoft they've included this starting with IE9. I would still advice people not to use it, but nice to know those who have no choice have this feature.

And to help remind people of these alternatives, we’re placing a series of ads in some major newspapers this week.

Them fighting words. I expect there's going to be a heated debate in Google PR over this, in which case I find myself thanking Microsoft. It hasn't been the first time lately; I praised their progressive stance on same sex marriage, and gave kudus to the Windows Phone team for developing their own UI rather than just robotically copying the iPhone, if you will.

Hell is freezing over, I tell you! Well, kinda.

Facebook is about to go public. Typically what happens with such deals is the prospective public company enlists the assitance of an underwriter, who sells the shares on their behalf. Only a select few are given a crack at the first rounds before the stock is sold to the general public. Understandably, those who get in first make instant millions. Nice work if you can get it.

Sincerely, I've got to hand it to Mark Zuckerberg. Since starting Facebook to get the phone numbers of girls he was too embarrased to ask (darn, why didn't I think of that?), he's arguably demonstrated nothing but contempt for his users, yet here's his project on the cusp of earning billions. Meanwhile, to quote but one example, Julian Assange remains under house arrest. Think about that.

This post originally appeared on the Annexe, in a post series pointlessly documenting every train I took.

Punchbowl 446 from Earlwood to Roselands

Cleanliness: New and shiny!

Wait, this isn't a a train! ^^;

Stewart Mitchell writing for PC Pro:

Prosecutors in the US plan to start deleting data from the servers of file-sharing site Megauploads this week.

Uh huh, sure ;).

The move has lead to claims that wiping files could make it impossible for the accused to defend themselves and deprive millions of users access to their personal files.

This doesn't pass the smell test for me. I fear that access to data will be revoked, but law enforcement will maintain it to mine at a later date. On hard drives without encryption that people leave in taxis by mistake, but that's another issue.

This post originally appeared on the Annexe, in a post series pointlessly documenting every train I took.

T107 from Bardwell Park to Museum

Cleanliness: Shiny and refurbished FTW!

My Chinese New Year Twilight Parade photos are in the pipeline! In the meantime, here's part two of my Sydney Botanic Gardens stroll from Saturday!

If you haven't seen them yet, you can find part one here. As I said there, nothing terribly special here, but I really loved the colours! ^_^

From the Australian @ABCNews:

Big four banks warned they may be downgraded by Fitch because of reliance on offshore funding

The Coalition and its sympathisers regularly take credit for the reforms instituted by Hawke and Keating, but what's really kept the coal-fired Australian juggernaut moving are mineral exports to booming markets, and a ready pool of cheap foreign credit. Banks could take money from depressed markets with low interest rates, then charge Australians local rates. Obviously, this disparity fuelled a gravy train like… a train powered by gravy. Mmm, gravy!

As for ratings agencies: well, I've voiced my opinion of them before, especially with regards to Ireland.

While I wasn't on Twitter, I went with my old man around the Botanic Gardens with my D60 and my NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8. Nothing special, but I loved the colours ^^.

 

 

 

 

 

Twitter's geo-specific censorship plan wasn't unforeseen. They're certainly not above the law. Still, with the scary new custom TLD registration rules, the undemocratically secretive ACTA nonsense, Google's decision to drop Don't Be Evil™, you can understand why some of us are a little wary of censorship in 2012, and certainly of the uncanny timing of Twitter's announcement. Reads like a gigantic distraction to me.

So despite my reservations regarding the effectiveness of blackouts, I was quiet on @Rubenerd for much of the day. The world was probably the better for it!

Not strictly speaking a journalistic endeavour this time, but one that still deserved to be added to the collection:

Wikipedia: Big Four (banking)

Big Four is the colloquial name for the four main banks in several countries, where the banking industry is dominated by just four institutions and where the phrase has gained currency.

Oh you! Reminds me of that Westpac campaign in 2009, where I also suggested a possible followup to. I was so witty in those days.