Batteries should last for decades.
They may soon. See: New 'BetaBatteries' May Provide Power for Decades
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Yahoo Looks At Trends in New Patent Application
After logging into your "my Yahoo" portal, you decide to look for sites about music.
You perform a search for "popular music" in the Yahoo! search engine. If you're under 21, the search engine might return results about Avril Lavgne. If you're over 35, you might see results about Celine Dion instead.
That's one of the potential applications that may come to Yahoo! as a result of the technology described in Systems and methods for search query processing using trend analysis.
A few other recent Yahoo! patent application included the use of concepts gleaned from user queries to help build responses to future queries. This patent application adds an additional element, looking at trends involving
Time - including the times of day that things may be searched for, the changes in searches on weekdays as opposed to weekends, seasonal searches, and more.
Geography - Will people searching for the same terms in different locations expect different results? It's quite possible.
User demographics - Information about users of such services as "My Yahoo" may tell the search engine something about what users of different demographic groups might look for, and what they expect to see.
User history or context (referred to here as a "vertical" dimension) - Information from past searches might influence future results,
etc.
And yes, the Avril Lavgne and Celine Dion examples are part of the patent application.
You perform a search for "popular music" in the Yahoo! search engine. If you're under 21, the search engine might return results about Avril Lavgne. If you're over 35, you might see results about Celine Dion instead.
That's one of the potential applications that may come to Yahoo! as a result of the technology described in Systems and methods for search query processing using trend analysis.
A few other recent Yahoo! patent application included the use of concepts gleaned from user queries to help build responses to future queries. This patent application adds an additional element, looking at trends involving
Time - including the times of day that things may be searched for, the changes in searches on weekdays as opposed to weekends, seasonal searches, and more.
Geography - Will people searching for the same terms in different locations expect different results? It's quite possible.
User demographics - Information about users of such services as "My Yahoo" may tell the search engine something about what users of different demographic groups might look for, and what they expect to see.
User history or context (referred to here as a "vertical" dimension) - Information from past searches might influence future results,
etc.
And yes, the Avril Lavgne and Celine Dion examples are part of the patent application.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Overcoming the Typing Paradigm
Once upon a time, a friend of mine was telling me what he was looking for in a secretary he had decided to hire for his office. The secretary would be his first employee. One of the requirements he wanted to fill was that this secretary could type as quickly as him. Since he was up to 80 words a minute, that might rule some good candidates out. I told him that he might be making a mistake, and that he might be falling for the Typing Paradigm.
Why I have no love for the typewriter
I remember the good old days, before email was common place in the office, and when you were lucky if you were the one in the office with a computer that had a word processor (fortunately, I was).
I recall having to help replace typewriter ribbons, because they were such a pain to thread into typewriters.
I recollect the temptation to use correction tape on an official document because making a mistake at the end of a typewritten page meant having to type the whole thing over again.
Memories, painful memories of the days of typewriters.
I first learned how to use a wordprocessing program when I had a long paper due in school, and needed to get it done. I installed myself in the school computer lab on a Friday morning, and, except for a few short sleep breaks, spent most of the next few days sitting in front of a terminal, learning how to handle the templates of Word Perfect 5.1. After I had finished 80 pages, and 118 footnotes, my paper was done. And I was just beginning to overcome the typing paradigm.
With a copy of the paper printed out, I also had a copy of the paper on a floppy, so that I could easily add, amend, update, and delete as I saw fit, without having to start over again.
Unknown to me, and even better, my use of Word Perfect's "reveal codes" function was getting me ready for my early days of learning html, where I could separate the content of a page from the look of that page.
The more I learned about how to use different programs, the more I learned that a computer was capable of so much more. And, it made me capable of so much more.
The typewriter took away my potential, and my productivity.
Overcoming the Typewriter Paradigm
After computers became a little more common in my office, and everyone had one that could use Excel, and Word, and Access, I was asked to help format some labels in an old Dbase III program. The labels were going to be attached to a memo asking around 500 contractors if they wanted to use their social security number, or their firm's EIN number on the the 1099 form they would be getting for performing services as a contractor. The form would be printed, photocopied 500 or so times, and the labels would be stuck on to personalize them.
The letters would then be placed in envelopes, with addresses typed on them, and mailed out to those folks. My coworkers were having a hard time getting the old Dbase III program to format the labels correctly. So, they asked for my help. After calculating that their method might take someone a week or so to prepare some ugly looking documents, I asked them if I could take over and do it my way. Unsurprisingly, I received no opposition.
I took the Dbase III database of names, addresses, firm names, social security numbers and EIN numbers, and imported it into Excel (about four minutes). I typed out a template of the original memo in word (about ten minutes). I checked to make sure that we had enough window envelopes (another four minutes). And then I used a mail merge, and printed out 500 or so sharp and stylish looking and professionally drafted, individually personalized letters (a very leisurely hour-and-a-half in which the printer did most of the work).
I noticed a few jaws drop when I came back in about two hours with a stack of documents ready to be folded, put in envelopes, and mailed out.
As you may guess, once a year, it was my job for the next five years to prepare those documents. I tried to teach some of the others during their spare time to use mail merge. They never had any spare time. Somehow, I often did. When I handed in a two week notice, there were some people lined up for crash courses in how to do a mail merge.
A post from Jim Horton, of Online Public Relations, takes a humorous look at Bitter Lessons learned in the ways a mail merge can go wrong. I've been there, Jim. But, I'd rather face those problems that have to type out all of those letters.
