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In In Focus

How to Break Up Google

Author Jesse SteelePosted on

News Corp has called for Google to break up. Good call. Here’s one way to break up Google:

  1. Make Gmail an installable web app and allow full export of email, calendar, and contacts, using self-hosting and allowing the @gmail.com address to continue on self-hosted, “federated” cloud.
  2. Sell Google Ads entirely and to two separate companies, allowing both new owners to pay Google for user/meta information on a royalty/subscription -like basis.
  3. Split off YouTube into its own, separate entity, but allow continued optional integration with the same Google services—or with other services such at Yahoo.

This would be an opportunity for Yahoo to make a comeback. We do need balance in the market and no monopoly is good.

Will it happen? Probably not. Google’s belligerence has probably destined it to become a utility. But, it sure was a nice dream while it lasted.

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In In Focus

On Kevin Spacey

Author Jesse SteelePosted on

I won’t share my opinion about Kevin Spacey because that would be cheating. People need to think for themselves. But, I will say what I think about the situation. Mostly, it’s entertaining. Poetically, Spacey is an entertainer.

I’m all for owning problems, which Spacey did in getting help with addiction. I’m all for truth and honestly when coupled with redemption, which has yet to be seen either way—even though America is supposed to be this “Christian” nation—whatever that is. And, that’s why this is so entertaining.

There is nothing wrong with being either Christian or non-Christian. But, their is a big problem with Christians and non-Christians taking their Ps and Qs from each other. Christians should guide Christians; non-Christians should guide non-Christians. That should make sense, but in America it hasn’t been that way. The two have been trying to boss each other since the nation was founded. And, Kevin Spacey exposed that for what it is.  · · · →

In In Focus

Letter to Congress, Re: International Parcel Delivery in Taiwan

Author Jesse SteelePosted on

Congressman,

I am writing about a matter concerning trade and USPS shipping with Taiwan. Having recently learned about Taiwan’s regrettable behavior with US goods and shipping, I am angry and I request that the US negotiations with Taiwan concerning trade take into consideration my request.

It has come to my attention that Taiwan has been issuing fines and strange requirements on individual goods and items purchased by end consumers in Taiwan, having originated in the US.

I myself ordered a set of skateboard parts (for one skateboard only) seven months ago. They were shipped via USPS, but I have not had any word. I told the company I purchased them from that they had not arrived, so they shipped another set to a US address, which was then shipped to me well over a month ago. That second package, from home, included some airline ID cards which still has not arrived and I have received no word concerning the status of that shipment either.  · · · →

In In Focus

Getting Email Private Email Servers

Author Jesse SteelePosted on

Email is a “thing” everyone deals with, so I actually decided to blog about this because there is so much to say.

I run my own VPS software to manage email, cloud backup & sync, and online shopping stores—all in one place at one low price. It’s called “Verb™” and you can see the project here on GitHub if you’re interested: https://github.com/inkverb/verb.

So, you set up your blog and online store, but where do you send your email from? Many people consider sending from within Gmail. But, “Sending from” a non- gmail.com address within Gmail is a premium feature. Quirks in email setups are a normal thing no matter which rout we take. Google actually has a paid service just for managing your email for you and that has its own quirks which my sister had trouble with.

If you use Gmail to “Send from” a non- gmail.com address, when you make major updates to your private email server, you will have trouble sending via Gmail until you set it up again.  · · · →