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2 April, 2003

More Office 2003 Stuff

From InfoWorld: Microsoft unveils Office 2003 lineup.

Microsoft's current Office suite, Office XP, has three retail editions: Standard, Professional, and Developer. Microsoft also sells a Students and Teachers version of Office XP, offering all the applications included in the Standard Edition at a lower cost.

With Office 2003, Microsoft plans to drop the Developer edition. The Office XP Developer edition included all the applications bundled with Office XP Professional, along with additional tools such as Microsoft's FrontPage Web site creation and management software, which the company also sells as a stand-alone product.

Microsoft instead will encourage developers to use a new set of tools, tentatively named Visual Studio Tools for Office, that will be released in conjunction with Office 2003, said Simon Marks, product manager for Microsoft Office. FrontPage will continue to be sold on its own, he said.

In other words, Microsoft is continuing the tradition of making their product line and pricing as confusing as possible.

And some changes are in store for the "Student" Edition:

The company will continue offering an Office Students and Teachers Edition, including all the applications available in the Standard Edition. With Office 2003, Microsoft plans to loosen the eligibility requirements for the edition, making it available not only to students, but to their parents as well. Any family with children under 18 will qualify to purchase the edition, Marks said.

Of course anybody can buy this edition. As in the past, they don't require any proof of eligibility. So why even bother?

But here's the kicker:

Microsoft also plans to expand the installation license for the edition, allowing purchasers to install and concurrently use the software on as many as three PCs within the same home.

I guess they finally realize that the average home user simply won't buy multiple copies of their over-priced software. So they are essentially cutting the price by 1/3 without actually doing so.

It's amazing what a bit of competition can do!

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Airhead

I found this animated GIF at b3ta.com yesterday. For some reason, I find it incredibly funny. It's no longer there, so I can't give credit to the person who created it.

Update: The image was created by Squirter.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

The Internet Wayback Machine

The Internet Archive is one of the most fascinating sites on the Net.

The Internet Archive is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public.

It's like you can go back in time. A few examples:

Posted on 2 April, 2003

No More Telemarketers! Yeah, Right

Yesterday I pre-registered for the National Do Not Call program at the California site.

The national Do Not Call Registry is an excellent idea. But, unfortunately, it has far too many loopholes. It provides exemptions to charities, politicians, companies with five or fewer employees, and companies that you've done business with during the past 18  months. In addition, it seems that insurance companies and telecommunication companies will also be exempt because these industries are not regulated by the FTC.

In other words, this may eventually reduce my telemarketing calls by perhaps 15-25%. These scumbag companies have to earn a living somehow, so they'll probably switch over to the lucrative email spam business.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Cast Your Vote

Go to fear.com and cast your vote on any of thousands of concepts. Interesting site, but I guess I don't fully understand what it's all about.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Time-Traveler Makes a Killing in the Stock Market

This story is a few weeks old, but I missed it. Time-Traveler Busted for Insider Trading.

Federal investigators have arrested an enigmatic Wall Street wiz on insider-trading charges -- and incredibly, he claims to be a time-traveler from the year 2256! Sources at the Security and Exchange Commission confirm that 44-year-old Andrew Carlssin offered the bizarre explanation for his uncanny success in the stock market after being led off in handcuffs on January 28.

But the fact is, with an initial investment of only $800, in two weeks' time he had a portfolio valued at over $350 million. Every trade he made capitalized on unexpected business developments, which simply can't be pure luck.

What an idiot. Everyone knows that betting on sporting events is the preferred way to make money when time-traveling!

By the way, if you're not familiar with time-travel, here's a site that provides more information.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Vatican's New Sex Book is Now Available!

I don't think you'll find this at Amazon.com. It's a 900-page book called Lexicon On Ambiguous and Colloquial Terms about Family Life and Ethical Questions. Full story here.

A new "ethical glossary" issued by the Vatican warns against safe sex and says that condoms do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Just when you thought the Catholic Church could not be any more out of touch with reality... they prove otherwise.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Vintage Clothing from Rusty Zipper

If you're looking to buy some old clothes, and you'd like to pay much more than the items are actually worth, Rusty Zipper is the place to go.

Launched in March 1996, RustyZipper.Com was the web's first vintage clothing store. In the past nearly six years, we've outgrown the spare closet and now have a warehouse full of amazing stuff. We have thousands of one-of-a-kind vintage clothing items from the 1940's through 1970's, all available to view and order online.

You'll find stuff like disco suits, leisure suits, and even hippie shirts. Actually, the prices aren't too bad. They've got some fine disco suits for under $60. And I found a very handsome nehru jacket for only $28.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Sorting Out the Blondes on FOX

Apparently, FOX News hires lots of blondes. Here's a handy guide that will help you identify who's who.

(via The Presurfer)

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Military Collectibles

I guess there are people who actually buy this kind of stuff.

No matter where his mission takes him, he'll never be beyond the reach of God's protection. As the brave members of the U.S. military head out to defend our freedom, it's comforting to know that each one is sheltered in the loving hands of God. Keep this radiant tribute near as a brilliant reminder of all those who proudly serve our country. Meticulously crafted by hand, this limited-edition Hamilton Collection collectible figurine is filled with authentic details. Please hurry to order now.

Come to think of it, a stupid little toy holding an automatic rifle might look pretty good on the fireplace mantle.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Daniel Feussner = Suicide?

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that Daniel Feussner's death in February was probably a suicide.

Daniel Feussner died Feb. 7 from ingesting ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze, according to the Medical Examiner's Office. How it happened is unknown; there were no witnesses to his death.

Feussner, AKA "The Dude," was a Microsoft employee accused of stealing $9 million in software, and then flaunting his lavish lifestyle at his Web site.

Posted on 2 April, 2003

Vidal Sassoon is Pissed

From AdAge:

Angered by a Procter and Gamble Co. decision earlier this year to at least temporarily discontinue marketing the shampoo, conditioner and styling products bearing his name, legendary hair stylist Vidal Sassoon today filed suit against Proctor and Gamble alleging systematic neglect, mismanagement, sabotage, fraud and breach of contract.

Oh no!

"Through a program of neglect and outright denial Procter and Gamble has turned the highly successful brand bearing the world-renowned name of the creator of a beauty revolution into the filler of bargain basement close-out bins."

Where it belongs.

Posted on 2 April, 2003