Web Professional Minute

Snodgrass vs. Google Case Dismissed

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that claimed Google infringed on his copyright. Gordon Roy Parker, of Snodgrass Publishing alleged in his 2004 lawsuit that Google violated his rights after its search engine archived a copy of his e-books that were later reproduced in Google's search engine results.

Snodgrass Publishing also claimed that Google was liable for defamation because the search company archived allegedly defamatory messages posted by Usenet users and that Google was invading his privacy by creating an “unauthorized biography” of him. The court said Google is immune because it either archived or provided access to content that was created by a third party.

In making the decision the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that under case law, Google’s activities do not constitute infringement. Look for an appeal on this one.

Infoworld is reporting Google execs as saying, ” the sky is the limit.” It’s true, the sky is the limit but getting into restricted airspace can quickly get complicated.

To lead you must innovate, to innovate you have to have something new that people are ready, willing and able to adopt. In Google’s case, they’ve already launched so many new platforms and technologies in the last year or so, that they could slow their own adoption rates.

What do I do first, get my client’s address fixed in Google Local or get their listings to show on Froogle? Should I build a newsfeed for the new Google newsreader. Maybe I can get their store content featured on Google Base and build a tertiary website using the new Google Page Creator. Let’s shoot a company marketing video and upload it to Google Video. Has anyone created a Google Group yet so we can all group together? Where’s my Google Desktop?

The sky is the limit and when governments start thinking Google has more fun money than Microsoft, the fleecing will begin and we’ll all have to start reaching around and grabbing our apps.

If you’re reading this in your favorite news reader, you’re only getting half the story. By listening you can pick up the subtle nuances that make up the real message. Podcasting also lets you take the program with you on your mp3 player. Downloading and listening to your favorite radio show at your leisure, is referred to as “time-shifting” and is part of the power of podcasting.

I’m not here to convince you to podcast, I’m just covering the basics.

To get started, download and install a newsreader like FeedDemon. FeedDemon will introduce you to the world of xml newsfeeds. Many newsreaders allow you to download and play attached mp3 and video files directly from your computer. Next, download and install iTunes so you can get an idea of what others have done. Listen, learn and then find a tool that will help you create your own podcast.

Upload you new podcast to your server. No server, no problem. Check out one of the free hosting services and many additional resources at wowtechminute.com.

The International Herald Tribune is reporting that French lawmakers approved copyright legislation requiring online music vendors to make songs available for use on any digital player.

The act will most likely become law as it moves into the French Senate for a vote.

Representatives in France of Apple Computer, which sells the iPod digital music player and operates the iTunes Music Store, declined to comment on the bill. Some analysts report that the company, might bolt from the French online music market rather than share their proprietary technology tha is the staple of their business model.

Other digital music players, like Sony’s Walkman, operate on a similar principle.

French courts, considered by many to be lienient on software and music pirating, is also easing the penalties for anyone that might get caught, with newly proposed fines of $46 to $181 USD.

 

 Antitrust Lawsuit Antithesis: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Computer Business Review Online reports a new antitrust lawsuit. Tangent, a Northern California Microsoft’s Certified Partner, claims Microsoft has caused them “significant harm” through “exclusionary and restrictive” practices.

Examples of anti competitive behavior cited by Tangent include the bundling of Outlook with Office and Active Directory with Windows Server. They also cite the bundling of Windows Media Player and Windows Media Server with its desktop and server operating system is hurting them.

So Microsoft, if you’re listening, I have three pieces of advice. One, stop marketing your products as though they all work together. You’re scaring your own partners. Two, move to Washington D.C. and replace half your engineers with lobbyists. Three, release the source code for Windows 3.11, call it Open Source Windows and give it away now.

Learn more about the Jim Barksdale Effect and Tangent software at wowtechminute.com.

From Aloha Workshops on the Big Island of Hawaii, this is Brent Norris for The World Organization of Webmasters and The WOW Technology Minute.

Related Resources

Jim Barksdale
1997 posting on Interesting-people.org
Subject IP: Wired News on the Politics of Netscape – http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/199708/msg00061.html

Netscape’s New Rules (Wired Magazine) – http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.08/netizen.html?pg=5

Netscape information about Jim Barksdale
http://people.netscape.com/jimb/index_40.html

Tangent Software – http://www.tangent.com/explore/index.htm

Microsoft – http://www.microsoft.com

TechRepublic Article and Discussion – http://techrepublic.com.com/2100-10878_11-6041788.html?tag=search#

Google?€™s Print Ad Auction Strategy on Shaky Ground

According to a report just published in Businessweek, Google’s effort to flex its advertising muscle into the print world fizzles.

Google, in an effort to expand its current online business model, auctioned off ad space it had purchased in about two dozen magazines. The well intentioned effort ?€“ intended to be a six-month experiment with buying and reselling print ads was made available to thousands of advertisers.

It appears that that the demand was less than expected. Businessweek sites a couple of examples:

The most notable was BluePenguin Software that spent $3,000 on an ad through Google, which ran in the November issue of Budget Living magazine. BluePenguin offered a 20% discount on its antispyware software to Budget Living readers, so they could better track the ad’s performance. Over one month later, the ad had only generated $181.37 in sales.

There’s a lesson here for some of us and the acronym is ROI.

From Aloha Workshops on the Big Island of Hawaii, this is Brent Norris for The World Organization of Webmasters and The WOW Technology Minute.

Aloha and Welcome to Today’s WOW Technology Minute

If you bought an iPod in the last couple of years, listen up.

The French Government wants to force Apple to make iTunes work with any competing MP3 player, not just for the iPod. Attached to the same French Bill is a provision that make digital piracy a misdemeanor -about the same fine as a as a parking ticket.

If approved, and right now it looks like it will be, the amendments in the French Parliament could mean that Apple will have some tough business decisions to make. Pundits suggest that it’s highly unlikely that Apple will cave in on its current “propriety” business model. Is there a potential of Apple pulling out of the French market? You bet.

Olivia Regnier, who represents record companies was recently quoted as saying, “Possible outcomes of this French law range from a destruction of copyright protection and the iTunes model – to something of little impact,” “No matter what the French Parliament decides, changes will have an impact across borders,” she said.

Apple has not yet commented on the legislation.

From Aloha Workshops on the Big Island of Hawaii, this is Brent Norris for The World Organization of Webmasters and The WOW Technology Minute.

If you bought an iPod in the last couple of years, listen up.

The French Government wants to force Apple to make iTunes work with any competing MP3 player, not just for the iPod. Attached to the same French Bill is a provision that make digital piracy a misdemeanor -about the same fine as a as a parking ticket.

If approved, and right now it looks like it will be, the amendments in the French Parliament could mean that Apple will have some tough business decisions to make. Pundits suggest that it’s highly unlikely that Apple will cave in on its current “propriety” business model. Is there a potential of Apple pulling out of the French market? You bet.

Olivia Regnier, who represents record companies was recently quoted as saying, “Possible outcomes of this French law range from a destruction of copyright protection and the iTunes model – to something of little impact,” “No matter what the French Parliament decides, changes will have an impact across borders,” she said.

Apple has not yet commented on the legislation.

From Aloha Workshops on the Big Island of Hawaii, this is Brent Norris for The World Organization of Webmasters and The WOW Technology Minute.