More .NET Spying Issues
November 7, 2017
George Orwell, like many science fiction authors, imagined dystopian futures, but also the possibility of grander technology. In his quintessential novel 1984, Orwell discussed the consequences of a society controlled by completely by the government and how an advanced spy network allowed the entity to do so. While Orwell imagined this future, he probably could not conceive of how the technology would actually work.
Today we do and many consumers are victims of spying.
Technology companies state that the spying is unintentional, but do we really believe that? Gitbhub had a post titled, “.NET Core Should Not Spy On Users By Default” The .NET Core is a set of tools Microsoft developed and Microsoft has a history of spying on their users. Remember how Windows 10 spied on users? A Microsoft representative posted that the default spying protocol is actually a good thing, because
The data we collect does not identify individual users. We’re only interested in aggregate data that we can use to identify trends. The telemetry feature is configurable, so you can turn it on/off at any time. It is also scoped, only applying to tools usage, not the rest of the product. We think that this is a good trade-off and recognize that not everyone will like it. We do know, however, that many people will like the product improvements that will come from this insight.
Spying is spying, whether the data cannot be identified. Also everything digital leaves a footprint somehow, so the representative is more than likely misspeaking (using double think?). The spying option should never be a default unless an advisory is given to users and they allow it. At least, Apple does it with all of their users.
Whitney Grace, November 7, 2017
Yet Another Way to Make Search Smarter
November 3, 2017
Companies are always inventing new ways to improve search. Their upgrades are always guaranteed to do this or that, but usually they do nothing at all. BA Insights is one of the few companies that offers decent search product and guess what? They have a new upgrade! According to their blog, “BA Insight Makes Search Smarter With Smarthub.” BA Insight’s latest offering is called the Smarthub that is specifically designed for cognitive search. It leverages cloud-based search and cognitive computing services from Google, Elastic, and Microsoft.
Did I mention it was an app? Most of them are these days. Smarthub also supports and is compatible with other technology, has search controls built from metadata, machine learning personalization analytics, cognitive image processing, and simultaneous access to content from over sixty enterprise systems. What exactly is cognitive search?
‘Cognitive search, and indeed, the entire new wave of cognitive applications, are the next leap forward in information access. These apps rest on a search backbone that integrates information, making it findable and usable. Companies such as BA Insight are now able to not only provide better search results, but also uncover patterns and solve problems that traditional search engines can’t,’ said Sue Feldman, Co-Founder and Managing Director at the Cognitive Computing Consortium. ‘There’s a cognitive technology race going on between the big software superpowers, which are developing platforms on which these applications are built. Smart smaller vendors go the next mile, layering highly integrated, well designed, purpose-built applications on top of multiple platforms so that enterprises can leave their information environments in place while adding in the AI, machine learning, and language understanding that gets them greater, faster insights.’
It sounds like what all search applications are supposed to do. I guess it is just a smarter version of the search applications that already exist, but what makes them different is the analytics and machine learning components that make information more findable and personalize the experience.
Whitney Grace, November 3, 2017
Short Honk: Ah, Microsoft. We Love Edge. We Do, We Do
November 2, 2017
There are more weighty issues in online search and content processing. One example is the cheeseburger emoji. Another is the growing hostility to Silicon Valley methods.
I read “Microsoft Edge Crashes Mid Presentation Forcing Microsoft Employee to Download Google Chrome.” I noted this passage:
Microsoft actually uploaded the entire presentation to YouTube, complete with the part where the employee downloads Google Chrome,
The crash wasn’t enough. The fact that MSFT used Chrome was not enough. But what was enough was uploading the promo for Google to YouTube.
What did NFL commentators used to say before political correctness forced the program to discontinue hard hits? Was it “Come on, man” or was it “Jacked Up.”
I recall a Verizon VP who once used the phrase “fluster cluck.”
You pick a way to describe the situation if your Windows 10 download and reboot does not interrupt your online session.
Stephen E Arnold, November 2, 2017
Bing out, Google in for Siri and Spotlight
October 26, 2017
Was it only a matter of time? Softpedia News reports, “Apple Replaces Microsoft’s Bing with Google for Siri and Spotlight on iOS, macOS.” The company explains the change will make the user experience within these services more consistent with Safari, the browser used by iOS and macOS. Writer Marius Nestor reports:
As of today, Apple chooses to use Google instead of Microsoft’s Bing for web search results on Siri for iOS and macOS, as well as on the Spotlight feature of macOS Sierra or High Sierra and iOS’ built-in search functionality. In a statement given to TechCrunch this morning, Apple confirms the switch from Bing to Google for web search results provided by either Siri or Spotlight on both iOS and macOS operating systems, claiming that the drastic change has to do with consistency across all of its supported Mac and iOS devices, but we know that Google paid Apple $3 billion to remain default search engine on iOS and macOS.
