New from Opera: Swedish Chef does Microsoft
Ever wanted wondered what life would be like if we all spoke like the Muppets’ off-kilter Swedish Chef? A new program by Opera gives browsers that power. The Norwegian software company released an internet browser Friday that changes Microsoft’s web site info into the Swedish Chef’s nonsensical language. For example, the “Weekend movie guide” on msn.com becomes “Veekend mufee-a gooeed-a” and so on. Opera officials called the browser the bork edition, so named for the Swedish chef’s tendency to say “bork, bork, bork.” No other site is affected by the software. Opera’s move comes after company allegations that Microsoft software does not allow Opera users to view pages properly. Opera officials say the practice unfairly makes it seem as if their software is defective. They say the Swedish Chef bit was in lieu of filing a lawsuit, and hope it will make Microsoft rethink its policies. Microsoft has about a 96 percent global market share on web browsers, compared to Opera’s 1 or 2 percent.

Gov't cybersecurity study puts onus on businesses
The federal government has decided that the best thing it can do to enhance internet security is to move aside. The government released the National Strategy to Secure CyberSpace plan Friday, with provisions that aim to protect internet users from future attacks. Part of the plan simply advises web surfers to practice “safe computing,” although the government also promised to step up its security efforts. The report proposes more cybersecurity research funding and more cooperation between government agencies and high-tech companies to find those responsible for attacks. Private businesses currently control roughly 85 percent of the internet. The new plan doesn’t propose many checks on them, simply advocating governmental encouragement of antivirus software awareness campaigns and firewalls. The report says “the private sector is best equipped and structured to respond to an evolving cyber threat. A federal role … is only justified when the benefits of intervention outweigh the associated costs.” The plan was developed by Richard Clarke, the former cybersecurity czar who stepped down last month. This version of the plan is less specific than the one released in September, which had many privacy advocates worried about online surveillance and businesses fearing increased liability.

Google gets weblog software maker Pyra Labs
Google.com continues its push to become more than just a very widely used search engine. The company has agreed to acquire Pyra Labs, giving Google the services of Pyra Labs’ six developers. Pyra has gained attention as the group that helped popularize the weblog, or blog. Appropriately enough, that’s how the acquisition notice got out. Pyra Labs chief executive Evan Williams posted the news on his weblog, and the San Jose Mercury News picked up the item. Google has slowly been expanding its search areas to include news and shopping. The company two years ago acquired a massive archive of online discussion groups from Deja.com’s Usenet. Financial terms of the deal have not been revealed. According to Pyra, more than 1 million users have registered for Blogger software at the company’s flagship site, Blogger.com. The company currently offers a $35 version and a free ad-supported version. Among its most famous bloggers, who write online diary-type postings, are “Today” show weatherman Al Roker, musician Moby and humorist Dave Barry. Pyra has been around since 1999.

Biker: Strippers not the game I signed for
Apparently strippers and copulating poodles weren’t exactly the image pro BMX rider Dave Mirra was looking for when he signed a contract with Acclaim Entertainment. The biker is suing Acclaim for $20 million in damages, alleging that the company unlawfully used his name to promote randy video game BMX XXX. The game, with the tagline “Keep it dirty,” has been controversial. Several retailers refused to stock it. Sales have not been what Acclaim hoped for, and the company’s stock has plummeted. Mirra says that although he and Acclaim discussed a “mature, tongue-in-cheek” game that would function as an “Airplane”-type spoof, what emerged was not what Mirra had agreed to. He went back to the company after the initial deal was signed and secured another contract saying Acclaim could not use his name or likeness in promoting the game. Yet Mirra says that Acclaim continued to bill the game Dave Mirra BMX XXX.

February 18, 2003© 2003 Media Life


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