Erich Stauffer

Category: Technology

  • Microsoft Debuts First Seinfeld Ad to Poor Reviews

    There was high expectations for Jerry when he was picked by Crispin Porter + Bogusky to headline Microsoft’s $300 million dollar ad campaign this year. Last night during the NFL season opening, the first Microsoft ad debuted. Immediately it was copied from DVRs to Youtube and people began to comment – mostly negatively. I have found the negativity has come from a difference in expectation. Those who expected to see an ad that looked like the PC vs. Mac ads were disappointed. Those who thought the ad would have some mention of Vista or its benefits to mankind were also disappointed. And even still some who thought the ad would be at least funny were disappointed. This was not the point of the ad.

    So what was the point of the ad? It was the first episode in a new type of sitcom, call it an advertising campaign with an overarching story line, an ad opera. What does an initial episode of any show do, be it LOST or All in the Family? It sets up the characters, defines the rules of the show, and sets a tone. This ad fit that mold to the T.

    Character Setup: We see Bill Gates in a bargain shoe store. This is ironic since Bill is one of the richest men on the planet. Next Jerry Seinfeld walks up and discovers this irony and is compelled to find out more. He isn’t friends with Bill before this, but knows who he is, as most of us do. In the same way, Bill knows Jerry, but is not friends with him before this encounter.

    Rules of the Show: Jerry respects Bill, but he’s not afraid to guide him and make suggestions. Bill is willing to accept these suggestions, but is still keeping his goals close to his vest. Its now Jerry’s job to slowly pry out what those goals are from Bill. He allows him to do this by “giving him a sign” so that Bill doesn’t have to break his own personal rules, but still satisfy Jerry’s desire for information – that same desire that sent Jerry into the shoe store in the first place.

    Tone: The same running-gag motif (“conquistador”) and seemingly spontaneous interjection of random information (“I shower with my shoes on.”) ala Seinfeld, the television show, set the tone as one of humor – not humor about the differences in PCs and Apples, but in the differences in two millionaires in how they live their life, how they put on their shoes everyday, the same as everyone else ala Curb Your Enthusiasm.

  • IE6 Can’t Find IE7 Apparently


    I was upgrading an IE6 browser to IE7 and clicked on the “Get it now” button, which took me to this “Not Found” search page.

  • Webcam Integration with Google Street View API?

    I was chatting with a friend about Google Street View and wondered if it could be integrated with current webcams or any other public surveillance systems. I knew that Google was a big supporter of integration and had created APIs for a lot of their products so I wondered if an API had been created for Google Street View. It had, but as objects in the Google Maps API.

    stevo said on May 30, 2007 10:37 AM PDT The Earth is Closer:

    “What about getting permission to utilize the 1000’s of existing “live web cams” that are already in place all around the world?

    Integration of existing public webcams into Google Maps would be a simple code change, HOWEVER, many of the live cams are currently bandwidth prohibitive, so inclusion into Google maps would surely render them useless. If Google subsidized the bandwidth on some of the “key” cams, it would sure take this project to the next level ;)”

    This post was about the creation of Google Street View and already a commenter had the same idea I had over a year later.

  • Google – YouTube Integration Frustration

    Is it just me or is the new login process for YouTube FREAKING ANNOYING everyone else?  If you had an account before (which most people did) and now want to login with your Google Account, you have to login with your Google Account, then link them.  Okay, this sounds simple, and most of the things Googld does work well, but this is not one of them.  How many people out there have multiple Google Acccounts and multiple YouTube accounts.  I have no idea which YouTube account is associated with what Google Account and if the password has changed for the original YouTube account or if the email address associated with the original YouTube account is now changed to my Google Account's email address.  On top of that, once you combine accounts or use your Google Account to login, its actually another step.  WHY NOT JUST MAKE THE LOGIN BE THE FREAKING EMAIL ADDRESS LIKE EVERY OTHER SITE.  This is Google we are talking about here.  RUN A FREAKING BATCH SCRIPT AND ADD ALL THE GOOGLE EMAIL ACCOUNTS INTO YOUTUBE AUTOMATICALLY.  Don't make us jump through hoops just because you're facing a computer science nightmare scenario.  Nobody asked you to buy YouTube.  We were using our Google Accounts and YouTube accounts just fine separately.  If you can get it to work, fine; ELSE: STOP WASTING MY FREAKING TIME GOOGLE!

