MAJOR NEWS. Steve Ballmer is sending email to all Microsoft employees explaining that Microsoft is reversing its position on the anti-discrimination bill.

I haven't gotten the email yet, but I already have permission to post it in public, and I hear that it'll be posted on Microsoft's PressPass site too.

We're also reaching out to the various blogs and news sites that were disappointed with how we handled this.

From my position, I'm elated.

I hope that this lets us all move forward and heal some pretty deep rifts that were exposed.

I received this news at shortly after 9 a.m. in a call with Frank Shaw, vice president of Waggener Edstrom (Microsoft's public relations firm).

I'll post as soon as I get the email. I'm sure this will be a major news story today. I'll be flying back to Seattle at 3 p.m.

6:21:27 PM  What do you think? ( Thoughts) Who linked? []   

Q: What's your personal pet peeve that you think Java might help fix in the future?

A: Just getting my home-entertainment system straight. We've got all of these technologies that are supposed to move media around our homes, but it's this dog's breakfast of agendas [from various suppliers] that makes things just impossible.

"The MPAA has been shooting down anyone who wants to do anything sensible, forcing people like TiVo (TIVO ) to do all kinds of nonsensical things [like making it impossible to skip commercials]. I'd like to have more systems in my house far more open. I'd love to be able to get my car and house talking to each other, or have my telephones and other gear talking to each other, so the frigging CD player or the TV pauses when I answer a phone call.

6:13:15 PM  What do you think? ( Thoughts) Who linked? []   

The Tiger Details List.

I’m compiling a list of observations and interesting details about Mac OS X 10.4, and I’m looking for submissions from readers.

[Daring Fireball]

12:22:24 PM  What do you think? ( Thoughts) Who linked? []   

Moment of accidentally anal Brazilian university zen. Xeni Jardin: BB reader Ed V says,

Here is a very unfortunate choice of identity for the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Gotta see it to believe. (page in Portuguese).

Link

[Boing Boing]

7:41:55 AM  What do you think? ( Thoughts) Who linked? []