Linux News: Opinions

Cyber-Meltdown: Managing the Message When IT Hits the Fan
November 06, 2009

It started as an act of Web site defacement by some anti-capitalist zealots, attacking one of Canada's largest multinational corporations. You know the kind -- they've got their fingers in all kinds of business pies, from airplane parts to media content to their own very popular brand of hand sanitizer.

Let's Give the iPhone Hackers a Big Round of Applause
November 06, 2009

I'm the kind of guy who rarely bothers to hack my devices. By "hack," I mean use the hacks and instructions of those who are much more intrepid than I. Tinkering with a device that I shelled out hundreds of dollars for, if not more, isn't something I take lightly. If I break it, I've not only lost usage of the device, I'm out of the money, too. If I had a bigger bank account, I might be more cavalier about it all.

Free Flow of Internet Traffic Requires Sensible Road Rules
November 04, 2009

Free marketeers' primary argument against Net neutrality is that a government watchdog role in protecting neutrality is bound to be "political" -- and that any government agency will ultimately start a slippery slide to full-bore regulation of the Internet. This all-or-nothing approach is a false choice.

Windows 7 Takes Back Mac Switchers and Other Reasons for Hope
November 02, 2009

Last month was fascinating for me. Not only was Windows 7 launched, but it appeared last week that because so many Mac users were installing Windows 7, some huge enterprise servers crashed. In addition, I got a chance to see Yahoo's new CEO Carol Bartz in action, and was both impressed with her and a little disappointed in the event.

Facebook: Too Big to Care?
October 30, 2009

A tweet and a status update tell Facebook's story after a week of very unsociable social media slip-ups for Mark Zuckerberg's company. The tweet: "Dear Facebook: Stop sucking, you're making Twitter look reliable." The status update: "[Name withheld] knows FB has its downside, but I just got friended by somebody that, to me, makes Facebook totally worthy [sic] it!!!" And there you have it.

What the iPhone Needs to Keep the Android Hordes at Bay
October 30, 2009

A couple of days ago, a friend was trying to key my email address into his aging feature flip cellphone. He was muttering about how painful the process was and how stupid the phone was, and he remarked that he was getting a new phone for his birthday -- can't wait. Me, being the tech-curious guy I am, asked him what he wanted. "I don't know," he asked. "What do you recommend?"

Microsoft Launches a Revolution, Apple Launches a Mouse
October 26, 2009

I really was anticipating a battle royal between Microsoft and Apple and thought both companies would come to the mat with their best stuff. It felt like Apple was so focused on maintaining high margins last quarter that it gave up a huge chance to grow share, and its stealth launch of a couple of PCs and a multitouch mouse just seemed lame next to the massive rollout of Windows boxes.

Selling Windows 7: The Good, the Bad and the Tragically Hip
October 23, 2009

So Microsoft has a new operating system. Can the company still make average computer users care? By the time you read this, Windows will have officially launched, and there will probably be a new round of commercials for the operating system -- and the new touchscreen computers containing it -- filling the time between weekend NFL games and MLB playoff action on your TV.

Apple Is Saving the Best for Last
October 23, 2009

Usually by the end of October, early November at the latest, Apple tends to wrap up its retail product innovation and set its lineup in stone for the upcoming holiday buying season. Not this year. Rest assured, something new and important is coming from Apple in time for holiday sales.

How Apple Became Red Hot in the Enterprise
October 21, 2009

Almost overnight, it seems that Apple and its products, led by the iPhone, the iPod and the Mac, are everywhere -- including in the corporate enterprise. Apple's presence as a favorite staple in the consumer market segment is accepted, expected and taken for granted. The corporate enterprise is another matter.

Windows 7 and What Comes After the PC
October 19, 2009

Microsoft and Windows go back to the very beginning of the PC -- when people couldn't afford them, when networks were defined by terminal emulators and floppy disks, and when many of the Google pioneers were in diapers. Looking back at what Windows initially did and considering what Windows 7 is capable of, you can certainly say a lot has changed.

Apple May Be Tuning In on a Big Opportunity
October 16, 2009

Ever since Apple announced its latest iPod nano with a built-in FM radio with live pause and iTunes tagging in September, I've been wondering how long it would take to bring the same feature to the iPhone and iPod touch. In fact, I was kind of surprised it wasn't in the new iPod touch, but as the latest rumor suggests, that's not so surprising after all.

Putting a Price on Historic Footage
October 16, 2009

The following column is brought to you by nostalgia -- the unique kind experienced only by unrepentant newsies approaching a half-century of existence. But have no fear; technology plays a key supporting role, as always. A slow weeknight evening shift at a regional cable TV network prompts some wide-ranging Internet exploration between newscasts.

How to Fix VC Once and For All
October 13, 2009

The venture business needs an overhaul, and below is my low-burden / high-impact plan for change. Venture capital is a systemic risk to our innovative culture, to $200 billion in direct asset allocations and to $2.9 trillion in spawned revenues. Yet VC has produced less than 10 percent IRR for the last 10 years, promoting a fear/flight response by limited partners.

IBM and Apple: Why We Love Monopolies and Then Kill Them
October 12, 2009

The age of the computer started in the 1950s, and one of the first things that happened to a then relatively tiny IBM was it got nailed by the Department of Justice. The result was competition and the modern age of computing. Last week, the DoJ opened another, very similar, investigation of IBM. It was -- you'd never guess -- on the mainframe.

The iPhone Tether's Gordian Knot
October 09, 2009

I've wanted a tethering option for my iPhone since 2007, when I waited in line to buy an EDGE-based first-generation iPhone. I upgraded to the iPhone 3G, of course, and I'm still wanting and waiting for tethering. Why? Because I'm the kind of customer who is just mobile enough to need Internet access for my laptop several times a year in places that aren't WiFi handy.