Best Buy changes privacy policy. The changes are only the latest in a disturbing trend of companies revamping their privacy policies to the detriment of consumers, privacy advocates say. [CNET News.com]

Best Buy Cashier: "May I have your cookie?"

Customer: "Sure.  It's 9A94EE02B8C@bestbuy.com"

7:10:17 PM   

Digital Media Helps, Hurts Spending Forecast. Rising broadband penetration again expected to help spur growth in media spending, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. But lurking next to the numbers like a yin to the growth numbers' yang is the piracy issue. [internetnews.com: Top News]

Yeah, sure, broadband penetration will grow by <insert large number> percent over the next five years, etc.  I don't believe it.  In contrast to John Robb's belief that big companies will lack pricing power in the coming decade or so, the entertainment and media companies seem to think they have overwhelming pricing power.  Broadband just doesn't work for entertainment.  It's too expensive.  $60 for a cable modem connection from Comcast.  Then $25 for a RealOne subscription, $15 for an AOL subscription, $15 for a Giga news subscription, and so forth.  All that to be able to sit at your computer desk and be entertained?

Now, let me bactrack a bit.  The entertainment and media companies do have some pricing power owing to their monopoly positions.

4:01:58 PM   

Taiwan opens arms to open source. The government plans to launch an open-source project as early as next year that could save it as much as $295 million in royalty payments to Microsoft, says a report. [CNET News.com]

First, we hear about Germany.  Now, we hear about Taiwan.  I'm certain more governments are on the way.  Why?  It's pretty simple, really.  There are three factors.  First, basic office computing software is a very horizontal market.  That means it's a very broad market and there is a large potential return from money invested by the government.  Second, software has up-front development cost, but once the software is developed, the marginal distribution costs are near zero.  That should put downward pressure on prices.  And third, basic office software is now well understood, making the software development process relatively straightforward and the risk low.

3:47:47 PM   

I'm trying to digest this essay from John Robb: The New Economy II.  The opinions of economists, of course, are all over the map.  Still, I think this essay is a good read.

11:14:03 AM