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Internet Week > Google Maps finds whorehouses > Quickie Google Search Lays Out “Brothels” > May 12, 2005
“What do the University of Oregon’s history department in Eugene, Ore.; the Happy Ending bar in Manhattan; and the Abstinence Clearinghouse in Sioux Falls, S.D. have in common?

According to Google Maps, the for-free location and driving instructions service that the San Francisco-based search giant operates, all are identified as houses of ill repute.“

Better try this one out while it lasts as I smell a googleprank here.

Slashdot | Google Acquires Dodgeball
“Dodgeball.com, a service that uses mobile phones to help people meet up with friends who are in the same location, said on its website on Wednesday that it has been bought by Web search leader Google Inc. Also available on the official site is a Q&A about the deal.” From the article: “As a two-person team, Alex and I have taken dodgeball about a far as we can alone. Since we finished grad school, we’ve been trying to figure out how to grow dodgeball and make it a better service along the way. We talked to a lot of different angel investors and venture capitalists, but no one really ‘got’ what we were doing – that is until we met Google.“

Seven Criteria for Evaluating Open-Source Content Management Systems | Linux Journal
“Using a content management system (CMS) to manage a Web site used to be a luxury within the reach of only those who had the technical resources to build a custom solution or the financial resources to afford a proprietary one. In recent years, numerous pre-built open-source CMSes have emerged as viable alternatives to costly proprietary products or custom-built solutions.“

Given the number of CMS sessions at this year’s conference, this article is worth reading.

Common Computing Crises, Causes, and Cures( C5 )
“We’ve been spoiled by computer hardware and operating systems that are far more capable and reliable than those of even five years ago. However, there’s one drawback – we’re more likely to overlook mundane computer system upgrades and maintenance that keep our systems healthy, user-friendly, and fast rather than degenerating into C3 ( Crashes, Chaos, and Crisis).“

Good article, by a lawyer, on some of the basics you can cover to make computing a happier experience. Worth the read.

A Microsoft-Red Hat warming trend? | CNET News.com
“The chief executives of Microsoft and Red Hat held a private meeting in New York, CNET News.com has learned, an indication that relations between the rivals might be warming.

Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer and Red Hat’s Matthew Szulik met for more than an hour at a McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant in New York in late March, sources familiar with the situation said. Microsoft initiated the meeting, one source indicated.“