Matthew Carlson - How do we know that Microsoft isn't doing anything evil with the information custo

The Discussion

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  Personally, I think Alerts are great. Would have been cooler if Hailstorm panned out, but that's beside the point. Two things to say here: one, will there ever be a way for a small-time developer to create alerts (maybe free or low-price), and what should I do to prepare for the new Longhorn alert system?

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  another interesting video.  I've been asked the same question from many average to below average users about what microsoft does with the information they gather.  most people thing microsoft has all this information and is just going to do something just huge and damaging some day.  i wish i could get them to watch this vid and maybe clean up some of the misconseptions,.

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  Yes, they are looking at ways to bring Alerts to smaller guys. I have a prototype over at http://scoble.weblogs.com -- I should send out more alerts.

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  I think the organization of Microsoft is something I would like to know more about.
  
  Many people view Microsoft as one well organized giant monolith. And that monolith is scary. The fact that people view Microsoft that way should in one way be very flattering - Anyone who's been involved in software development knows the difficulties in organizing people.
  But the more I hear from people that actually work at Microsoft the more it sounds like the Silicon valley - just that all the companies are Microsoft. In a way that puts Microsoft on the same planet as the rest of us. Not this large scary machine from outer space that will run you over like a lawnmower.
  
  But, well, I don't work at Microsoft so what do I know. But someone wiser than me said something like...
  
  Fear leads to Anger,
  Anger leads to Hate,
  Hate leads to Linux. (Just joking =)
  
  Cheers.
  
  /Lars.
  
  

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  two places to start for alerts...
  you can download the sdk and start playing right away at:
  http://www.microsoft.com/alerts
  
  or if you want to use a hosted solution (no dev work for most scenarios so you can be sending alerts in 5 min) try:
  www.messagecast.net
  
  \matthew
  

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  Is it possible to send alerts to non-Microsoft systems?
  

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  I googled around for it, but I couldn't see what you're talking about.  Do you have a more direct link?