Though Bing diehards can re-enable that search engine within the Safari browser, but not for Siri or Spotlight. Apple emphasizes they maintain “strong relationships” with both Google and Microsoft.
Cynthia Murrell, October 26, 2017
Google and Android Are Fragmented
October 25, 2017
Google and Android are usually linked in arm and arm proving that the latter is the superior phone. There might be problems, however, with Google’s newest augmented reality program ARCore. The news comes from Venture Beat’s story, “Android’s Fragmentation Will Give Google’s ARCore Problems.” Google released the ARCore to compete with Apple’s ARKit, but problems occur with fragmentation.
One of the reasons is that there are 24,000 smartphones that use the Android OS. This would not be an issue, except all of these devices use one of seven different versions of the Android software. It is difficult, nay, impossible for all of the smartphone developers to agree on a set of standards. Apple has the benefit of being a singular company without that issue.
The ARCore will only run on high end smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Pixel, that do not have the fragmentation problem. Google also does not have a happy developer community, because they are forced to make multiple copies of the same app for the different Android versions.
Ultimately, if you don’t have happy developers, you won’t have great content, which means you won’t have users. Just look at Microsoft’s Windows Smartphone: it failed to attract developers to build its mobile ecosystem, which former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer blamed for the demise of the company’s smartphone unit.
Android has fragmentation issues with the ARCore as well as a fragmented developer community. Things could and probably will change in who dominates the phone market, but for now, Apple remains on top.
Whitney Grace, October 25, 2017
HP Enterprise Spins Software Division into Micro Focus International
October 23, 2017
It would seem that the saga of HP’s lamented 2011 Autonomy acquisition is now complete—Reuters announces, “Hewlett Packard Enterprise to Complete Software Spin-Off.” Reporter Salvador Rodriguez explains:
The enterprise software businesses, which include the widely used ArcSight security platform, have been merged with Micro Focus International Plc (MCRO.L), a British software company. HPE was formed when the company once known as Hewlett-Packard split into HPE and HP Inc in November 2015.
The spin-off comes as HPE adjusts to the rapid shift of corporate computing to cloud services offered by the likes of Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). HPE aims to cater specifically to customers running services both on their own premises and in the cloud, said Ric Lewis, senior vice president of HPE’s cloud software group, in an interview.
The spin-off marks the end of HP’s unhappy tangle with Autonomy, which it acquired for $11 billion in an aborted effort to transform HP into an enterprise software leader. The ink was barely dry on the much-criticized deal when the company took an $8.8 billion writedown on it.
But wait, the story is not over quite yet—the legal case that began when HP sued Autonomy ’s chief officers continues. Apparently, that denouement is now HPE’s to handle. As for Micro Focus, Rodriguez reports it will now be run by former HPE Chief Operating Officer Chris Hsu, who plans to focus on growth through acquisitions. Wait… wasn’t that what started this trouble in the first place?
Cynthia Murrell, October 23, 2017
Bing Gains on Google in Desktop Search
October 20, 2017
Many were skeptical that Bing could make any inroads into Google’s market, but now TechRadar reports, “Bing Search Has Taken Over a Surprising Amount of Google’s Turf.” Citing comScore’s figures for desktop PC searches made this past March, writer Darren Allan tells us that, in the US, one out of three desktop searches used Bing and in the UK, one out of four did. Globally, Bing’s market share is 9%, a figure that includes Microsoft-powered Yahoo and AOL searches. What is behind Bing’s unforeseen success? Allan reflects:
The spread of Windows 10 is the primary factor, with Microsoft’s newest OS maintaining a steady rate of growth as time goes on, as we saw with the latest figures on that front yesterday. Windows 10 is fronted – quite literally, from setup onwards – by Cortana, and searches conducted via the digital assistant are powered by Bing. As Windows 10 continues to gather pace, and more folks begin to use Cortana on the desktop, naturally more searches will come Bing’s way. And to some extent, Google getting flak for anti-competitive practices in Europe, as seen last month when the search giant was hit by a massive fine for favoring its own shopping services in results, isn’t likely to hurt Bing’s prospects either. We’ve certainly had several non-techie friends hear anti-Google news hitting the headlines, prompting them to think about using alternatives. This search might lead folks to Bing’s door. And finally, the fact that Microsoft will now pay you to use Bing could tempt some folks, as well.
Yes, Microsoft Rewards is bribing users to make the switch. I suppose every incentive helps. Will such tactics, along with Windows’ dominant desktop position and Google’s reputation problem, continue to support Bing’s rise in the search market? Stay tuned.
