I may well be one of the few people outside Microsoft HQ who does not understand why the creators of the Windows Operation System have to apologise for including Internet Explorer with the operating system.

It makes absolutely no sense to me.

Bill Gates and company came up with the brilliant OS that years and years later no one seemed to have bettered.  For their innovation, they’re being unfairly (in my opinion) punished for it.

The European Union sent Microsoft a letter of objection saying they unfairly bundled IE with Windows and now Microsoft seemed to have somewhat relented.

They are putting a function in the control panel in the next version of Windows where users can turn off IE8 and other bundled programmes.

Windows is found on 95% of the world’s computers. 

You would think if people didn’t like it, someone would go out and invent something similar or better at a similar cost, instead of moaning and setting up committees to review Microsoft’s practices.

Microsoft is not exactly holding a gun to anyone’s head forcing them to buy a PC with Windows on it.  There are alternatives like the Apple’s Mac.

And anyone who’s been surfing the internet knows that Google has Chrome and Mozilla has FireFox. 

Google the largest search engine on the planet, who has the nerve to protest Internet Explorer’s dominance, did HUGE publicity for Chrome on their home page.  Obviously the results were not to their liking.

Oh well, next year when Windows 7 hits our local computer stores we will see how many people will turn off IE8 and download Chrome.

The New York Times is reporting about possible Google for iPhone ads in the near future.

These ads would allow users to click on advertisements and have your iPhone dial the advertiser directly.

The NYT quotes Adweek:

“…unidentified ad agency executives who have been briefed on Google’s plans. Google itself hasn’t confirmed the report. This seems to match what we’re hearing about Google’s warming attitude towards the iPhone. For example, we’ve been told about a noticeable shift of tone in presentations given by Android’s Rich Miner, away from a generally competitive stance to one that’s closer to, “We’re all in this together.” (Not that Google was ever particularly hostile. The first iPhone app I downloaded was Google’s.) “

Google has not yet confirmed these rumors.

I feel like one of the citizens of that fine fairytale land when the emperor was duped into believing he was wearing new clothes, when he wasn’t wearing any.

In the days after the release of Google’s Chrome there were various glowing reviews, that promised a browser revolution. Maybe I expected something shiny and new, but I don’t see it yet.

I do like the little snapshots of websites I visit often and the tabs are always welcome, but not unique.

At the moment I am bidding on some auctions and have to do so from Internet Explorer, because I cannot navigate back to the page just before I bid with the 1 click that I require. It’s a huge annoyance in Chrome.

My expectations of computer programmes are minimal. I don’t need or want it to think for me, unless I choose that option. IE is a static browser that leaves a lot of decisions for me.

I am writing this blog from Chrome, so it’s not a hopeless story.

Many of my little irritations can be fixed if the options menu was more adaptable.

I’m usually a huge fan of Google’s applications, but Chrome, not so much.

During this past winter our city has lived up to one of its names…the Cape of Storms. I can only imagine what Bartholomew Dias must have seen when he rounded the Cape many centuries ago and came upon one of our winters. I wonder if the thought of global warming crossed his mind in the 1400s.

While we wait for the Cape of Good Hope to make its appearance, there are lots to be thankful for (I watched Oprah last night!)

We have plenty of water to last us through summer without major water restrictions, so hopefully restaurants on the Waterfront will stop charging for tap water.

The maintenance people at our complex can water the lawn at 7.00 am in front of my home all summer long, without regard that I have to walk across that lawn wearing sandals in the morning. (Is it just me, or what is wrong with Capetonians and green grass in summer– hello, this is still Africa!)

Then of course there is the good news that Google has registered a patent for using a wave powered data centre for storing data in the middle of the ocean.

This is good news for the people of this city’s entrepreneurial spirit. Someone, somewhere is in all probability already calculating how to use those huge waves that battered our shores in the last few weeks.

Who knows we might even welcome the first day of winter and lament the start of summer.

Maybe we will even stop cursing weather reporters and shorts wearing KZN and Gauteng inhabitants.

Or maybe not!

Vanity Fair has named the three Google bosses – Schmidt, Brin and Page – on their list as one of the most powerful men of the year. They are tucked into third place between Vladimir Putin and Rupert Murdoch …for now!

For how long, one might ask. Remember when Bill Gates was the man? Everyone worshipped at his feet…except Steve Jobs.

Then the fall out started and Gates became the devil incarnate. Some people would not even mention ‘Microsoft’ without hissing fire.

The internet bubble burst and seemingly so did Gates’.

Not that Microsoft is taking it lying down. They’re out there with new advertisements featuring Jerry Seinfeld and their man Bill Gates peddling Microsoft Vista to the unconverted.

Congratulations to the Google guys! Well deserved, no doubt. Enjoy the goodwill while it lasts.

Can it be only a week ago we were introduced to Google’s new web browser, Chrome? It feels like a lot longer.

Mind you, I have not yet downloaded Chrome on my home computer as I said I would but I will have to sooner or later, if only to test what my website will look like in the browser.

Chrome though will not be replacing Internet Explorer in the lives of most people I know – not in the near future anyway. Just at our office alone, people do not like their computer experience to change from day to day.

My colleagues are professionals who use the internet occasionally for work related purposes. I’m sure we’re at least a microcosm of the general population.

For now I see Chrome as maybe making inroads with Firefox users and others who care about the way they interface on the net.

As long computers come with Internet Explorer preinstalled, most users will not be bothered to use bandwidth to download something that they don’t even realise is out there.

In all likelihood Chrome will find its place in Google’s answer to the iPhone and future products.

As for me, I prefer not having all my eggs in one basket. Google is my search engine of choice, I use Gmail, Analytics and Adsense and that is all I’m prepared to give them of me.

This past Monday, news of Google’s new web browser was leaked to the world. The browser intends integrating many of Google’s services and creating new ones.

The announcement was made with a comic book comic book to get our attention.

Very interesting how Chrome will be received by businesses. As a home user I am willing to change my browser, but at the office our machines comes with Microsoft products. I seriously doubt we will be making any changes there in the forseeable future.

Download Chrome here.

Google will be rolling out a new feature for updating Adsense units. It will appear under the Adsense Set up tab, with a Manage Ads feature.

Before, when you wanted to change the adverts, you had to change the code on your website. No more!

The new feature will allow Adsense code to be stored on the Google servers and changes will be made directly from the Adsense Account.

Check it out here

I guess Google will be able to keep a tighter reign on their ads and our Adsense accounts.

Makes loads of sense to me!

Today I am feeling sick – nauseous and dizzy.

It has nothing to do with the two donuts I just ate with my second cup of coffee. It isn’t even the flu, nor a bug brought on by another rainy Cape Town day.

Actually it is brought on by an article I just finished reading about Knol in relation to SEO.

As if a poor new internet marketer does not have enough to worry about. To name just a few:

Blogging! Traffic! Adsense! Analytics!

Oh and in a South African context there are now Demographics to contend with.

Did I mention TRAFFIC?

I barely have the basics of SEO taken care of, when an article appears in my inbox this morning.

Apparently Knols are already receiving prominence in Google searches.

Of course for those who are already writing lovely Knols, it is no big deal. What about us who barely have blogging covered on our CVs.

I guess you’ll have to visit us on the 4th and 5th pages in a Google search