I love the Intertubes.

Just when we're used to buying travel online through Priceline, Orbitz, et al, something like Kayak.com or Farecast comes along, and gives us functionality and features we never knew we needed.

The only constant is change.

Ok, so let's say you're rolling out a snazzy new operating system today. You're the #1 software company in the world, and your OS is used on the majority of personal computers in the world.

With that vast superiority in numbers, what computer do you use to show off your brand new operating system?

Your competitor's, of course.

Words fail me.

No, I'm not getting one. I like my iPod, but not in that way...

Now that the deer have guns, you better make sure you treat them right.

That, or dig yourself a deep foxhole before the lead starts flying.

Looks like Broadway Photo's foxhole wasn't deep enough.

Via Strobist.

“If your company went out of business tomorrow, who would really miss you and why?”

That just floored me when I read it over at Brand Autopsy. I can't think of a better way to define your company and it's mission than that simple question.

Via DaringFireball comes this wonderful little post on why PC's are so darn ugly.

Some will say, "It's just a tool! Who cares how it looks?", to which I reply, "Caring about how something looks is just one element of caring about how it's designed. Case in point: This."

Or not...

I've seen billboards o'plenty around town for kudzu.com, a professional services portal.

Because nothing says useful and helpful like naming your website for a bothersome weed.

And the billboards ain't that hot, either.

"...and the rest of the world is wearing bifocals."

Robert X. Cringley has his faults, but a lack of imagination isn't one of them. This article on a possible future where the Internet as nothing but a branch of Google should open a few eyes.

...the more systems will slip through through your fingers.

Not only has the copy-protection on high-definition discs been broken, but HD-DVD content is now up on file-sharing networks.

Privately, The MPAA is admitting that copy-protection measures aren't about piracy, it's about locking down our choices as consumers.

How long until they are forced to admit it publicly, and give up this losing battle?

13 photographs that changed the world.

Not a bad list. Though I'd say that Stirglitz's The Steerage needs to be in there, as it's the first time photography really stood on it's own feet in the art world, and some of Irving Penn's iconic fashion work, but again, overall, not a bad list.

but Apple just made my cellphone dreams come true.

When all is said and done, what will make this a killer gadget is that it runs a full version of OSX. What's to stop this from replacing 80% of what you use a computer for? Web browsing? In there. MS Office or the like? Wait for it. Want a bigger screen and a keyboard/mouse? That's what the dock connector and Bluetooth are for. It has WiFi, which means Skype, which means you'll need cell phone minutes only when you leave the home, and WiMax is rumored to be coming soon, too.

The price is high, but it's right in line with other smartphones. And the iPhone has them beat as it'll be THE high-tech toy to have this year. It'll make RAZRs seem like, well, razors.

Thinking about signing up for an online service such as NetZero, Times Select or Classmates.com?

Think again.


The money quote: "You can't annoy someone into liking your brand,"

This stuff just amazes me. The long tail cuts both ways, and one bad experience can echo for years around the 'net.

The best and worst of the Internet...

circa January, 1995.

Some funny, funny stuff here.

"The World-Wide Web. It's everyone's answer to everything, but it's only barely able to work for a tiny subset of the Internet community. Twenty million people trying to find their ideal home page by wandering around? Yet without a doubt it's light years ahead of the rest of the Internet services, with pictures, movie clips, audio, multiple typefaces, and more."

Got that one right.

"Best workarounds for non-SLIP users:
- pine (mail program supporting MIME)
- Lynx (ASCII Web browser that enables downloading saved files for local viewing)"

Ok, not so right. Boy, those sure stood the test of time...

Newstrust.net is trying to do what Neilsen ratings and circulation numbers can't: Let news organizations know if we trust them.

Via Jeff Jarvis