http://www.techuser.net Fifteen most recent articles at Techuser en-us Copyright 2003-12 Latif Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:47:00 +0500 The traditional web search interface is almost as old as the web itself. Apart from being slow and barely usable, it is bad for the search business. It is high time it got replaced with something modern. http://www.techuser.net/why-new-search-interface.html Thu, Aug 16 2012 02:08:16 +0500 Google Chrome's user interface is fairly minimal compared to what came before, but there is room for improvement. In fact, there is so much room for improvement that we can add an order of magnitude more functionality with better usability in the same space as Google Chrome's Omnibox. http://www.techuser.net/beyond-chrome.html Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:08:16 +0500 Google's decision to confront the Chinese government on censorship has surprised everyone. The decision has jeopardized Google's Chinese operations for apparently no gain. It turns out that the gains are there. They are just hard to spot as they are not intended for the usual suspects: the investors. http://www.techuser.net/google-endgame.html Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:08:16 +0000 Microsoft has been chasing Yahoo for quite a while now. Most people think that it all started with Microsoft's acquisition bid for Yahoo, but this is not so. It is well-known that Microsoft and Yahoo have been negotiating since at least May of 2006, and may have been negotiating since 2003. Clearly, Microsoft wants something important from Yahoo; however, precisely what Microsoft wants has not been clear until now. http://www.techuser.net/microsoft-yahoo.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:43:06 +0000 Ebay auctions can reveal a lot of interesting and valuable information. Unfortunately, few people bother to study the bid data generated by Ebay auctions and fail to benefit from the patterns hidden there. The web calendaring startup Kiko's auction is a classic example of an opportunity wasted because of insufficient analysis. In Kiko's case, the cost ran into the millions. http://www.techuser.net/kiko.html Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:05:46 +0000 Lego seems to have taken up programmable construction toys again with Mindstorms NXT, but this is not so. Mindstorms NXT signals only the continuation of Lego's long standing strategy of keeping programmable construction toys confined to a niche. http://www.techuser.net/lego2.html Wed, 03 May 2006 02:52:43 +0000 In recent years, Lego Mindstorms has generated more media buzz for Lego than all of its other product lines combined, but astonishingly, Mindstorms seem to be out of favor at Lego. Why? http://www.techuser.net/lego.html Sun, 27 Nov 2005 07:12:03 +0000 Why did a well-respected, highly profitable company that professes to do no evil choose to misguide potential investors and shareholders? UPDATED!!! http://www.techuser.net/gcoverup.html Tue, 31 May 2005 10:04:02 +0000 Google needs to deal with Gmail users' ad blindness before it can make money with Gmail. Ad blindness is a tough problem to tackle, but Gmail's peculiar business model enables an interesting solution. http://www.techuser.net/gmailads.html Wed, 02 Mar 2005 01:44:55 +0000 The last few years have been quite scary for Sun Microsystems, but the company is back on track. Sun is cutting back on its proprietary hardware and has a sound plan to combat all the competitive threats facing its business. http://www.techuser.net/sunx86.html Mon, 20 Dec 2004 01:57:01 +0000 Microsoft and Yahoo are in a rush to copy Gmail's functionality, but it makes sense for them to copy more than just the interface, and storage quotas. Gmail's business model suits Microsoft and Yahoo even more than it suits Google, and this is what Microsoft and Yahoo will be copying next. http://www.techuser.net/webmail.html Wed, 10 Nov 2004 03:28:05 +0000 While writing this article it occurred to me that I am running a most unusual startup in the guise of this website. The startup has no capital, no revenues, and no business plan. Is the experiment doomed? Well, I come from Sialkot, and Sialkot's entrepreneurs are absolute masters at what I am doing. http://www.techuser.net/bizlessons.html Mon, 01 Nov 2004 10:37:05 +0000 Bloggers care a lot about web-traffic, but not all blogs can be popular. Fortunately, blog success and blog popularity do not have any great correlation, and bloggers need to get over their obsession with hits. http://www.techuser.net/hits.html Sun, 03 Oct 2004 12:37:03 +0000 Google's Gmail service has brought a lot of innovative ideas to the webmail scene, and webmail users are ecstatic about the new functionality. Shockingly, Google is intent on missing out on the financial rewards of the company's hard work. http://www.techuser.net/gmail.html Sat, 28 Aug 2004 01:15:04 +0000 Windows users are getting burned by the non-existent security of Microsoft's operating system. But, instead of addressing the real issues, Microsoft is out on a public relations offensive to avert blame and disinform the public. http://www.techuser.net/msftblame.html Sun, 18 Jul 2004 02:51:50 +0000