Sometimes the World View Changes Easy
I began this post, more than a couple words ago, with a story about a friend who was hiring a secretary. When I started to explain to him that he was making a mistake when he told me he wanted a secretary who was a fast typist, he wanted to know why.
I asked him how many words a minute I was typing when I exported 100 records from Quickbooks into an Excel spreadsheet, merged them with a mail merge into 100 invoices, and printed them out in about twenty minutes. His answer:
"Ok, I want a secretary smart enough not to have to type 80 words a minute."
Why I have no love for the typewriter
I remember the good old days, before email was common place in the office, and when you were lucky if you were the one in the office with a computer that had a word processor (fortunately, I was).
I recall having to help replace typewriter ribbons, because they were such a pain to thread into typewriters.
I recollect the temptation to use correction tape on an official document because making a mistake at the end of a typewritten page meant having to type the whole thing over again.
Memories, painful memories of the days of typewriters.
I first learned how to use a wordprocessing program when I had a long paper due in school, and needed to get it done. I installed myself in the school computer lab on a Friday morning, and, except for a few short sleep breaks, spent most of the next few days sitting in front of a terminal, learning how to handle the templates of Word Perfect 5.1. After I had finished 80 pages, and 118 footnotes, my paper was done. And I was just beginning to overcome the typing paradigm.
With a copy of the paper printed out, I also had a copy of the paper on a floppy, so that I could easily add, amend, update, and delete as I saw fit, without having to start over again.
Unknown to me, and even better, my use of Word Perfect's "reveal codes" function was getting me ready for my early days of learning html, where I could separate the content of a page from the look of that page.
The more I learned about how to use different programs, the more I learned that a computer was capable of so much more. And, it made me capable of so much more.
The typewriter took away my potential, and my productivity.
Overcoming the Typewriter Paradigm
After computers became a little more common in my office, and everyone had one that could use Excel, and Word, and Access, I was asked to help format some labels in an old Dbase III program. The labels were going to be attached to a memo asking around 500 contractors if they wanted to use their social security number, or their firm's EIN number on the the 1099 form they would be getting for performing services as a contractor. The form would be printed, photocopied 500 or so times, and the labels would be stuck on to personalize them.
The letters would then be placed in envelopes, with addresses typed on them, and mailed out to those folks. My coworkers were having a hard time getting the old Dbase III program to format the labels correctly. So, they asked for my help. After calculating that their method might take someone a week or so to prepare some ugly looking documents, I asked them if I could take over and do it my way. Unsurprisingly, I received no opposition.
I took the Dbase III database of names, addresses, firm names, social security numbers and EIN numbers, and imported it into Excel (about four minutes). I typed out a template of the original memo in word (about ten minutes). I checked to make sure that we had enough window envelopes (another four minutes). And then I used a mail merge, and printed out 500 or so sharp and stylish looking and professionally drafted, individually personalized letters (a very leisurely hour-and-a-half in which the printer did most of the work).
I noticed a few jaws drop when I came back in about two hours with a stack of documents ready to be folded, put in envelopes, and mailed out.
As you may guess, once a year, it was my job for the next five years to prepare those documents. I tried to teach some of the others during their spare time to use mail merge. They never had any spare time. Somehow, I often did. When I handed in a two week notice, there were some people lined up for crash courses in how to do a mail merge.
A post from Jim Horton, of Online Public Relations, takes a humorous look at Bitter Lessons learned in the ways a mail merge can go wrong. I've been there, Jim. But, I'd rather face those problems that have to type out all of those letters.
Sometimes the World View Changes Easy
I began this post, more than a couple words ago, with a story about a friend who was hiring a secretary. When I started to explain to him that he was making a mistake when he told me he wanted a secretary who was a fast typist, he wanted to know why.
I asked him how many words a minute I was typing when I exported 100 records from Quickbooks into an Excel spreadsheet, merged them with a mail merge into 100 invoices, and printed them out in about twenty minutes. His answer:
"Ok, I want a secretary smart enough not to have to type 80 words a minute."
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
What are the Top Ten Things People Need to Get Out of Your Web Site?
An interesting question in a page from the University of Texas at Austin on Developing Usability Test Documents:
That's a good question. I'm going to ramble about what I think those are. I've come up with four general areas where those top ten could come from, after reading that question. I think they are a good start, but I'm going to have to think about this more.
1. Contact Information
I would have to place contact information on that list. I'm not sure I would call it number one, but if the site is an ecommerce site, I like having at least four different types of contact information on a page: email, phone, fax, and mailing address.
Even if people don't use them, just having them there makes people feel confident that there is a real organization behind the pages.
2. A Unique Identity
Chances are that your site isn't the only one that occupies the niche it is in. What makes it different from the others? What do you tell people about yourself, and your business? Why are you different from all of the others?
Seems to me that some of the things that make up a unique identity could fill up a "top ten" list.
3. Promises
There are a lot of promises you make when your run a web site.
You may not even be aware that you are making them, but you are. If someone orders something, you promise to ship them what they've ordered in a reasonable amount of time. If they trust you with personally identifiable information, you may be making a promise in a privacy policy that you will be responsible with that information.
Many of the promises a merchant makes are about things that both the merchant and the purchaser take for granted. For instance, your butcher doesn't have to tell you that the meat he or she is selling to you is fresh. The news reporter promises to follow some set of ethical and editorial guidelines. Those promises are taken for granted, that is, until they are broken.
How would you articulate the promises you make to your customers, and how important are they?
