Dance Little Spammer

You'll never believe if I tell you who has spammed me on MySpace: Sananda Maitreya.

If this name tells you nothing, you probably know the name with which it was called until 2001: Terence Trent D'Arby (the performer of Dance Little Sister, for instance).

You don't believe it? Look below .... =:)

The high speed

We don't need to make the high speed of cement to move a mozzarella from Urals to 300 km/h, we need to make the high speed to exchange informations

Beppe Grillo (september 2007)

Aphorism of the day

You did not really understand something until you are not able to explain to your grandmother.

Albert Einstein

Microsoft and the emerging countries

Microsoft make agreements with the government of Indonesia (remember that Indonesia has a population of 238 million inhabitants) to provide software at low cost.
This initiative is part of a more comprehensive Microsoft and which should involve all emerging countries, helping them to reduce the digital divide.
The provision will cover several software at no cost, while others will be discounted.

This operation, that isn't philanthropic, hide a smart commercial strategy to combat the illegal distribution of copies branded Microsoft and spread applications of Redmond between countries and between the new generations.

Since the end of June Microsoft will launch other trade initiatives for businesses, regardless of country of origin, to attack the low end of the market, namely in growth of PC at low cost. Already in recent days Negroponte has indicated its intention to install a light version of Windows on XO (on this I'm very in doubt because this is a PC for the developing countries and must necessarily include the cost of production).
One constraint placed by Microsoft to companies that wish to join the initiative in June, is the installation on PC hardware low end (Uni, max 80 Gb HDD, max 1 Mb RAM, etc.).

Personally, I'm curious to see how Microsoft will ensure that the hardware requirements are met, considered that already in Southeast Asia, 90% of installations is pirated.
The percentage of spreading pirated copies of Microsoft software targeted, especially in emerging countries and South-East Asia, is important and these initiatives fall clearly in the strategy of marketing at source (governments and local institutions) not to be pirated in a second time.
The discounted prices serve to encourage local institutions to join.

If Microsoft sells directly SO, the Office suite and all its software, piracy downstream suffers a severe blow, because now its turnover Microsoft has already done so.

At the time of Windows 3.11, where the protections copies were zero, Windows has been able to establish itself as standard, although not the best operating system in circulation.
Since Win95, MS adopted a policy and a more careful control over certificates and updates.
This however was not enough to defeat piracy: we know very well that copies of pirated software are also found in chips.
Here's that comes this Microsoft action.

link: Punto Informatico

Chinese people is the most active on the web

Reuters agency says that China is the nation which has the largest number of Internet users, preceding even the United States, with 221 million users reported at the end of February.

However those are the data published by the official Chinese government via the China Internet Network Information Centre.
Another consideration is that of the Chinese population amounts to over 1 billion and 300 million people, and then in reality it is only 16% of the population access to the Internet (which, IMHO, I seem a little overestimated).

There's also to understand the meaning for the Chinese government of "access to the Internet," for example if the count includes about 1 annually uses e-mail.

Considered that in China the search engine results are filtered and that the accessible sites will be around ten (in ironic sense) in my opinion all these data should be considered also the quality of these accesses.

It seems the classic message for propaganda to quiet the public and the media the rest of the world, especially after the recent events in Tibet and some days before of the Olympic Games.

link: http://it.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idITLAN42177120080424

FREE TIBET !!

source: http://www.italiatibet.org/notizie/news/news2008/notizie18marzo08b.htm

We publish today a dramatic testimony that has reached us from Nepal.

A new and horrible genocide is happening in Tibet these days.

The media don't know or don't want to know or are afraid of to say the truth, what is really happening in Lhasa and throughout Tibet.

When speaking of about 80 deaths, or if you see Chinese sources speak of 10 dead (!), have no idea how far from reality.

Now we are in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday, Sunday, March 16, a Tibetan our friend is managed to speak with his brother in Lhasa.

