Categories
Apple

Apple to Mark The Big 3-0

30 years of “Apple will be bankrupt and out of business in a year”.

Here’s to another 30 “Apple will never survive” years.

Categories
Mozilla

Mozilla Corporation

For the most part, the news has been rather clear, though a few questions still remain.

  1. Who owns the trademarks? The Foundation or the Corporation? This doesn’t say if the corporation will be allowed to use the trademarks, or will inherit them. It hints at inheriting, though Asa makes it sound otherwise.
  2. Who ultimately has the final say? Is the Foundation ultimately still in charge? Or does the Corporation get the upper hand?
  3. Who do drivers@mozilla.org and module owners answer to? Foundation or the corporation? Mitchell said a while back

    The key responsibility is that the Module Owner’s job is to act in the best interests of the community and the project at large, not in the interests of his or her employer. Ben has lived with these responsibilities as a volunteer, a Netscape employee, a Mozilla Foundation employee and now as a Google employee. We’re confident that Ben will continue to help us drive great innovations in the browsing world.

    Speaking of Ben’s departure to Google. Now is the Foundation ultimately going to continue to lead the community? Or will the Corporation step into play here? Is it possible for the Foundation and Corporation to disagree? How will that be mediated?

  4. Since the creation of the Foundation, long term goals have been a bit more open (as opposed to Netscape). Will the Corporation be modeling it’s confidential information policy against the Foundation, or that of Netscape?
  5. Who is the property owner (office space, servers, other worldly possessions)? Corporation or Foundation (or some sort of split)?
  6. Is there any obligation (either by policy, or charter or contract) for the Corporations code to be open source? Or could they (in theory, don’t start the conspiracy train on me) fork it into a “Netscape” scenario? Who has a say in this (again Foundation or Corporation)?
  7. There’s some talk on the net about concerns regarding Mozilla’s Search relationships (and potential relationships). Does the Foundation have any say in potential business relationships? Can it prohibit or block them?
  8. Will SpreadFirefox be under the Foundation or the Corporation?
  9. Will products be moving to mozilla.com rather than mozilla.org? Or will they stay the same?

The ultimate question here is how much control will the Foundation have over the Corporation. As a wholly owned subsidiary, the Foundation should have substantial say, though it’s not quite clear just yet how a Corporation status will effect policies, most of the discussion thus far has been on day to day operation or “the basics” (will Firefox still be free? etc.) Hopefully a MoFo or MoCo (oh boy do I like the abbreviations) representative will be clarifying things in days to come. I’ll update this post if they do (nudges Asa and Mitchell).

Categories
Personal

IT and Business

I decided to become a Business Management Information Systems (MIS) major, with a Computer Science minor, to the surprise of many a few years ago. Seems like I’m the smart guy after all.

That article made me feel pretty good.

Categories
Apple

Apple should cobrand iTunes

Lets look at iTunes, and what it offers right now:

  • MP3/ACC Player
  • Media Organizer
  • Media Player (it comes with QuickTime)
  • Music Store
  • It also comes in at aprox. 19MB’s, free from Apple’s iTunes website.

I’ll call it “a rather robust application”. Sounds fair?

Now here’s my theory:
People like Music. People like simplicity. People like easy to use programs. iTunes is all of these. The one thing that’s a drag is that dreaded curse word amongst average computer users “Installing”. That means downloading, over a slow 56k modem, and putting unkempt software on your computer, especially after all the geeks talk about “Spyware“, and “Viruses“. Some are just to afraid to install.

Solution?
Cobrand iTunes. Allow OEM’s such as IBM, Compaq/HP, Gateway, and even Dell, to include iTunes for low/no cost to them on their computers, Branded/themed with “Powered by Apple iTunes“.

Why?
This ensures, everyone who buys a computer, gets a chance to try iTunes. Perhaps even allow the OEM’s a method to throw in a few free downloads. To let the user try, at no obligation, iTunes. Cheap, legal music, without downloading/installing.

What does Apple get?
Giant Audience, free advertising from the OEM’s, getting QuickTime on systems from the factory.

What do OEM’s Get?
All OEM’s today market computers towards home users, in particular as “media” systems. “Play CD’s, DVD’s”, “Games”, “Graphics”, “Music”. All keywords used to sell computers. What would make sense than to contain a built in method to purchase music? Play it with your brand new upgraded speakers on your fancy Computer Make/Model Here

What Users Get?
Chance to try iTunes without wasting time/effort downloading, a few free songs perhaps, and a good media player pre-installed.

Hear me out Apple, I had a point before (look at date on article).

Categories
In The News

Microsoft Fires over a Blog

This is pretty upsetting. Microsoft fired an individual over this post on his blog. Microsoft says it’s a security violation. Which is Gates-speak for embarrassing Apple’s at Microsoft.

Categories
Personal

Why I can’t be an accountant

I can’t be an accountant because:

  1. Accounting is boring.
  2. Accounting involves math, I have an allergy to math.
  3. Accounting involves pencils, I like pens.
  4. Accountants are CPA’s. Not exactly a catchy title.
  5. Accounting is examining other people’s money… not my own.
  6. Accounting as “counting” in the name. Not exactly something to impress people with.
  7. Accounting office parties just sound lame… they must be 10X worse than they sound.
  8. Top of the line Accounting software is “Peach Tree”. Not “Peach”, not “tree”, “Peach Tree”. A little fruity. At least “Apple” sounds cool. “Peach” just doesn’t.
  9. Celebrating the Fiscal New Year sounds like the most depressing new year yet.
  10. I don’t want to be somebody’s “Bob from Accounting”. Eek.

“Call Bob from accounting. See if he has those TPS reports ready” [Sound of gunshot as Bob kills himself]

Needless to say, Accounting I is a pain in the butt.