4. The Ability to Make an Informed Decision
Most people are going to be making comparisons between sites, and looking at what they can get offline. If you are going to offer services online, or offer products, give people the information that they need to know that they are making a good choice. Your best customers can often be your present customers.
Let people know they are making an informed decision. Make them feel comfortable and confident, and welcome. And when they come back, welcome them back.
What is the most important information a potential customer should know about what goods or services you have to offer, and how are you telling them about it?
How would you describe the top ten things people need to get from your web site?
What are the top ten things that visitors need to get from your web site?
That's a good question. I'm going to ramble about what I think those are. I've come up with four general areas where those top ten could come from, after reading that question. I think they are a good start, but I'm going to have to think about this more.
1. Contact Information
I would have to place contact information on that list. I'm not sure I would call it number one, but if the site is an ecommerce site, I like having at least four different types of contact information on a page: email, phone, fax, and mailing address.
Even if people don't use them, just having them there makes people feel confident that there is a real organization behind the pages.
2. A Unique Identity
Chances are that your site isn't the only one that occupies the niche it is in. What makes it different from the others? What do you tell people about yourself, and your business? Why are you different from all of the others?
Seems to me that some of the things that make up a unique identity could fill up a "top ten" list.
3. Promises
There are a lot of promises you make when your run a web site.
You may not even be aware that you are making them, but you are. If someone orders something, you promise to ship them what they've ordered in a reasonable amount of time. If they trust you with personally identifiable information, you may be making a promise in a privacy policy that you will be responsible with that information.
Many of the promises a merchant makes are about things that both the merchant and the purchaser take for granted. For instance, your butcher doesn't have to tell you that the meat he or she is selling to you is fresh. The news reporter promises to follow some set of ethical and editorial guidelines. Those promises are taken for granted, that is, until they are broken.
How would you articulate the promises you make to your customers, and how important are they?
4. The Ability to Make an Informed Decision
Most people are going to be making comparisons between sites, and looking at what they can get offline. If you are going to offer services online, or offer products, give people the information that they need to know that they are making a good choice. Your best customers can often be your present customers.
Let people know they are making an informed decision. Make them feel comfortable and confident, and welcome. And when they come back, welcome them back.
What is the most important information a potential customer should know about what goods or services you have to offer, and how are you telling them about it?
How would you describe the top ten things people need to get from your web site?
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
When you Need an Extra Hand: Consider Internships
There are a lot of positive things to be said for finding ways to automate processes around your office, and streamlining some of the more mundane tasks that you face. But, those can take time and energy to set up. And there are tasks that just need to be done by hand. Jobs that aren't necessarily complex, and don't need a considerable amount of experience or knowledge to do.
Sometimes, taking the time to make sure that these tasks are done, and are done right can take you away from the work that you enjoy doing, and that helps bring the money in.
Where would you find someone who might be able to lend a hand for a few hours a week, and tackle some of these tasks with energy and vigor?
Living, and working in a college town, it's difficult to miss all of the college students around. It was for us. If you are fortunate to have a University, or a business school near where you work, you may have an answer to the problem of needing an extra hand for a few hours a week. It was a solution that we found not only helpful, but filled with some benefits that surprised us a little.
Interns come in many shapes and sizes, and with different levels of experience and expertise. And students who would be willing to take a position as an intern are usually thankful for the opportunity. It's a chance for them to get some experience, put something on their resume, and earn a few dollars in a position that may just be flexible enough to fit around their class schedule.
What would you do to find some of these potential interns? Many schools and universities have placement offices for their students. Some of these are even online. Make a list of the Schools near you, and open up your phonebook, or even your browser, and see if you can locate the placement offices for those schools. Chances are, you should be able to.
If you are really fortunate, one or more of those schools will have a database that you can use to post about an internship opportunity online. Treat finding an intern like you would hiring any employee. Ask for a resume, schedule interviews, ask questions, and be selective. Chances are that you will get a number of responses to an ad if you offer flexible hours, decent pay, and a pleasant working environment, filled with tasks that might make a student's resume look better to potential employers when they graduate.
Some of the benefits that you might get from hiring an intern include the chance to work with people with skills that may surprise you a little. A computer science student might just be able to help you automate some tasks around the office that you don't have the time to do yourself. An english major may be able to skillfully proofread important documents, and even help write some manuals and process documents that make your office more productive. A business or marketing student may bring some ideas to your business that you hadn't considered before.
Another possibility is that today's intern may be the best full time employee your office has after they graduate. And, if you have a very small office, the chance to work with an intern may give you some experience managing and supervising people that you didn't have before.
Sometimes, taking the time to make sure that these tasks are done, and are done right can take you away from the work that you enjoy doing, and that helps bring the money in.
Where would you find someone who might be able to lend a hand for a few hours a week, and tackle some of these tasks with energy and vigor?
Living, and working in a college town, it's difficult to miss all of the college students around. It was for us. If you are fortunate to have a University, or a business school near where you work, you may have an answer to the problem of needing an extra hand for a few hours a week. It was a solution that we found not only helpful, but filled with some benefits that surprised us a little.
Interns come in many shapes and sizes, and with different levels of experience and expertise. And students who would be willing to take a position as an intern are usually thankful for the opportunity. It's a chance for them to get some experience, put something on their resume, and earn a few dollars in a position that may just be flexible enough to fit around their class schedule.
What would you do to find some of these potential interns? Many schools and universities have placement offices for their students. Some of these are even online. Make a list of the Schools near you, and open up your phonebook, or even your browser, and see if you can locate the placement offices for those schools. Chances are, you should be able to.