His brother said that had personally witnessed one of the many massacres:

A CROWD OF ABOUT 300-400 TIBETANS IS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY ARMY IN THE AREA BEHIND POTALA (OLD HOUSE OF DALAI LAMA TO LHASA) AND HE HAS SEEN THEM ALL MAKE A MASSACRE WITH A MACHINE-GUN FIRE!

If this is only one episode, (that we'll never know from the media), how many others are going on throughout Tibet?

What is being reported by the media is only a part of reality, it's always so.

In Tibet is consuming again an attempt to silence forever innocent people, a people that has no other purpose than to cultivate its spiritual intent.

A culture devoted only to Wisdom, which considers the Compassion the power most great and definitive.

All this is perceived by the Chinese government, in its foolish of power and domination, in his obtuseness blind and meaningless, as a great threat.

For this reason didn't hesitate, and will not hesitate to silence them and destroy them in any way.

Please help Tibet by any means, and to know all the effort by each of us, what is really happening.

Kathmandu, march 17.

Letter signed

For more informations:

http://www.comunitatibetana.org/,

http://www.dossiertibet.it/,

http://www.italiatibet.org/,

the history of Tibetan tragedy

Here are availables some images of what is happening in these days in Tibet: http://www.freetibet.org/march2008.html

The following images are very strong and will not be transmitted from any TG: http://www.freetibet.org/press/kirtiphotos.html

A possible interview to Microsoft

We interviewed you for a former senior executive now retired, which for convenience call William Ingressi, a major global IT giants.

B: "Mr Ingressi, you have worked for a life in a company that has distinguished itself lately particularly as web company, for distribution of open source applications and for the fight against monopolists giants of the Web: it takes to say the name of this company? "
I: "Of course, we're talking about Microsoft Corporation."
B: "How?!? Microsoft?....(pause)"
B: "We are talking about the same company that 20 years is followed by Antitrust (which has been repeatedly fined), developers on open platforms, users who criticised trade policies and the quality of products, who it challenges the policy PC-centric .........?"
I: "Yes, my timing was so, but since Steve Ballmer becoming CEO things have changed."
B: "Mmm, you better explain ..... we speak such as your attempt in 2007 to recognize the Office Open XML format as a standard ISO."
I: "MS Office is already a de-facto standard, since it holds 90% of the world market in document management, but has never been officially recognized since there are those who believes that it should openly interact with other formats . "
B: "Let's give an example: OpenOffice can handle both formats, while not affiliated Office formats competitors."
I: "Yes, but these are problems for competitors, not for Microsoft, we are in a free market."
B: "You talk about market, others talk about usability and respect for users, but rather tell me what has triggered the change of direction."
I: "In early 2008 Microsoft declared at the UBS Investor Conference to achieve over the next five years, the goal of a market share of 40% in digital advertising, against the current 6%."
B: "Is this the reason of the offer launched on Yahoo!, right?"
I: "Even, but not limited to: Yahoo! has a wide digital community, Flickr and Messenger over all, a great search engine and other asset platforms that in some cases would fill gaps in MS, in other cases overlap and could be integrated. It's not a secret that MSN has not yielded the expected results. Please, don't type this."
B: "Some people think that Microsoft use this strategy because over the years hasn't acquired a mentality that has always been rounded in the PC world, and that to become a true Internet company must have it into DNA and have the right skills."
I: (silence)
B: "Then in February came our membership in the OpenID, the shared digital identity. What's the key to read this?"
I: "Keep in mind that 90% of operating systems installed is signed Microsoft, which corresponds to many potential identity Live Id. Redmond thought that it is possible to capture the users of social networks that already uses this platform."
B: "And so we are a few days ago, with the change of the offer of Live Office Small Business, for break in the growing market for Web applications."
I: "Google is very forward in this field, with Docs, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, Maps, StarOffice.
Other companies such as Yahoo!, Adobe, Apple have made interesting projects.
Microsoft believes to be able to carry on the web 20 years of experience on office applications."
B: "This means that Microsoft will become an Internet company in all respects, with products open and interacting with the rest of the Web, or they try to bring the web on PC?"
I: (pause )......."I don't see in this way: for example, Microsoft has opened protocols Windows, Office and SQL Server to the developers. This interoperability to other applications should benefit, hours and then there should be no more obstacles to the recognition of Open XML as a standard, I do not know if I explain ... "
B: "One more thing: do you want to anticipate something with regard to the mysterious announcement of Microsoft scheduled for the end of February, according to the web rumors that says that should be a bomb?"
I: "I'm sorry, I can't answer to this question , understand ...."
B: "Thank you for this interview."
I: "Thank you."

