A Sinking Ship or a Rising Phoenix?

So I was just reading an article on Tech Republic defending Microsoft's support of open source technology.  The article illustrated ten points that showed a large amount of Microsoft technology the company has open sourced.  Looking at that, and the statement the article made about Microsoft now being on of the top twenty contributors to Linux, it seems like open source is the new motto at Microsoft.

But there was another company that once aspired yo reach the top of the world, and failed.  In its death throws, that company, one Sun Micro systems, decided that it would make a sort of bid for immortality, turning almost all of software offerings into open source products.

Now, I'm not saying I think Microsoft is going anywhere, or that they have any plans to sell, but neither did Sun, and now they're gone.  The point I'm really driving at is maybe this is a last effort to stay relevant, or maybe a shot at something greater.

To argue against the Sun comparison, I will point out two major differences that Microsoft has from what Sun did.  Microsoft has money, and they have better PR than Sun did.

The money thing should speak for itself.  The PR thing, that where Sun really failed.  Almost no one knew that Sun was dying.  If Microsoft suddenly disappeared, people would notice.

So make your own decision, if Microsoft setting up to sink or soar?

Just An Update

So I figured I'd just drop a line and say something really quick.  With all of the jumbled chaos of a new baby and buying a house, I haven't been keeping up with all of Digital Fruit's media outlets.

First item of business is the two sites I've been working on to help generate some more biz around our web development branch, tcgindex.info, and picapedia.info.  These two new sites stem from two of my more passionate obsessions, collectable card games and photography, though the later will be far less focused on just photography, and more of a go-to place for images of just about anything.

Next update is a renewed push for the Digital Fruit Aluminum drive.  If you have anything to donate, it is greatly appreciated, and the proceeds from this will help both the community and the environment.  So, if you see a can pick it up and save it for a better tomorrow.

And lastly, the Digital Fruit Small Business Conference is fast approaching.  If you have not reserved your seat, do so soon, as seating is limited.

That's all I have for today, so catch you on the flip side.

USA Not Doing So Hot

I read about the Swiss movement know as the Pirate Party way back in 2009 I think, in an article in the Seattle Times.  I was impressed by the idea that a political party could form over just the abuses of the world wide web.  And honestly, that was the last I heard of them for a while.

But the Pirate party has made some news lately, and frankly, I'm worried we are falling behind here in the states.  In this article and this one, I've found they have been a very busy political force, becoming the third largest party in Germany.  In just two years!  It kind of makes you wonder if all of this copyright and fair-use law might just be a little important.  But here in the states, nobody gives a damn.  In a country born on the principles of freedom, we've been willingly signing away our rights over how we use the internet and how property is owned.

And that is correct, I did say property.  When you go and download a program or a song from the internet, the legal term is IP, intellectual property, and we have always regarded the purchase of property to be a transfer of that property from one person to another.  But these days, people in power want to limit your rights to do so.  There are major name producers that are trying to make it so you can't even re-sell a CD or video game without paying them again.

While the Pirate party may have been founded with a silly name and very loose purpose, that of simple keeping the internet free and open, I think we can all learn from the Pirates, and maybe find that inner Pirate in all of us.  Stand up, make your voice heard, and don't let those who would limit your rights get away with it without a fight.

Props To Open Source

So, while watching stuff on July the other day, I noticed a very subtle tribute to the open source community during a Verizon commercial.  I'm not sure if it was intentional on the part of the marketing group who created the ad, but it still stands as a profound mark for open means of communication.

During their new Droid Does marketing campaign, there is a scene where a dad and two boys are camping, they pop their heads out of the tent, then the camera cuts back inside to them watching a video on the phone.  To most people it just looks like a cartoon, but to these wary open sourced eyes, I knew it for what it was.  It was the scene in Big Buck Bunny where Franky throws an acorn at the bird.

So, an open source product endorsing an open movie.  That's a lot of open. 

Building Up Our Resources

We here at Digital Fruit have a goal to become an entertainment and information company, providing you, our customers, with fascinating and enriching media experiences that will last a lifetime.  This is no easy task, though, and the demands that modern entertainment projects demand can be overwhelming.  Knowing we can't compete without innovation, Digital Fruit is trying something new.

We have purchased two new AMD Llano APUs, a combination central processor and graphics chip. In conjunction with several new software upgrades, we will soon be bringing you high caliber CG animations and visual effects enhanced video.

Our first project will be a short film simply and descriptively titled Wizards' Duel.  I'm not going to say anything more about this one right now, and I don't think I need to say anything more for you to know what to expect.  Check back here on the blog often for test renders and new information, as the eam involved will be updating regularly.

Still Yahoo?

I was just looking at Alexa.com site ranks, as Digital Fruit now gets enough web traffic to be noticed by Alexa.  For the fun of it, I clicked on the list of top 500 websites, and I was kind of disturbed by what I found there.  Yahoo.com is still in the top 5!  A company that long forgotten, that has been trying to sell itself for years now, is still in the top 5.  That is a mind blowing thought.

And it stands as a testament to the human need for something familiar.  My generation grew on the constant change the internet fed us, constant craving something new, so I think we often forget that the majority of people have grown up in a world where things stayed more constant.  And I'm not just talking about generations before us either, the generations after will probably never see the kind of change we saw.  And that makes me realize, people return to what is familiar.  A site as forgotten to pulse and beat of popular media as yahoo, and people still go back there, more than twitter, more than Wikipedia, and more than amazon.

So, as closing, what is your comfort site?  Where do you default back to when you're trying to remember?  Feel free to leave a comment below.

Digital Fruit Small Business Conference

So, with a tenative date set in the middle part of June (I still have to discuss the exact date with the business that has been gracious enough to host this event), the Digital Fruit Small Business Conference will begin.  Seating starts at $20 a business, and attendance is limited to the space available, about 45 seats.  If you are a small business in the Grays Harbor area and are interested in attending, contact me via email at andrew@digitalfruit.biz and let me know how many will be attending from your business.  Thanks for your interest and support.