Remember the Eye of Sauron? If you say “Eye of Sauron” ten times fast. It sounds like “Google”.
Well, not really.
But you get the point.
Google whetted the appetites of advertisers this week by introducing its “ability” to predict disasters and epidemics marketing opportunities for drug companies.
– OR –
Google fired a warning shot basically saying: ” if you want to know how to spend money during these tough times, you better use AdWords … or DoubleClick … * giggle* … oh we own that too…”.
Basically, Microsoft and Yahoo! have no rebuttal for two reasons: one Microsoft trying to bluff Yahoo!, the other reason is that Yahoo! is trying to call Microsoft’s bluff. So, Google is digging its own road right now to provide a clear product offering for advertisers who will see their ad budgets tightened by this new depression economic downturn.
One of the positive things about Google Docs is the ability to share documents with anyone you wish.
One of the negative things about Google Docs is the ability to share documents with anyone who may have no idea how the frack heck they got your documents.
This is due to a session management flaw in Google Docs detailed very nicely here:
Now, you have to admit: Google had Microsoft worried. But then, Google became bigger than big.
Microsoft usually denies security threats, then admits them, then releases the update on Patch Tuesday.
Google mmmm… not so much.
Google’s approach is to place fingers in their ears and continue adding new whiz-bang features without locking down security holes.
What has resulted? People accidentally riding sessions and grabbing documents. OR — People purposely monitoring packet traffic and waiting for unsuspecting users to steal Google Documents.
Microsoft Office: you can use without ever going online.
Google Docs: you are just flapping in the breeze, depending on the magic of SaaS to protect your documents.
Now, I’m going to fix my glass house before I throw anymore stones at Google …. or Microsoft.
There was once a small company named Macromedia that developed. They developed something called Future Splash. Many people thought it was much cooler than their other larger product called Director.
Future Splash morphed Flash.
The web was changed forever. Macromedia Flash! Huzzaah!!
Macromedia Flash WAS media. Horraah! 99% adoption rate.
As for print, there was Adobe. Adobe wanted to be more media. So, they thought they would just buy out Macromedia. Tadaa!!!! Adobe Flash. Huzzaaah!!! Wooooohoooooo!!!! Haaa!!!
Adobe wanted to control its destiny as a web-print media company who can “seamlessly” provide print/desktop and web solutions. Failed. Well, sorta.
Now, cometh Google (with Google Chrome) who wants to provide a seamless connection between desktop and the web.
It looks like Google needs to acquire Adobe.
Google would benefit because it can buy out Adobe then re-purpose the software development team to focus on desktop-web-hybrid applications. Google Photoshop. Bwwwahahahahah!!! Adobe will benefit because it will not be left behind in the new frontier of cloud computing.
Who really used Google AdWords Referrals?…. really … sheeez. Google will cancel the Google AdWords Referrals program in August… or sooner if things get ugly with the economy.
Does using Google Analytics affect your website search engine listing?
Yes. Removing Google Analytics can sink your position below the top 10. I have just confirmed that in an experiment. Removing GA speeds up your website, but the cost is lower “awareness” from Google.
Remember, Google was called “Back Rub” before it was called Google. You scratch their back, they’ll scratch yours.
But, but, but Google said it doesn’t affect it?
Google also said they are not looking to replace PayPal’s checkout service. Their payment solution is called…. Google Checkout.
Your website may be feeling sluggish when it loads. Betchya dollars to donuts it is your Google Analytics dragging out your load time. Removing Google Analytics led to an immediate speed improvement on Primezero i18n Terminal.
When you are designing a web application for 1 user, all that data doesn’t matter. In fact, one could only conclude that Google Analytics ( * cough *, Urchin) was re-tooled by Google for the purpose of selling AdWords. ;) Smart people.
As you can see, Buzz.com is supposed to be hip, cool and has gradients … wooooooow. ok. Web 2.0 only worked with one ingredient: buzz. Buzz powers digg. Buzz powered technorati until spammers destroyed it. Buzz powers TMZ. Buzz pull the wool over Google’s eyes in their YouTube acquisition.
Now, there is a website about buzz on a server owned by company who is about as exciting as paint drying.
You may know this, but you and Google are going to be best friends. Google will know more about you than your family, in fact. This will be an exciting time to be an advertiser — even more interesting to be a consumer.
Below is the press release:
Google Closes Acquisition of DoubleClick
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., (March 11, 2008) - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)
announced today that it has completed its acquisition of DoubleClick,
a company that offers online ad serving and management technology to
advertisers, web publishers and ad agencies.
Eric Schmidt, Google’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We
are thrilled that our acquisition of DoubleClick has closed. With
DoubleClick, Google now has the leading display ad platform, which
will enable us to rapidly bring to market advances in technology and
infrastructure that will dramatically improve the effectiveness,
measurability and performance of digital media for publishers,
advertisers and agencies, while improving the relevance of advertising
for users.”
About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people
around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by
Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a
top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted
advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable
results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google
is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the
Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.
About DoubleClick, Inc.