Cynthia Murrell, October 20, 2017
Microsoft AI: Another Mobile Type Play?
September 27, 2017
I read a long discussion of Microsoft’s artificial intelligence activities. The article touches briefly on the use of Bing and LinkedIn data. (I have distributed this post via LinkedIn, so members can get a sense of the trajectory of the MSFT AI effort.
I noted several quotes, but I urge you to read the original article “One Year Later, Microsoft AI and Research Grows to 8k People in Massive Bet on Artificial Intelligence.”
[1] Microsoft is looking to avoid missing giant opportunities as it did with mobile and social media, so it is giving its AI strategy a lot of attention and resources
[2] Artificial intelligence is one of the key topics of Nadella’s upcoming book, Hit Refresh.
[3] The initial announcement between Microsoft and Cortana might not be the end of the AI collaboration between the Seattle-area tech giant…
[4] We’ve [Microsoft AI team] largely built what I would call wedges of competency — a great speech recognition system, a great vision and captioning system, great object recognition system…
[5] When you think about the Microsoft Graph and Office Graph, now augmented with the LinkedIn Graph, it’s just amazing.
[6] Now, the question is whether Microsoft “can really execute with differentiation.
[7] Microsoft is looking to avoid missing giant opportunities as it did with mobile and social media, so it is giving its AI strategy a lot of attention and resources.
Stephen E Arnold, September 27, 2017
Trust the Search Black Box and Only the Black Box
September 21, 2017
This article reads like an infomercial for a kitchen appliance. It asks the same, old question, “How much time do you waste searching for relevant content?” Then it leads into a pitch for Microsoft and some other companies. BA Insights wrote, “The Increasingly Intelligence Search Experience” to be an original article, but frankly it sounds like every spiel to sell a new search algorithm.
After the “hook,” the article runs down the history of Microsoft and faceted search along with refiners and how it was so revolutionary at the time. Do not get me wrong, this was a revolution move, but it sounds like Microsoft invented the entire tool rather than just using it as a strategy. There is also a brief mention on faceted navigation, then they throw “intelligence search” at us:
Microsoft’s definition of “intelligence” may still be vague, but it’s clear that the company believes its work in machine-learning, when combined with its cloud platform, can give it a leg up over its competitors. The Microsoft Graph and these new intelligent machine-learning capabilities provide personalized insights based on a user’s personal network, project assignments, meeting schedule, and other search and collaboration activities. These features make it possible not only to search using traditional methods and take action based on those results, but for the tools and systems to proactively provide intelligent, personalized, and timely information before you ask for it – based on your profile, permissions, and activity history.
Oh! Microsoft is so smart that they have come up with something brand new that companies which specialize in search have never thought of before. Come on, how many times have we seen and read claims like this before? Microsoft is doing revolutionary things, but not so much in the field of search technology. They have contributed to its improvement over the years, but if this was such a revolutionary piece of black box software why has not anyone else picked it up?
Little black box software has their uses, but mostly for enterprise and closed systems-not the bigger Web.
Whitney Grace, September 21, 2015
Google Invests Hefty Sums in Lobbying Efforts
September 19, 2017
Since Microsoft was caught flat-footed by antitrust charges in 1992, the tech industry has steadily increased its lobbying efforts. Now, The Guardian asks, “Why is Google Spending Record Sums on Lobbying Washington?” Writer Johathan Taplin describes some reasons today’s political climate prompts such spending and points out that Google is the “largest monopoly in America,” though the company does its best to downplay that trait. He also notes that Google is libertarian in nature, and staunchly advocates against regulation. Looking forward, Taplin posits:
Much of Google’s lobbying may be directed toward its future business. That will be running artificial intelligence networks that control the transportation, medical, legal and educational businesses of the future. In a speech last Saturday to the National Governor’s Conference, the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk stated: ‘AI is a rare case where I think we need to be proactive in regulation instead of reactive.’ Coming from a Silicon Valley libertarian, this was a rare admission, but Musk went on to say: ‘There certainly will be job disruption. Because what’s going to happen is robots will be able to do everything better than us … I mean all of us.’ Both Google and Facebook pushed back hard against Musk’s remarks, because they have achieved their extraordinary success by working in an unregulated business environment. But now, for the first time in their histories, the possibility of regulation may be on the horizon. Google’s response will be to spend more of its $90 bn in cash on politicians. K Street is lining up to help.
We are reminded that, for many industries, lobbying Congress has long been considered a routine cost of doing business. The tech industry is now firmly in that category and is beginning to outspend the rest. See the article for more details.
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