Newspapers’ Challenge

Newspapers have been scrambling to keep up with the world of blogs. In the process they’re actually destroying what sets them apart. Take this piece from the International Herald Tribune. It’s in this morning’s revamped paper, under the byline of John Doyle—without further affiliation. It’s a good piece, except for a lame ending, but it … Read more

Encarta’s Passing: Harbinger of Redmond Doom?

Microsoft has announced that Encarta, its digital encyclopedia, will be dead by year’s end. First off, hands up who thought it had died long ago? Secondly, and before we get on to the whole Wikipedia thing, I’d like to make a more general comment about Microsoft: its online stuff is awful, and Encarta is no … Read more

Bot, Go Out and Do My Bidding

This week’s WSJ.com column (behind a subscription wall, I’m afraid) is on how we need to get ready for the day when chatbots go out and do our bidding for us. Literally, possibly, but if nothing else to go out and do the pre-flirting bit of online dating.  clipped from online.wsj.com Expect a future where … Read more