I also noted that;

Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. , which
said this week that it uncovered irregularities in some of its
stock options granted between 1997 and 2001, does not stand out
as an egregious example of options backdating, analysts said.

. Options - the privilege of demanding fulfillment of a contract at a specified time. Take a look at this french Courts Still Confused About How Google’s Ad System Works Apparently it’s been a busy day for Google’s lawyers. This is the third post of the day about totally unrelated lawsuits involving Google. In this one, a French appeals court ruled against Google, saying the company violated Louis Vuitton trademarks in ads sold on Google in France. We had covered this story when the lower court also made this decision, and it still seems like a bad decision. This case is a little different than other Adwords cases, like the Geico case. The issue is still a big brand-name company upset about Adwords being sold on their trademarked names. However, in this case, the advertisers were selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton products — so you could make a clear case of potential customer confusion. However, the problem with the decision is that it places the blame on Google. Google is simply the open platform where the ads were placed. The fault here lies with the counterfeiter who is advertising on Google. Blaming Google is blaming the platform where the trademark violation occurred, not the actual trademark violator. About - one that has no substance or importance; a nonentity: “A nothing is a dreadful thing to hold onto” (Edna O’Brien). Take a look at this microsoft to face EU action over antitrust breach: report
(Reuters)

Reuters - The European Union's top antitrust
regulator is set to issue a formal ruling finding software
giant Microsoft Corp. guilty of breaking EU
competition rules, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

. Report - an account presented usually in detail. Take a look at this warren Buffett lunch gets $500,100 bid on eBay
(Reuters)

Reuters - It will cost more than half a million
dollars for a successful bidder to dine with Warren Buffett,
with bidding for that privilege in an online charity auction on
eBay Inc. now reaching a record $500,100.

What a great idea

Others have talked aboutPC Magazine - Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc., AOL and two other U.S. Internet companies late on Monday said they are joining forces to fight the distribution of child pornography on the Web. Magazine - a television program that presents a variety of topics, usually on current events, in a format that often includes interviews and commentary. Take a look at this sUV Drivers Really Are Bastards For a while it was quite fashionable to bash SUV (or, as some prefer, suburban assault vehicles) drivers for driving the big vehicles that cause problems for others on the road, and aren’t ever used to actually go offroad. However, as the roads have filled up with more and more SUVs, it seems like, these days, high gas prices are punishment enough for most SUV drivers. Still, a new study done in the UK found that SUV drivers are much more likely to ignore no-driving-while-yakking laws and are less likely to be wearing seatbelts, than the folks driving around and their little sedans. When it came to driving-while-yakking, SUV drivers appeared to be four times as likely to avoid laws requiring handsfree kits. The researchers don’t have much of an explanation for the discrepancy, so perhaps it means that SUV drivers just are that much more likely to be bastards. Alternatively, of course, SUV drivers might just claim that they’re more rebellious, and don’t believe laws requiring handsfree kits make sense — but somehow that excuse seems unlikely to get very much mileage. Take a look at this iBM Dominates List of Top 500 Supercomputers
(PC Magazine) PC Magazine - Big Blue has almost 50 percent of all systems on the list, followed by HP with more than 30 percent. Magazine - a periodical containing a collection of articles, stories, pictures, or other features. What a great idea

