Even thttpd is bloatware compared to the IPic web server, which has a TCP/IP stack and HTTP server encapsulated in less than 1k of code. Jamais Cascio writes about the IPic in Salon’s Technology Log.

About 70% of people surveyed are saying that fear of their personal information not being kept private prevents them from buying online. I can say for sure that I will never buy from CDNow again, because they have sent me several email messages a week since I purchased a CD from them. I always search order forms for boxes that allow me to opt out of annoying email messages, but I didn’t see one on the CDNow site, and now they’re sending me email like crazy. Unfortunately, that cost them a customer. By the way, the article I cited uses the completely idiotic term “e-tailer,” I hate that.

Seattle Weekly has found even more excellent recommendations from Amazon.com if you’re in the mood to spend money, but you’re not sure what to spend it on.

I see that you’re interested in a CD from the band The Negro Problem, perhaps you’re also interested in this Aunt Jemima cookie jar (86k screen shot).

The instant messaging battle between the evil AOL and the diabolical Microsoft keeps getting uglier and uglier. I guess what both these companies always needed was to find a rival that wasn’t hampered by problems like integrity or ethics, so that they could really have a fair fight. The latest sickening outrage is that AOL used a buffer overrun in the AIM client (a big security hole) to change the software to block connections from Microsoft’s messaging product. If AOL can discover and exploit buffer overruns in their products, so can plenty of other people. Unfortunately, this problem was publicized by a Microsoft employee who sent an email to a security consultant in the guise of someone working for a fictitious company. The security consultant was savvy enough out figure out that the email really came from Microsoft. Oops, that’s one black eye each if you’re counting.

Scott Rosenberg’s latest column at Salon discusses deep linking, which is an issue critical to sites like this one.

Salon has a short story about Internet company insiders cashing out through secondary offerings, at the expense of other shareholders. The main company discussed in the article is Priceline. Regular readers will remember that a few months ago, I mentioned the fact that Priceline’s market cap was higher than that of several real airlines put together.

Two things. First of all, not all marketing people are lying little drones who completely lack technical knowledge and do nothing but spread disinformation for a living. Only those who don’t read this site are like that. Secondly, some people do think the new Mattel computers look cool. I think the Hot Wheels computer looks cool, and the Barbie computer doesn’t, but then again, I’m a boy.

And they’re off! Red Hat’s IPO was today.

This article offers definitive proof that Microsoft hires idiots, despite the popular mythology that contents that they hire solely based on intelligence. Of course, the day I find a marketing person that can get beyond disseminating FUD and disinformation, I may just drop dead on the spot.