Microsoft

According to comScore, global search market increased by 46% in the last year alone with U.S. remaining the largest search market worldwide.

There were more than 131 billion searches done from different places and by different age ranges. This would mean 4 billion searches per day, 175 million per hour and 29 million per minute. Google sites still rule and dominate the market and had a 58% increase in searches followed distantly by Yahoo! with 13% growth. Read the full story

Microsoft Interop Days was recently held in The Capitol, Bangalore. The event was attended by a large number of programmers, probably more than 200. Around 95% comprised of PHP programmers and the rest .NET programmers. Discussing with participants, I could find a mix of experience ranging from fresher’s to senior level PHP programmers, managers and entrepreneurs.

The first session started at 10:00 am with Nahas Mohammed and Harish Ranganathan from Microsoft explaining about how an end-to-end authentication and authorization model can be built for existing PHP application in less than 30 minutes. It was interesting to know how Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 can help build a secure model for PHP applications.

Lunch was impressive (Did I mention that that was the only thing impressive?) and after lunch you could see half the seats vacant.

The next session was followed by Praveen Srivatsa from AsthraSoft who mentioned about how to access your data exposed from your PHP apps through a RESTful (REpresentational State Transfer) service interface. The session again brought in Microsoft’s new products that can help do these at ease.

After-lunch sessions proceeded with Vinu Thomas, PHP UG Lead and Nahas Mohammed mentioning about how to configure Windows to run your PHP applications.

The last session was from Supreet Singh who spoke about how to create pure CSS based PHP websites. I could hear from guys nearby stating, “Wish this was the first session. We waited so long for this”. Supreet explained the basics of working on DIV and provided sample sites which can be used as a tutorial or as an example. Some of the sites which he showed were amazing. He also went on with Microsoft’s Silver Light and other features which help in uninterrupted caching on various bandwidths.

Overall, though the day was good knowing some really useful products from Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/web/downloads/platform.aspx) for open source developers, however, I would say it wasn’t impressive. Microsoft should have made an impact with their product line or with the knowledge that the presenters had to share.

Though the invitation/agenda looked like an event for PHP programmers to help them know how to make their PHP applications more secure and easier, the program landed up as an awareness program promoting new Microsoft applications for open source programmers. I wouldn’t blame that as Microsoft is a business company and not a charity

Many came with the expectation that they could learn something from Microsoft meet which could enhance their skills. But rather it was a complete day where Microsoft marketed its product to open source developers. Most of the presenters were unprepared or hadn’t prepared well. We could see some presenters struggling and breaking heads before the entire crowd to find out why their simple configuration did not work.

An organizer/presenter was saying that it was the first time that they are doing such a meet and do not know if they have chosen the right topics and if we would like them. Well, I would only expect a fresher to say that statement. NOT a senior guy from Microsoft!

Remember the Billionaire Carl Icahn? The limelight he tried to capture with Microsoft support? Guys, his game is not yet over! Icahn has opposed to sell part of Yahoo to former AOL Chief Executive Jonathan Miller. How will he as he is been fed by Microsoft? Read the full story

While Google has been repeatedly warning, penalizing and even banning websites which does Link Exchanges, it is quite strange to see Skip, Senior Product Manager for Office Live Small Business promote link exchange openly.

On the MS Office Live blog, Skip openly propagates to go for link exchanges. He states, “If you want lots of visitors to your Web site, it helps to have lots of links to your Web site. Link exchanges — sometimes called reciprocal linking or link swaps — are a popular way to generate more links.”

While Google, Yahoo and MSN guidelines severely warn webmasters not to indulge in any such activities, it is quite surprising to see a senior product manager recommend one of the most familiar black hat methods.

Going on further, Skip also recommends to even use link-management software and join automated link-exchange programs. Jeess.. That’s hypocrisy! That’s blasphemy against search engines!!

He recommends several ways to do link exchange.

1. Do it manually
2. Use link-management Software
3. Join an automated link-exchange program
4. Pay someone else to create your links

Well the article does not end with that. He even recommends third-party tools to effectively increase links. I wonder if he works for Microsoft or it looks like these third-parties have paid him hands full to have their products promoted.

May be I should have posted this a year ago.

A report submitted by Brian Krebs in Washington Post shows that Internet Explorer was unsafe and prone to security issues 284 days in 2006. Surprisingly, Mozilla Firefox was on a security threat for just nine days in the year.

The huge difference shows that Internet Explorer still could not be regarded as reliable even though it has the largest market share of 80 percent.

The detailed report by Brian Kerbs was started in 2005. Kerbs contacted nearly all researchers who had informed about the critical flaws in products by Microsoft. He also examined the dates these security trends or anomalies were found and their submissions. It has been found that Internet fraudsters had used the security flaws in Microsoft for their own benefit all round the year.

Compiled by Brian Krebs, washingtonpost.com – January 4, 2007

The first major flaw was done by organized criminals who hacked sites and placed codes which can steal passwords using spyware on systems which use Internet Explorer. Microsoft did not take this attack serious and within few days, thousands of customers were already attacked due to this spyware. Since Microsoft was stubborn, a third-party patch was created by some security experts to fix the bug until Microsoft finally developed the fix.

Again in September, hackers used an unpatched flaw in non-Microsoft web server software and installed malicious codes in a huge number of legitimate websites. Websites affected with this malicious code can infect Windows systems if a user just opens the sites using their browser. Again Microsoft was lazy enough to become serious about this huge treat and third-party patches became the savior until Microsoft issued an official update many days later.