If you are really fortunate, one or more of those schools will have a database that you can use to post about an internship opportunity online. Treat finding an intern like you would hiring any employee. Ask for a resume, schedule interviews, ask questions, and be selective. Chances are that you will get a number of responses to an ad if you offer flexible hours, decent pay, and a pleasant working environment, filled with tasks that might make a student's resume look better to potential employers when they graduate.
Some of the benefits that you might get from hiring an intern include the chance to work with people with skills that may surprise you a little. A computer science student might just be able to help you automate some tasks around the office that you don't have the time to do yourself. An english major may be able to skillfully proofread important documents, and even help write some manuals and process documents that make your office more productive. A business or marketing student may bring some ideas to your business that you hadn't considered before.
Another possibility is that today's intern may be the best full time employee your office has after they graduate. And, if you have a very small office, the chance to work with an intern may give you some experience managing and supervising people that you didn't have before.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
A Lot of Beef about a Lot of Beef
A fifteen pound hamburger.
Has to be a publicity stunt. I saw this on TV not too long ago. They showed one of these whoppers (am I allowed to refer to it with that word?) being cooked. It's a lot of beef.
MSNBC couldn't resist the bait: Burger war grows with new 15 pounder.
For some reason, the thought of a fifteen pound hamburger has me considering a diet.
Has to be a publicity stunt. I saw this on TV not too long ago. They showed one of these whoppers (am I allowed to refer to it with that word?) being cooked. It's a lot of beef.
MSNBC couldn't resist the bait: Burger war grows with new 15 pounder.
For some reason, the thought of a fifteen pound hamburger has me considering a diet.
Jeeves Disconnects Advertising Partner: Will Overture Follow Suit?
Bambi Francisco has filed an update on Adware and Spyware, and the potential fallout of a suit filed by New York State's Attorney General.
She received some interesting comments, and some interesting news, and writes about it in Net Sense: Intermix is just the start
I wrote about the lawsuit and Ben Edelman's Research on Spyware, and his second in a series which showed an application from an Ask Jeeves property installing software on a computer without the computer owner's knowledge or consent. It seems like the Ask Jeeve's folks hadn't seen it, at least until Bambi Francisco showed it to them.
After she played one of Ben Edelman's video clips for a spokesperson from Ask Jeeves, action appears to have been taken quickly:
There may be some other issues that Jeeves wants to take a closer look at, according to Bambi Francisco's article. She also quotes a New York Deputy Attorney who mentions that Overture was involved in some of the advertising that defendant Intermix is under attack for.
There is quite a lot of money involved in these types of ads, and quite a few folks involved in using this type of advertising. But, if it were to go away tomorrow, there would still be a need to advertise, and there would still be people seeking to advertise. Fine and good. If they can stop having software installed on people's computers without their knowledge and consent, it's a step in the right direction.
She received some interesting comments, and some interesting news, and writes about it in Net Sense: Intermix is just the start
I wrote about the lawsuit and Ben Edelman's Research on Spyware, and his second in a series which showed an application from an Ask Jeeves property installing software on a computer without the computer owner's knowledge or consent. It seems like the Ask Jeeve's folks hadn't seen it, at least until Bambi Francisco showed it to them.
After she played one of Ben Edelman's video clips for a spokesperson from Ask Jeeves, action appears to have been taken quickly:
Staples came back and said that Ask Jeeves did in fact find fault with this particular distribution partner. "We just turned off that partner," she said, adding, "I don't think this is a widespread issue because of the preventive steps we've taken." That said, "this is an imperfect industry... We need to rely on consumer feedback to identify these outlying issues."
There may be some other issues that Jeeves wants to take a closer look at, according to Bambi Francisco's article. She also quotes a New York Deputy Attorney who mentions that Overture was involved in some of the advertising that defendant Intermix is under attack for.
"We're not ruling out in the future going after advertisers, or Overture," said Brookman. Yahoo's Overture accounted for some 10% of Intermix's revenue, said Brookman.
There is quite a lot of money involved in these types of ads, and quite a few folks involved in using this type of advertising. But, if it were to go away tomorrow, there would still be a need to advertise, and there would still be people seeking to advertise. Fine and good. If they can stop having software installed on people's computers without their knowledge and consent, it's a step in the right direction.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Abandoned Products Pages
Why do people abandon ecommerce sites?
That's one of the questions posed in a thread a Cre8asite Forums in the "Measuring Your Success" forum, where I'm an administrator.
The thread, Scary Exit Rates! starts to address those issues. Here's part of a post I made over there:
When someone walks into a grocery store, chances are good that most of the times they will walk out after having purchased something. The same is true with a convenience store.
Conversion rates for online stores tend to be lower, because of a number of factors:
Why would you leave an online store before finishing a purchase? For more of the discussion, or to participate, visit the forums.
That's one of the questions posed in a thread a Cre8asite Forums in the "Measuring Your Success" forum, where I'm an administrator.
The thread, Scary Exit Rates! starts to address those issues. Here's part of a post I made over there:
When someone walks into a grocery store, chances are good that most of the times they will walk out after having purchased something. The same is true with a convenience store.
Conversion rates for online stores tend to be lower, because of a number of factors:
- It's much easier to go somewhere else.
- You can bookmark the page, and look elsewhere to make comparisons.
- You can gather information about a product and buy offline.
- You need more information before you purchase.
