Thur 16th Mar.'00
In this issue (Part 2):
1. VOTING BOOTH
==>This week's quick poll and last week's results.
2. FEATURE ARTICLE
==>"Lessons from the Richest Man in the World"
by Ed Madison.
3. TIDBITS
==>Business news and other snippets to keep you informed.
4. INFO SECTION
==>Subscription details. Join Biz Bits FFA!
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+ VOTING BOOTH +
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This is the place where we take a quick poll for a snapshot of
the Biz Bits family's position on a given topic.
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This week:
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I few weeks back, a number of subscribers said they thought the
appearance of Biz Bits was a little bland. As a result, I made a
few minor cosmetic changes. This mainly consisted of substituting
'fancy' characters for the plain dash lines (---- and ====) I was
using in various locations.
However, I've had few issues of Biz Bits forwarded to me that
don't display my 'fancy' characters at all. Just rows of messy
looking letters that run-on all over the place!
Worried, I'm seeking your help.
Do the any of the underlines, section headings and dividers in
Biz Bits appear either as repeated letters, or run on to the next
line, or just seem 'odd'?
YES! >>>> mailto:yes+nowsell.com
I get these long rows of letters, sometimes they break onto the
line below. It looks very untidy!
NO! >>>> mailto:no+nowsell.com
Everything looks fine to me. All the lines 'fit' right!
ERR? >>>> mailto:err+nowsell.com
I'm not sure... depends...?
*** Add any additional comments in the body of your vote mail ***
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Last week:
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Does the Amazon patent and similar moves by other big companies
worry you?
YES! >>>> 90%
It worries me. It could change the entire face of the internet!
NO! >>>> 10%
I am sure that nothing will come of it in the end!
ERR? >>>> 0%
I'm not sure... depends...?
[Azam: Very clear result! Personally however, I would have voted
'No'. Though the granting of these patents in itself concerns me
on an ethical level (and should be reviewed), I doubt that Amazon
or any other company would be able or willing to take action
against every infringement. Amazon are in business to make money
(one day!). They (and others) almost certainly view this as a way
of protecting themselves from 'copycat' competition using the
same business model and undercutting prices, not as a means of
squeezing cash out of other affiliate programs (think of the
endless courtroom battles and potential public relations cost of
pursuing such a strategy). Does that make it right? No. Will it
change the entire face of the internet? Doubt it. No more so than
any of the other daily developments which make the internet a
place of constant flux.]
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Voter Feedback:
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YES!
Hi Azam,
This seems to be the start of the "Big Brother" era on the
internet! It is not the patent idea itself that worries me so
much, as the thought that the small person could soon be
forced out of business by any giant organisation that sees
unending dollar signs in their eyes. One of the great things
about the net, is that the anyone can compete with the big
boys if they work hard. One day, this may no longer be
the case.
Ian Tiele mailto:ian+clickme.zzn.com
http://www.clickforcash.homestead.com
[Azam: Thanks for your comments Ian. As I've been saying for a
long time, I believe that eventually the "small person" won't be
able to compete with the big boys. Due to a combination of money
and technology, most will be pushed out. Right now is a special
time of opportunity. Make the most of it. It won't last forever!]
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+ FEATURE ARTICLE +
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Lessons from the Richest Man in the World
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by Ed Madison
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has amassed more wealth than anyone
else in the world, in the shortest amount of time in history.
Last year Microsoft became the first company to top five hundred
billion in market value as its stock closed at a record high. The
company's value was equal to the ninth-largest economy in the
world. Bill Gates personal holdings hovered at nearly one
hundred billion. What can you learn from the richest man of all
time?
1. Believe in yourself. It sounds simple -- even Pollyanna --
but it could easily be the core secret to Bill Gates and others
success. At age eleven he confidently told his pastor he could
succeed at anything he put his mind to. While still in middle
school he boasted he would make his first million before reaching
age twenty-five. Everyone likes to bet on a winner.
Do you exude enthusiasm and conviction when you talk about what
you have to offer?
2. Team up with others - Find like-minded partners who excel in
areas where you do not. If you are a great idea person but hate
sales you could be doomed without a partner who loves to sell.
If you've got the vision, but fail at handling details find
someone who is detail oriented. Bill Gates and Microsoft
cofounder Paul Allen met in middle school and the two began
profiting from their passion for writing software at age
thirteen. While at Harvard Gates met Steve Ballmer, who now runs
Microsoft's day to day business. Gates is quoted as saying that
without Paul and Steve there would be no Microsoft.
3. Focus Your Energy. At an early age Bill Gates demonstrated a
keen ability to channel his energy in the direction of his
intended goals. Classmates noted that he would often turn in
school work that far exceeded what was assigned. He continues to
take what he calls "think weeks" where he isolates himself to
read, write, study the competition and strategize for the future.
