The Difference Between Google and Microsoft

I had a friend visit for lunch here at the Google campus last week who is a long-time Microsoft employee based in Redmond.  He had never been to Google before, and was interested to see.  As we waited in line in the cafe, he said, “You know, I’ve never heard music in the Microsoft cafeteria before”.  I think he liked it.

So there you have it – the difference between Google and Microsoft is music in the cafe.

Most Popular Browser from Slashdot?

I was surprised to see that 53.73% of the visitors to belshe.com this month were using Firefox.  So, I decided to do a comparison between May traffic and June traffic.  The only significant difference is that in June I got slashdotted, and in May I did not.  Here are the % of visitors to belshe.com during these months using each browser (as measured by Google analytics).

Wow – IE has completely lost the techie crowd.

May

June
Firefox

33.50%

53.73%
Internet Explorer

62.11%

36.45%

Bought a Dell

I just bought my first Dell laptop.  I’m happy with most all of it.  The hardware is great.

The only “fine print” to watch out for is the list of stuff you’ll have to uninstall.  It might be quicker to just re-image the box.  The uninstall list:

  1. AOL
  2. Earthlink
  3. Banctec Service Agreement
  4. Google Desktop
  5. McAfee Security Center
  6. Internet Service Offers Launcher
  7. Yahoo Music Jukebox
  8. Roxio
  9. Cyberlink OutlookAddinSetup
  10. NetWaiting
  11. NetZeroInstallers
  12. QuickSet
  13. Corel Paint Shop Pro
  14. Corel Snapfire Plus
  15. Microsoft Works
  16. Dell Games

There are more things on there too….  If you’ve got vista, it’s nice though, because for each uninstall you click “Yes”, but then, in order to be secure, it also asks you “Cancel or Allow”?  I feel safer.

Ironically, RIP Don Imus

The reason Imus had a show in the first place is because he’s a controversial jerk and prone to saying ridiculous things. 

What got him fired is that he’s a controversial jerk and prone to saying ridiculous things. 

I don’t really mean that he is a jerk.  I have no idea.  He’s just a jerk on TV because that’s what we want from his as an entertainer.   We build these guys up because they are whacky, but when they get too whacky, we shoot them down.  This firing is too close to censorship for my taste.  I don’t agree with what he said, I don’t watch his show, and I never intend to.  But he shouldn’t have been fired; it’s a slippery-slope.