Internet topics
Is the Web making us stupid?
Nicholas Carr has written an article in the Atlantic Monthly titled Is Google Making Us Stupid?. Actually, it is about the Web in general and not just Google. One of Carr’s points is that our attention span is getting shorter and shorter:
Over the past few years I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or [...]
How much of a Web page actually gets read?
When you view a Web page, how much of the content do you actually read? According to a recent study, not much. The study concludes:
On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.
You can read the details at this link [...]
The browser becomes news
Mozilla is close to releasing a new version of its Firefox browser. It is interesting that the upcoming version 3.0 is considered worthy of an article on the first page of the New York Times business section. Actually, the article is about more than just Firefox. Its theme is really about how the browser is [...]
Has eBay been ruined by scams?
Although I am not currently a user of eBay (I did sell a few items there some years ago) I have always thought that it was a great concept. A general marketplace where a person’s unwanted stuff could find a home and provide a little extra cash was an excellent idea. Originally, there [...]
Botnet map
Speaking of botnets, go to What a Botnet Looks Like to see a mapped representation. Here’s the description:
Researcher David Vorel mapped interconnected, bot-infected IP addresses and created this geometric representation; CSO contributor Scott Berinato annotated the map and added interactive controls so you can zoom in and explore botnets’ inner workings.
Another Google battle
While we we have all been focused on the Microsoft-Yahoo struggle, we have been forgetting another important fight involving the future of the Internet. This is the court case between Viacom and Google over what’s shown on YouTube. Viacom claims that the showing of clips from Viacom shows is an infringement of the copyright. At [...]
The real threat to Google
Right now, Google is king of search with Microsoft huffing and puffing in third place trying to make progress in the field. Number two Yahoo, of course, doesn’t seem to know exactly what it wants to do to catch up. BusinessWeek says neither of these Google rivals is the real threat to Google dominance:
No, one [...]
How-to videos on the Web
I previously noted the growing number of video clips on the Web that show you how to do something. Now, Katherine Boehret at the Mossberg solution has written an article about some Web sites with instructional videos:
If there’s a skill or process you want to learn or know more about, chances are there’s an [...]
What people do online
The investment house Morgan Stanley issues periodic studies of Internet trends. The latest trend is the rapid growth of social sites. TechCrunch reports:
Morgan Stanley’s Internet Trends report from last month takes a big turn from previous reports - the focus is nearly 100% on social applications and how they are taking over [...]
More TV programs on the Web
The New York Times reports:
Within the last few months, television distributors have opened up their libraries of classic content online, making thousands of episodes of programs like “The Twilight Zone” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” available free.
On Monday, Warner Brothers is expected to add a new twist, announcing the rebirth of the WB [...]