As if you need telling, seeing as it got the on the BBC's main page, but Firefox 1.0 has been released (on time!). Nice one, well done to everyone who's contributed to it or it's extensions.

If you're not using Firefox, give it a try. It's safer than IE, and works much better too.

Nice article at the BBC. Best bit:

"Nearly a third of [people] who had albums by the Red Hot Chili Peppers said it grew more valuable to them as time went on.

But over 80% of Britney Spears album owners said they had grown tired of her records."

This "phenomenon" was well described by Dance DJs in the 90s who knew full well just about every single they ever saw was probably a one-hit wonder, but more importantly had a very short shelf life, becomming unplayable just weeks after release.

Once again, we see that crap music = low sales. If you get to try before you buy, then you don't buy crap. Decent music still has (and always will have) intrinsic value, and so will make sales. This report veils this by simplistically suggesting that downloading alone affects sales. If every record store had every album on the "listening post" (as indeed they should) you'd end up buying a lot less albums that you got home and didn't think much of. Cut out the dross, and everyone's CD collection would be smaller, but of significantly higher quality.

Apparently, the Bin Laden tape was originally 18 minutes long, but only 5 minutes was aired. Also, it had English subtitles. Al-Jazeera have published the English transcript.

With one's prejudice aside, it's actually a very powerful speech. I personally object to the constant mentioning of Allah (as I dislike anyone using religious ties to bias their point). That aside though, it's a pretty balanced and incisive commentary. It interesting to see how OBL feels his plan is going, and indeed it's possible future.

All said and done though, it's the other side of an argument which neither side can understand or agree on. Read Salt by Adam Roberts.