On Australia Day, Google Maps did a flyover of Sydney to take low-level photos. A small ISP decided to create an advertisement in the photos. So is that spam? Or as one commenter pointed out, were they just acting on Google’s invitation to “get involved”?
Govt can’t spell “Australia”
The most commonly mis-spelt word on Australian government websites is: Australia. (Reported by an attendee of the Accessibility talk at yesterday’s Web Standards Group meeting in Canberra.)
Is Google a spammmer?
Could the most popular search engine Google, which claims it can make money without doing evil, be engaged in spamming? Recent activity on this blog would suggest so — and they certainly have both motive and opportunity.
Oh, in New Scientist again
I actually told New Scientist about this back in April, but they finally ran it in the 18 November edition — which I’m just getting around to reading now.
It seems a curious claim to allow on your website for several months, but if it is true then BoardTracker.com‘s “advanced search” is very advanced indeed. Since April, when reader Stilgherrian first told us about it, it has offered to search back through the last 6142 years of internet forum postings.
Optus vs Telstra: positive vs negative
There’ll be free wireless Internet access throughout the Sydney CBD by early 2008, says the NSW government — and the reactions from leading telcos Optus and Telstra were chalk and cheese.
Optus: “Optus congratulates the NSW Government on its innovative plans… Optus looks forward to seeing more details of the plans and to participating in the expression of interest process.”
Telstra: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch anymore so it will be interesting to see how it is proposed to be paid for.”
I don’t understand why it’ll take so long to set up a few Wi-Fi access points though.
If you’re going to show your computer on TV…
… remember to clear your web browser’s cache first. Here’s a TV report from Denmark about — oh, something or other. Watch our serious bearded Internet expert demonstrating how to download music. Now when the time code reaches 58 seconds, stop and notice the second-to-last file he downloaded. Oops.