Somthing commonAP - The European Commission unveiled plans Thursday that would force telecommunications providers to share brodband infrastructure with rivals and unify regulations in the sector. Take a look at this stratus Grows Linux Support for Fault-Tolerant Servers
(PC Magazine) PC Magazine - Expanded use includes three enterprise systems and a new line of telecommunications units. Magazine - a television program that presents a variety of topics, usually on current events, in a format that often includes interviews and commentary. Take a look at this how Can The Same Senators Vote Against Net Neutrality, But For Broadcast Flag Those who are against adding any language to the latest Telecom Act on net neutrality keep saying it’s important not to regulate the industry — because government involvement leads to inefficient results that could strangle the technology. That’s a defensible position (though, there are reasonable responses to it). However, what makes no sense at all is for a Senator to declare that net neutrality legislation isn’t needed because it’s a bad idea to regulate this important technology… and then turn around and support the idea of a broadcast flag in the exact same bill. We mentioned back in May when Senator Stevens telecom bill first came out that he had brought back the broadcast flag concept that refuses to die. After the courts told the FCC that they couldn’t mandate a broadcast flag, the entertainment industry hasn’t missed an opportunity to try to sneak the broadcast flag amendment into just about any bill they can find. Today, as the Senate debated various amendments in the telecom bill, they decided to keep the broadcast flag in there (though, it’s possible that someone will introduce an amendment to get rid of it later). However, it’s hard to see how someone could credibly claim that net neutrality legislation is bad because it adds regulatory hurdles to a new technology, while at the same time saying the broadcast flag is good, because it adds an even bigger regulatory hurdle to technology. About the only reason to support both seems to be if you have to make good to friends you have in both the telco industry and the entertainment industry. Vote - a group of voters alike in some way: the Black vote; the rural vote.. Take a look at this bill Gates hobnobs with students in Microsoft innovation contest
(AFP)

AFP - University students representing their countries in a Microsoft innovation contest showed off potentially revolutionary creations to company co-founder Bill Gates.

What a great idea

I should add thatThere isn’t much detail on this (speaking Swedish might help), but in a Slashdot collection of posts, if you scroll down a bit, there’s a short blurb about an insurance company in Sweden that is supposedly selling insurance policies to protect people from RIAA lawsuits. The best way to not get sued, of course, is not to share files (though, even that doesn’t always work). However, if you really must keep sharing, the company is supposedly offering a $19/year policy where they’ll pay any fines you get from the RIAA and (here’s the good part) give you a t-shirt. While it’s basically an amusing gimmick, it does, perhaps, give you a sense of what some folks think the market price should be for unlimited music — and it’s a lot lower than what the industry wants to charge. File - something that has no existence. Take a look at this microsoft Warns Employees of Likely Antitrust Fine
(PC Magazine) PC Magazine - A recent e-mail update from a member of Microsoft’s legal department indicates that Microsoft is bracing for a potential $2.5-million-per-day fine. Magazine - a compartment in some types of firearms, often a small detachable box, in which cartridges are held to be fed into the firing chamber. Take a look at this spain Finally Defeats Piracy The legality of sharing copyrighted files over P2P networks notiwithstanding, there are clearly beneficial and legal uses to said networks. But Spain has apparently decided to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater, as they’ve introduced draconian legislation to crack down on all filesharing (via Slashdot). But it gets worse; instead of going after those breaking the law, they’re placing criminal liability on the ISPs, if they’re seen as facilitating file trading (which probably means not automatically blocking any network that could be used as such). Of course, this won’t work because it places the burden on a party that’s unable to stop the activity. And if all this isn’t enough of a subsidy to the entertainment companies, they’re also adding a tax on blank CDs, the revenue from which will go to media coffers. If there’s a silver lining to this, Spain should be a nice case study on the effects of such regulation. If it utterly fails there, as it probably will, it may be hard to get similar legislation passed elsewhere — either that or the entertainment industry will just call for even stiffer penalties. What a great idea

I heard a rumourPC Magazine - Representatives of 30 student development teams from seven countries converged on Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash. campus June 23-25, to compete in the third annual Windows Embedded Student Challenge. Magazine - the contents of a storehouse, especially a stock of ammunition. Take a look at this will Windows Genuine Advantage Become Microsoft’s Rootkit After lots of complaints from perfectly legitimate users, who found Microsoft’s new “Windows Genuine Advantage” system not so advantageous, Microsoft has finally agreed to back down on the anti-piracy tool a bit. WGA was supposed to check to make sure your copy of Windows was legit, but if it got something wrong, you could be without your computer. Also, many people just aren’t that comfortable with a computer spying on them. Well, now the same lawyers who filed a class action lawsuit against Sony BMG for their rootkit have filed a suit against Microsoft, noting that WGA appears to violate spyware laws. While WGA doesn’t seem nearly as bad as the Sony rootkit, Microsoft’s slow response to complaints could create backlash against the company in the same way that Sony BMG faced a ton of backlash. It’s yet another example of a company selling you something where they want to hang onto a lot more control than they should — potentially causing problems. Once again, treating all your customers as criminals tends not to be a great business strategy. Windows - a framework enclosing a pane of glass for such an opening; a sash. Take a look at this eU regulators poised to slap huge fines on Microsoft
(AFP)

