From Cringely@bdcimail.com Mon Aug 12 10:58:47 2002 Return-Path: Delivered-To: ffffff@localhost.aaaaaaaaaaaa.net Received: from localhost (localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]) by mail.aaaaaaaaaaaa.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id B3DA1BEEB2 for ; Mon, 12 Aug 2002 14:28:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mail.aaaaaaaaaaaa.com by localhost with IMAP (fetchmail-5.9.11) for ffffff@localhost (single-drop); Mon, 12 Aug 2002 14:28:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mailcontrol.bellevuedata.com (mailcontrol.bellevuedata.com [66.37.227.18]) by mail14.megamailservers.com (8.12.5/8.12.0.Beta10) with SMTP id g7CLKt9N008640 for ; Mon, 12 Aug 2002 17:21:09 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 12:58:47 -0500 From: Cringely@bdcimail.com Message-Id: To: zzzzzz@aaaaaaaaaaaa.com Subject: ROBERT X. CRINGELY(R): "Notes from the Field" from InfoWorld.com, Monday, August 12, 2002 Reply-To: CringelyHelp@Bellevue.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-SpamBouncer: 1.5 (7/17/02) X-SBNote: FROM_DAEMON/Listserv X-SBPass: No Pattern Matching X-SBPass: No Freemail Filtering X-SBClass: Bulk X-Folder: Bulk ======================================================== ROBERT X. CRINGELY(R): "Notes from the Field" InfoWorld.com ======================================================== Monday, August 12, 2002 Advertising Sponsor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Business Specials from Gateway $100 Instant Rebate on select business notebooks, Plus FREE Shipping (LIMITED TIME OFFER) or call and ask about wireless networking specials for business 1.888.851.7359 http://63.115.136.15/go/infoworld/4524953.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LOOKING TO INNOVATE Posted August 9, 2002 01:01 PM Pacific Time AMBER FOUND A brochure I had for Kauai, Hawaii. "What is this, Cringe? Are you planning to surprise me with a trip there?" I just hope she doesn't discover that single plane ticket I bought. Gates reveals the awful truth At an impromptu meeting over lunch at Microsoft's Financial Analysts Day in July, Bill Gates said companies are not "super" innovative and don't produce reliable products. No earth-shattering revelations there, but in illustrating his point he asked, "Do you really need the next version of Office? I don't think so." Gates' implied he acknowledged users need a compelling reason to upgrade to the next Office, my spy said. The only thing that sells software these days is the innovation factor, Gates claimed. "The Tablet is going to be the most viral thing ever," Gates added. Of course, Microsoft has been touting the Tablet PC for quite some time. JavaScript pressure Microsoft is looking to innovate, however, at least when it comes to the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA). In terms of extending existing scripting languages to support XML there appears to be both good and bad news from ECMA, my spy said. The good news is BEA recently showed ECMA how to better extend scripting languages to work directly with XML. The bad news is most people wouldn't recognize the group today, which seems hell-bent on replacing JavaScript (now called ECMAscript) with a derivative that looks a lot like a C# scripting language. A lack of chivalry Big Blue is cracking the whip against employee tailgaters, but not the variety typically associated with college football games. Workers are being reminded about a no tailgating policy, which means they are forbidden from sliding their ID badge through the security system, then holding the door for someone who doesn't slide their badge. "We have been instructed chivalry is dead concerning this matter," my spy said. Speaking of chivalry's demise, common courtesy may be going with it at the newly merged HP. Despite current geopolitical situations, HP is relying on parts of its support located in India. In so doing, HP bailed out on a relationship with The Answer Group (TAG), with which Compaq had a long-standing relationship. Adding salt to the wound, though, HP's support folks in India were telling customers and resellers about the TAG termination before HP even told TAG. "I BOOKED OUR tickets for Kauai," Amber said. I guess I'm trapped now. No more tranquil escape for me. Before vacation, send tips to cringe@infoworld.com. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORE NOTES FROM THE FIELD For a complete archive of his InfoWorld columns visit http://www2.infoworld.com/cgi/component/columnarchive.wbs?column=notefield INFOWORLD OPINIONS Weekly commentary from the most trusted voices in IT at: http://www.infoworld.com/community/t_opinions.html To join, or start, a discussion on this or any IT-related topic, please visit our InfoWorld forums at http://forums.infoworld.com. Here you can interact and exchange ideas with InfoWorld staff and other readers. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Of course, there is a lot of legislation that is very favorable to folks that subsist on the exclusive ownership of their code. We have lobbied against those bills. It's easy to get negative about other people's ideas. This is an opportunity to say, 'Here's a better idea: consider open source as an alternative.' " --Jeremy Hogan, community relations manager at Red Hat Inc., speaking about a planned march on San Francisco city hall to promote the use of open source software in government offices. http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/08/09/020809hnrally.xml?0812mncr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE/CHANGE E-MAIL To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your e-mail address for any of InfoWorld's e-mail newsletters, go to:http://www.iwsubscribe.com/newsletters/ To subscribe to InfoWorld.com, or InfoWorld Print, or both, or to renew or correct a problem with any InfoWorld subscription, go to http://www.iwsubscribe.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Expectations, Great and Not So Great InfoWorld columnist Bob Lewis knows that both are part of the job in IT management. That's what makes his Survival Guide newsletter so fresh, so true, so funny. Do you wonder why you have to manage up as well as down? Or why it matters what Larry Ellison wants and Dubya's likely to do? Bob feels your pain. He can help. Subscribe to his Survival Guide newsletter free at http://www.iwsubscribe.com/newsletters/ Advertising Sponsor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Business Specials from Gateway $100 Instant Rebate on select business notebooks, Plus FREE Shipping (LIMITED TIME OFFER) or call and ask about wireless networking specials for business 1.888.851.7359 http://63.115.136.15/go/infoworld/4524953.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Copyright 2002 InfoWorld Media Group Inc. This message was sent to: zzzzzz@aaaaaaaaaaaa.com