4. Look for opportunities others are ignoring. In what's been
labeled 'the deal of the decade," in 1980 Gates successfully
negotiated an agreement with IBM to supply operating system
software for their first line of personal computers. IBM had
greatly under estimated the potential of the PC market and
allowed Microsoft the exclusive right to license the software to
other companies. Knowing that good IBM products are usually
cloned Gate calculated that he could leverage the success of
Microsoft on the back of "Big Blue's" reputation, with little
risk. By 1994 Gate's MS-DOS software was running on more than
ninety per cent of all PCs. Ironically, Microsoft hadn't even
invented DOS but bought the rights at a deep discount from a
company that was unaware of its eminent value.
5. Be willing to share the wealth. Gates realizes that
Microsoft's success relies on the caliber of it's people. When
the company first incorporated in 1981 he offered generous stock
options as a way to attract and keep top talent. Hundreds of
employees and shareholders have become millionaires since the
company went public in 1986. His willingness to give extends to
his philanthropic endeavors as well. Gates and his wife have
already endowed two foundations with 10 billion dollars to
support causes in global health and education.
6. Learn from your mistakes. Microsoft was slow to develop
application software. The company's first was a spreadsheet
program called Multiplan in 1982. But by the time it hit the
market it was already being eclipsed by the more versatile
competitor Lotus 1-2-3. Gates would later triumph with Microsoft
Excel and Word. By bundling key business applications as
Microsoft Office he soon dominated the application software
market.
7. Correct breakdowns. Gates is strong believer in what he calls
"feedback loops." Microsoft commits more resources than most
companies towards gathering information from their most
dissatisfied customers. For every one person who voices a
complaint to the company there are likely to be ten who share
their disgruntled feelings with a friend instead. Such
dissatisfaction can spread like wildfire and kill a business.
Likewise, if you're an employee and there's a misunderstanding
brewing between you and a boss or coworker clean it up as soon as
possible.
Gates believes that you need to be motivated by more than just
pure determination to succeed. One should follow a path that
they truly enjoy. Look for opportunities which provide natural
outlets for your unique form of self expression. In other words
"follow your bliss" and the money will take care of itself.
Resource Information
--------------------
Ed Madison is the creator of the Successfiles.com web site as
well as an accomplished
television producer. You can discover more about Bill Gates and
other famous
success stories, FREE at http://www.successfiles.com
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+ TIDBITS +
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Internet Alliance Welcomes Justice Department Report
The Internet Alliance joined Attorney General Janet Reno and
Commerce Secretary Richard Daley as the Department of Justice
released a report entitled The Electronic Frontier: The Challenge
of Unlawful Conduct Involving the Use of the Internet. Also
present were representatives from the Department of Commerce, and
the Department of the Treasury, which participated in the
report's development.
Click Here for Details
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InterCan Tech Releases AdsOff! v2.0
InterCan Tech releases AdsOff! v2.0. The original, award-winning
software that accelerates browsing and removes advertisements
just got even better with improved filtering technology and added
privacy protection safeguards. AdsOff! v2.0 eliminates unwanted
distractions such as advertisements and popup windows before they
are downloaded to your computer.
Click Here for Details
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BT Selects Phone.com's Myphone For Commercial License And Product
Development
Phone.com, Inc., a provider of WAP mobile Internet software,
applications, and services and BT (British Telecommunications
plc), a global supplier of wireless communications, announced
that BT has licensed Phone.com's MyPhone. The two companies
intend to work together to use emerging WAP based technologies
for new types of wireless Internet services and rapidly deploy
these within BT's global mobile joint ventures, serving a
customer base of 35m in 15 countries.
Click Here for Details
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AUDIO AND VIDEO TOP NETSCAPE BROWSER PLUG-INS
Install Base for Selected Plug-Ins
Plug-In Type Install Base
_________________________________________________________________
LiveAudio Audio 100.0%
Shockwave Flash Video 97.2%
Headspace Beatnik Player Stub V1.0.0.1 Audio 67.3%
RealPlayer G2 LiveConnect-Enabled Multimedia 58.1%
QuickTime Plug-in Multimedia 54.8%
Shockwave for Director Video 52.0%
Adobe Acrobat Document Converter 51.8%
Netscape Media Player Multimedia 26.6%
Windows Media Player Multimedia 23.5%
SmartDownload Download Assistant 15.1%
Comet Cursor Alters Cursors 15.1%
Cosmo Player 1.0 Viewer 10.5%
Mjuice Download Plugin Audio 9.7%
Cosmo Player 2.0 Viewer 8.8%
Nescape vCalendar Plug-in Calendar 8.5%
Quick Time Plug-in 4.0.3 Multimedia 8.4%
Headspace Beatnik Helper v1.0.1 Audio 7.4%
VivoActive Player Version 2.1 Multimedia 7.3%
QuickTime Plug-in 4.0.1 Multimedia 7.2%
Shockwave Flash 2.0 Video 6.7%
Includes both home and work; Netscape browsers only.
Based on real-time analysis of of home and work Net surfers at
650,000 Web sites, Feb. 23, 2000. Source: MyComputer.com
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New Technology Launches E-Commerce Exchange Into International
Markets
E-Commerce Exchange (ECX) announced it will offer a
state-of-the-art gateway to set up international on-line merchant
accounts and provide one stop e-commerce payment solutions to
businesses worldwide, effective immediately. Merchants around the
globe will be able to boost their profits and expand their sales
territory by accepting credit card payments over the Internet
through ECX.
