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Leave your comments on both these
products below.

I found this very interesting article on Google I wanted to share with you. Please leave any comments you have below at the end of the article.

Microsoft first – then Google wants world domination

John Naughton
Sunday February 25, 2007
The Observer

Psst … want a $64 trillion question? Well, here it is: what is Google up to? I don’t mean what is it doing in public; I mean what is the company really up to?

The simple-minded answer is that it’s going after Microsoft. After all, this week Google announced that it was bundling its ‘data in the cloud’ applications (email, instant messaging, calendar, word processing, spreadsheets) in a commercial package called ‘Google Apps Premier Edition’, which will sell for $50 per annum and comes with 10GB of storage per user, application programming interfaces to enable data migration, technical support and a guarantee of 99.9 per cent availability. It’s basically an online Office suite and is targeted at small businesses, schools, universities, clubs and social groups.

Google executives went to great pains to pooh-pooh the idea that they were targeting Microsoft Office. ‘We are not in this to get Microsoft,’ said Dave Girouard, general manager of Google’s business software division. ‘We are in this to offer more compelling choices for consumers and businesses.’ Quite so.

And it may well be that for some organisations, the prospect of being able effectively to outsource their office IT operations for $50 per employee per year may be attractive – especially when they realise that to get the Google services they don’t need to pay for Windows licences either: all they need is Firefox running on Linux – both free programmes.

Recently, a Merrill Lynch analyst estimated that Microsoft Office cost companies $60 to $120 annually per user, assuming the software is used over a two- to three-year cycle.

And that doesn’t include the cost of the operating system or of the level of technical support needed to run a Microsoft-based network. It’s been reported that Google already has more than 100,000 small businesses using Google Apps and that ‘hundreds’ of universities have allegedly signed up for the education version of the package.

On the other hand, Office has more than 450 million users worldwide, and we know from experience that the pace of transition from one computing paradigm to another can be glacial.

So I can’t see many people in Microsoft’s Seattle HQ getting too worked up about the latest Google move, however many waves it causes in media circles.

As it happens, I suspect that Google’s canny onslaught on Microsoft is just a diversionary sideshow. Something much bigger is afoot. It’s about bandwidth, infrastructure and – ultimately – effective control of the net.

Here are two clues. First, Google is currentlya very profitable company. It has money to burn, and it’s been burning it in some interesting ways. Chief among them is the purchase of colossal amounts of network bandwidth – the fibre-optic cabling that forms the backbone of the net.

PBS columnist Robert Cringely reports a recent conversation in which a bandwidth broker – someone who buys and sells bandwidth on fibre-optic networks around the world – told him that Google now controlled more network fibre than any other organisation on the planet.

Second, Google has been building large numbers of data centres – ’server farms’ with tens of thousands of computers in each – and locating them all over the US and elsewhere in the world.

The company is very secretive about this for reasons of security, which is fair enough. But people have begun to notice that some of these distributed data centres are situated near electrical power-generation plants.

So we have two curious facts: Google has acquired fabulous amounts of bandwidth capacity, for which it has no obvious use; and it’s putting local data centres all over the place. Why would it be doing this? What’s the factor that links these two observations?

The answer is simple: video. You may have noticed in the last six months how YouTube has transformed computers into a natural platform for watching video. And this is just the beginning. We’re moving towards a world in which a significant amount of television programming will be delivered via the internet.

Indeed, you could say that we’re almost there already: it’s been estimated, for example, that half of all internet traffic is now generated by BitTorrent, a file-sharing application that is being used mainly to transfer video files (many of them illicit) over the network.

But BitTorrent is a minority sport. Most people have never heard of it. What will happen, however, when getting hold of video via the net becomes a mainstream activity?

The answer is that the network, in its current form, won’t be able to cope. And that’s before high-definition television – which is even more of a bandwidth hog – becomes commonplace.

The obvious solution to the problem would be to have an infrastructure that consisted of tens of thousands of localised data centres (which could cache video content), linked by high-speed fibre-optic channels.

Any company which had built such an infrastructure could effectively dictate its own terms, because only it could deliver what consumers had learned to crave. Such a company would, in effect, control the world.

If that comes about, we will have been well and truly Googled.

