Service Provider Journal

Net slowdown ahead?

Digg picked up on a USA Today story based on this press release, "User Demand for the Internet Could Outpace Network Capacity by 2010." The study was funded at least in part by the nonprofit Internet Innovation Alliance, which lists among its members AT&T (others listed here). Such a study may carry more weight once it's replicated by the IETF, National Science Foundation or other government agency. 

YouTube doesn't let you post video under a Creative Commons license

Dan Gillmor: "YouTube’s failure to give people the option to post under a CC license is one of the service’s least attractive features."

Why I'm glad I save old emails

I'm glad I save old emails. I recently purchase Symantec's Norton Ghost, and was dismayed to discover that I couldn't apply for the $20 rebate unless I could provide proof that I had previously purchased a Symantec product. Oh and it couldn't be a Symantec product that came bundled with a new PC. But by searching my email I found a confirmation email from the year 2000, when I had purchased Norton Systemworks for a PC. I printed out that email and sent it to Symantec with my rebate form, and viola, I got my rebate. Keep those old emails, folks!

Terms of use: Interesting difference between Microsoft and Google

Now that Microsoft is stepping up its challenge to Google, it's interesting to notice a difference in service provider's terms of use.

Google says:

"You shall not, shall not agree to, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: (i) use the Service to upload, transmit or otherwise distribute any content that is unlawful, defamatory, harassing, abusive, fraudulent, obscene, contains viruses, or is otherwise objectionable as reasonably determined by Google."

Microsoft says:

"YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THE MICROSOFT PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR (1) ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY INFRINGING, INACCURATE, OBSCENE, INDECENT, THREATENING, OFFENSIVE, DEFAMATORY, TORTIOUS, OR ILLEGAL CONTENT."

Now I'm not a lawyer, but this sounds like Google plays nanny, while Microsoft washes its hands of bad behavior by its customers. I wonder how these policies play out in the real world?

Technorati tags: Google, Microsoft