link: 2008/02/il-web-20-sul-desktop-con-adobe-air
2008/02/microsoft-apre-i-protocolli-di-windows
2008/02/microsoft-si-butta-nellopen-source
2008/02/microsoft-lancia-lopa-su-yahoo
2008/02/verso-il-duopolio-microsoft-yahoo-e-google
2007/09/lopen-document-alla-riscossa

Only two big players on the web?

The news that Microsoft want to buy Yahoo! isn't a surprise: everyone knew, everyone expected. The only question was: when?

The real surprise is the timeliness of Microsoft, which has chosen the best moment to come out.

On 30 January Yahoo! announced a loss in the fourth quarter 2007 and the cutting of 1000 employees (out of a total of 14,300). The title of Yahoo! is at least the last four years (-46% since October 2007). The day after Terry Semel, the CEO of Yahoo!, abandone.

The first February arrives the OPA, precise and punctual, like a vulture that get its prey after having flying over round waiting for the right time.

The strategy of Microsoft indicates that, also if the market is growing, there's no place for many players.

The news is arrived in a moment in wich Yahoo! doesn't have the resources to tackle alone a very competitive market dominated by a single player, namely Google, which is improving its position through acquisitions (DoubleClick, YouTube and many others).

This is the sign that che Microsoft has failed to make a stand to Google with its forces in terms of software and can react only with its economic power.

Microsoft until now had adopted a very conservative policy, defending its "milking cows" (Windows and Office): near these closed applications, based on desktop platforms and operating modes off-line, proposed integrated tools into web, in a PC-centric way.

Having understand that this was not the best strategy to become a competitive Internet company, Microsoft has chosen the path of the acquisition of companies that already have these characteristics.

But this will not be enough: only whether Microsoft will be able to acquire skills and attitudes by Yahoo! (the option without doubt most courageous), or it must adapt to the mentality of Microsoft (in which case the acquisition may not set the desired results).

Meanwhile in Mountain View are smiling: with a single blow the largest competitor is put out of the game (only if Microsoft fails to relaunch their products) and Microsoft that surrenders.

Until now Brin and Page haven't wrong a blow and with the purchase of YouTube have also assured the leadership of social network.

The United States Department of Justice has indicated that it will monitor the supply of Microsoft for possible antitrust implications; Microsoft already in recent years was split into two distinct sections (one for the software, one for Internet) to defend themselves from charges of dominant position, but remained subject to federal control to assess its commitment to reduce its strength in the market.

Lawyers of Microsoft said that the only company that can not buy Yahoo! is Google, which already owns 77% of the market.

If the OPA will be successful, a veri big player by 350 billion dollars will born: this assessment takes into account the 303 billion dollars in scores of Microsoft on the stock market and 45 billion dollars offered for Yahoo!, compared with 176 billion worth Google.

A nice "no comment" instead comes from both the European Commission and Google.

The Electronics Certified Mail

Today in Italy there are 22 carriers (entered in a public list) for services of Electronics Certified Mail (PEC), a service certified by CNIPA (National Centre for Information Technology in the Public Administration).

WHAT'S THIS AND HOW IT WORKS
Compared with traditional recommended paper, are certified both the sending and the receiving, the two main roles in the transmission of electronic documents, and also the content.

The sender receives from its mail carrier a confirn which is legal proof for the send of the message and attached documentation.
Similarly, when the message arrives to the destination, the operator sends a receipt to the sender about the status of delivery (also in case of failure) with precise time indication.

