Stefan Smalla has links to a bunch of people talking about Google's purchase of Pyra.

Is Microsoft working on ways to stop SPAM? This research site shows they are.

I'm hearing a lot about Microsoft's CodeWise community. Anyone have any experiences they'd like to share pro or con?

Listen, when I was at Microsoft last week, I only got to see 10% of the Microsoft's future. I'm so frustrated by my inability to tell you how absolutely cool the future is. Damn you Microsoft for making me sign an NDA and then showing me the coolest stuff I've ever seen you guys do. Oh, think I'm the only one? Check out Christian Weyer who is having the same frustrations (and he saw completely different cool stuff than I did). Is there any way to stop Microsoft? I think the answer is getting clear: no.

Dan Shafer gives some marriage advice. He has one of the nicest marriages I've witnessed (and one of the longest lasting ones that I've seen too).

Erik J. Barzeski: "Could you be any more of a Microsoft Slut than you already are?" (My answer: I notice you're an OSX Slut. So, why is being a Microsoft slut any worse than being an Apple slut? Oh, and having seen Microsoft's future plans, I far prefer being a Microsoft slut than being an Apple slut.)

Jason Dunn hints at a new version of PocketPC coming.

Karim Alim says: "Dude you rock. :-) If there was any justice in this world, you would be VP of Marketing for NEC, make $250,000 a year, and you'd be a Tablet PC MVP." Quote was in the TabletPC Newsgroup. Seems that I'm the only employee from a major OEM that shows up there -- it's an audience easy to please.

Is this a sign that Microsoft will soon help some of its OEMs and shun other ones? (Interview with Dell founder where he says that Linux is more important than Tablets to the desktop -- a point that I totally disagree with Michael Dell on).

OK, let's do a weblogger dinner. Tomorrow (Monday) night. 6 p.m. @ Jing Jings in Palo Alto. I'll bring the to-be-announced NEC Tablet. Email me if you're coming. robertscoble@hotmail.com.

Yes, comments are down. I'm using Haloscan and they are doing server upgrades. They'll be back soon.

Kevin Burton has a good point: "Where are the Google bloggers?" Google is starting to scare me as well. They control a large part of my life. They are a closed society and don't share much outwardly. It's time for that to change. At least we know what technology Google's execs will use when they start weblogs.

I'm reading Andrew King's new book "Speed Up Your Site." This is an awesome book if you want to learn how to make your website perform faster. So many programmers don't pay attention to the techniques he outlines. Here's an interview with Andrew. I've learned a lot and will be incorporating some of his stuff in this weblog (actually, 2/3rds of his suggestions have already been implemented).

Sorry, my comments aren't working. Yet another example of how the weblog world really needs serious investments if it'll go the next step.

Anil Dash says the Google purchase isn't a good one. I disagree. The fact of the matter is that all the blogging tools vendors are close to bankruptcy. Unless they all get purchased by someone with deep pockets, they can't really evolve the way that they should.

Let's go into why Google is kicking Microsoft's ass in search. Google has an algorithm that uses links to measure importance. For instance, my Google Page Rank is 7. I have about 300 sites pointing to me. That means I'm more important to Google than sites that only have 10 links pointing at them. Microsoft fundamentally does NOT get this. In fact, Microsoft keeps breaking URLs and moving its Knowledge Base articles around, which breaks this whole Google system.

Google is a relationship engine. Webloggers tell Google what's important by linking to cool stuff. Without Weblogs, Google wouldn't have a competitive advantage over Microsoft.

So, Google has a HUGE vested interest in making sure that the weblog communities survive. Let's say that Pyra went out of business. Google would loose much of its competitive advantage (and Microsoft probably would be able to move in and improve its search offerings and maybe even offer its own weblog tool -- anyone remember that Microsoft already offers free Websites over at http://groups.msn.com ?)

Now, I know that at least some employees at Microsoft are very concerned about Google's gaining strength. This will force those employees to really understand the weblog world and the part we play in Google's strength. Microsoft's new company motto is "helping humans live up to their potential." Well, Microsoft, help me become a better weblogger. Clearly there are a few humans who like to weblog. Give us a weblog world that really rocks. I know that folks like the Trotts, the Winers, the Canters are working hard and would love to have a few resources to follow their dreams.

Nah, Anil, this was a great purchase by Google. It ensures that a main part of Google's dominance in search will continue unabated for years.

Well, this is the news I've been waiting to see. Investors are finally starting to invest in weblogging tools. In this case Google has purchased Pyra, the folks who make Blogger. Now, the question remains: "what will Microsoft do?" (and to a lesser extent, what will Apple do). Why do I care so much about Microsoft? Cause I've seen the future and can tell you that no matter what remedies happen at Microsoft they will be the dominant computing force on the desktop for at least another 10 years. Translation: I am willing to put up a bet that Linux will not make significant inroads into the desktop market for at least 10 more years. I wish I could tell you why I believe that, but I do.