Dave Winer Proposes to Merge RSS and Atom

Dave Winer, the guy who created RSS (Really Simple Syndication), is considered a pain in the ass in some sectors of the blog community. Nonetheless, everyone loves RSS, an XML protocol which is the most popular way to syndicate web... continue reading »

Pop-up Alternatives Suggested

Tessa Wegert, who last week pointed out the anti-branding effects that pop-ups can bring, suggests a few alternatives to the high response rate media. Between pop-unders and the use of the skyscraper banner ads, she says that a lot of... continue reading »

Search Popularity May Be Due to Purchase Mechanisms

Dave Morgan writes that search has become a mania in the online ad business not so much because of the inherent greatness of the media itself, but because of the flexible, easy and predictable manner in which it is sold.... continue reading »

Unilever's Pot Noodles Get Web Ring Treatment

Ad agency glueLondon created a collection of web sites that resemble the many cheesy web-ring type sites on the web that take you on a circular journey from one bad site to another. The set of sites incorporates deliberately tacky... continue reading »

'Big 4' Spam Suit Proves Popular Cause

The uniting of the Internet big foursome, Microsoft, AOL, Earthlink and Yahoo on a series of anti-spam enforcement actions stole many headlines yesterday, spam clearly being on the minds of many annoyed readers. Direct Marketing Association (DMA) CEO H. Robert... continue reading »

Advertisers Waking Up, Say They'll Shift Money to Net

A survey of the Association of National Advertisers released yesterday reveals many advertisers will level fund television budgets next year and shift more money to the Internet, branded entertainment and direct marketing. At least that's what they say they'll do.... continue reading »

FTC Seeks Comment on Do-Not-Spam Registry

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) started the long process legally required to institute a do-not-spam list that would function much like its runaway-success Do-Not-Call Registry. It announced yesterday that it will collect public comments on the potential registry, how it... continue reading »

Starbucks to Offer Music Burning Service

Java purveyor Starbucks will launch a new service offering customers the ability to listen to a selection of over 250,000 songs using an HP tablet, and then create a CD of their favorite songs for $12.95. The service is designed... continue reading »

FCC Considers Dissent on Banning Digital Rebroadcast

The "broadcast flag" that TV companies have sold to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would prevent digital versions of TV content from being distributed digitally and erase fair use rights for viewers and teachers came under pressure recently, with... continue reading »

ANA Whines about Upfront Process, Forms Support Group

The Association of National Advertisers held its annual discussion about how terrible the TV upfront buying process was in revealing how irrationally much of their money is wasted. To help reform the process, they established a subcommittee, which should really... continue reading »

Wannabees and Would-Be Web Wonders Target Google

Nothing gets people drooling faster than an industry with good multiples on valuation, and the search space is so hot, the multiples are getting impressive. Lots of companies are hoping to live the Google dream of inventing a better technology... continue reading »

Spam Poetry

NPR's All Things Considered: Spam Poetry There is a strange relationship between spam and poetry. There is, of course, a proud tradition on the internet of spam haiku, about the trademarked canned lunch meat, not the annoying junk email. Poet,novelist,... continue reading »