Microsoft casts .Net into upcoming Office. CNET May 15 2002 2:42PM ET

I'm having a hard time considering what Microsoft would do to Office that would make me want to spend $200 to upgrade my copy. Now, if it came with a bunch of tools that would make it possible to work over the Internet with my friends who own Mac OS X and Linux machines, Microsoft would have something. But, I don't think they look at Office that way. Hey, this is the company that hasn't really improved NetMeeting in five years.

Conference planners: this is a new way to take advantage of your 802.11b networks. I never thought of watching your audience surf the Web live this way. Very interesting.

Hey, the accordion guy has a weblog. Seeing him play his accordion last night made my week.

Oh, oh. The Washington Post didn't like the new Star Wars movie. After the dismal one last time, my expectations are very low. If I have any fun at all, I'll probably be overjoyed. Let's put it this way. I waited in line 16 hours for tickets to the previous Star Wars and the experience of waiting in line was more fun than the movie actually was.

I'll get a double dose, too cause we're seeing it on Thursday and Friday nights. Whew. If my son wasn't totally addicted to Star Wars I'd give up on Lucas altogether.

I'm glad I waited to buy a Digital Camera. Looks like Nikon has a new one (Coolpix 3) coming out at the end of the month. I want a four or five megapixel camera with a bunch of features for less than $1000. Will Nikon deliver?

T-Online gains on Microsoft stake report. CNET May 15 2002 5:48AM ET [Moreover - CNET]

Oh, great. Microsoft might buy another piece of my life. T-Online is the company that has wireless Internet access in Starbucks locations on the West Coast. I give them $10 a month.

$199 apiece - PS2 cut triggers early Xbox price drop in US. Sony wins points for footwork [The Register]

Glad I waited to buy an Xbox.

Lawmaker: Oracle deceived California. A lawmaker accuses the database maker and Logicon of "defrauding" California after he reviewed e-mail sent between the two companies that discussed how to handle a controversial contract. [CNET News.com: E-Business]

Is it just me, but do most of the BigCo's in the Technology Business make you ill? Anyone read the latest stuff about how Microsoft is trying to control the Web Services market? Do you feel clean after reading that? I'm a Microsoft adherent (at the dinner last night I'm probably the only one who is a proud Windows XP user) but, even I must admit, I get disgusted with Microsoft's (and now Oracle's) behavior.

As a user I love getting new products. As a human being, I am disgusted.

Lots of good stuff linked off the O'Reilly Network Emerging Technology Conference Coverage Page. [Duncan's Jotter]

One of the highlights of last night's dinner was Joey's playing the accordion out on University Ave. Anyone who carries an accordion and can play it is cool in my eyes. Far cooler than any weblogger.

We tried to get him to play it in the Apple store, but Bill Humphries talked us out of doing that (he plays an Apple HR guy on TV) cause his boss was in the store.

Dave almost bought an IPod and an IMac. I think he was tempted. Someone commented that he'll be the only one with a Windows machine at the Emerging Technology conference today.

Funny enough, here at NEC something is keeping me from looking at the weblogs.com domain. I think the IT folks blocked access to it. So, I can't read my Radio Weblog (or any other). Guess what, though? I can still post. I love XML-RPC. My words can leave NEC's network, they just can't get back in. Hmmm.

Debbie Weil: "I don't have a blog (yet). Therefore I'm not cool."

Debbie, you got it all wrong. If you think blogging makes you cool, you got another thing coming.

Dave Winer: "Scoble's a user." Man, that dinner was great last night. I think I figured out why I like hanging out with programmers. I'm a user. They are the producers. I figure I'd just cut out all the middle men and get the stuff straight from the source.

What a dinner for a user to be at. I was between Faisal and Doc. I think my IQ went up 10 points last night. Of course, Spicy Noodles make you smarter just by themselves, so maybe that was it.