- The site doesn't show a privacy policy, shipping policy, or feel secure.
- The design of the site puts you off.
- You have a hard time comparing similar products on the site.
- The ordering process is confusing.
- The site just isn't persuasive or engaging.
- The pictures displayed aren't showing the product off well, or from enough angles.
- The right information isn't on the right part of the page.
- It's difficult to find the products you want because the site search doesn't work well.
- It's difficult to find what you want because the site navigation doesn't instill confidence in you that you will find exactly what you want.
- You may prefer to call and place an order.
- You could be making comparisons between different options for your money, considering different possible ways to spend it, and are just window shopping.
- Many other reasons.
Why would you leave an online store before finishing a purchase? For more of the discussion, or to participate, visit the forums.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Spyware: Lawsuits, Falling Stock Prices, and a Taxonomy of Spyware Installation Methods
I've been asked by a lot of people to help them fix their computers.
The things just don't run like they used to when they were new. Popup advertisements just appear out of nowhere. Sometimes so many popups that people can't even use their computers. The hours that I've wasted clearing away some of this garbage I'll never see a dollar for. I don't mind helping friend's who can't get rid of this stuff themselves. They didn't ask for this stuff to appear on their computers, and were tricked into installing it in most cases.
But there are other people who did know that my friends wouldn't want those advertisements, and that software. And when it comes to those CEOs and Presidents and Vice Presidents of companies, and marketing directors and other decision makers, I'm not upset about the potential hit that their companies might take on their stock prices if there is successful lawsuit against them for the placement of unwanted software on people's computers in less than transparent ways.
Searchviews has an article on the State of New York suit against Intermix Media, SearchViews: The Ripple Effect of the Eliot Spitzer Suit, and some of the potential collaterial impact upon a successful legal action. In addition to their thoughtful post, they point out a post on The Internet Stock Blog which considers how that case may impact other internet stocks - The Internet Danger List: stocks at risk from Spitzer's attack on Adware.
According to that report, companies that could be impacted include Ask Jeeves, Findwhat, Yahoo!, Valueclick, Expedia, Netflix, Travelocity, and more.
Though I do want to clarify something. The risk isn't from Eliot Spitzer's lawsuit. The risk is from engaging in a means of advertising that is questionable to begin with, is unwanted by most of its recipients, and is potentially the target of litigation from anyone. When the business decision was made to manufacture or distribute software that people probably wouldn't install on their computers if they knew what it did, that's where the risk attached. A company that uses this type of advertising has to already know that they are also potentially a target.
Ben Edelman, who has been involved as an expert witness on the subject of spyware in a few legal cases, has started a series on his site about Spyware Installation Methods. Typical of his research on a number of other subjects, so far what he has produced is extremely thorough and thought provoking. His taxonomy of installation methods brings back some memories of the frustration I've faced at trying to clean up people's computers.
It's great to see someone with his knowledge and ability bringing some sunlight to the shady practices that these companies are employing.
Kudos to him, and to Eliot Spitzer.
The things just don't run like they used to when they were new. Popup advertisements just appear out of nowhere. Sometimes so many popups that people can't even use their computers. The hours that I've wasted clearing away some of this garbage I'll never see a dollar for. I don't mind helping friend's who can't get rid of this stuff themselves. They didn't ask for this stuff to appear on their computers, and were tricked into installing it in most cases.
But there are other people who did know that my friends wouldn't want those advertisements, and that software. And when it comes to those CEOs and Presidents and Vice Presidents of companies, and marketing directors and other decision makers, I'm not upset about the potential hit that their companies might take on their stock prices if there is successful lawsuit against them for the placement of unwanted software on people's computers in less than transparent ways.
Searchviews has an article on the State of New York suit against Intermix Media, SearchViews: The Ripple Effect of the Eliot Spitzer Suit, and some of the potential collaterial impact upon a successful legal action. In addition to their thoughtful post, they point out a post on The Internet Stock Blog which considers how that case may impact other internet stocks - The Internet Danger List: stocks at risk from Spitzer's attack on Adware.
The attack on the illegal disemination of spyware and adware may not end with Eliot Spitzer's suit against Intermix Media (ticker: MIX). This report outlines why and provides a tentative list of other Internet stocks at risk.
According to that report, companies that could be impacted include Ask Jeeves, Findwhat, Yahoo!, Valueclick, Expedia, Netflix, Travelocity, and more.
Though I do want to clarify something. The risk isn't from Eliot Spitzer's lawsuit. The risk is from engaging in a means of advertising that is questionable to begin with, is unwanted by most of its recipients, and is potentially the target of litigation from anyone. When the business decision was made to manufacture or distribute software that people probably wouldn't install on their computers if they knew what it did, that's where the risk attached. A company that uses this type of advertising has to already know that they are also potentially a target.
Ben Edelman, who has been involved as an expert witness on the subject of spyware in a few legal cases, has started a series on his site about Spyware Installation Methods. Typical of his research on a number of other subjects, so far what he has produced is extremely thorough and thought provoking. His taxonomy of installation methods brings back some memories of the frustration I've faced at trying to clean up people's computers.
It's great to see someone with his knowledge and ability bringing some sunlight to the shady practices that these companies are employing.
Kudos to him, and to Eliot Spitzer.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Justice Doing Research on the Intarweb: An Impeachable Offense?
I'm trying to figure out if Tom Delay thinks that he is right, and the hero of his own little universe, or just terribly misguided: DeLay Slams Supreme Court Justice
Yep. Outrageous. I'll skip the international law versus constitutional law debate right now, but it's worth getting into. I really only have time for the other statement at this moment.
