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^^ No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?Doesn't really seem like silly humor- more like basement cop thread.
_____________________-IainB (October 06, 2015, 09:32 PM)
_____________________-wraith808 (October 06, 2015, 10:03 PM)
...we welcome the wayback machine to index everything- presumably that refers to "everything" except that which is blocked by robots.txt or other means?
_____________________-mouser (October 05, 2015, 06:04 PM)
...at Durham University and Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire, have re-examined the economics of fusion, taking account of recent advances in superconductor technology for the first time. Their analysis of building, running and decommissioning a fusion power station shows the financial feasibility of fusion energy in comparison to traditional fission nuclear power.
___________________
You may also like to check out Telegram instant messaging app. Its modus operandi is the same, but it also offers an end-to-end encryption option.
However, in the end, the IM app you will use will mostly depend on what the people you know uses. There's no point in switching to "telegram", or "whatsapp", or whatever if your daughter's whole class is on "line".
Nice review btw.
____________________________-eleman (October 02, 2015, 07:31 AM)
...would seem to be based on what is arguably a not unreasonable assumption that the existing de facto business models used by ISPs and advertisers will likely continue and/or be reinforced by anticipated potential changes in a pricing regime, and that the ISPs would intend to plan for that because it will be easy "money for nothing" (i.e., they will not have not added any value/service).
However, the art of the possible might have already thwarted such likely plans, by demonstrating that there are alternative business models and pricing regimes that could/have come into play. This point struck home to me when I posted the comment LINE - the txt chat/audiocall/videocall friend contacts VoIP you always needed?
If you read the Wikipedia info - Line (application) - Wikipeda - you will see that LINE was created as an emergency response to replace a crippled telecommunications infrastructure after the Japanese earthquakes and tsunami in 2011. As such, there would have been little or no thought given to making revenue from it at the time. However, by offering it as a free service to the public, and then getting it subsidised by advertising revenue and with an emphasis on the needs of the user as a user, it has a business model that would seem to be quite different to the de facto business model of other "social networks" where the user is a tool whose demographic data is intentionally collected, copyrighted and then sold as such (monetised).
LINE would seem to be a disruptive technology and a potential existential threat to the business models of the market status quo.
___________________-IainB (October 02, 2015, 10:16 PM)
...However, in the end, the IM app you will use will mostly depend on what the people you know uses. There's no point in switching to "telegram", or "whatsapp", or whatever if your daughter's whole class is on "line".
Quite coincidentally, I saw this in my bazqux fee-reader this morning. Looks like a pretty accurate analysis of some of the main problems/issues: Ad Blockers and the Nuisance at the Heart of the Modern Web - The New York Times
...
_______________________-IainB (August 19, 2015, 05:04 PM)
Line (styled "LINE") is a proprietary application for instant communications on electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers and personal computers. Line users exchange texts, images, video and audio, and conduct free VoIP conversations and video conferences. Line was designed by 15 members of New Human Network (NHN) Japan's development team, composed of Korean, Japanese, Chinese and American engineers. The idea of Line communication system was proposed to NHN Japan by Lee Hae Jin, the Chief Strategy Officer of NHN. It first launched in Japan in 2011, reaching 100 million users within eighteen months and 200 million users only six months later.[1] Line became Japan's largest social network in 2013. In October 2014 Line announced that it had attracted 560 million users worldwide with 170 million active user accounts.[2][3] In February 2015, it announced the 600 million mark had been passed and 700 million were expected by the end of the year.[4]
'Line' Has Gone Viral With Consumers, Fueled by Ads and Stiff Fees for Business
By John Stampfel. Published on June 14, 2013.
The Japanese spend a lot of time commuting, and mobile devices are an essential part of the journey. Commuting accounts for 28 percent of mobile-device usage time in Japan, with social-media consuming a hefty chunk of it.
Nine months ago, nearly everyone on my daily commuter train was using Twitter, which now has 20 million users in Japan. But most of have since switched to the homegrown platform, Line, which was launched in 2011 by NHN Japan after the Tohoku earthquake. The name refers to the lines that formed outside of public phones after the disaster.
