So from this strength, I've outlined a plan to merge RSS and Atom [via Scripting News]

Relatively peaceful discussion so far, but will it last? Now having written an aggregator (Zeepe iMunch) I suppose I ought to be interested. Atom doesn't particularly thrill me, its another format to support. RssAtom doesn't particularly thrill me, its another format to support. Will such support be easier if peace breaks out? Not particularly, I've still got to write some new code, still got to do the testing and mostly the problems are the garbage you get in feeds (in violation of whatever spec they are supposed to be based on) not with the feed format itself. I'm not sure the discussion is of much relevance to a lot of feed generators or (user) consumers - the BBC is generating RSS .91 (I think), will they change? Not unless it gives them something more. Dave's point is RSS is on a roll, Atom's point is Atom will get on the roll when people see the benefit - my point? Dunno

Still, if peace breaks out, they will have to find something else to fight about and lets face it, it would be nice for them to fight about something else for a change.

I had noted that the search hits on this site from Google seemed to be decreasing since the move to dasBlog. Since I had done some code edits I presumed it was just me, but I've just done a search of this site Google has clearly not indexed anything recent. Found this:

I was reading Steve's blog with my browser earlier today when I noticed his odd permalink url's. Instead of a url like "http://devhawk.net/PermaLink.aspx?guid=9abbd5ea-3a10-44d8-8872-877033b7349c", his look like "http://hyperthink.net/blog/PermaLink,guid,fc99ce5e-b748-44f0-853d-0a261632b885.aspx". Turns out it's a standard feature of dasBlog! Just check "Enable URL rewriting" in the config page and you're set. Now my permalink url's look like Steve's.

Since Google doesn't index pages based on query string, this feature should make my site more easily crawled and googled.

 [via dasBlog">DevHawk - Passion * Technology * Ruthless Competence]

I don't particularly care whether Google indexes these pages (since the latest version of dasBlog does search - hooray), I'm just interested as to whether the above change does make a difference.

Want to be alerted when MSDN Magazine's latest issue is available online?  Subscribe to our RSS feed at http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/rss/recent.xml.  This feed contains information on and links to all of the articles and columns in the most recent issue available online (currently March 2004). [via Microsoft WebBlogs]

The articles might be available on the other MSDN feeds, dunno, but this will likely be a useful feed (especially as I am now out of the habit of reading the back-issues when I get the MSDN Library).

On Software Patents.  

I've seen a number of calls for patent reform for software but not any that have any feasible or concrete proposals behind them. ... There have been a number of provocative writings about patent reform, the most prominent in my memory being ... and An Open Letter From Jeff Bezos On The Subject Of Patents. [via Dare Obasanjo aka Carnage4Life]

Unusually poor argumement construction by Dare - not any that have any feasible or concrete proposals  and then you look at An Open Letter From Jeff Bezos On The Subject Of Patents - looks pretty concrete set of proposals to me.

Dare also seems to ignore the possibility, indeed obvious solution, of just not allowing software patents and business model patents as in the UK (the change allowing them hasn't got through Europe yet has it?). If you want to protect your property a) don't give the source away and b) use the copyright law.

IE Team.  

I don't suppose anybody is keeping score, but I'm now working on the Internet Explorer team full time.  More specifically, I'm on the browser UI team along with Jeremy, Jeff, Aaron, and a bunch of others who either don't blog, or who's blogs I don't know about yet.    [via Tony Schreiner's WebLog]

Another one appears

SQL Server Web Data Administrator.  

At http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c039a798-c57a-419e-acbc-2a332cb7f959&DisplayLang=en

Whether you are doing Microsoft Windows or Web development, or just need remote access to data for yourself or your clients, the Web Data Administrator is the perfect complement to your toolbox. [via Microsoft WebBlogs]

 The fact that this, apparently works as an administrator for MSDE makes it worth a look.

Now the company promotes Flash as a full-fledged development platform for creating what Macromedia calls "rich Internet applications." Nearly every commercial Web site uses Flash, as do many of the Web's most effective ads. [via PCWorld.com - Looking Into Flash's Future]

Nearly every commercial web site? Perhaps I don't use a lot (any!) of commercial web sites (what is a commercial web site?); this seems a bit of an over the top claim.

MSDE Web Resource Kit - C# and .NET SDK Version.  This code sample illustrates how to use MSDE as the back end for an ASP.NET Web application. [via Microsoft Download Center]

 Someone was asking about this. I would have thought it was easy 'cos its just a cut down SQL server isn't it - just shows I haven't read the article!

Sixth Reinvention of Neil Young.  The folk-country-grunge dinosaur is reborn (again) as an Internet-friendly, biodiesel-driven, multimedia machine. By Ted Greenwald from Wired magazine. [via Wired News: Top Stories]

Well worth a read (That Super 8 grain looks like my music sounds - ahhh). [Sorry, the above links were wrong due to copying from one (local test) blog to another - also testing iMunch, the Aggregator/blog tool this lot is maintained with]

Chancellor 'may quit to head IMF'.  Reports Chancellor Gordon Brown may quit Britain for an IMF post are described as 'speculation' by the Treasury. [via BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

 Ah 'speculation' - not denial "Gordon loves his job and will be staying.... blah blah", but "too early to comment". Could be fun if he goes (he might also be quite good at it; if he really means it about 3rd world debt).