AFP - EU regulators are preparing to raise the pressure on Microsoft for failing to comply with a 2004 antitrust ruling by slapping huge new fines on the US software giant.

. Slap - a sharp insult: a slap to one’s pride. What a great idea

I also heard thatAP - An alliance of businesses, colleges and federal crime fighters will combine their expertise at a new research center that will study the problems of identity theft and fraud. Center - sports. A player who holds a middle position on the field, court, or forward line in some team sports, such as football and basketball. Take a look at this unisys, Microsoft team up on EU police data system
(Reuters) Reuters - Microsoft Corp announced on
Wednesday it was teaming up with Unisys Corp to create
the technology platform for a cross-border systam to share
police data in the European Union. Take a look at this google Launches Checkouts Payment System
(PC World) PC World - Online payment service will be more comprehensive than early reports had suggested. World - a part of the earth and its inhabitants as known at a given period in history: the ancient world. What a great idea

What a wonderfull ideaIt’s become dogma among many that the ‘Walled Garden’ approach to the web is a failed idea, with AOL being the classic case. So it’s interesting to see that some are challenging this idea on the grounds that in a technology’s early stages walled gardens are necessary to ensure ease of use among consumers. In other words, according to the argument, a store like iTunes, which made it simple to sync the music store and the device, helped users get used to the idea of digital music. But users were getting their music online well before iTunes; it’s just that the labels wanted a walled garden to protect their content. The case of AOL is interesting, because in the beginning the simplicity of associating the ISP with content clearly appealed to a lot of people. The problem with a cash cow like AOL is that the company was inclined to preserve its status and fight the natural evolution towards openness, as opposed to embrace it. So does the walled garden approach make sense in the still-early days of the wireless web? Clearly, the carriers would like to think so, but unlike the early days of the internet, users already know the web’s full potential and are spoiled by it. A stripped-down, limited-functionality system will only go so far, as users wait around for a more robust offering. Still, the lessons of AOL and iTunes aren’t to be taken lightly; focusing on usability is a good idea, walled garden or not. Conclusion - the proposition concluded from one or more premises; a deduction. Take a look at this internet awaits launch of rumored Google online payment system
(AFP)

AFP - Speculation about the pending launch of a Google online payment systam that could break PayPal's stranglehold on the market ricocheted about the Internet.

. Take a look at this iBM Research Grid Gets Results
(PC Magazine) PC Magazine - One of the main research projects undertaken by IBM’s nonprofit World Community Grid, on human proteome folding, kicks into the next phase. Magazine - a periodical containing a collection of articles, stories, pictures, or other features. Take a look at this a Wireless Wall Falls in Japan
(BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - The halls of KasumigasekiTokyo’s Capitol Hillare the last place you would expect to find the movers and shakers of Japan’s telecom sector. But that’s where the action was on June 21, when the government announced new guidelines that dramatically will throw open the country’s wireless networks to competition. Wireless - chiefly British. Radio. What a great idea

