Ted Roche’s weblog

Off for the day: a client meeting in Massachusetts, followed by a
meeting of the Boston Area FoxPro User Group, where Steve Lundahl will be presenting a talk on Visual FoxPro and SQL Server: DTS and SQL-DMO

Microsoft Needs Geek Appeal. “I thought I had a pretty good handle on the differences between the
open-source community and the traditional proprietary approach to
software development.
But watching a Microsoft spokesperson defend his company
and its whole approach to business in front of a room full of Linux
zealots last week helped crystallize the gulf between the two
camps–not [...]

Miguel de Icaza, leader of
several interesting Open Source projects, says that Cringely makes nice
but incorrect statements in claiming that you can’t win playing
Microsoft’s game, and proposes his own strategies.
“In Miguel de Icaza’s latest blog entry
the Mono project leader discusses the threat Longhorn’s new
technologies and frameworks pose to Linux and open source. He also
directs uses to [...]

Internet Week reports “Yankee Group Disputes Linux’ Claim To Lower Cost: Research report indicates most large firms won’t replace either Windows or Unix machines with Linux” while ITWeb reports “Yankee Linux findings rigged too.”
Studies funded by a vendor, studying the narrowly-framed questions that favor the vendor, are advertising, not impartial studies, and need to be [...]

Administrative Assistant’s Day - Give an Unsual Gift. “Lawyer Matt Homann has a very interesting post about ‘Administrative Assistant’s Day’ and the gift he gave to his secretary one year: he let her fire a client of her choosing. Read the post; it’s not as crazy as it…” posted at Ernie The Attorney.
Oooo, a dangerous [...]

In a CNet article titled “Software makers ready desktop lockdown,” journalist David Becker misses the blindingly obvious solution:
An ancient e-mail message embarrasses Microsoft in a key legal case. A leaked memo has Linux antagonist SCO Group scrambling to explain apparently secret Microsoft connections. A leaked message from RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser reveals his behind-the-scenes maneuvering [...]

AOL plans to revitalize Netscape?. An AOL job listing indicates intentions to recharge its neglected portal and Web browser, and take Netscape in a “dramatically different direction.” Posted at CNET News.com

Matt Asay, director of Novell’s Linux business office, suggests that Linux needs to avoid trying to be an “almost clone” of Windows and win on its own strengths on the desktop, in this interview with “WhatPC” magazine. Link via OSNews news story, “Novell’s Linux Gamble is Paying Off.”

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world: indeed it’s the only thing that ever has!
— Margaret Meade

Tim O’Reilly shares his thoughts on “The Fuss About Gmail and Privacy: Nine Reasons Why It’s Bogus” including this:
Until I heard about gmail, I was convinced that the future “internet operating system” would have the same characteristics as Linux and the Internet.