Thursday, July 24, 2008
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The filming location for the asylum in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" will be torn down in a few months.
Dean Brooks (superintendent at the time) comments on the filming of the classic film of the Ken Kesey novel of the same name: "They wanted to make it on location with real patients".
Brooks was given a speaking part as a doctor who backed down in the face of Nurse Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher) and claimed 89 patients were hired as extras.
Time: "Cuckoo's Nest Hospital to be Torn Down".
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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Jay Leno is leaving "The Tonight Show" in May 2009. Conan O'Brien will take over the show on June 1st.
NAB365 reports: "Leno's last 'Tonight' is May 29; O'Brien in June 1".
Thursday, July 17, 2008
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Living in the States means I don't have the problem of un-exploded bombs buried in our landscape.
The Map Room posts: "Unexploded WWII Bombs", extrapolating locations of still-buried bombs from historical records and contemporary insurance maps (who've made payments from bomb damage).
.. as they're my favorite fruit .. and my favorite dish is Caprese:
I'm glad to hear the news from PhysOrg: "FDA declares it's OK to eat tomatoes again".
Amazing, that in my lifetime:
- Pluto is no longer a planet (shattering my age-old belief that there are / were nine planets in our Solar System)
- Jupiter's Red spot, long the icon of the planet (besides being the biggest our Solar System) would have contenders.
Check this out:
There are now three Red spots .. and they're messing with each other:
JPL: "Three Red Spots Mix it Up on Jupiter"
We just announced Netflix content is coming to Xbox 360 via Xbox Live, offering instant access to a broad catalog of content.
The deal will also enable users to watch movies together through the Live Party System (some details in the PC Magazine article, below). Imagine the possibilities: watch film with an online friend and rant / rave in real time!
In the news:
Per the Live Mesh Forum, "We are now accepting new customers on Live Mesh!". All it takes is a LiveID. From the article:
The Live Mesh team is pleased to announce that anyone in the U.S. can now use Live Mesh just by signing in to www.mesh.com with a valid Windows Live ID. No sign up needed to participate!
There's more. LiveSide reports "Microsoft opens up Live Mesh for basic mobile access" and offers a "Live Mesh tutorial: Synchronising browser favourites across devices" for those who want to get Mesh-y with their data.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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You know the EULA .. it's the dialog box on which you click "Accept" when installing software.
Have you ever read one before accepting it? Most of you probably don't .. but at some point in the future you might be interested in what they contain. I seem to remember a series in the "Dilbert" comic where found he had agreed to be Mr. Gates' towel boy for a week (scroll down to the Bill Gates reference).
Thanks to fellow evangelisto Brian Keller for pointing me to our online End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) site.
Friday, July 11, 2008
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I've been speaking with everyone from brain trusts to John and Jane Doe-types about this: What are the macro-economic effects of expensive gasoline?
Of course, the obvious (and over simplified, of course):
- People drive less, and those who drive buy smaller cars and eschew larger cars (except in LA and Bellevue, it seems).
- Bicycle sales rise.
- Public transit sees more riders.
Oddly enough, it was John and Jane that while thinking and talking through the topics, gave me some of the best bits:
- Driving less means people might just walk more. We all know walking is healthy .. and far more healthy than driving.
- Driving less means fewer traffic fatalities. Stats you say? Estimates are greater than 1,000 fewer deaths per month nationwide. I'm not making this up: PSYSORG posts: "Good News About $4 Gas? Fewer Traffic Deaths". Not sure how the smaller car attribute might play out; it's an unhappy statistic we'll have to evaluate.
- Business travel? Likely to remain at current levels. However, airfares have not caught up with the rise in the price per barrel of oil. Surcharges have, however. An April 2008 article from Smarter Travel: "New fuel surcharges from six airlines". The Herald-Sun (AU) reports: From July 1, Japan Airlines will become the first carrier to charge more than $1000 in fuel levies on its Sydney-London flights (emphasis mine) in "Fuel prices force airfare levies up". Without business travel you have:
- Fewer (note: I didn't say "no") in-person conferences. Business guys love to travel.
- More online (LiveMeeting) meetings, which we'll host for you.