The tracking of this information is kept by the operators for 30 months, during which you can ask duplicates of receipts (with the same legal force) in case of loss.

ADVANTAGES
In addition to the transmission in real-time, the certified email allows low costs of expeditions, estimated in 150 million euros/year.

USABILITY
The interface to access this service is the same as a traditional mailbox, so for users don't change anything.

SECURITY
This service enhances communication via Internet with various degrees of reliability and high security.

HOW AND WHO TO REQUEST
This service can be requested only by the operators accredited at the CNIPA (National Centre for Information in the Public Administration), which is the public responsible for the control of certified mail.

You must have a registered domain name. Each PEC domain correspond to a third-level domain dedicated (eg pec.mysite.com)
For the PEC should be used dedicated domains (a PEC domain don't contains email boxes non-PEC).

COSTS
Around 5 euros/year, depending on the single operator, the cost of 2 traditional mail.

LEGISLATION
It's possible to any access point (fixed or mobile) to send or receive certified email.
PEC break down the barriers of time and space for the relationship between government, citizens and businesses.

DIFFUSION
To date, in Italy almost 13 thousand (12,954 to be exact) domains are managed by the operators of the service certified electronic mail.
During the period July-August 2007 PEC active boxes were over 115 thousand, while in the same summer this kind of messages sent were 23 million.

link: http://www.cnipa.gov.it

The new Lancia Delta begins from Second Life

FIAT Group presents the New Lancia Delta on Second Life.
So no great event like that organized for the lauch of the New FIAT 500, but focuses on an innovative campaign.

People that are waiting for test this new car from the dealer must wait for the actual launch, expected in March at the Geneva Expo; instead since today on Second Life is possible to observe it from all angles, study their technical characteristics, observe the design, personalize the car by digital simulation.
These are precious information for marketing team of FIAT group: already with New 500 was emphasized the high customization possibilities of the model.

This is an innovative and courageous choice, which happens when Second Life is living a period of decline and reflection (read about this post) but show the effort of FIAT Group to relaunch a model that is missing sing a long time in the range of home with the shield.
Once the Lancia brand was the flagship of the Fiat group for the cars not manufactured, classical, elegant, Anglo-Saxon style (the older people certainly remember the first Lancia with driving on the right) but not surrender to the pleasure of driving.

Always the Lancia high range cars are considered such representation car, while in the 80s Delta won a lot of rally trophies with the various 4WD versions.
The sporting successes promoted the image and fame of the brand; at the same time the sales of model Delta gone well.

It was followed by a very unlucky 2nd version of Delta, objectively bad, which is not found the favour of the public and that determined her final exit from the market, leaving a hole in the strategic segment "C" for Lancia.

Lancia did great things for the promotion of the Delta on Second Life: a virtual shaped Italy, giant screens, pop music, beautiful women, managers, journalists (all in the form of avatar).

Let's not forget the profile of the typical buyers of this model: especially men (unlike Ypsilon like to women), aged from 20 to 45 years, elegant, who likes appear without to exceed.

The lighting system of the New Delta will be composed of 108 led bixenon headlights and 4 on both rear lights that front. "Everything is controlled by an electronic device capable of intelligently manage the transition from daytime lights to those positions, and change the light beam bends", as reported in a virtual billboard.

Much care was dedicated to the graphics showroom Lancia, where show also other models of this brand, considered the highest levels compared to the standard of SL.
It's also possible to drive virtually the cars on the track inspired by the mythical circuit on the roof of Lingotto.

To lovers of engines, those who are attracted by the new digital, the most curious, they should have to create an avatar on Second Life to taste all these innovations.
And perhaps take this chance to meet the avatar of topmodel Carla Bruni (testimonial for Lancia brand), who knows!

The next meeting is set for January 31: just connect to the website www.thedeltaproject.eu (currently not active) to discover the other news.
Note that as a top-level domain for promotional site has been used .Eu, wanting to underline the continental ambitions of this new car.

link: http://www.thedeltaproject.eu