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So the Associated Press thinks they can stop web sites from linking to AP stories. Sounds like an overeager lawyer dug a hole for themselves, or just forgot about the fair use doctrine. After all, the AP is a major supplier of news content to Google, Yahoo, CNN, and almost every major newspaper in the United States.

See Tech Crunch for more details.

Update 16 June 2008: The New York Times has a long discussion about the AP’s reaction to a proposed blog boycott of the AP. 

Related articles and pages on billso.com

• Copyright and fair use
• 10 April 2008: Media giants want to end US fair use doctrine
• 14 March 2008: Social media in action
• 21 February 2008: Copyright and fair use
• 4 February 2008: Better than free
• 15 October 2007: What’s wrong with copyright?
• 19 July 2007: A quick explanation of copyright law
• 29 September 2006: US copyright law - in verse
• 27 June 2003: Sue your best customers

Rumors are swirling today that Microsoft may partner with Yahoo - specifically, the search company’s search advertising business, which matches Internet searches to targeted advertisements.

Lesson: If at first you don’t succeed, just make a deal with the most valuable part of Yahoo and leave the rest to wither and die. See Silicon Alley Insider, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times for more details.

Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang may be willing to listen, if only to keep Mark Cuban off the Yahoo board. Yang developed a strong dislike for Cuban after the Broadcast.com founder years ago - Kara Swisher has more details in this different article.

Of course, Jerry has to keep his Yahoo employees and managers focused during all of this turmoil. Read his internal memos and some comments from Silicon Alley insider here.

Related pages on billso.com

• Microsoft and Yahoo

In February 2008, Microsoft made a takoever bid for Yahoo. The bid was withdrawn in May, but both companies continue their nervous dance around each other, with Google and other competitive rivals waiting in the wings.

• 18 May 2008: Microsoft may partner with Yahoo’s search business
• 13 May 2008: Carl Icahn may start a proxy fight for Yahoo
• 5 May 2008: Microsoft gives up on Yahoo - for now
• 30 April 2008: Microsoft-Yahoo deal possible in the next few days
• 18 April 2008: Antitrust regulators would fight a Yahoo-Google combination
• 5 April 2008: Microsoft’s offer for Yahoo may disappear
• 17 February 2008: Shareholders may bring Microsoft and Yahoo together
• 4 February 2008: Microsoft acquistion of Yahoo faces roadblocks
• 1 February 2008: Microsoft makes offer for Yahoo
• 25 January 2008: Oracle, BEA and middleware

From Reuters and today’s New York Times: financier Carl Icahn may start a proxy fight to force Yahoo into Microsoft’s arms.

Related posts on billso.com

• 5 May 2008: Microsoft gives up on Yahoo - for now
• 30 April 2008: Microsoft-Yahoo deal possible in the next few days
• 18 April 2008: Antitrust regulators would fight a Yahoo-Google combination
• 5 April 2008: Microsoft’s offer for Yahoo may disappear
• 17 February 2008: Shareholders may bring Microsoft and Yahoo together
• 4 February 2008: Microsoft acquistion of Yahoo faces roadblocks
• 1 February 2008: Microsoft makes offer for Yahoo
• 25 January 2008: Oracle, BEA and middleware

There are plenty of great free software applications and services available on the Web.

In some cases, payment removes advertising and enables more features. Some require a subscription or a one-time payment.Sometimes the payment is merely a donation to a one-man operation that wrote the code.

Here’s a few quick lists of what I’m using, inspired by this discussion on Weblog Tools Collection:

Keep in mind that my recommendations are for the consumer or individual versions of each service. Some products are available in corporate or enterprise versions for a fee.

Free software and services that I would pay for, along with links to each service’s “about” or home page:

• Craigslist, if only to get the spam and junk postings off the classified portion of the service.
• del.icio.us, my second favorite social bookmarking service. I’m waiting to see what happens to Yahoo, the company that owns del.icio.us and also owns my next choice..
• Flickr, for the Pro account features.
• Google Earth, to get enhanced features on the Mac application.
• MacUpdate, for enhanced features on this Mac software update service.
• PayPal, so I could have a business account.
• Skype, for unlimited calling.
• StumbleUpon, my favorite social bookmarking service, to get some extra features as a sponsor.
• TextEdit, my favorite text editor for Windows.

Here’s a list of free software and services that I wouldn’t pay to use, because the ROI just isn’t that great:

• avast, my favorite virus scanner for Windows and Mac.
• Firefox, the best web browser for the Mac and Windows.
• Gmail, because the keep adding more storage space to my free accounts anyway.
• Twitter, a microblogging service that supports SMS and a variety of web and software clients
• Twitterific, a Mac twitter client. I can live with the occasional ad.
• WinZip and other file compression programs.
• WordPress, the software I use to run the billso.com web site. It’s fabulous, free, and there’s no real reason to pay for it. Many WordPress developers earn consulting income from clients who need