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friday rant - Here's a perfect example of why DRM sucks: Friday Rant - Here's a perfect example of why DRM sucksI agreeYep, the UK broadcasts look pretty swanky.But, whenever they're showing clips from US news shows or playing Friends on Channel 4 (so that's about... 90% of the day?), the quality is crap. Whether its just because US TV...; Tags: Digital rights management (DRM), HD DVD, Digital media, Consumer electronics, DVD, TV & Home Theater, digital-rights management, DRM Sucks, HD-DVD, Friday Rant, perfect example, TV; Discussion threads 2008-04-11
friday rant: Let XP die!: Friday Rant: Let XP die!I don't see any need to upgrade or downgradeThere's nothing wrong with XP, and there's nothing wrong with Vista. If XP is working for you on the hardware you have, then there's no real need to upgrade to Vista. If you need new hardware or simply...; Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP, Let XP, Friday Rant; Discussion threads 2008-04-04
friday rant - Sony and Apple/iTunes, you're on the wedgie list!: Friday Rant - Sony and Apple/iTunes, you're on the wedgie list!I hear you thereThe fact that they sell you a system that they know is underperforming due to the crapware is ironic as they advertise these system and "Optimal Performers", "Fast!", ect.(I also charge the same "rates", but they allways...; Tags: Digital music, Digital media, Desktops, Sony Corp., Apple Safari, Friday Rant; Discussion threads 2008-03-21
friday rant - How to turn a simple job into a complicated one: Friday Rant - How to turn a simple job into a complicated oneWhat, no power tools?Your experience reminds me of a removable drive cage that I installed some years ago. At least you didn't have to resort to high-speed rotary tools and hardened dental burring bits.No matter how many times...; Tags: PRODUCTIVITY, Recruitment & Selection, Friday Rant, job; Discussion threads 2008-03-07
friday rant - Why, oh why didn't I pick up a Nintendo DS Lite ... ?: Friday Rant - Why, oh why didn't I pick up a Nintendo DS Lite ... ?Like the opening to the song by the Butthole SurfersBUTTHOLE SURFERS LYRICS"Sweet Loaf""Daddy, what does regret mean?Well son, the funny thing about regret is,It's better to regret something you have done,Than to regret something you...; Tags: Games, Microsoft Corp., Friday Rant, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Co. Ltd., game; Discussion threads 2007-12-28

friday rant - When antivirus software goes bad: Friday Rant - When antivirus software goes badDoctor, it hurts when I do this[i]I’ve long held the belief that antivirus software can be almost as bad as the malware it’s trying to protect you from. In fact, I believe that it’s a lot worse. [/i]So you keep doing this...; Tags: Cyberthreats, Viruses and worms, Spyware, adware & malware, SECURITY, Operating systems, Microsoft Corp., Norton Co., Friday Rant, antivirus software, malware, Linux, virus, software; Discussion threads 2007-12-14
friday rant - It's new technology stupid, you should expect problems!: Friday Rant - It's new technology stupid, you should expect problems!Discount?![i]did you get some kind of discount for being an early adopter?[/i]In fact, you are expected to pay a hefty premium. The iPhone is perhaps the most blatant example of this, but lets not pretend this isnt the norm.RE: Friday...; Tags: Friday Rant, Microsoft Windows Vista; Discussion threads 2007-11-16
friday rant - Why is most security software rubbish?: Friday Rant - Why is most security software rubbish?Don't use a suiteall you need is AV and anti-spywareAVG is freeSpyBot or Windows Defender are freeAVG and SpyBot can be set to run automaticallyDefender runs automaticallywhy make a big deal out of itAAgreedIn the past I have used Norton System Security...; Tags: Operating systems, Spyware, adware & malware, Cyberthreats, security, security software, Friday Rant, AVG, Microsoft Windows; Discussion threads 2007-10-26
friday rant - TGIF: Friday Rant - TGIFNewEggShould have bought from NewEgg...never had a problem with them, and they're honest when something isn't in stock.RE: Friday Rant - TGIFI believe it's "tide me over..." not "tied me over..." ]:)Stay calm and disconnect! ]:); Tags: Friday Rant, TGIF, NewEgg; Discussion threads 2007-10-05
friday rants: Data silos; Facebook hype; Dow Jones angst: Friday rants: Data silos; Facebook hype; Dow Jones angstData silosWell, the data is all one logical database and you need to put the mechanisms in place so that this is actually the case from a user and programmer perspective no matter how many physical databases are sitting underneath it. This...; Tags: silo, Friday Rant, Dow Jones & Company Inc., Facebook; Discussion threads 2007-08-03
friday rants: $25,000 acquisitions; 100 days too long; Dow Jones and Rupe: Friday rants: $25,000 acquisitions; 100 days too long; Dow Jones and RupeOh, come *on*...I appreciate a good rant as much as the next guy, but on two of these points I think you're really off-base.First, there's the TechCrunch story. Yes, it's a pocket-cash deal, but what was the alternative? I...; Tags: Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate law, Blogging, Rupe, Friday Rant, Dow Jones & Company Inc., acquisition; Discussion threads 2007-07-24
friday rant - Hey Microsoft! Where's the Windows Extras you promised me?: Friday Rant - Hey Microsoft! Where's the Windows Extras you promised me?Frustrating? Yes. Surprising? Why?Every time Microsloth announces a product in development, they claim it will have features A thru Z. Shortly thereafter, it's leaked that features D thru J won't make it in the first...; Tags: Microsoft Windows 98, Channel management, Operating systems, remote desktop, Web Apps, Windows Extras, Microsoft Windows, Friday Rant, Web, Apple iPhone, language pack; Discussion threads 2007-06-15
friday rant - Why is ActiveSync so rubbish?: Friday Rant - Why is ActiveSync so rubbish?Adrian, have you tried rsync? It is commmand line, but works great.Somebody needs to put a GUI on it for normal users though. But, for nerds like you, . . . .Rant RantThis can't be a real rant. Windows, and Windows Mobile must...; Tags: Operating systems, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Friday Rant, Microsoft ActiveSync, mobile; Discussion threads 2007-06-03

