Monday, September 16, 2002

When Do You Know You're a New Yorker? Walking from the Times Square subway station along 42nd Street toward my office this morning, I was passed by a dozen or so police vans speeding the other way with their sirens going. I never even turned around to see where they were going or what conflagration may have erupted behind me. Apparently, they were on the way to the scene of a murder/suicide in an office near Times Square. But it could have been that Port Authority had been blown up or an invading army was landing at the site of the U.S.S. Intrepid, and I wouldn't have known until much later. I was busy thinking about the painter that I had just left in our new apartment and other renovation details. 4:59:20 PM     What do you think? ()

Is Ikea Swedish For Hell? My first visit to Ikea was to their store in Elizabeth, NJ. Looking out the windows through the cigarette smoke-filled cafeteria at the New Jersey Turnpike, Newark International Airport, and all of the industrial development beyond, being constantly jostled by frantic consumers, I decided that Ikea is the Swedish word for hell. Now comes word that, like some spawn of hell, Ikea is attempting to promote profligate consumption: It advocates consumption--if not conspicuous, then at least celebratory--not because a sofa, lamp, rug or knickknack wore out or broke, but for more emotional reasons of fashion or just plain fun. Just what a nation up to its ears in consumer debt and landfill needs. 4:46:28 PM     What do you think? ()

What About Microsoft? The ultimate ascendancy of Linux is looking more and more inevitable. What is most interesting about this article is that it doesn't even mention Microsoft. That does not, however, mean that Microsoft is unaffected by this latest news. As companies sought "to avoid the cost of systems based on proprietary software from companies like Sun Microsystems and I.B.M.," they were supposed to switch to less expensive Microsoft solutions. But Microsoft only really provides software. They don't provide hardware, no sane company would rely on their support, and hardware and support providers (like IBM) are very wary of partnering with Microsoft given their business practices (they do it, but given a viable alternative, they'll stop). So companies have the choice of paying a hefty amount for software and making separate arrangements for hardware and support, or of paying nothing for the software that comes with reliable hardware and support. Which do you think they'll choose? 7:46:00 AM     What do you think? ()

© Copyright 2003 Morgan N. Sandquist. Last update: 11/2/03; 10:28:08 AM.

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