Driven by strong advertising support and celebrity endorsements, the app, which provides free IM and calling via smartphones, tablets and desktops, is now the world's fastest-growing social network. It recently reached 50 million followers in just 399 days. In January 2013, Line's total number of Japanese followers hit 40 million; and a whopping 60 percent of Japanese women in their 20s and 30s, Line's research shows, use the platform every day.
Line and its parent NHN (which also owns Naver, Korea's largest search portal) have monetized the network by motivating users not only to follow brands but to take action, which has made Line incredibly attractive to marketers in retail. According to research commissioned by Line, more than half of female users follow official brands. In addition, 63 percent of all users read brand messages, 32 percent have used a coupon delivered via Line, and 27 percent have clicked on a link.
Unlike Facebook, however, advertisers can use the platform only if they pay. There is a fixed-rate card, and the number of messages is strictly controlled. For example, a four-week campaign with five messages will cost 8 million yen ($81,000), while a 12-week campaign offering 15 messages (at a maximum of two per week) will set you back 15 million yen ($151,000).
Brands can use messages to link to content or offer coupons, presents and prizes. There are additional charges if brands want to create sponsored stamps, a form of emoticons that are hugely popular in Manga-obsessed Japan. These are based on client creative but generated by Line. And marketers have major incentives to remain on Line for the long haul, as a decision to stop paying means a brand's account is deleted and it loses not just followers but the content that was created.
None of this tight control has put off potential advertisers, which now include Coca-Cola, Lawson convenience stores and the Sukiya fast-food chain. When Matsumoto Kiyoshi, a drug store chain, needed to attract more customers aged 10-20, it offered a 10%-off coupon via Line and, within five days, more than 10,000 people had used one -- half of them in the target group. An additional 300,000 people also started following the brand on Line.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Line's fast rise and its ad-funded business model is that so many businesses have bought into it so quickly. While consumers are quick to leap onto the next big thing, businesses in Japan are notoriously wary of new platforms. The constant search for first-mover advantage is simply not as ingrained in the marketing psyche as it is in Western countries.
As Line becomes more global, NHN will get the chance to see whether these characteristics apply outside of Asia. Early results appear promising: Line claims on its English-language website that it is the most downloaded app in more than 40 countries and available in 230 markets. Services such as avatar community Line Play have recently become available in English, and the app itself is available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows phones. In February, Line signed a deal with Nokia to make it available on Asha handsets across Asia. Line's status as the biggest social network you've never heard off won't last for long.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Stampfel is Head of Emerging Digital at MediaCom Japan.
LINE reshapes communication around the globe, bringing you closer to your family, friends, and loved ones—for free. With voice and video calls, messages, and a limitless variety of exciting stickers, you’ll be able to express yourself in ways that you’ve never thought possible. With over 600 million users worldwide, LINE’s constantly expanding platform will continue to provide exciting new experiences and convenience.
LINE’s New Features
- Keep Your Things Close with Keep
Store messages, photos, and videos in Keep and share them easily with friends.
LINE’s Main Features
- Free voice and video calls: Use your PC or smartphone to keep in touch with friends and family both at home and abroad, or hold a business meeting on the go!
Instant messaging anywhere: Conversation is just a tap away. Spice it up with LINE’s exciting collection of stickers or send pictures, videos, and even GPS coordinates to let your friends know what you’re up to.
A full-featured social networking service: Post your day-to-day activities to your Timeline or comment on your friends’ posts.
Group chats: Share important information with your co-workers or talk about mutual interests with your closest friends.
Find new expressions in the Sticker Shop: The world’s largest collection of stickers features famous and unique characters from around the world to let you express yourself just the way you want to.
Stay informed with LINE official accounts: Connect directly with your favorite celebrities and companies by friending their official accounts.
Get connected to new apps: LINE provides a gateway to entertainment and lifestyle apps that will...
Send messages and make free calls from your PC
Alan Le Bihan Communication software Internet phone
LINE 300 Million Users
LINE is an instant messaging application and VoIP platform that lets you send messages and make free voice and video calls, and it has a Windows client so that you can do all it all from your PC.
Free calling and messaging
LINE’s main purpose is to help you communicate with your friends for free. Just like Skype, Facebook Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and many others, LINE lets you send free text messages and chat with friends who are also using this app; you can even start group chats. LINE also includes VoIP features so that you can also make voice and video calls.
