Monthly Archives: November 2005

The EFF and Google’s AutoLink (AdLink)

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There are many positive aspects to the EFF’s work.

However and unfortunately, they have been silent (or apparently supportive) on Google’s land grab as Dave Winer points out this morning. More from Dave on the Google Toolbar

Google’s toolbar places their links on top of the original author’s hyperlinks (“Autolink”).

I’ve not been a financial supporter since the EFF remained silent on the AutoLink “feature”. Ironically, as Google Watch points out, the guy behind Microsoft’s similar scheme “Smart Tags” now works for Google.

I wonder how far Google will push the envelope when they have to support their sky high 117B market valuation (P/E of 88.6!)?

Senate Committee Passes Anti-Spyware Bill

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Grant Gross:

A U.S. Senate committee has approved a bill that would outlaw the practice of remotely installing software that collects a computer users’ personal information without consent.
In addition to prohibiting spyware, the Spyblock (Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge) Act would also outlaw the installation of adware programs without a computer user’s permission. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the bill Thursday.
Spyblock, sponsored by Senator Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican, would prohibit hackers from remotely taking over a computer and prohibit programs that hijack Web browsers. The bill would protect antispyware software vendors from being sued by companies whose software they block.

City Spending up 5.5%, Property Taxes to Rise 4.35%

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Two interesting perspectives on Wednesday night’s Madison City Council Budget votes:

  • Kristian Knutsen (Posted Thursday @ 10:52p.m.):

    Coming from another perspective, Brandon urges a no vote against this budget since it has a 4.35% increase, stating that no cuts were made “This isn’t the mayor’s budget. The mayor set a clear challenge to us, 4.1,” Brandon states. “We are playing into the state government’s perception, what they portray about us, is that we are big spenders,” he continues. “All we are doing is inviting more levy limits, and at worst, TABOR.”
    Konkel says “we could have done this if we really wanted to,” referring to the failure of the hotel room tax hike, which she states would have brought the levy down to 4.03, also lamenting the failure of several amendments to provide services to the indigent. “I know how I’m going to vote,” Webber says, while Bruer commends the council for the tenor of this year’s budget process. “This administration unlike others in the past did more truth in budgeting,” he says of the mayors role, continuing by pointing out cost-cutting measures undertaken by city departments in his defense of the budget and its process. “To go through all those hours and all that energy,” Bruer says, “I have no problem going out to my constituency and defending this increase” due to its “balance” of attention.

    Knutsen also live-blogged the meetings (which is fabulous)

  • Dean Mosiman (posted 01:10 a.m. 11/18/2005)

    The tax hike, Cieslewicz said, is the third lowest in the past two decades.
    It’s now time for the state to back away from tax caps, let cities make budget decisions based on their own values, and for the state to try to fix how it funds municipalities, the mayor said.
    Ald. Zach Brandon, 7th District, who led the group that made the 4.1 percent tax cap pledge, offered the lone harsh words about the budget.
    “Do you know what this is saying to the rest of the state?” he said, adding that Madison will become a “poster child” for its inability to contain spending and taxes.”

FEC Rules Bloggers are Journalists

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Federal Election Commission (PDF):

We are responding to your advisory opinion request on behalf of Fired Up! LLC (“Fired Up”), concerning the application of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the “Act”), and Commission regulations to certain Internet websites owned and operated by Fired Up.
The Commission concludes that the costs Fired Up incurs in covering or carrying news stories, commentary, or editorials on its websites are encompassed by the press exception, and therefore do not constitute “expenditures” or “contributions” under the Act and Commission regulations.

Background.

Verizon Fiber Service to Pass 3M Homes by Year’s End

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Staci:

Verizon: FiOS On Schedule To Pass 3 Million Homes By Year End From a client note by UBS analyst Aryeh Bourkoff: Verizon CFO Doreen Toben told attendees at the UBS Global Communications Conference Thursday that the Keller, TX launch of FiOS was on track for double-digit penetration by the end of the year, ahead of expectations. Verizon still expects to cover 3 million-plus homes passed by the end of the year with launches coming in New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida and California, and 6 million or 20 percent of the footprint by the end of ’06.
Presentation (pdf) | Webcast

Searls: Saving the Net: How to Keep Carriers from Flushing the Net Down the Tubes

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Doc Searls:

The subjects covered here are no less enormous than the Net and its future. Even optimists agree that the Net’s future as a free and open environment for business and culture is facing many threats. We can’t begin to cover them all or cover all the ways we can fight them. I believe, however, that there is one sure way to fight all of these threats at once, and without doing it the bad guys will win. That’s what this essay is about.

Here’s a brief outline of the article. If you want to go straight to the solution, skip to the third section:

  • Scenario I: The Carriers Win
  • Scenario II: The Public Workaround
  • Scenario III: Fight with Words and Not Just Deeds

More here.