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I know that Dave probably won’t agree with me but now that the big guys are interested in weblogs, weblog software need patents. Search software has long been a patent rich environment, Google has them a plenty and one of the reasons why Overture bought AltaVista was because of their patents. Weblog software is elegantly simple and depends on innovation that is easily copyable by the bigger companies. All the more need to protect and continue to foster this innovation. Although patents are often seen to be an anathema to the collaborative world of the developer community, they do offer protection for smaller companies. Perhaps a compromise would be a patent system analogous to the Creative Commons approach to copyright which protects against exploitation whilst preserving the developer community ethos. In other words patents which are not infringed if they are used within open source or non-profit development.
Johnathon Freedland quotes Robert Kagan in the Guardian. “Europeans have grown soft and idealistic (and feminine) while the Yanks remain tough, booted and aware (like real men) of how brutal a place the world can be.” I instinctively like American no-bullshit attitudes, but Bush is hardly tough, he’s a little rich kid. Come on, look at the government of thugs that Sharon is putting together and the Bush administration is too timid to say anything, an insult to moderate Israelis. “Right-wing firebrand Tzahi Hanegbi was named internal security minister. In 1980, Hanegbi received a six-month suspended sentence for leading a chain-wielding attack on Arab students at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, where he was student union chairman. Hanegbi has since expressed regret.” Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Israel Forms Hard-Line Government
So I was wrong last week, but correct originally. Overture have indeed bought FAST. Despite the drop in their share price, this is a good move by Overture. Google has not yet raised cash from an IPO and so can only offer stock. Overture is mopping up the loose ends in the search landscape by offering cash and is covering itself against longer term weaknesses. Overture to buy search services | CNET News.com
Until last week I used to wince when I used the word weblog to people I wanted to evangelize them to – particularly people like VCs. The problem was that a non-technical explanation lead down the path of trying to justify an online diary as something of earth shattering significance. Google’s purchase of Blogger changes everything. In this sense, it doesn’t matter why Google bought Pyra, but they did, and it helps justify the argument that weblogs are important. In fact not only does it help, but the Google acquisition helps weave together the perfect story. Google is about search on the web done right, weblogs are about publishing on the web done right. Together they create the web’s basic Input/Output. I can now say that with a straight face in a meeting. Much more than online diaries then, but they’re fun too.
Danger, do not visit the link at the bottom of this posting if you are as boring as I am, it will consume unhealthy amounts of time. The site graphically shows the popularity of various numbers on the web, their rank and significance. 404 is the 101st most popular number of 100,000 and is associated with the Peugeot 404 in addition to the standard http ‘not found’ error message. Yours sincerely Cliff Claven The secret lives of numbers
Tommy Franks is someone who will surely become a familiar face, despite his reputation for being camera shy. He is the commander favored by the White House to initially rule a post war Iraq. “They call General Franks a ‘soldier’s soldier’, a ‘muddy boots soldier’ – and this is the core of the man. In the official army biography, he is ‘Tommy’, not Thomas or Tom. “ Biography: General Tommy Franks
“The long-term goal is to eventually create autonomous, programmable molecular computing devices that can operate in vivo, eventually inside the human body, and function as ‘doctors in a cell” United Press International: DNA computer sets Guinness record
“Levi’s Europe, meanwhile, has just produced a limited-edition teddy bear complete with a peace symbol attached to its ear.” MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | Wolves in doves’ clothing
From the country that brought you the three armed sweater, the transparent skirt. In actual fact these skirts are not transparent but have an image printed on them to appear so. Does your bum look big in this?
If you think the UN or NATO may be farcical, what about the Nobel Peace Prize. This year, both Bush and Chirac have been nominated, but this hardly compares to 1938 when both Ghandi and Hitler recieved nominations. Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Ignoble peace prize
With the majority of their revenue coming from two partners who have destination sites and therefore can beat Overture down on revenue split (or ‘cost of traffic’ as Overture call it in SEC filings), Overture needs a destination site, but Google is way ahead of Altavista in terms of users. This consolidation is bad news for FAST, Microsoft could possibly buy them for MSN, but if inclined to buy at all they may look at AskJeeves. So what does the search space look like now: Google Syndicated and destination site search, paid listings (adwords) and relevance ranked search. Yahoo Syndicated (Inktomi) and destination site search, paid listings (they are probably thinking of building their own) and relevance ranked search. MSN Destination site search Overture Syndicated and destination site search (Altavista), paid listings and relevance ranked search. Possible acquisition targets: AskJeeves (Microsoft); FAST (Microsoft); Espotting (Overture or Google) Is this Overture’s…