There are quite a few tools on the web that enable one to do research there fast and easily, including Lexis/Nexis. Frankly, I would be dismayed to find that a Supreme Court Justice didn't do research online.
And a little more upset over a Senator who appears to not understand the value that the web brings us.
Absolutely. We've got Justice Kennedy writing decisions based upon international law, not the Constitution of the United States? That's just outrageous," DeLay told Fox News Radio. "And not only that, but he said in session that he does his own research on the Internet? That is just incredibly outrageous.
Yep. Outrageous. I'll skip the international law versus constitutional law debate right now, but it's worth getting into. I really only have time for the other statement at this moment.
There are quite a few tools on the web that enable one to do research there fast and easily, including Lexis/Nexis. Frankly, I would be dismayed to find that a Supreme Court Justice didn't do research online.
And a little more upset over a Senator who appears to not understand the value that the web brings us.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
The USA are Online Losers
An eye-opening article from Thomas Bleha at Foreign Affairs, Down to the Wire, tells of the steps that countries like Japan and South Korea have taken to bring high speed internet access to the citizens of their countries, and the missteps that the USA has taken.
You might want to send a link for this article to your congressman. I want to send one to mine.
Thanks to the government's competitive framework, the speed of the DSL service offered also rose dramatically, from 8 megabits per second in 2001 to 12, 26, and 40 megabits today. (The typical U.S. broadband connection, whether DSL or cable, is still only 1.5 megabits per second or slower.) Meanwhile, the price of monthly subscriptions remained stable, even for 26-megabit access speeds, at about $22 per month -- by far the lowest price in the world.
You might want to send a link for this article to your congressman. I want to send one to mine.
News Online is News Developing a Business Model?
I used to watch the news on TV when I was little.
I used to read two newspapers a day when I was in high school, and even into college.
I tried to make time for at least one newspaper a day after college, and mostly succeeeded.
I get a lot more of my news on the web these days, and I read papers from around the world. I'm better informed, and I read local papers that aren't local to me, instead of papers that are written for national or international consumption.
The Associated Press announced a couple of days ago that they are going to start charging news sources for their online content starting January 1st of next year.
It's difficult to tell what impact that may have on the cost of news online. Will news sites change the way they operate based upon this development? One thing I do know is that I don't see a lot of advertising directed at me when I visit Cincinnati papers to follow Reds stories.
As a long time fan, and East Coast dweller, I feel the chance to read those is wonderful. If they tried to sell me Reds hats or jerseys, I'd probably buy some. Yet I suspect that type of targeted advertising probably won't be the solution they attempt to adopt.
Will more and more newspapers shift to subscription based models? I hope not. If that's the answer they come up with, they may be missing out on some great opportunities.
I used to read two newspapers a day when I was in high school, and even into college.
I tried to make time for at least one newspaper a day after college, and mostly succeeeded.
I get a lot more of my news on the web these days, and I read papers from around the world. I'm better informed, and I read local papers that aren't local to me, instead of papers that are written for national or international consumption.
The Associated Press announced a couple of days ago that they are going to start charging news sources for their online content starting January 1st of next year.
Most of the 15,000 news outlets that buy AP's news, sports, business and entertainment coverage have been allowed to "re-purpose" the same material online at no extra cost since 1995. At that time, graphical Web browsers were just beginning to transform the Internet from an esoteric computer network to a mass medium.
It's difficult to tell what impact that may have on the cost of news online. Will news sites change the way they operate based upon this development? One thing I do know is that I don't see a lot of advertising directed at me when I visit Cincinnati papers to follow Reds stories.
As a long time fan, and East Coast dweller, I feel the chance to read those is wonderful. If they tried to sell me Reds hats or jerseys, I'd probably buy some. Yet I suspect that type of targeted advertising probably won't be the solution they attempt to adopt.
Will more and more newspapers shift to subscription based models? I hope not. If that's the answer they come up with, they may be missing out on some great opportunities.
A rocket in your garage
There's always some wise guy, who in a conversation about the future, refuses to admit that it will live up to expectations until we all have flying cars.
That will be the day.
Imagine the mess trying to keep track of all the traffic. Where would you take off from? Where would you land? Whose house would you damage if you made a mistake with all of those complicated navigational devices?
Picture flying along, and all of a sudden, you have a mechanical failure. You can't just pull over to the side. Chances are you are going to fall like a comet.
Or will you? Maybe the future isn't so far away. Maybe that wise guy was right.
CBS is reporting on a new technology that would make it much safer for people to navigate the airways in their own personal flying machines. Called Highways in the Sky, it would simplify cockpits tremendously, and make the navigational decisions for flyers. Possibly millions of flyers. Imagine being able to go 400 miles an hour, straight as the, er, car, flies.
That will be the day.
Imagine the mess trying to keep track of all the traffic. Where would you take off from? Where would you land? Whose house would you damage if you made a mistake with all of those complicated navigational devices?
Picture flying along, and all of a sudden, you have a mechanical failure. You can't just pull over to the side. Chances are you are going to fall like a comet.
Or will you? Maybe the future isn't so far away. Maybe that wise guy was right.
CBS is reporting on a new technology that would make it much safer for people to navigate the airways in their own personal flying machines. Called Highways in the Sky, it would simplify cockpits tremendously, and make the navigational decisions for flyers. Possibly millions of flyers. Imagine being able to go 400 miles an hour, straight as the, er, car, flies.
