The .NET framework source code is now publicly available!

According to Omniture's website the company specializes in the art of collecting usage statistics:

Omniture is a leading provider of online business optimization software. Omniture’s software, delivered to customers through hosted, on-demand services, offers an easier and more flexible way to manage online, multi-channel and off-line business initiatives without costly investments in IT infrastructure.

Recent reports revealed Adobe latest CS3 products to collect personal usage information and send them over to Omniture for further analysis. While collecting user feedback kind of became commodity in many software products it is extremely annoying that Adobe's products try to hide the process of sending the information back home by using an IP address which pretends to be a local one: Adobe products regularly connect to 192.168.112.2O7.net where the "O" in "2O7" is the o-character as in zoo and not a zero!

http://www.2O7.net redirects to Omniture's corporate website. While (personal) firewalls do recognize this cheap trick, it is a shame that Adobe tries to fool its users. Omniture offers (and is legally forced to do so) an opt-out of their data collection programs on the 2O7.net website. However, the awkward URL obviously should make it not too obvious for non IT Pro users to find it!

I am a regular user of Adobe's software and in fact I do like it. I don't like software companies increasing habits to fool their customers, though. Adobe's not the only company working with Omniture. There are many many more.

I'd like to encourage you to spread the word by linking to my blog post and blogging about it yourselves!

According to Save Travel effective January 1st, 2008 there are new rules for carrying spare batteries with you, when you're on a US flight. I'm not kidding. The folks who genuinely came up with the idea that liquids need to be wrapped into containers (official language: "All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.") now come up with just another rule that makes me think "what the f...":

- Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.

- You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage

- You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely!

- Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed.

Please note that the rule states it is no longer allowed to carry the batteries that classify for being potential terror threads in your checked baggage. This means you have to take them into your carry-on baggage. This part is, what makes me wonder: How do the US officials proceed once I'm on my way to the Gate and they identify an AAA spare battery for my electrical shaver in my checked baggage? Do they not ship my baggage to where I'm going?

I guess I'll find out soon... Finally I'd like to dedicate this post to one of my colleagues who has been extremely successful in the past when it came to "investigating" how airport security handles exceptions to behavioral rules... :-).