Okay, okay you may have heard on the news:PC World - Search giant seeks dismissal of case involving search index results. World - a class or group of people with common characteristics or pursuits: the scientific world.. Take a look at this dell launches IT service plan
(AP) AP - Dell Inc., which is seeking to expand in the lucrative business of maintaining other companies’ computers, plans to launch a new service plan Wednesday that uses mapping technology from Google Inc. Take a look at this old VoIP Wine; New Web 2.0 Bottles We mentioned this back when the hype first came out about Jajah, but it’s hard to see how they can claim this model is even remotely new or revolutionary. Dialpad (which went through a ton of business model changes before eventually being bought by Yahoo) had a service identical to Jajah’s in the late 90s. Rather than a softphone based VoIP system, you simply type in your home or cell phone number and the number you want to call. The system calls you first, and then calls the other person. So, seeing the company promote it as something amazing and new seems a bit silly. Dialpad discovered that it was tough to make money with this model. At one point they only allowed calls to be one minute long — and if you wanted longer, you had to watch the screen of your computer and keep clicking a button to stay connected on a minute-by-minute basis (and the website showed ads, of course). It’s not clear how Jajah will make money, but as SiliconBeat notes, the site suggests that it may only allow free calls to last five minutes. Still, one of the problems that people have with the bubble mentality is that people don’t seem to remember the past very well. There doesn’t appear to be a single news article (so far…) that notes that this is an exact replica of a bubble-era business that went nowhere. It’s tough to even improve on old failed business models if no one even remembers them. Wine - the color of red wine. What a great idea

and if you would like to knowWe’ve covered so many fear mongering reports about how dangerous open WiFi networks are, it’s quite amazing to see a press article that quotes security researchers pushing back on the latest fear mongering report. As Bruce Schneier notes in the article, it’s not the open network that’s the issue, but the devices on the network. If the devices are secured, it can be quite safe to use an open network or leave your network open. It seems like there’s just a kneejerk reaction against the idea of open WiFi these days. While there may be some risk in getting falsely accused if someone misuses your WiFi, we’ve yet to hear of any such case where it took very long for the innocence of the network owner to be established. About - one that has no substance or importance; a nonentity: “A nothing is a dreadful thing to hold onto” (Edna O’Brien). Take a look at this net Companies Join To Battle Child Porn
(NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Five major Internet companies announced plans on Monday to join with a major national organization in combating child porn. EarthLink, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, and United Online will fund and technically support a Technology Coalition within the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a 22-year old group that is a leader in this effort. Take a look at this microsoft looks to academia for talent
(AP) AP - Although Bill Gates’ massive philanthropic foundation tends to get the most attention for its efforts to transform education, the company he co-founded also is paying close attention to the world of academia. Looks - a distinctive, unified manner of dress or fashion: the preferred look for this fall.. Take a look at this putting It All Together
(BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - Every year cell-phone makers, eager to get you and your pals to trade in that old clunker for a new handset, roll out a host of gee-whiz features. One year it’s a phone that snaps pictures or plays music. The next it’s a handset slim enough to slip into your pocket. Over the past few months video has become the latest hyped feature to light up the (very) small screen. Putting - sports. An act of putting the shot. What a great idea

On another note:PC World - Security vendor is ready to compete with the software giant, CEO says. World - a large amount; much. Often used in the plural: did her a world of good; candidates that are worlds apart on foreign policy.. Take a look at this adobe pumps up rich Internet apps with Flex 2
(InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Looking to increase adoption of its Flex rich Internet application development technology, Adobe Systems is releasing its Flex 2 product line on Wednesday, which features free versions and the ability to push data to clients. Rich - something that has no existence. Take a look at this interActiveCorp unit strikes ad deal with top blog
(Reuters) Reuters - IAC/InterActiveCorp, Barry Diller’s
Internet media conglomerate, on Monday said it has struck an
advertising deal with The Huffington Post, a popular Internet
blog. Deal - the right or turn of a player to distribute the cards. Take a look at this apple Improves Networking in ‘Tiger’
(PC Magazine) PC Magazine - Mac OS X 10.4.7 also improves data syncing, offers user interaction fixes and includes previous security updates. Magazine - a compartment in a camera in which rolls or cartridges of film are held for feeding through the exposure mechanism. What a great idea