In short, I read the following item, which I believe is old news despite the datestamp:

The world’s largest maker of personal computers, Dell, has reported a fall in third-quarter profits after taking a charge to repair faulty parts.

Putting two and two together, the following item on bad Intel capacitors got Slashdotted a short while ago:

At issue are faulty capacitors on motherboards that store power and regulate voltage. Defective capacitors found in the Dell Optiplex workstations, some Apple iMac G5s, HP xw-series workstations made in 2004 and PCs with the Intel D865GBF motherboard have been found to bulge, pop, leak and crust over, causing video failure and periodic system shutdowns.

I have recently discovered a UK shop that sells laptops without an operating system (i.e. without Windows) and offers many AMD options too. Thus, they are entitled to have a link.

Related link: Linux on the laptop

Encouraging news to Open Source advocates have been published today.

Firstly, OpenDocument (a la OpenOffice) attracts further interest, much as in the Massachusetts case, which stirred similar interest elsewhere:

Big guns in the software industry are massing behind OpenDocument as government customers show more interest in open-source alternatives to Microsoft’s desktop software.

Secondly, IBM, Sony and Philips sidle closer to Linux:

Three of the world’s biggest electronics companies — IBM, Sony and Philips — have joined forces with the two largest Linux software distributors to create a company for sharing Linux patents, royalty-free.

Well, somebody’s happy!

Although Google Suggest is a separate (yet tight) extension of the
search bar, its name reflects on reason for fear among giants like Wal-Mart

HE New York Times discusses the effect of ‘Googling’ things on industry. The article broadens its scope to discuss the small, the large and the intimidatingly large-scale impact.

Since many people begin their Web surfing with Google’s search page, information (or global knowledge) is somewhat controlled and centralised in Google’s datacentres. Search engines are able to provide advice to their consumers, much like trusted peers. With search engine optimisation there can be bias, which is dangerous. Moreover, with bad publicity in blogs and forums, many companies become overly concerned.

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, often intimidates its competitors and suppliers. Makers of goods from diapers to DVD’s must cater to its whims. But there is one company that even Wal-Mart eyes warily these days: Google, a seven-year-old business in a seemingly distant industry.

…

Wal-Mart is scarcely alone in its concern. As Google increasingly becomes the starting point for finding information and buying products and services, companies that even a year ago did not see themselves as competing with Google are beginning to view the company with some angst – mixed with admiration.

…

Google, the reigning giant of Web search, could extend its economic reach in the next few years as more people get high-speed Internet service and cellphones become full-fledged search tools, according to analysts. And ever-smarter software, they say, will cull and organize larger and larger digital storehouses of news, images, real estate listings and traffic reports, delivering results that are more like the advice of a trusted human expert.

Found yesterday in Dave Winer’s blog

FeedLounge: one among many (Web)
applications which tolerate invalid feeds

HEER hypocrisy is the only way one can describe the latest statement from Microsoft’s RSS team. Microsoft have broken and ignored many International standards over the years. This caused many application to malfunction even when they stuck with standards. Now, when matters do not suit them, Microsoft decide to say farewell to feeds that are not well-formed XML [rel="nofollow"]. Many projects, even the tiniest among them, have tolerated malformed RSS feeds. Yet, this appear to be too much to ask from biggest standards-breaking criminal of all.

Potentially, Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7 will simply refuse to handle anything that does not adhere to or complies with standards. Need I even mention that Microsoft are set to ‘extend’ RSS, thus breaking RSS protocols?

Our years of experience in with HTML in Internet Explorer have taught us the long-term pain that results from being too liberal with what you accept from others. Hence, we%u2019ve adopted the following overriding principle for IE 7 and RSS platform in Windows Vista:

We will only support feeds that are well-formed XML.

The memo/statement titled “Reining in Google” is becoming rather popular in cyberspace. It discusses Google’s attempt to re-write copyright laws or at least reach a point of acceptance through persistence. They have already begun scanning books in 3 large libraries despite the looming lawsuits. I recently mentioned an item which Google had posted in defence of Google Print, but has it not gone out-of-hand already?

Where is the Google that I used to know? The Google that vowed not to do evil and even considered employing me as a system administrator. I am filled with mixed emotions. Before the IPO, Google reflected on Page and Brin. It is now that lunatic Schmidt and thousands of greedy investors.

UPDATE (05/11/2005): With reference to a previous mentioning of Microsoft book scanning, it is now official. Microsoft begin digitising books as well.

LASHDOT points to a laughable patent, which is mentioned in the New Scientist. Coffee beer might soon be no weirder than ice tea or even my odd adaptation to concentrated coffee.

A drink somewhere between coffee and beer could soon be on the menu. Nestec, part of the Nestlé empire in Switzerland, has filed patents in every major market round the world on a “fermented coffee beverage” that pours and foams like beer, but smells of strong coffee and packs a concentrated caffeine kick.

Only two days ago, the guys at the gym were joking about Starbucks and coffee junkies. “Give me 5 shots of latte!”, they said. Will that joke become a reality shortly?

Other items on coffee:

• Concentrated Coffee
• Coffee Leads to Stress
• Mister Coffee

S it finally turns out, a Web-based Office suite, which could be an almost unprecedented step, is embarked on by Microsoft. This comes after numerous rumours about an innovative Google Web-based Office. These rumours, which spread like a plague and rapidly made the rounds, were just as quickly shattered by Brin. Google are in fact concentrating on OpenOffice at the moment.

It is worth pointing out that Microsoft have recognised Web-based applications as a major threat to their ‘milking cows’, namely Windows and Office. Office-like Web applications exist already although they are not cohesive. Returning to Microsoft,

Kicking off what he called the “live era” of software, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said on Tuesday in the United States that the company plans to launch new Internet-based complements to its core products.

Gates said Microsoft is working on two products, “Windows Live” and “Office Live,” that create opportunities for the company to sell online subscriptions and advertising. Both are targeted at smaller businesses and consumers.

Interesting implications are worth pondering:

• Will MSIE-only compatibility be likely?
• Will non-Microsoft users be able to load Office document reliably using the Web-based equivalent?
• Will people eventually get used the the idea of adverts next to an Office document?
• How will subscription work and will it exclude certain people or be overly expensive?

Making that type of service available to anyone (i.e. without a paid licence) is suicidal. It could drive users away to platforms other than Microsoft Windows, unless of course there is a lock-in. This is why I imagine that there will be a catch. For instance, think of being permitted access to these Internet services depending on some requirements, e.g. premium features are exclusive to holders of a licence for the native version of Office.

Either way, Microsoft now open a peephole to a first glimpse, which I will of course rel="nofollow". Regardless, it looks rather appalling at the moment and is more of a placeholder, I presume. I quite like the standard-compliant clone below as it is not truly associated with Windows. It is a nice demonstration of the power of AJAX nonetheless, so I urge readers to take a look.

Windows XP in AJAX – follow the link and tune in

UPDATE: (03/11/2005) Joel re-affirms my point regarding Microsoft’s “half-baked” Web site.