Top Items:
John Markoff / New York Times:
Yahoo Deal Is Big, but Is It the Next Big Thing? — SAN FRANCISCO — In moving to buy Yahoo, Microsoft may be firing the final shot of yesterday's war. — That one was over Internet search advertising, a booming category in which both Microsoft and Yahoo were humble and distant also-rans behind Google.
Discussion:
Between the Lines, Soaring on Ridgelift, Paul Mooney, down the avenue, Memex 1.1 and VentureBeat
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Henry Blodget / Silicon Alley Insider:
Why The Yahoo-Microsoft Deal Will Be a Disaster — We've poked fun at Yahoo's efforts to pretend that it's in control of this Microsoft process, and we've argued that the transaction is pretty much a done deal. One thing we want to be clear about, however: Yahoo is smart to search for alternatives …
Discussion:
HipMojo.com
Tim O'Reilly / O'Reilly Radar:
Microsoft plus Yahoo! Strategic Assets in Email — So much of the chatter around Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Yahoo! revolves around competition with Google in the online advertising market. While that is a huge market, one that Google now dominates, and one that Microsoft has a jones for …
Henry Blodget / Silicon Alley Insider:
Dear Jerry and Steve... Here's the Answer — We think a straight acquisition of Yahoo (YHOO) by Microsoft (MSFT) would be a disaster. However, we also think the fundamental premise for the merger is sound and that the companies should combine forces. Furthermore, we think there's …
Times of London:
Exclusive interview with Bill Gates on how Yahoo takeover will challenge Google — Bill Gates's audacious move on Yahoo challenges Google. In an exclusive interview, he outlines his thinking — FOR a man harbouring a big secret, Bill Gates was looking pretty relaxed last week.
Henry Blodget / Silicon Alley Insider:Can Private Equity Save Yahoo From Microsoft? Unlikely
Discussion:
HipMojo.com
Nick / Rough Type:
Desperately seeking the “killer best way” — Was Facebook's misbegotten launch of its Beacon advertising service a case of youthful overreaching, or did it indicate a much deeper problem for the young company? — The answer to that question may have become a bit clearer last week when Google announced its quarterly results.
RELATED:
Jeff Jarvis / BuzzMachine:
The internet is the social network — Google has released a social-graph API, which in theory — though, unfortunately, not in practice — is what the internet is all about: relationships and connections. — I've said it before: … So with its social-graph API, is Google trying to become …
Auren Hoffman / Summation:
The Power of Great People (why “good enough” won't cut it) — The Power of Great People (why “good enough” won't cut it) — Don't outsource your hiring to a bureaucrat — Great people are five times as valuable as good people. This especially applies to engineers.
Discussion:
cem's Site
Dean Takahashi / Tech Talk with Dean Takahashi:
Do Super Bowl ads work? — Here's a take from an expert on branding on whether Super Bowl ads work. I actually watch the SuperBowl on Tivo, looking only at the ads. Yes, afraid so. It's UnAmerican. — Super Bowl Branding - Do Super Bowl Ads Really Work?
Paul Graham:
Take the Arc Challenge — Arc's been out for a few days now. Everyone seems to have an opinion about it. The low end are much the same as the low end of opinions about anything online. There's no high end yet, because no one has had enough time yet to be able to speak from experience about what it's like to program in Arc.
Gregg Keizer / Computerworld:
Vista SP1 to debut Monday, reports say — Windows Server 2008 also set to RTM next week, claim others — Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. will release Windows Vista Service Pack (SP1) on Monday, Feb. 4, according to reports Friday from Tech ARP, a Malaysian Web site.
confused of calcutta:
“Interesting, but of no commercial value”: The problem with emerging social media tools: A Saturday Evening Post — I can remember a time when people thought e-mail was a complete waste of time. I can remember a time when spreadsheets and storyboarding software were similarly disdained.
Ionut Alex Chitu / Google Operating System:
Data Visualization Google Gadgets — Last year, Google acquired a data visualization technology from Gapminder, a Swedish non-profit organization. Gapminder's technology, Trendalyzer, was used to visualize data from United Nations Common Database in an intuitive way.
Caroline McCarthy / CNET News.com:
Tech issues a no-show at MTV-MySpace candidate event — NEW YORK—Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was the fourth and final presidential candidate to appear at the youth-focused “Closing Arguments” question-and-answer session, co-hosted by MySpace, MTV, and the Associated Press.
Discussion:
Mashable!