- Personal travel? Likely to come under scrutiny. Here's some math for a round-trip drive from Seattle to Central or Eastern Washington:
- A round-trip airfare (Horizon Airlines) ticket is about $274.00 (computed average of Wenatchee ($256) or Pasco ($292) from Seattle) .. including fees.
- A car rental (weekday, not weekend) is about $45.00 (quoted) per day. As you'll likely not to drive the whole bit in in 24 hours, let's call it two days. This amounts to $120.00 (including $15 per day in taxes). You might reduce this if renting from a non-airport location.
- Gas cost for a 450-mile round trip (assuming 15 mpg at $5.00 per gallon) is $150.00.
At first blush:
- Driving: $270.00 ($120.00 + 170.00), plus four hours of non-productive time.
- Flying: $274.00, plus three hours (estimated average for arrival at the airport plus security) of non-productive time.
While only a nominal surcharge for flying, you have at least one more hour to be productive, or just relax. Read a book. Your mileage may vary, but it's well worth your time to run the numbers.
How about public transit? I live almost as far away from Seattle to the north as you can live without leaving King County. It takes me about 45 minutes to drive to work. My fastest inbound transit route is on three buses and takes 1:06 (one hour, six minutes). My most convenient inbound transit route is two buses, but takes 1:30. Granted, I can be more productive on the two-bus carom shot as I'm not unpacking / packing / walking, etc., but I'm a bit of a efficiency freak at times (or have a schedule to keep).
Our bus system costs $2.50-3.50, depending on the time of day. Microsoft provides me with a transit pass that covers everything but the ferries and Community Transit, so my nominal cost is zero.
I bus, therefore I am.
I've posted a number of articles about the "Spam King" Robert Soloway over the past few years.
Some bits:
Now, the Seattle PI tells us "'Spam King' to be sentenced".
Thursday, July 10, 2008
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Thanks to fellow evangelisto, Jeremy Cath for introducing me to the Freedom Input Keychain GPS 2000 device (link to Amazon.com).
Note: This post is a shameless plug for what I feel is a very spiffy device.
I posted "I'm in danger of being obsessed with time, distance and location" a few weeks back because I connected this device to my mobile phone and was, frankly amazed at the functionality it enables when connected to Windows Live Search for Mobile.
Some cool bits:
- It's small .. about the size of a key fob. Note that it is the designer's intent to be connected to your keyring.
- It has a USB-rechargeable battery and comes with a car charger. The device has about 10 hours when powered up, saving your cell phone battery for other things.
- Satellite acquisition from a cold start is well under a minute; faster if you have more sky.
- Bluetooth setup was a breeze; acquisition to the device by my cell phone at runtime is immediate (even if satellites aren't acquired).
Once connected via Bluetooth (as to setup, I selected COM8 for GPS inbound and COM6 for multiple simultaneous program access; your ports may vary), I was able to use the "Use GPS Location" as my starting point for maps and directions and the "Lock on GPS" for real-time "blue line" navigation while driving or walking.
Some common questions:
- Is there a service fee for GPS? No. There isn't a service fee for acquiring your global position. The satellites are up there and broadcasting constantly. The value add / service fee for an inclusive device is the interface in your hand or on your dashboard (Garmin, for example). As WLS provides the mapping and directions interface for free, there is no service charge. Note: I asked this question myself.
- How accurate is the device? Unscientifically (that is, I didn't take out a tape measure) I've found it to be very accurate; less than 40 feet.
- Isn't using a cell phone in a car in most states now illegal? Probably, even for directions. Use with care and always keep your eyes on the road.
- What about compass directions? I've observed this to be a drawback in my location / directions obsession: my cell phone doesn't have an internal compass, so I have to use landmarks, the Sun or stars to determine the direction I am facing.
This is a cool device. If you're location-obsessed (like I am), get one today.
Given the very warm weather and clear skies on the East Coast this week, residents of Manhattan might just get a glimpse of something that happens only twice a year at sunset: sun streaming northward along the avenues of the city.
Sunlight is normally obscured by the urban canyons created by the tall buildings in the city. With the 30-degree north alignment of the streets and the Earth's 30-degree axis tilt, sunlight is given a clear path to shine along the avenues to the north.
