Perki

Six Myths About Smart Grid

Newsflash: hackers can already shut down the whole power grid ( except for parts of Texas) by accessing three systems. The "smart gird" referred to here is for consumers of power.


On Jul 14 09:27 AM drzarkov wrote:

> One thing the smart grid will do: make it easier for hackers to shut
> down the entire nation's power grid with a single attack. I'm all
> in favor of interconnecting the grid to enable shipping of power
> across regions, which will enable wind and solar power to be used
> in Eastern metro areas. I predict that most will reject the idea
> that the government should decide what temperature their house should
> be. Subsidizing the system to provide an artificially low price
> will increase, not decrease the cost of living, due to the need to
> increase taxes to cover the cost. The author is an imbecile.

Six Myths About Smart Grid

You may underestimate the simple things. People change habits with real time information. Just look at what "real-time" gasoline prices do for consumption!

I installed a simple power monitor that shows the KW being used at the moment, right in my web browser tool bar. I literally use 40% less energy.

I glance at the toolbar, it is showing 3kw, and I realize i left the coffee pot on. Seems like a little thing, but 1.1KW coffee maker heat production requires 2KW of additional A/C energy to compensate. It makes a difference!

Also, moving high wattage appliances (to evenings or low usage times) has a huge effect on the future base-load investment of the power company. It can delay or eliminate the future cost of very expensive base-load plants. Energy late at night is very cheap. If these savings are passed on, then the savings can be substantial.

Setting the Record Straight on SaaS

Forester's projections over over 2 years out have proven wildly in-accurate. So much so that some purchase the research and bet against them as a successful investment strategy.

In other words, Forrester Research projections are a good way to tell what is NOT going to happen.

Is the Microsoft Empire Cracking?

Further... the whole personal computer on a desktop is becoming obsolete due to the "Software as a Service" of applications over the Internet.
Now, so much work can be accomplished ( Email, documents, spreadsheets, photo manipulation, programing etc) without using your operating system or local software for anything other than it's web browser.

So the Windows vs Linux vs OS x argument on the desktop will soon be moot. It really doesn't matter what O/S you are using if you are just using a browser.

Is the Microsoft Empire Cracking?

Ouch. Billions dude!

Chris, when you are still netting $Billions on the Windows O/S every year, it is a little early to throw it out. When you have the most profitable and popular operating system in the world, you stick with it until it it only as profitable as say, Mac's OSx. Based on current trends, that will be 2017 or 2018 at the earliest.

I am a programmer that prefers a Mac, but I still bought a Windows XP license for it to run under VMware for all of the Windows software I need to use on occasion. Many people have. Many will continue to do so because of the huge selection of application software still being developed under Windows.

Microsoft Hires Lu, Commences Project Granola

I think this is a confirmation they remain committed to search, not a major change in strategy.

Microsoft has had a vacuum at the top of their search division for some time, this is just simply filling that spot with someone qualified for a change; nothing more.

As far as getting the good Doctor because of his involvement with project Panama -- umm, no. Project Panama is a failure which is why YHOO is in trouble with no where to go but down.

This move also highlights the fact that acquiring Yahoo would be acquiring a hollow shell. You can "rent" the main asset, search marketing share, without assuming the overhead, through management agreements.

Yahoo Destroying Shareholder Value, Internet Balance of Power

Though there is some duplication, an AOL + Yahoo ( Yaol? , Yahaol? ) merger would appear to be the only course of action for growth. Absent that, Yahoo has a good technical group, lots of Internet assets and traffic. They just need to identify a few good strategic niche areas from those assets and focus on them, they could remain profitable.

MSFT/Yahoo would have been a disaster from a business point of view, but would have bailed out those shareholders that made an untimely investment in the company.

How Microsoft Could Kill Google on the Web

Well, a radio station in town with a 10% listener market share gives away all of the advertising, but that hasn't changed the income of the top stations in the market. Have you really thought this through?