Click Here for Details
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RocketTalk Launches Its Multi-Media Desktop Communicator To
Version 1.6 To Beta Release
RocketTalk has unveiled the beta release of RocketTalk
Multi-Media Desktop Communicator, it was announced by company CEO
Jeff Weiner. What began as a powerful voice messaging system has
evolved into a comprehensive Multi-media Desktop Communicator
offering a robust menu of multimedia capabilities -- all designed
to deliver the ultimate Internet communications interface for
RocketTalkers worldwide.
Click Here for Details
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Giving "Web Dialogs" A New Meaning...
Lucent is making Web interactions as simple as having a
conversation -- literally. Their latest development combines
speech-recognition and Text-To-Speech technology and allows users
to request and receive HTML based information by phone.
Click Here for Details
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Washington Post.com Racks Up $100 Million Loss; Implosion
Seems Imminent, says Story in WorldNetDaily.com
The Washington Post has lost "an eye-popping one-tenth of a
billion dollars so far in cyberspace," says an exclusive story in
today's WorldNetDaily.com edition. The article "Is Washington
Post website imploding? Struggling to transfer local monopoly to
cyberspace, racks up $100 million loss," is WorldNetDaily.com's
http://www.worldnetdaily.com lead story, written by Paul
Sperry, Washington Bureau Chief.
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The Online Toy Industry is Not Toying Around
Online toy sales catapulted from $45 million in 1998 to $425
million in 1999, according to a report by The NPD Group, Inc. and
Media Metrix, which predicts $1.6 billion in online toy sales by
2002.
Click Here for Details
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Asia-Pacific E-Commerce Market Reaching Critical Mass
With more than 10 million consumers having already bought online,
and with Internet use surging, the Asia-Pacific online retail
market is reaching critical mass, according to a report by The
Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The report "E-Tail of the Tiger:
Retail E-Commerce in Asia-Pacific" surveys the online retail
markets of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, and
Thailand.
Click Here for Details
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More Class Action Grief for AOL
http://www.theregister.co.uk/000310-000027.html
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Intuit Sued For Allegedly Disclosing Personal Info
Click Here for Details
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White House Online Crime Report Raises Privacy Concerns
Click Here for Details
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Let the E-Mail Marketing Onslaught Begin
As e-commerce marketers discover the effectiveness of e-mail as a
tool for boosting customer retention and increasing sales, the
e-mail marketing industry will soar to a $4.8 billion industry by
2004, according to a report by Forrester Research.
Click Here for Details
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Online Apparel Sales Soar
Online apparel sales reached $1.1 billion in 1999, roughly twice
the amount of 1998 sales, according to the NPD Group, and most of
the buyers are affluent young adults.
http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/retailing/
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ClearType and the Visual Display of Knowledge
Small type is unreadable and large type has all the clarity of a
newspaper read through a screen door. But what if computer
displays actually displayed readable text ... ?
http://idm.internet.com/articles/200003/ia_03_05_00a.html
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E-Commerce Security: Covering All the Bases
New e-businesses need to be aware of what's involved with setting
up secure networks. This week's column offers a big picture view
of ongoing responsibilities to maintain a secure computer and
E-commerce installation.
Click Here for Details
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SERVICE ECONOMY
A new British Web site has teamed up with the British government
to build an electronic change of address service for the U.K.
population. The service, from Ihavemoved.com, will pass on
someone's new address to all relevant governmental agencies, as
well as the phone company, bank and credit card companies. This
follows on the U.K. government's February initiative to involve a
private-sector partner in developing a system for building a
central database for updated addresses. Ihavemoved is currently
in negotiation with the government to figure out what the service
will cost and how the funds will be collected.
Click Here for Details
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UK Wants Tighter E-Trading Laws
Click Here for Details
British financial regulators don't like the Net one bit. The head
of the SEC/Fed equivalent rants about the 'challenges' of
regulation at an otherwise sunny Internet summit. Declan
McCullagh reports from Fairfax, Virginia.
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Move over Amazon.com
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,34931,00.html?tw=wn20000314
February may be the shortest month of the year, but for CDnow it
is a memorable one. The online retailer displaced Amazon.com as
the top destination on the Web.
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Fed Site to Fight Cybercrime
Click Here for Details
A new Justice Department educational site is the latest
development in its campaign against criminal activity on the Net.
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ICANN Gives Power to the People
Click Here for Details
The Internet's governing body responds to criticism and changes
the voting procedure for electing new board members. The election
is put off until 1 November, and Netizens get to vote directly.
Mats A. Palmgren reports from Cairo.
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The End of Anonymity?
Click Here for Details
Top Clinton administration officials say that since law
enforcement can't catch untraceable hackers, it may be necessary
to provide police with increased abilities to trace users. Civil
liberties groups worry that erasing anonymity may threaten
privacy. By Declan McCullagh.
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Apple Kills Copycats
Click Here for Details
Apple is awarded a worldwide injunction preventing PC makers from
ripping off the iMac design.
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OK, that's it for part two! Below you'll find the INFO SECTION.
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