The event occurs twice a year on July 12th and May 28th .. you need clear skies to enjoy it.
I posted about this in May of last year and noted NASA has a cool picture of the phenomenon in their Astronomy Picture of the Day from a few years back.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
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By now you know you can get driving directions (including secondary roads and traffic avoidance) and create / reference location collections.
While driving directions are handy, I walk. A lot. Sometimes driving directions would take me the long way because of one-way streets, road obstructions and the like.
Chris Pendleton posts "Walking Directions Sample in VE 6.1". Lots of code, but the pictures tell thousands of words .. it's a good read even for non-technical types.
I'm keen to see this logic find its way into the Live Search Maps user interface .. or better still Windows Live Search for Mobile.
We say "no" and so does Google, Amazon and others. We describe cloud computing as the future and are building tools to access data in the cloud (see Ray Ozzie in the MIX08 keynote). Collectively, there are lots and lots of data centers built and in progress to prove resolve in this arena.
The concept of hosting applications in the sky is as old as the first .com bubble (circa 1997-2000), when Application Service Providers made a valiant stand to build a business model to compete with self-hosted software. Besides lacking a reproducible way to do customizations and a tendency to over- or under-build their data centers, many of these companies didn't have the financial legs to survive the customer learning curve; acquiring and retaining customers took time.
Most detrimentally, these companies lacked the trust that their cloud vision would allow their customers to regain control of their data in case of failure .. so the whole thing unraveled.
I was there, btw.
This model is significantly different. Data centers are owned by extremely well-funded entities, support both commodity and specific software components and allow the hosting of customer-generated code.
Today, Cloud Computing allows:
- Fiscally-conscious VCs the ability to place a larger number of inexpensive bets, without having to deal with the cost and time associated with platform outlays. Further, if they hit a big one, scalability is built into the cloud by default, so no emergency (and time-consuming) build-outs.
- Small development teams (or an individual) with vision and some coding expertise to host their dream in moments.
- Businesses of all sizes to outsource commodity (and, for that matter, speciality) applications to reduce IT costs.
The world-flattening Web has leveled the playing field to a point where an online presence of the smallest quilt shop in the Midwest can compete with the Macy's White Sale. Commodity components like shopping carts, electronic transactions and advanced product display / selection can be dropped into a project to monetize the owner's vision.
Beyond monetization components, applications can be brought to life with a wide variety of real-world data: your location coupled with proximity to something you might want to buy, traffic or transit (you have to get there somehow) .. even knowing the weather can add value to an application.
All of this goodness is not restricted to the browser. The power of the client (mobile or PC-based) can be harnessed to access data stored in the Cloud, a fundamental basis for our Software Plus Services model. This model can deliver unparalleled user experiences across a variety of devices.
We just announced our plans to release online versions of Exchange, SharePoint, Communications and LiveMeeting; NewsFactor: "Microsoft Fluffs Cloud Computing Lineup"
On the Cloud as a bubble; GigaOM disagrees in: "Bursting the Cloud Bubble: 5 Reasons It’s Not Just Hype"
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
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Of late, I'm hearing the cool kids refer to Wi-Fi (wireless networking) as "Whiffy".
WEP is already "Wep" .. will WPA become "Wippa" and APs become "Apes" (or have they already)?
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
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We announced new actions to deliver upon the commitments we set in Interoperability Principles to increase the openness of our products and drive greater interoperability, providing increased opportunity and choice for developers, partners, customers and competitors.
Highlights include:
Microsoft Press Pass has more details and links: "Microsoft Takes Additional Steps in Implementing Interoperability Principles".
Friday, June 27, 2008
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Eleven of the twelve original Microsoft employees gathered to re-create a famous photo taken just before the company moved from its Albuquerque birthplace to the Pacific Northwest in 1978. Can you guess which one is which? ;)
There's a whole lot of history posted by Microsoft Press Pass: "Iconic Albuquerque Photo Re-Created".
I posted "Bill's Last Town Hall Meeting" just a few minutes ago. Videos to follow.
I joined about 1,000 of my closest co-workers in person for Bill Gates' final Town Hall today.
The event was simulcast in various cafes around campus and presented as a webcast around the world.