LINE aims to differentiate itself from the competition by adding features that will appeal to its younger users: in addition to the traditional messages and photo and audio sharing features, LINE includes many stickers which you can add to your conversations for a little fun. These emoticons will brighten the dullest conversations, and there are many more which can be downloaded.
A simple interface to focus on the essentials
The PC version of LINE comes with a minimalist interface. Three tabs give you access to your contact list, your current conversations, and lets you add new friends. The client is very easy to use, and to log in to the PC client, all you have to do is scan a QR code with your smartphone.
LINE for PC is the perfect extension for the mobile version. You can start a conversation on your smartphone and continue later on your computer.
If you use LINE on your mobile, you’ll like the PC version because you’ll be able to enjoy the same features. It lets you access your LINE contacts and talk with them comfortably when you are home and using your PC.
Installation
To use the PC version of LINE, you must have the LINE app installed on your mobile.
September 30, 2015
How ISPs Will Royally Sucker the Internet, Thanks to Ad Blocking
Largely lost in the current controversies about users blocking ads from websites is a dirty little secret -- users are about to be played for suckers by the dominant ISPs around the world, and ad blocking will be the "camel's nose under the tent" that makes these ISPs' ultimate wet dreams of total control over Internet content come true at last.
There have been a number of clues already, with one particularly notable new one today.
The big red flashing warning light is the fact that in some cases it's possible for firms to buy their way past ad blockers -- proving demonstrably that what's really going on is that these ad blocking firms want a piece of the advertising pie -- while all the time they wax poetic propaganda about how much they hate -- simply hate! -- all those ads.
But these guys are just clowns compared to the big boys -- the dominant ISPs around the world.
And those ISPs have for so very long wanted their slices of that same pie. They want the money coming, going, in and out -- as SBC's CEO Edward Whitacre noted back in 2005 during their takeover of AT&T, when he famously asked "Why should [Internet sites] be allowed to use [my] pipes for free?" -- conveniently ignoring the fact that his subscribers were already paying him for Internet access to websites.
Now -- today -- ISPs sense that it's finally time to plunge their fangs into the Net's jugular, to really get the blood gushing out into deep scarlet pools of money.
Mobile operator Digicel announced today that they intend to block advertising (except for some local advertisers) on their networks across the South Pacific and Caribbean, unless -- you guessed it -- websites pay them to let their ads through.
And while their claimed targets are Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and the other major players, you know that it will never stop there, and ultimately millions of small businesses and other small websites -- many of them one person operations, often not even commercial -- who depend on those ads will be decimated.
Germany's Deutsche Telekom is known to have been "toying" with the same concept, and you can be sure that many other ISPs are as well. They're not interested in "protecting" users from ads -- they're all about control and extorting money from both sides of the game -- their subscribers and the sites those subscribers need to access.
Where this all likely leads is unfortunately very clear. No crystal ball required.
Some sites will block ISPs who try this game. Broad use of SSL will limit some of these ISPs' more rudimentary efforts to manipulate the data flows between sites and subscribers. Technology will advance quickly to move ads "inline" to content servers, making them much more difficult to effectively block.
But right now, firms such as Israeli startup Shine Technologies are moving aggressively to promote carrier level blocking systems to feed ISP greed.
Yet this isn't the worst of it. Because once ISPs have a taste of the control, power, and money - money - money that comes with micromanagement of their subscribers' Internet access and usage, the next step is obvious, especially in countries where strong net neutrality protections are not in place or are at risk of being repealed with the next administration.
Perhaps you remember a joke ad that was floating around some years ago, showing a purported price list for a future ISP -- with different prices depending on which Internet sites you wanted to access. Pay X dollars more a month to your ISP if you want to be permitted to reach Google. Pay Y dollars more a month for Facebook access. Another Z dollars a month for permission from your ISP to connect to Netflix. And so on.
It seemed pretty funny at the time.
It's not so funny now -- because it's the next logical step after ISP attempts at ad blocking. And in fact, blocking entire sites is technically usually far easier than trying to only block ads related to particular sites -- most users won't know about workarounds like proxies and VPNs, and the ISPs can try block those as well.
