Linked List: November 29, 2009

Sunday, 29 November 2009

Nokia Siemens Networks CEO, Paraphrased: ‘It’s Just a Flesh Wound!’ ★

Reuters:

Ailing telecom equipment maker Nokia Siemens Networks has changed its business focus to increasing its market share, the new chief executive of the venture was quoted as saying on Sunday.

“In early 2008 we made a strategic decision to focus more on cash flow and profitability than on the market share. Now it’s time to give it up and to focus solely on the market share,” Rajeev Suri told Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat.

It’s one thing when a nascent company runs in the red for a short time while building market share. Amazon is a good example. But it’s another thing when an established market leader claims they’re not trying to be profitable. Is anyone buying this? What I hear is: We’re lost and don’t know what to do.

Update: I am aware that Nokia Siemens Networks is a joint venture half-owned by Nokia. I’m saying this attitude — that the pursuit of profits and market share are in opposition — is unhealthy.

More on Handbrake, VLC, and 64-Bit Problems ★

Using Fairmount as a workaround.

How Aaron Swartz Hires Programmers ★

Good advice.

NYT Story on the U.S. Food Stamps Program ★

Jason DeParle and Robert Gebeloff:

With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children. […]

From the ailing resorts of the Florida Keys to Alaskan villages along the Bering Sea, the program is now expanding at a pace of about 20,000 people a day.

jQTouch ★

Looks good:

A jQuery plugin for mobile web development on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and other forward-thinking devices.

But the demos show just how far short even best-of-breed iPhone web apps fall compared to native apps.

Psystar Promised Investors Huge Clone Sales; Actually Sold Only 768 ★

Hard to believe these jokers weren’t on the up and up.