  • Yahoo! Pipes

    This is a pipe: |

    pipe

    To direct data so that the output from one process becomes the input to another process. The standard output of one command can be connected to the standard input of another with the pipe operator (|). Two commands connected in this way constitute a pipeline. IBM.

     
    http://www.lnf.infn.it/computing/doc/aixcxx/html/glossary/p.htm
     
    Yahoo! Pipes is based on this:
     
    http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/
     
    Batch files can be piped together, taking the output from one line and making it the input to the next line like this:
     

    DSGET GROUP "CN=East Coast Sales, OU=East ,DC=bcdtrain, DC=com" -MEMBERS | DSMOD GROUP "CN=BCDTrain Sales, OU=Sales, DC=bcdtrain, DC=com" -ADDMBR

    The first line gets the members of a group, then pipes it in to the next line, which modifies each member from the line above!

    Here's one I created:

    ping 64.233.187.99 | arp -A

    stop

    The first part ping's Google's IP, then the second part (after the pipe) takes that output and uses it as input on the arp command!  The secret is making it all on one line.  Do it on two lines and the pipe won't work.

  • How to REALLY turn a Wireless Router into a Wireless Access Point!

    WAP

    1. Step one: connect the Ethernet cable from your PC to one of the LAN ports on the back of the router. NOT THE WAN!
    2. Step two: login to the router and disable DHCP and assign an IP address.
    3. Step three: setup the wireless settings. Otherwise, use it as a managed switch!

    You’re done! Enjoy your second WAP in the house!

  • Google Will Probably Buy Ebay. Why? Skype Mostly.

    [Update: Microsoft bought Skype from Ebay on May 10, 2011.]

    Crunch Gear recently reported on Ebay‘s recent quarterly loss due to the purchase of Skype.  Ebay also owns Paypal, a strong competitor to Google Checkout.  Ebay is also a big search company.  Google could only improve on that.  Google wants to get into the phone industry with their new gPhone.  Skype will probably run on the gPhone as Skype is already part of the Google Pack.  Aquiring Ebay would net Google Paypal to replace or add to Google Checkout.  It would also give it control of the worldwide phone company, Skype for its cell phone.  Whats one reason why they may not?  Ebay is a major advertiser with Google.  Google and Ebay had a high profile fight back in June 2007.  It showed that Google was vunerable to advertising pull-out.  Advertising is still a primary part of Google’s business.  It could be assumed though, that if Ebay is making money, then Google could make more money by owning Ebay.  If Google is going to do it, they are going to need to do it before Microsoft does.

  • Could we be running Skype on the iPhone soon?

    Apple to open iPhone to outside developers:

    http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/apple-open-iphone-outside-developers/story.aspx?guid=%7B62B086CA-60B4-4378-913E-FD0C21A97BCE%7D

    My hope is that Skype will be able to run from an iPhone, allowing
    Skype access from wi-fi spots. This would mean that you wouldn’t be
    using your ATT minutes while at hot spots or at your home wifi as you
    would be making calls through Skype’s network instead. For now, here is the workaround:

    http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/skype/skype-on-iphone.asp

    This software lets you use Skype on an iPhone or a Windows Mobile Phone (like Tilt):

    http://www.shapeservices.com/en/products/details.php?product=skype&platform=none

  • Bill Gates Breaks Copyrights – Illegally Shares Music with Friends!

    http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/corporatenews/2007-10-03-bill-gates_N.htm
     
    Q: What's the coolest thing about the upgraded Zune?

    A: Look at this thing! (Holds up a Zune 8) Three or four years ago there was nothing like this. This is cool as heck. I'm finding music I haven't seen in 20 years. Hey, the Lovin' Spoonful? They're in this thing. I find one of their songs. I send it to friends I had an apartment with, it was actually 30 years ago. I can send it out to them and say, "Remember when we listened to this?" It's amazing.