These are the kinds of nightmarish outcomes we can look forward to as a consequence of tampering with the Internet's original end-to-end model, especially at the ISP level.
It's a road to even more riches for the dominant ISPs, ever higher prices for their subscribers, and the ruin of vast numbers of websites, especially smaller ones with limited income sources.
It's the path to an Internet that closely resembles the vast wasteland that is cable TV today. And it's no coincidence that the dominant ISPs, frantic over fears of their control being subverted by so-called cable TV "cord cutters" moving to the Internet alone, now hope to remake the Internet itself in the image of cable TV's most hideous, anti-consumer attributes.
Nope, you don't need a Tarot deck or a Ouija board to see the future of the Internet these days, if the current patterns remain on their present course.
Whether or not our Internet actually remains on this grievous path, is of course ultimately in our hands.
But are we up to the challenge? Or are we suckers, after all?
--Lauren--
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently doing so.
All opinions expressed here are mine alone.
"The rule of thumb is that, if a business process can not stand the hard light of scrutiny, then there is probably something unethical about it". - Sir Adrian Cadbury (Chairman of the then Quaker family-owned Cadbury's) in his prize-winning article on Business Ethics, for Harvard Business Review, circa 1984.
...The man does not have both oars in the water. ...-Innuendo (September 27, 2015, 10:45 AM)
I don't know why everyone's surprised that Firefox's market share is dwindling. This is exactly what is expected to happen when a company turns its back on its founding mission statement and becomes what the company founders professed to hate...and was the reason why they founded the company in the first place.
_____________________-Innuendo (September 20, 2015, 12:30 PM)
Wait, wait, wait...I have to circle back to what the ad industry spokesman said. Am I misunderstanding or is he stating that blocking ads causes us to lose our online privacy?
Upon reading his statement I immediately thought of the speeches the RIAA drones give on every music award show.
________________________-Innuendo (September 26, 2015, 07:56 PM)
I got it!
I didn't have the Quick Capture Bar, but I went into the Preferences -> Post-capture options and selected "File itself" under "Copy to clipboard".
___________________-aparente001 (September 26, 2015, 04:15 PM)
Sep 24 2015
Denelle Dixon-Thayer
Not surprisingly, the latest discussions around content blocking have resulted in a polarizing debate about the users who choose to block content as a way to control their Web experience, and the commercial interests who monetize that content. All of this inevitably leads to a discussion about which content is good, which content is bad, and which content should be blocked.
Rather than focusing on the symptoms of the problem, we should be asking ourselves why users have sought to use blunt instruments like content blockers to help them navigate their online lives. We don’t know the full answer to this question yet. What we see is that the reasons differ among users and may depend on the device (e.g. on desktop users may be focused on privacy and performance may be a side benefit, whereas on mobile performance and data usage may be a main focus). We as an industry need to understand the user’s needs.
User needs and commercial interests are not a zero-sum game – they are complementary parts of one thriving, resilient Web. Creating a balance between commercial profit and user benefit is critical to the health of the Web.
An issue needing more balance is user data. The collection and use of data is not inherently harmful. It helps with powering personalized features, keeping products up to date, providing user support and improving the ways products work. Providing user value through data collection is a healthy and necessary way to help create compelling experiences. However, when data is collected without providing the user with value or control, and the value exchange becomes opaque, confusion sets in. Then users start to mistrust the entire system—including the good actors.
We are trying to get to the root of the problem – but not just through research. We are also working to develop products, features and engagement supporting a great user experience and commercial sustainability.
We need your help to find this delicate balance and to chart the path for a Web based on trust.
You can help us test Private Browsing with Tracking Protection in Firefox Beta. The tracking protection feature in private browsing is targeted toward those users who are seeking more control – whether that control is about the protection of data or the desire for better performance. Additionally tools such as Lightbeam, Smart On Privacy, and Web Literacy programs educate users and offer better insight into how the Web works.
On the commercial end of the equation, we are playing a leading role with publisher initiatives to take charge of the experiences delivered on their sites and deliver more acceptable advertising experiences to users.
As an industry we need to keep the user at the center of the product vision rather than viewing the user as just a target to acquire. It’s the only way to honor the user’s choice and deliver the best, most trusted and most valuable experiences possible.
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