Microsoft and the $240 million offer to Facebook

Technology

Microsoft to Pay $240 Million for Stake in Facebook

By BRAD STONE

Published: October 25, 2007

Microsoft has won a high-profile technology industry battle with Google and Yahoo to invest in the social networking upstart Facebook.

My initial take:

Marketers will definitely be interested in Facebook users due to the treasure trove of information contained on the site. Imagine a getting a highly targeted and accurate pitch directed at you...advertisers can now "scrape" your postings and will be able to create a complete picture of your current lifestyle and personal tastes.

Cong. Ron Paul - Generates huge online following

Here's the most popular video on YouTube about Congressman Ron Paul - Republican from Texas. His antiwar, limited gov't stance is getting a lot of traction in terms of grassroots support. He is so refreshingly candid and a highly principled stand up kind of guy.

Craigslist - forwarding emails has unintended consequence

Forwarding e-mails can sometimes have an unintended consequence. This happened this week when a woman posted a notice on Craigslist.com looking for a future husband who earns at least $500-thousand a year.

Here's the actual NY Times story:

Acquisitive Craigslist Post Reddens Faces All Around

By ANDREW ADAM NEWMAN

Published: October 8, 2007

An exchange that began from a personal ad sent over Craigslist.com evolved into an embarrassing but popular item to send to friends via e-mail.

Help with online influence scale (OI score)

I am trying to measure the extent of someone's online influence (OI score). I need your feedback as to what items should be included in calculating the score.

In trying to figure out the most influential person online (opinion leader), I suggest that the following should be included:

1. How much time does a person spend online (searching, reading, blogging, etc.)?

2. Does he or she have a blog? Does he or she have a website? Participate in online discussion board?

3. Does that person forward links, emails and files?

4. Does he or she have so many members on the social media network?

5. Does he or she have so many accounts to forward information or link?

6. How many sites does he or she view daily?

7. How many emails does he or he check?

8. Does he or she upload files to YouTube and other user-generated sites?

I need your ideas here...Eventually, the goal here is to derive a scale that will measure someone's "viral" power online....and this should help us understand factors and kinds of people who make an obscure video into a very popular one online.

Wal-Mart - An Interactive Illustration

Here's a nice interactive map tracing the growth of Wal-Mart from 1962 up to 2004. It's a powerful illustration.

The Wal-Mart Story - Interactive

Access to computers - One Laptop Per Child

One Laptop Per Child is the brainchild of MIT's Nicholas Negroponte. He pioneered the creation of a $200 laptop that children in poor countries can use. You can now buy 1 laptop and give 1 to a poor child free for a cost of $400. Do you think this strategy will work? Will people see the good intentions here or just focus on its inferior performance when you compare it to Windows or Mac.

What do you think?

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Laptop With a Mission Widens Its Audience

By DAVID POGUE

Published: October 4, 2007

A low-cost computer intended to aid children in poor countries will soon be on sale here, for two weeks only.