Titled "Looking Back, Moving Ahead", it is Bill's farewell to the company.
Attendees for the in-person session were selected by lottery, and I was one of the lucky ones (hence the hand stamp).
After five minutes of applause, Bill delivered an uplfting keynote and joking about the pending remodel of his old office (Facilities had asked him if he would be leaving at 4pm instead of 5pm). :P
Bill was in good humor, and the room was full of energy.
Bill told us that he'd still be about; working special projects with Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie. He called out Search when citing an example.
Bill and Steve took questions from employees via recorded video, including the early days, his drop-out from Harvard and when he knew Microsoft would be huge.
Stories included Steve's dropping-out of school, salary negotiations and how Bill convinced Steve to stay past the first 30 days.
On mistakes made (inevitable in a 30-plus year history), they shared they had kept a list of mistakes made in the early years, but no longer. Bill cited the GUI as the thing "not to miss", and they had even tried to convince competitors of the value at the time, but most didn't listen.
Steve joked that if compiled today, the list would be hundreds of pages long.
On threats: threats are the greatest when we don't seize the opportunities when presented with them. Steve asked us to think of the world in 10 years .. And that we will deliver value in these future markets.
Bill wrapped with a view of the future, pointing out our strengths:
- The level of Company IQ
- Learning new markets and techniques
- Driven by the fact software is never good enough
Bill still sees new, successful chapters to be written in:
- Tablet PC
- Interactive TV
- Search
Lots about this in the news; here's some bits to peruse. I'll chase some video links and post them shortly.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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The Live Search Cashback program is a way you can earn rebates by using Live Search to find and purchase items you're going to buy anyway.
The guys at the Live Search Blog now tell me EBay is engaged, in "Live Search Cashback now live on EBay".
This means you'll start to see cashback gleams (images) in your EBay search results, giving you the opportunity to get a rebate on your purchase. For more details on the program, visit:
Per Mary Jo Foley, the number is 48 (that is, 24 people), per "How many people does it take to fill Bill Gates’ shoes?".
First, there's Ray Ozzie, of course. Mr. Ozzie has been on the crest of all the recent torch-passing news. From the post:
But Ozzie is not Gates’ sole replacement. Gates’ CSA role is split officially between Ozzie and Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer.
But that's not all. As Bill himself told Charles Torre in a recent Channel 9 video "Bill Gates: Transitioning into the Future", there is a third group of people who will be taking over part of his tasks as well: a group of 22 Microsoft Technical Fellows.
Mary Jo introduces us to a few of these folks in the article; well worth a read.
Who doesn't?
Windows Live Search for Mobile to the rescue! I posted "TOO much fun with Windows Live Search for Mobile", complete with instructions on how to find the stations with the best prices nearest to you.
Seems lots of folks are interested in this; ComScore posts: "High Gas Prices Drive U.S. Consumers to Find Deals on the Internet, According to comScore".
Why do it on your PC when you can do it in the palm of your hand?
Kudos and thanks to Chris Craft for his current series called “30 Days of .NET [Windows Mobile Applications]" where he is posting about a different application for Windows Mobile each day.
Chris even provided us a calendar of these applications .. one per day for 30 days. There is some mystery therein, to be sure.
Chris' goal is"for each of these applications to be useful, interesting, and straight-forward. Someone considering writing their first Windows Mobile application should be able to look at these applications and "get it".
Chris is keen for feedback on the applications and potential feature sets.
Thanks Chris!
I've recently acquired a GPS device that has brought incredible life and functionality to Windows Live Search for Mobile.
Yes: I'm a big fan of WLS; I've posted about it a number of times (link to a Live Search of WLS posts, including step-by-step and feature announcements).
Okay: this post is a teaser. I'll be writing about the magic of GPS and how it turns a great experience into an incredible one in the next few weeks.
Stay tuned.
Monday, June 23, 2008
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More famous than just his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" (safe for work) routine, Mr. Carlin pushed boundaries throughout his career. From the article:
When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, freed on $150 bail and exonerated when a Wisconsin judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but citing free speech and the lack of any disturbance.
When the words were later played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government’s authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.
MSNBC: "Comedian George Carlin dies at 71".