A Podful of Tabby Tunes

Moon, June, loon, spoon ... Zune?!" ranted the remedially rhyming Rumormonger. A Microsoft watcher had just alerted El Gato to the buzz that Microsofts iPod killers new name, "Zune," sounds a lot like Canadian slang for a mans naughty bits. "Then Im guessing no one will want a nano Zune," cackled the Kitty. "Although its still a better name than the Dell DJ Ditty."

As the Puss pondered how a music devices name can go from "Argo" to Zune, he received a call from a music-minded crony who claimed that Hewlett-Packard may have shelled out $200,000 to have its gear appear in Jessica Simpsons latest video. "Sounds like HP and Simpson are having "A Public Affair," mused the Mouser. As Spence spent the next hour Googling Jessica Simpson, he inadvertently stumbled across the Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy Web site and noted that the group is now an official nonprofit accreditor for AOL to help guarantee deliverability for legitimate e-mail senders. The Kitty recalled that AOL ran into criticism last March when it planned to charge for bulk e-mail service, but then the company shifted gears and announced it would pick up the tab for nonprofit senders. ISIPPs Surety Mail accreditation program likely will be a boon to nonprofit organizations trying to avoid deliverability headaches, thought the Furball as he resumed his Simpson search.

Just then, "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake sounded from the KattPhone, heralding a crony who griped that Cisco Systems virtual partitions in its Application Control Engine module for its Catalyst 6500 doesnt allow users to virtualize CPU or memory. Sure, it may be nice to use the partitions to streamline the workflow for setting up security policies and providing applications with appropriate routing information, but that aint exactly what the market is demanding, carped the crony. He also claimed that the mood between Microsoft and Cisco seems downright confrontational as of late. Microsofts cross-license VOIP (voice over IP) technology deal with Nortel Networks may be a sign of the discord, said the pal. "Of course, the fact that Nortel has the most patents around basic VOIP technology and is starting to press its patent rights could also be swaying Redmond from its former partner, too," said Spence.

Soon the Baron of Bubble Gum Banter received a call from a Penguinista pal in Portland, Ore., attending the eighth annual OSCON, or OReilly Open Source Convention. The pal said the buzz at the show was Asterisk, the open-source PBX software, which show sponsor Tim OReilly dubbed one of the most disruptive technologies in the world. Asterisk touts the ability to provide VOIP on most standards-based telephony equipment and systems. The pal also noted that during Dells recent earnings call, Michael Dell dissed Apples market-share growth and mentioned that his company has been working with MTV and its new Urge music service. "Seems Apple is still on Dells hit parade," laughed the Lynx.