Adrian D

Britannica Has the Last Laugh as Microsoft Cancels Online Encyclopedia

The point about the quality of information on Wikipedia is well taken. With free information sources, you tend to get what you pay for.

It's quite possible that Brittanica may still be able to draw a good subscriber base due to its excellent reputation for providing quality content.

Privacy Group Wants to Take Your Gmail Away

I,m not sure the intention is to close down GMail.

Having an independent agency verify the security of Gmail is more of a benefit in the long run. Its builds trust and confidence in the service.

Careless in the Cloud: Google Accidentally Shares Some Docs

Its unreasonable to expect that Google Docs is going to be absolutely free of problems.

Still its inherently far more secure than leaving your sensitive data on a work or home computer.

Autodesk Proceeding with Acquisitions

Autodesks acquisitions dont sound any different than past acquisitions in the same industry segments in previous years.

The biggest threat to AutoDesks flagship AutoCad product are products such as Googles SketchUp. A free 2D and 3D design product with a professional paid version that can open AutoCad files and do more for thousands less than a seat of AutoCad. Sketchup has been warmly embraced by the Architectural and Civil Engineering community.

In response to this Autodesk tries to implement draconian "True Drawing" technology that attempts to intimidate non AutoCad users into thinking their file formats are incompatible.

Autodesk has to realize that people have more options now. Theres not so much of a compelling reason to shell out $4000 USD for a single seat of a 2D drawing program when you can buy any number of competing products that do the same thing for thousands less.

Going after new customers in 3D modeling and prototyping is extremely expensive and competitive these days. Autodesk needs to leverage its huge installed architectural and civil engineering user base. Its so much easier to sell existing users than create new ones.

Just how they will explain to their users how their $4000 solution is better than what Google Sketchup can do for a few hundred dollars remains to be seen.

Big Media's Big Dilemma: Charging for Online Content

Perhaps the NY Times need to use the power and visibility of their free content to presell more niche products like newsletters and magazines.

Either that or tie their advertising topics more closely in line with the topics of their articles so that advertisers reap more benefits from the article traffic.

That will raise advertising revenue in the long run.

Converting to a paid subscription model will require an enormous leap of faith. It might be simpler to create a paid version out of NY Times best-of-the-best content and test its effectiveness.

Twitter's Search Threat to Google, Yahoo and Microsoft

This is an interesting observation

One of the problems with blogs, is that a trying to find an interesting link seen three or four weeks ago may be close to impossible.

If Twitters search engine neatly indexes all twitter posts, as well as performing as a great search engine, they have a very powerful tool indeed.

Actually, Twitter Is More Like the Rich Man's SMS

Twitter may yet become the replacement for email because its so much easier to unsubscribe yourself from other twitterers who send you spam.

At least it puts you in the drivers seat

Its also very closely related to text messaging but without the high monthly rates.

Facebook's Response to Twitter

Facebook has a ton of users and it has has a lot of potential as a marketing tool when you consider facebook events and their public profile pages

But you have to do a lot of research to find out how to use these features. Facebook itself, offers little help.

The ease of use and simplicity of twitter is its strongest benefit and may prove sufficient to continually attract users regardless of Facebooks efforts.

The Name 'Kijiji' Isn’t Cutting It for eBay

Kijiji does have a following, and its graphical presentation of ads and organization is better than Craigslist.

However, Craigslist allows the use of HTML freely in its ads, Kijiji restricts users from posting links unless they pay for them.

Craigslist is entirely free, Kijiji pesters the free user to use its paid services repeatedly.

Craigslist delivers more traffic from its free ads than Kijiji does through its paid ones.

One Battle Yahoo Wins Over Google

This approach does seem to make sense.

In Canada, the old Yellow Pages directory has done well promoting advertising in local directories such as Goldbook. The high page rank of a the parent directory helps local business rank well in Google searches.

The same benefit could be realized by local businesses using these Yahoo based advertising vehicles. Hopefully the salespeople will understand the importance of local businesses using the proper keywords as well.

Can Web Sites Make More Money Selling Fewer Ads?

This is just a clear indication that its the content on the page, not the advertisements that the visitors are there to see in the first place.

You cant lose sight of this fact. Websites are there primarily to provide information, not sell products. 99% of the traffic that arrives on your pages are there because they thought your page would answer a question they had, not sell them something.

Increase the content, provide more value to the visitor and you will build trust and repeat visits. Once people trust you, they will be happy to buy from you.

Too many advertisements just dilute the content and drive visitors away when they realize you are more interested in their wallets than helping them out.

Has Gold Become Correlated to the Stock Market?

The financial crisis has businesses selling off their gold assets at fire sale prices just to stay solvent.

Lehman Brothers sold off more Gold ETF's in October than were sold in the entire year previous.

With more companies needing quick cash to meet debt payments, the down ward pressure on gold will continue. But there will be a turning point when all these assets are finally sold off

Adrian D.
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Does Google Have a Weakness Microsoft Can Exploit?

Google has one major strategic advantage, their search products and document applications appeal to that segment of the market that appreciate products that work!

Microsoft has made billions pushing an operating system that wants to be all things to all people. Why dont they just stick to making a great OS and leave search and ecommerce to those who know how to do it right.

The proposed Yahoo merger just makes me cringe but its a good fit. Heres the most complicated OS proposing to join forces with the most aggravating search/ecommerce company. I cant see how it could possibly serve consumers better.

I love Google documents and think its the thin edge of the wedge for companies trying to promote web based applications to erode market share from Microsoft Office products. Between Open Office and Google documents you can get everything you need to run your business without spending a dime.

No wonder Microsoft wants Googles market share

AdrianD

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