With many more browsers coming into the market, it is time that Microsoft realizes the importance of security and gets alerted and responds promptly than ever before.

The Microsoft-Yahoo stage show is in a hiatus and Microsoft wants to spend the money. That’s how all seems like. Microsoft has acquired Greenfield Online, the owner of ciao.com for a stunning $486 million. Ciao is a popular price comparison website on the European market.

Microsoft’s long wait and dream to buy Yahoo failed early this year and it had $47.5 billion left out which made its wallet heavy. That’s how Microsoft got into this shopping spree.

This acquisition would be a huge benefit for Microsoft as Ciao reportedly has more than 26 million unique visitors each month and has over 5 million product reviews. However, business analysts feel the money paid out is more than it is worth for.

Ever since Google captured the internet and not just dominated but also started ruling over it, Microsoft, the once big giant has been on acquisition one after another to get back its lost kingdom. But would this strategy work out?

Microsoft has been spending billions of dollars to get back its dominion over Internet search. Recent reports from comScore shows that 5.5 billion Microsoft ad views were displayed during the month of June.

The main promotion being Windows Live Search, Live search cash back program and Live Search Club games. Though Microsoft has been promoting Live Search for some years now, there is not much progress in their search users.

Recently, Microsoft had a deal with HP that all HP systems have Microsoft Live Search preinstalled in their computers. Promotional campaigns like these would attract short time visitors. However, to be successful in the longer run, Microsoft has to come up with something new and interesting.

The reports also mention that Fox Interactive Media was the top display advertisement publisher for the month of June.

The drama never seems to get over. After Carl Icahn’s stunt as a middle man between Microsoft and Yahoo, now Eric Jackson has formed the ‘Yahoo! Plan B’ investor community. Who doesn’t want to be in the limelight?

Eric Jackson, who is the founder of a hedge fund company and also an activist investor, has launched a Yahoo! Shareholder community to help share holders discuss and exchange ideas.

With the Yahoo! Annual Meeting slated to start on August 1st, it would be interesting to see the drama on stage.

• Would the Plan B or Carl Icahn win their deal?
• Would there be a full acquisition by Microsoft?
• Would Microsoft buy search alone?
• Would there ever be a deal?
• Would the board of members still be able to hold on to their seats?

Industry analysts also have brought in the question that how do shareholders think that they would still get sizable profit selling to Microsoft. What if Microsoft plays the game after the ball is in its court? Even Microsoft is not performing well with their internet applications. It’s far too worse compared to Yahoo. How do they think that Microsoft can handle Yahoo well and overtake Google?

Though there are a number of shareholders like Jackson and Icahn along industry experts offering their suggestions, there still seems to be no light in the tunnel.

Any onlooker who reads for the first time what is going on with Icahn, Microsoft and Yahoo can easily figure out that Icahn is being fed three times a day by Microsoft. The software giant is just using him for its own gain. This is a well planned puzzle that Microsoft has hosted. But are the shareholders so dumb to listen to the Mr. Nobody Icahn?

I feel Microsoft is acting similar to how America acted in the days of war. A decade back America supported Iraq against Iran. Few years after the war was over, Iraq was invaded by America itself. Wow! Doesn’t it sound similar?

It is so obvious that Steve Ballmer is using Carl Icahn to weaken Yahoo to get an at-ease best buy deal done. Even dummies can understand it. But how then do all the investors wag the tail exactly as Icahn does? May be Icahn is so clever to mesmerize the investors and could that be how a college dropout became a billionaire financier and a well-known private equity investor?

Carl Celian Ichan has a history of successful quests and deals by pressurizing or trapping the opponent. Now it’s Yahoo which he’s looking for. Microsoft could well have made a deal with him titled, “If you make it happen, then…” Icahn has now filed a definitive proxy statement nominating that a slate of nine directors should replace Yahoo’s current board members including CEO, Jerry Yang. But why? Is it just because they consider Yahoo is worth much more? Or is it because they are not happy that Yahoo, a once upon a time King is being sold out? What is wrong in that? What else did they do? Did they commit a crime?

Remember how he pressed the board for a seat in Motorola and how Icahn could make the deal with Lear Corporation. If not, you should be remembering at least how he pressured Medimmune Inc to consider takeover bids. If you do wag the tail like he does, then you should be aware.

If you are just a casual onlooker watching what’s going on in the arena, then join me to watch the game of dummies, wealthy mesmerizer, the rich giant and the once-a-king-now-a-poor-man.

Carl Icahn will never give up! How will he when the software giant Microsoft is backing him and the entire shareholders speak his language? Billionaire investor and shareholder Carl Icahn filed a definitive proxy statement today nominating slate of nine directors to replace Yahoo’s current board members including its Chief Executive Officer, Jerry Yang.

On Sunday, Icahn and Microsoft Corp. jointly proposed for a restructuring of Yahoo board and its executive ranks and the sale of the search business to Microsoft. Microsoft can not be more shameless by backing Icahn in getting the deal done at any cost.

Icahn’s slate of directors recommended to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission obviously includes a list favorable to Microsoft and Icahn. The list would obviously speak and act what Icahnsoft orders.

The slate includes Adam Dell, managing general partner, Impact Venture Partners, Mark Cuban an entrepreneur and others. The persistent and adamant Icahn stated, “We believe that now is the time to enter into a significant transaction with Microsoft,” on a letter to Yahoo shareholders. He also stated that his current best-friend Microsoft would purchase all of Yahoo or its search business if the current board is replaced with Icahn’s own personal favorites.