Additional Resources

Putting Workday on SAP's radar: Now that SAP's SaaS project Business ByDesign has gone on the back burner, I've been wondering how I'm going to pass the time next week at SAPPHIRE Berlin. One thing I'll be asking the enterprise software giant is how it feels about losing out to SaaS startup Workday for a...; Tags: Software-as-a-service, SAP AG, Radar, Workday, Flextronics International Ltd., Software As A Service (SaaS), Human Capital, Emerging Technologies, Human Resources, Workforce Management, Phil Wainewright; Blog posts 2008-05-14
Off topic: The facade of objectivity: This Wired-TechCrunch war is interesting for the media wonks out there, but larger question is this: Does objectivity exists? Does it even matter? Here's the short version. The Washington Post inks a syndication deal with TechCrunch. Wired notes that it's odd that the Post picks up a...; Tags: Disclosure, TechCrunch, Wired Inc., Objectivity, Blogger, Post, Personality, Blogging, Business Ethics, Construction, Internet, Leadership, Management, Larry Dignan; Blog posts 2008-05-14
Intense (and really thoughtful) ranting from the OLPC front: Ivan KrstiÄ‡ has made his way into this blog before. As OLPC's former director of security architecture and one closely involved with their Peru rollout, his posts offered great insights into just how the XO worked or was supposed to work on the backend. Now he,...; Tags: One Laptop Per Child Project, Ivan KrstiÃ„Â‡, Nicholas, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Christopher Dawson; Blog posts 2008-05-13
Facebook makes its own 'data portability' move, Google to follow?: Not to be outdone by MySpace's "Data Availability" initiative, Facebook announced on Friday its own data portability strategy dubbed "Facebook Connect". Described as "the next iteration of Facebook Platform" the new feature will allow users to "connect" their Facebook identity, friends and privacy to participating sites --...; Tags: Google Inc., Facebook, Social Networking, Channel Management, Web Site Development, Security, Online Communications, Marketing, Advertising & Promotion, Internet, Steve O\'Hear; Blog posts 2008-05-12
Informatica is on the block say senior sources: I have heard from two senior sources in the software industry that Informatica [INFA] is on the block and it has approached Oracle [ORCL]. I don't know what the possible acquisition price would be or any further details. Informatica's share price closed at $16.45 on Friday May 9. It's...; Tags: Informatica, Oracle Corp., Pricing, Tools & Techniques, Business Intelligence, Databases, Enterprise Software, Marketing, Management, Software, Data Management, Tom Foremski; Blog posts 2008-05-11
All USB ports aren't created equal: All USB ports aren't created equalPretty much convincedGood grief. What has happened to journalism today? Never mind. I already know.Point is, you don't need to be pretty much convinced. There's this radical concept that's been floating around for about 400 years called the scientific method. It's key element is experiment....; Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), USB port, Microsoft Windows Vista, hardware; Discussion threads 2008-05-10
Exploring Mars with Java: At the JavaOne conference in San Francisco Friday, James Gosling, Sun Microsystems vice president and fellow, talks to Arizona State University geological sciences professor Phil Christensen about the school's geospatial software, JMARS. The open-source project is available to the public and used by NASA to find and gather scientific data...; Tags: Programming Languages, Java, Open Source, Software Development, Software/Web Development, Mars, NASA, JMARS; Videos 2008-05-09