Monday, April 18, 2005
A Case Against Standards: Take a Pill
Standard Ways of Design?
At work the other day, someone I work with complained about a web site where every external link created a new browser window. She wanted to know why.My answer was that the site owner lacked confidence, and was afraid that once people clicked on a link to go to a new site, they wouldn't come back.
Someone else in the office stated that doing that was a design standard, and a lot of sites did it.
Am I wrong? Is that just the way things are done? Are am I right, and that's just the way things are done?
I remember putting together a couple of sites where I had all of the links on the site leading outside of the site launching new browser windows. My concern was that people would indeed leave and not be able to find their way back.
The more I thought about it, and the more I added content to the sites, to make them the types of places that people might come back to, the more it bothered me that those links might mean someone wouldn't return if I changed them so that they didn't open in new windows.
Taking a Risk
But I decided to go for it anyway. I also didn't like doing something that might get people upset - taking control of their browser.There were a couple of links that opened to new pages where a refresh effectively broke the back button, so that people couldn't return. I wrote next to those links "opens in new window" and had those continue to open new browser windows.
The others, I changed. And then I started watching stats. I tried to get an idea of how many people stayed, and how many people left.
Seems I was worried over nothing. People did return to those pages. There was no drop off in visits, and people seemed to stick around.
Standards outside the Web
I do see a lot of discussions on standards around the web. Mostly those are aimed at getting web browsers and html editing programs using valid html and Cascading Style Sheets.I mostly agree with the discussions I see there, though I do wonder that if browser manufacturers and the makers of those editing programs also don't try some new things out, that we might be stuck with some limited functionality in web design.
After all, the horse and buggy was once the standard for transportation. Automobiles have increased the distance people can travel, and have opened up opportunities that would never have come along if we were limited to only going so far as to not exhaust our horses. (Ok, I'm stretching things a little with that example.)
Take a Pill
All my ranting in this post is leading somewhere. There are other things in our everyday lives that have remained the same for years and years. And, on the surface, they seem to fill the purpose they hold very well.Yet this article, from the New York Metro takes a close look at a redesign of the prescription pill bottle: The Perfect Prescription
How the pill bottle was remade: sensibly and beautifully. It includes a lot of good ideas. And the great part is that pills will be rolling out in these new bottles.
I am all for standards. That is, until something better comes along.
UK Catalog Sales Overtaken by Internet Orders
A study in the UK is reporting that more people are now ordering online than through mail order catalogs.
I sort of see that as good news, though it's not as optimistic for businesses as it might appear. While there has been growth on the web, there's been a larger dropoff of purchases from mail order.
There is something nice about having one of those big books of products in hand, and being able to leaf through the pages, and look at the different products. I used to love to do that with the old Edmonds Scientific catalogs, especially. The Whole Earth Review was a quirky, and interesting way to see offerings from a number of people.
Seems to me that there's room for both, and that using them together is a good approach for many businesses that are enjoying sales online.
I sort of see that as good news, though it's not as optimistic for businesses as it might appear. While there has been growth on the web, there's been a larger dropoff of purchases from mail order.
Home shopping retailers must admit that the days of the big book are over and that the great hope of the home shopping industry is, or should be, the internet. The trouble with the mail order industry at the moment is that it tends to see the internet as a threat, where it should be seen as an opportunity.
There is something nice about having one of those big books of products in hand, and being able to leaf through the pages, and look at the different products. I used to love to do that with the old Edmonds Scientific catalogs, especially. The Whole Earth Review was a quirky, and interesting way to see offerings from a number of people.
Seems to me that there's room for both, and that using them together is a good approach for many businesses that are enjoying sales online.
Due Diligence for Small Business
Nice article from the Delaware Business Blog: Keep your Small Business Healthy by Improving Due Diligence.
Small businesses need to pay attention to all of the potential legal pitfalls that may face their businesses. The devil is in the details, and the details can be many. Especially make sure that you keep careful track of compliance with all of the small things that come up on a regular basis, such as quarterly estimated taxes, having a business license, etc.
If possible, define processes ahead of time to make these things easy to do. Talk to an accountant whom can help you plan ahead to make what could be chaotic into a matter of just following some simple steps and guidelines.
It's good to see the launch of the Delaware Business Blog. Welcome to the world of Business Blogging, Russell.
Small businesses need to pay attention to all of the potential legal pitfalls that may face their businesses. The devil is in the details, and the details can be many. Especially make sure that you keep careful track of compliance with all of the small things that come up on a regular basis, such as quarterly estimated taxes, having a business license, etc.
If possible, define processes ahead of time to make these things easy to do. Talk to an accountant whom can help you plan ahead to make what could be chaotic into a matter of just following some simple steps and guidelines.
It's good to see the launch of the Delaware Business Blog. Welcome to the world of Business Blogging, Russell.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Microsoft Reinvents the Teddy Bear
Microsoft unveiled a new tool to aid in the parenting process - a Teddy bear that you can spy upon your toddler with.
Somewhere in a corporate boardroom, someone thought this was a good idea.
I'm going to assume that the people bringing this invention into the world, which allows for remote monitoring via a camera, and the sending and receiving of messages via microphones and speakers and a network connection, thought that this could help parents be in two places at the same time.
The bear was shown at a two day technology conference, as an attempt to show off the creativity of the corporate giant.
Somewhere in a corporate boardroom, someone thought this was a good idea.
