David Coursey

I have learned that, yes, there is something worse than having all the users on your network download their own anti-spyware applications. Its that the users start running the software, whether they really need to or not. This “sometimes the cure is worse than the disease” observation came from an IT manager at a university […]

There is there a battle going on inside Microsoft over the possible acquisition of Claria, the worlds largest spyware company. Thats one of the lines of speculation that developed after the Wall Street Journal broke the story last week that the two companies are supposed to be in negotiations. And it makes sense. The reasoning […]

For almost as long as Ive been in the industry, Ive watched Intel muscle both competitors and customers. I wasnt surprised to see AMD file suit and, though I havent seen the evidence, I tend toward AMDs side. Intel has become the worlds largest semiconductor company based both on its innovations and its prodigious street-fighting […]

There are laws that prevent criminals from profiting off of their crimes. If some high-profile perp decides to write a book, the proceeds are supposed to compensate the victim. But if Microsoft buys the company formerly known as Gator, I somehow dont see the profits going to users terrorized by Gators adware. And since that […]

The recent columns by Mary Jo Foley and myself on Microsofts announcement of “presence” as a major new product feature have drawn considerable reader comment, mostly from people who dont seem to understand what presence is all about. I have received almost as many e-mails from people who say that I dont understand. But my […]

Todays Supreme Court ruling is a step toward something Ive been predicting for many years: the filtering of Internet sites and content by some sort of “national firewall.” After all, what value is the MGM versus Grokster ruling if all it does is make IP thieves move offshore, as many have done already? Government has […]

I understand there are people who see Microsofts move to add “presence” to its applications as yet another manifestation of that companys demonic plan to subjugate humanity. However, Microsoft doesnt have a monopoly on such accusations. Perhaps another recent example, also involving communications technology, will be instructive as to what will and wont undo civilization […]

Like many people, ever since RSS burst onto the scene, Ive had one question: Whats in it for me? If youre not into listening to Podcasts or reading lots of blogs, RSS—short for Really Simple Syndication—could be pretty much off your radar. Not anymore. Microsoft has decided that subscribing, via RSS, will become the third […]

CodeWeavers, described in an eWEEK.com story as “a leading Windows-to-Linux software ISV,” announced on Wednesday that it will bring Windows application support to future Macintoshes running on Intel x86 chips. There will be a pause for the big yawn that naturally follows that announcement, followed by a perplexed look wondering what it means to be […]

After reading my recent columns on Weblogs and Podcasting, a friend sent me this quote from Dave Winer, developer of the RSS format used for content distribution: “John Lennon said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. No argument, it was true, they were. Well, even though the vast majority of people have never heard […]