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------- THE COURSEY REPORT --------
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November 5, 2004
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http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148743-1
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In This Edition
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David Coursey: The Coursey Report
1. Firefox Is a Worthy Adversary
2. Hackers Hold Cisco Code Hostage ... Again
3. Focus on SMBs
4. Oops! This Is Fall, Not Spring
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David Coursey: The Coursey Report
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Firefox Is a Worthy Adversary
I got lots of e-mail from Mozilla partisans following an
article I wrote this week about Firefox, their newest
browser release. It is a very nice product and represents a
potentially serious challenge to Internet Explorer.
Several readers took me to task for the shortcomings I
mentioned. It turns out there is something like forms
support, but it's not the kind provided by Google Toolbar,
which is intended to provide name, e-mail address, shipping
and even (password-protected) credit card information during
online shopping sprees. The word "form" does not appear in
the Firefox help file, which is why I had trouble finding
it.
Also, since the site for downloading Firefox extensions
lacks a search function I was unable (even though I nosed
around quite a bit) to find Spellbound until I received an
e-mail pointing me in the proper direction.
I did receive a letter from an old friend--who doesn't work
at Microsoft--saying I didn't give Redmond enough credit for
my IE does that he says other browsers don't:
"While I agree that Firefox has a number of admirable
features, the biggest issue that it (and Opera and Safari
and...) has is its woefully incomplete support of DHTML and
the Document Object Model. Microsoft 'got it' and Internet
Explorer now works incredibly well as a thin client host for
Web-based apps. I deeply wish the other browsers would
follow suit, but they're focused on the mass market and
haven't paid much attention to the incredible array of
functionality that Microsoft has added.
"One can claim that 'it isn't standards-based'--and one
would be right on the technicality. But given a 90
percent-plus market share, I think it's safe to say that IE
has defined the standard, and others need to embrace it.
"The difference vis-a-vis Windows, Office, etc., is that a
browser is essentially just a giant API, and in order to get
people to use it that API must be published. Microsoft has
done a terrific job on that score, too.
"To be clear: I'm not a Microsoft fan in general (after all,
I'm the guy who came up with QuickBooks, which actually
caused Microsoft to abandon that market). But I encourage
you to dig deeper in this case, and acknowledge them for
good work when they do it."
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148746-1
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Hackers Hold Cisco Code Hostage ... Again
Cisco's loss of source code--for the second time--was in the
news this week. What I didn't say clearly enough in this
column is that Cisco's source code has become important
enough to be considered a national security secret. If Cisco
can't keep it secure, maybe Uncle Sam will have to give it a
try.
Securing Source Code Should Be a Priority
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148749-1
For Sale: Cisco Firewall Source Code
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148752-1
E-gold Tracks Cisco Code Thief
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148755-1
Another point: Maybe open source security would be a better
way to handle at least some of this, though I remain
skeptical.
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148749-1
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Focus on SMBs
Several Friday news stories demonstrate the increasing
importance being accorded to the small and midsize business
(SMB) market. EMC is purchasing Dantz Development, publisher
of Retrospect backup products for Windows and Mac.
Meanwhile, Microsoft on Monday will outline its small
business accounting and CRM plans. Yahoo is ramping up its
small business products. Netsuite is targeting the SMB
market with its hosted CRM and other apps. Less on target
but still in the area is a product story about new SMB
wireless products from Airespace
EMC's Dantz Buy Reveals SMB Ambitions
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148758-1
Microsoft to Take On Intuit With Office Small-Biz Release
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148761-1
Yahoo Bolsters Small Business Plans
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148764-1
NetSuite Revamps Hosted Apps to Give SMBs More Options
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148767-1
Wireless LAN Companies Tout SMB Gear
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148770-1
The SMB market is becoming a big deal as companies look past
the enterprise for untapped revenue. But what defines a
small to midsized business is different from one vendor to
the next. It's a topic I'll discuss, along with Office 12
and Adobe as an enterprise vendor, in the next week or so.
MS Office 12's Secrets Begin to Trickle Out
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148773-1
MS Office 12's Competition: Its Older Versions and Linux
Suites
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148776-1
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Oops! This Is Fall, Not Spring
Thanks to those of you who pointed out that October is not
spring and we set our clocks back an hour, not forward as I
wrote last week. I blame the error on writing at 5 am before
I've been caffeinated, but here in Northern California the
fall rains have started, grass has turned from yellow to
green, the birds have returned--all these were the signs of
spring when I was growing up in Texas. So I have spring
fever, even if it's almost Thanksgiving.
http://eletters.eweek.com/zd1/cts?d=79-1344-20-37-22237-148779-1
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Have a great week!
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