DoubleClick is a premier provider of digital marketing technology and
services. The world’s top marketers, publishers and agencies utilize
DoubleClick’s expertise in ad serving, rich media, video, mobile,
search and affiliate marketing to help them make the most of the
digital medium. From its position at the nerve center of digital
marketing, DoubleClick provides superior insights and insider
Judging from the feedback, 8 out of 10 users of the Chinese Seal Chop Widget for WordPress actually prefer the Chinese Seal Chop Google Gadget since it is faster to install and doesn’t require futzing with settings from a dashboard or re-uploading updates and patches every month.
I think the vision at Google is to completely relieve end-users from the burden of updating their software all the time, so they can focus on content development.
Google was benefiting from organized chaos during the recent real estate boom since retailers only needed to flash advertisements in front of buyers to convert targeted advertising click units.
Google continues to innovate in advertising, but … what about search?
Google appears to have its sights on productivity.
Analysts where not worried about Google Docs.
Now, they are pushing for the Microsoft — Yahoo! deal to grab Yahoo!’s market share in China…
As a capstone to my milestones, I like to create PowerPoint presentations.
(Geez, what a geek).
There is something quite Zen-like when developing with PowerPoint on Google Docs. Simple yet just what I need.
They give me a chance to reflect on the product description and whether I met the basic requirements of a project. Under 10 slides of course — 9 to be exact. I just wanted to explain PrimezeroTools and cast it as a Chinese dictionary plugin. I was going to say “helper class”, but that is not as smooth as “plugin” … however plugin is WAY overused today like FRAMEWORK … *shivers down my spine *brrrr
However, to tell you the truth… it’s getting ugly folks.
In case you are just joining us today, here is the backstory… Microsoft and Google continue to fire “warning” salvos.
Sun buys MySQL, shoring up network computering. Oracle grins. Microsoft panics that things are shifting towards network computing faster than expected.
Microsoft reacts by bidding for Yahoo! at premium to speed up the deal during an election year. Google issues a hurriedly-written release objecting the merger.
And then, (just like in Final Fantasy when Active Time Battle in Final Fantasy), Google tells students, “you know what, dudes? You really don’t need to buy Microsoft Office this year since we are going into an economic slowdown. Get Google Apps Team Edition instead.” Teeheee.
Google is trying to push Microsoft’s share price (total market capitalization) down by decreasing the number of students buying Education Editions and Multi-Seat Versions of Microsoft Office purchased this quarter.
Here is an excerpt from the press release:
Google Apps Team Edition lets colleagues and departments at work, or
study groups at school, immediately begin sharing information within a
domain. In addition, the Team Edition can easily be upgraded to Google
Apps Standard, Premier or Education Edition for full administrative
control, such as the ability to set default sharing options, decide
which applications are available on the network, or determine who has
access.
Primezero Chinese Tools Completed at Version 1.10. Here is a complete list of features. This information architecture experiment has concluded.
I want to clarify:
Primezero is not a Chinese dictionary. It is a dictionary tool. It searches community-submitted content.
The idea of decentralized Chinese translation is not completed — just the testbed.
From Developer’s Notebook
Now, for a quick core dump…
The primary goal of this project was to test what a “Chinese dictionary” is supposed to be. Let us first look at the somewhat traditional archetype this book.
A Chinese dictionary is a bound volume that contains insurmountable amounts of information related to one or more dialects of Chinese that can be readily accessed when needed.
Large volumes make wonderful doorstops and also are useful for propping up windows. Smaller volumes are often called “pocket dictionaries”, most likely designed for portability but with limited content.
Some Chinese dictionaries are neither large nor small, so they a provided topic-specific title, where you can find vocabulary that eludes that pocket dictionary without dragging a 5 pound dictionary around.
Things you find in traditional paper dictionaries:
definitions — (define by whoooooo … from whooooose perspective?)
parts of speech
single source that is already outdated information by the time the book is published
lack of cultural understanding and context
no links to websites and media content (video, images, audio, etc.)
closed source
Things you find in Primezero Chinese Tools (not a dictionary… a dictionary tool):
live human translation
ability to add your own definitions using Google Docs (and other Google Apps)
search from multiple sources of information
aggregation of definitions from multiple editors with equal voice (unlike wikipedia where one or two people can pick a pet rock definition and sit on it forever without allowing others a chance to add their perspective) — more later about Wikipedia’s failure
Google Project Hosting is improving tremendously. Small changes to the GUI have made a big difference in my workflow. First off, just take a look. Oh, simple and elegant. Perfect.
As you can see, I can browse my source (branches, tags and trunk) in a nice sleek interface. I can also, peruse the difference between files at glance. See? Oh, wow. That’s spiffy.
I can also move through revisions in the web interface, which is very smart.
You can mozy on down to PZPHP on Google Code if you like an check out the latest and not-so-greatest code I’m baking over there..
Where did StarOffice go? Maybe Google didn’t want to pay per download after all?
:- ) .. or .. : ) — happy
: D .. or .. :- D — smile
;- ) .. or .. ; ) — wink
:- ( .. or .. :- ( — sad
:’ ( — crying
:- o — shocked
:- / — grimace (meh …)
x- ( — angry
>.< — doh! (wince)
:- | — speechless
B- ) — cool
:- P .. or .. : P — pbpbbbbbtttt (tongue)
<3 — love
< /3 — broken heart
}:-) — devil
+/’\ — ring that bell!
\m/ — rock on, dude ~ ~
:(|) — monkey
;^) — pointy nose wink
=) — very happy smile