I'm going to assume that the people bringing this invention into the world, which allows for remote monitoring via a camera, and the sending and receiving of messages via microphones and speakers and a network connection, thought that this could help parents be in two places at the same time.
The bear was shown at a two day technology conference, as an attempt to show off the creativity of the corporate giant.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
What Would Your Home Page Say?
Kim Krause asks the question, "what would your home page say if it could talk," and she gets an answer -- User Experience Web Design and Search Engines
A word of warning to web site owners, you might see a little of your web page in the answer.
Dear web site visitor.
I can't tell you how glad I am that you found my website. You have no idea the great lengths we?ve gone to get you here, let alone what we're about to do to keep you here...
A word of warning to web site owners, you might see a little of your web page in the answer.
Who is Your Audience: Using Personas to Focus Your Writing
I spent last week in New York City at a convention for internet marketers. It was an interesting experience, and I brought a lot of ideas away from it.
One of them involved the use of personas in developing the concept of a site. I've looked at these hypothetical audience members and what they might mean to the development of a site before. But, during a discussion on "Converting Visitors to Buyers," it struck me that personas could be just as useful for people who write sites that are purely informational in nature.
And that they might be useful for people who contribute to blogs.
So I poked around the web a little earlier tonight, and came across an excellent article on using personas to help writers of sites that focus upon providing news and stories and data and opinions to people. This one, Personas: Setting the Stage for Building Usable Information Sites, from Alison J. Head (with Kim Goodwin) described something close to what I was looking for.
On the drive home tonight, through purely unscientific means, I decided that four personas would probably be a good match for this site.
One would be fresh out of high school, possibly male, filled with the uncertain future of trying to face fending for himself, and possibly trying to start his own business - someday.
A second would be in the last year of college, looking at internships, graduate school, or other possibilities available to her, while at the same time trying to figure out how to pay back student loans.
A third would be a stay-at-home mother, trying to start an internet based business, learning about all of the things that one needs to know along the way, while caring for children, and being somewhat limited in what she can or can't do.
The fourth would be someone who had a successful career, and for one reason or another, left it and is trying to make it as a contractor or consultant. He's been divorced a couple of times, and also has some interests outside of work competing for his time and ability to focus solely upon his new chosen profession.
I'm going to attempt to flesh out these personas over the next few days and weeks, and link to them from the sidebar.
Once I've completed that task, I will attempt to focus my writings here to those four, and see if those fictional characters can benefit from what I write.
It might help knowing who it is that I'm writing for, when I publish these posts. Will it make a difference not focusing upon a general audience, but rather specific people with their own personalities and interests? It's worth trying.
One of them involved the use of personas in developing the concept of a site. I've looked at these hypothetical audience members and what they might mean to the development of a site before. But, during a discussion on "Converting Visitors to Buyers," it struck me that personas could be just as useful for people who write sites that are purely informational in nature.
And that they might be useful for people who contribute to blogs.
So I poked around the web a little earlier tonight, and came across an excellent article on using personas to help writers of sites that focus upon providing news and stories and data and opinions to people. This one, Personas: Setting the Stage for Building Usable Information Sites, from Alison J. Head (with Kim Goodwin) described something close to what I was looking for.
On the drive home tonight, through purely unscientific means, I decided that four personas would probably be a good match for this site.
One would be fresh out of high school, possibly male, filled with the uncertain future of trying to face fending for himself, and possibly trying to start his own business - someday.
A second would be in the last year of college, looking at internships, graduate school, or other possibilities available to her, while at the same time trying to figure out how to pay back student loans.
A third would be a stay-at-home mother, trying to start an internet based business, learning about all of the things that one needs to know along the way, while caring for children, and being somewhat limited in what she can or can't do.
The fourth would be someone who had a successful career, and for one reason or another, left it and is trying to make it as a contractor or consultant. He's been divorced a couple of times, and also has some interests outside of work competing for his time and ability to focus solely upon his new chosen profession.
I'm going to attempt to flesh out these personas over the next few days and weeks, and link to them from the sidebar.
Once I've completed that task, I will attempt to focus my writings here to those four, and see if those fictional characters can benefit from what I write.
It might help knowing who it is that I'm writing for, when I publish these posts. Will it make a difference not focusing upon a general audience, but rather specific people with their own personalities and interests? It's worth trying.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Start Playing and Start Learning
What role will game playing have in the future of our education?
Possibly a large one.
That's a conclusion raised in Games that make leaders: top researchers on the rise of play in business and education, from the Wisconsin Technology Network.
A friend was talking about how the Army had distributed a game, for free, that seemed to be catching on with a lot of young users. So, this quote from the article wasn't that much of a surprise:
One of the words I've been seeing lately in education and usability is "engageability." It is easier to teach someone when they are interested and actively engaged.
Seems that classrooms may have something to learn from a gaming industry that earns ore in sales these days than box office sales from Hollywood.
Possibly a large one.
That's a conclusion raised in Games that make leaders: top researchers on the rise of play in business and education, from the Wisconsin Technology Network.
A friend was talking about how the Army had distributed a game, for free, that seemed to be catching on with a lot of young users. So, this quote from the article wasn't that much of a surprise:
One of the biggest users of games as training tools is the U.S. Army, which released the free tactical game America's Army to boost its recruitment and has worked with commercial game companies on a variety of other titles.
One of the words I've been seeing lately in education and usability is "engageability." It is easier to teach someone when they are interested and actively engaged.
Seems that classrooms may have something to learn from a gaming industry that earns ore in sales these days than box office sales from Hollywood.
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