Learn how to promote your business using YouTube. Click here…

The simple answer to this question is yes, and no and maybe. Well, maybe it is not such a simple answer because it is a particularly loaded question. The subject of outsourcing is a very sensitive issue for many. There are some who believe that outsourcing, whether it is overseas or domestic, is taking jobs away from qualified individuals while others who are profiting from outsourcing are firm advocates for the practice. This article will take a look at outsourcing and will examine scenarios when quality is compromised as well as scenarios when quality is not compromised.

What is Outsourcing?

For those who are confused about what outsourcing entails, this section will explain the issue. In its most basic form, outsourcing is employing an individual outside of the work organization to perform specific tasks for monetary compensation. Outsourcing can be done on a per project basis, for a set period of time or on an ongoing basis for an undetermined period of time.

For many the word outsourcing has a very negative connotation. When they think of outsourcing, they picture underage employees in third world countries working for salaries which would be paltry by our standards. However, outsourcing has evolved so much and no longer resembles this stereotype. In fact many outsourcing takes place domestically by savvy entrepreneurs who market their abilities as an independent contractor rather than toiling away in corporate America. These individuals, enjoy their quality of life, negotiate fair compensation for their work and accept or decline work at their own will. Furthermore these individuals are often highly qualified for the positions they accept and are capable of producing work of a high standard.

When Outsourcing Compromises Quality

The simplest answer to this question is quality is compromised when price becomes the sole governing factor in selecting a candidate to complete the outsourced task. Of course this answer is not completely accurate because the truth is there are very educated and skilled employees overseas who are fully capable of completing tasks just as well as those living in this country and often for a much lower price. However, when only domestic candidates are being considered and price is the governing factor, quality is often compromised as it is very rare that the most qualified candidate is also the candidate with the lowest rates.

However, it is very common for an individual or a business to allow price to become more important than quality of work. When this happens quality is often compromised for the sake of a larger profit. An example of this is seen regularly on websites where outsourcing projects are listed and potential applicants submit their bids for these projects. Many who utilize these websites routinely select the lowest bidder without regard for the qualifications of the bidder. In most cases these individuals find they make a costly mistake when the work they receive is inadequate.

When Outsourcing Does Not Compromise Quality

Outsourcing does not always compromise quality. In fact in many cases outsourcing is not only the most affordable option but also provides the most qualified candidates. One way to avoid the pitfalls of having quality compromised by outsourcing is to carefully screen candidates before making a decision. This process should be taken just as seriously as hiring a full time employee because the work of the individual will reflect on you as an individual or your business. If due diligence is given to selecting the right candidate it is not likely that quality will be compromised.

When outsourcing work to an individual it is important to request detailed information regarding their qualifications and to verify all information supplied. Examples of information to request include:

* Previous work history
* Relevant work experiences
* Explanation of qualifications

Additionally, it is wise to ask for both business and personal references. These references should all be contacted and questioned about the work ethic and personal integrity of the individual.

Regardless of the online business model you are running, you will need traffic. And traffic is best provided by the search engines. For you to maximize this traffic source, you will need back links – lots and lots of back links.

The Different Kinds Of Linking Strategies

Beginners who are not that familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) strategies are often lost when it comes to discussions about linking strategies. Hence, before we can proceed with our discussion on how to gain the most potent links possible, it will be better if we’d first discuss what the different linking strategies are, in essence.

1. One way links. These are described as the best kind of links that you can gain. One way link has one site linking to yours, with no obligation on your part to link back to the same.

2. Reciprocal linking. If you will win a link in a website in exchange for that website’s link to be displayed in your web page, then such is reciprocal linking. Many people believe that search engines frown on reciprocal links. This is, however, not really true, as you will discover later on.

3. Triangular linking. Because of many people’s fear of the possible penalization of reciprocal links, a lot of webmasters have resorted to triangular linking. Site A will link to Site B. Site B will link to Site C. Site C will link back to Site A.

4. Multi-linking. This is similar to triangular linking, but it involves more websites in between.

As much as possible, you should aim for one way links, as in the hierarchy of values, one way links carry the most weight.

How To Get One Way Links

The old fashioned way, of course, is to request other webmasters to display a link to your website. However, the internet has evolved into a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” landscape. You’d find it difficult to have your link displayed in other websites if you won’t be able to provide something valuable for the webmasters of the same.

