Grave Digg

Eric S. Raymond

... personalities that no longer matter ...

• ELER: http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond
• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_S._Raymond
• Homepage: http://catb.org/esr/
• ESR Blog: http://esr.ibiblio.org/

Myspace

"News Corp reported a 16 percent decline in ad revenue within its Fox Interactive Media (FIM) subsidiary, which includes MySpace."

With increasing competition and no obvious innovation of their own, is this the beginning of the end of Myspace? Or is it the middle of the end?

social networkingwebsitesocialwebmyspace

• Clickz: http://www.clickz.com/3633666
• WSJ: Worst is over: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124164072383592755.html

BAE Systems

BAE, Britain's biggest defence contractor, tell us they're "on track for growth" but with hundreds of job losses, site closures and large aircraft contracts at risk, who can be so sure?

With the UK pulling out of Iraq, BAE must be concerned for their profits - perhaps they know something we don't about Iran though.

baewariraqiranaircraftgovernmentbritish aerospace

• Yorkshire Evening Post: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/76-defence-jobs-axed-as.5225710.jp
• Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/bae-to-close-three-sites-and-cut-500-jobs-in-vehicles-units-1677135.html

United Kingdom

"Britain has lost the greatest number of jobs in Europe in the first three months of the year, according to new research out yesterday."

If this continues, is the United Kingdom boned?

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• Personnel Today: http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2009/05/01/50511/uk-job-losses-highest-in-europe.html
• Press Association: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5j5Fb2T-OKhKXhKLYnDy-Pt6-MvPQ

Friendster.com

Friendster is a "leading global online social network". According to Alexa.com their traffic is steadily dropping.

You think they'll stay alive for the next couple of years? Think someone will buy them? Or will they just drop off the Internet?

social networkingwebsitesocialweb

• Friendster: http://www.friendster.com
• Alexa Web Stats: http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/friendster.com

Newspapers

Cory Doctorow doesn't think Newspapers have a future - that they'll be destroyed by the Internet.

"Let me start by saying that I like newspapers. And let me say further that, no matter how much I like them, they just might not have a future."

"The Internet chews up media and spits them out again. Sometimes they get more robust. Sometimes they get more profitable. Sometimes they die."

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• Internet Evolution Article: http://www.internetevolution.com/document.asp?doc_id=171555&page_number=2