However, some strategies do seem to work efficiently well when it comes to acquiring one way links. These are:

* Solid content. Webmasters are always on the lookout for high quality information. If such information is unique, they’d have no choice but to link to the same. Information is embodied in content. If you can deliver unique information in a clear and eloquent manner, you’d have many webmasters linking to you easily.

* Article marketing. Webmasters are always on the lookout for fresh content as well. Often, they derive the content they need from the many article directories in the World Wide Web. Since they cannot simply reproduce such articles without citing the accompanying resource box, you can leave your link in the same, and it will be displayed wherever your article will be republished.

* Affiliate program. If you’re selling a digital product, you can set up an affiliate program that will provide affiliate links to your signups. Your signups will promote their affiliate links, and since such will carry your domain name, you’d be able to build the back links to your website.

Why You Need To Build Back Links

In theory 80% of the traffic that you will be able to generate for your website should come from the search engines. Hence, the more prominent the position of your website in search engine results, the more visitors you can gain for your web pages.

It’s a constant battle to win the favor of the search engine spiders – those robotic little creatures in charge of indexing your website. And before they can index your website, they must first be able to find it.

And they’ll find it via the trail of back links you’ll leave behind.

Getting traffic using
videos is quickly
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Ebooks are a very popular method of conveying information, promoting Internet niche websites and generating a profit. Ebooks are similar to regular books but they are distributed in a software format via email or the Internet instead of being printed and distributed as a hardcopy. There are some ebooks which are available for download free of charge but most ebooks charge a fee for the download. This, however, is not the only way ebooks generate a profit.

Ebooks can also generate a profit by selling advertising space in the ebook. Most ebooks do not openly have ads but many of them are written with the intention of promoting a particular website, product or service. Rather than a traditional advertisement, the ebook will likely feature links to more information on the advertiser’s products or services surrounded by information subtly attempting to entice the reader to research the subject further.

How Outsourcing Your Ebook Can Save You Money?

The fact that outsourcing your ebook to a professional writer can save you money is confusing for many people. Most people assume anytime you hire an individual to do work for you, it is automatically detracting from your profit margin because you have to compensate him for the work he provides. However, in the long run outsourcing the task of writing your ebook can save you money.

Consider taking on the task of writing the ebook yourself. Unless you are a professional writer, your work will likely be inferior to the work a professional would produce. This can be costly because investors will want to see a finished product before committing to sponsoring your ebook. If the work is sub par they may withhold their investment dollars. This can cost you both time and money in searching for a new sponsor.

Now consider how long it would take you to write the ebook. Can you really afford to focus exclusively on writing the ebook? Most likely you have other responsibilities to attend to. This means the ebook may take significantly longer to be completed than it would if you outsourced the work to a professional.

Finally, consider the editing process. If you plan to have the ebook edited you may have to allow additional time for the editing process if the work was completed by an amateur. If the ebook is in editing for too long you could incur additional costs.

Issuing a Press Release for Your Ebook

Can you write an effective press release? An effective press release is one that entices readers to investigate the subject of the press release further. Issuing a press release along with the release of your ebook can be one way to draw traffic to your ebook. High traffic is necessary to bring potential customers to the location where they can download your ebook. For this reason outsourcing your press release to a professional writer is also recommended. Your press release is likely the first component of your marketing strategy and if your press release is not effective it may doom your ebook to failure before it even has an opportunity to attempt to sell itself.

Outsourcing to an experienced press release writer can be rather expensive with many individuals charging in excess of $1.00 per word for these marketing tools. Savvy Internet marketers realize these prices are a bargain for the profit they will gain from a truly effective press release.

Writing a Sales Letter for Your Ebook

A sales letter for an ebook is a very important part of the ebook. This is a 1-3 page document which is typically included at the front of the ebook and provides a summary of the information which is provided in the ebook. The sales letter is usually visible to readers before they download the ebook. The purpose of this is to entice the reader to purchase the ebook.

It is logical to outsource the writing of this document to the same individual who wrote the ebook. He is the one who has the most comprehensive knowledge of the information contained within the ebook and is most qualified to write this document.