support

Update: To note that SpiralFrog users did not purchase music.

Controversy trailed SpiralFrog while it existed and continues to hound the company, even after closing down.

Some shareholders of SpiralFrog, the ad-supported music download store that shuttered its site on March 19, are unhappy with how the company's assets are being sold. Separately, several site users have complained that they weren't warned they could lose their music if the site closed down.

New York-based SpiralFrog offered free downloads to users who agreed to be served advertisements with their songs. They never purchased the music outright and conditions of … Read more

What is the core value proposition of cloud computing today? What is it that your public cloud provider is providing? What does your private cloud environment allow you to provide your own IT customers? Why are end users in the know so excited about the new capabilities they gain from using various cloud offerings?

I'll give you a hint. The three acronyms by which cloud fare is usually categorized all end in three letters: "aaS," short for "as a Service".

Service is the name of the game in cloud computing. It is at the heart … Read more

Agenda At Once will keep you on top of all of your appointments, but make sure you pencil in enough time to learn how to navigate the busy user interface.

Regardless of your skill level, this program's user interface is sure to overwhelm you. Toolbar upon toolbar is stacked on top of each other, and unintuitive buttons required us to hover our mouse over each one to learn its function. We were glad to find that the View menu does let you customize the user interface by adding and removing toolbars, but even this requires some investigation before you … Read more

SpiralFrog met its end just days ago, and already, operators of other ad-supported music services are rushing to put distance between their business models and that of the doomed site.

"The concept was good, but the management, board (not all), and execution were poor," wrote Robin Kent, the former CEO of SpiralFrog who went to work as an adviser to Qtrax, one of SpiralFrog's competitors. "It was obvious to anyone...it wouldn't survive."

What might encourage supporters to jump to the defense of ad-supported music services, which don't charge users to listen to … Read more

SpiralFrog users can continue to play songs obtained from the now defunct company for two more months before they become inaccessible, according to a source close to the company.

The ad-supported music service shuttered its Web site late Thursday evening and ceased operations, the source told CNET. Some customers of the service asked on Friday how long their music, which is wrapped in copy-protection software, will continue to play. A source familiar with SpiralFrog's operations said the service's digital rights management technology, designed to prevent unauthorized copying, will lock up the music indefinitely after 60 days. The songs … Read more

Update, 10:38 p.m. PDT: To include more background on factors that led to shutdown.

SpiralFrog, the pioneering ad-supported music service, quietly closed down on Thursday. SpiralFrog's site went dark at about 4 p.m. PDT.

A source close to the company told CNET News that SpiralFrog has ceased operations and assets have been surrendered to creditors. To keep operations going last year, the company issued secured notes in order to borrow at least $9 million from several hedge funds and others.

SpiralFrog representatives weren't immediately available for comment.

New York-based SpiralFrog made a splash in August … Read more

SpiralFrog, a pioneer in offering ad-supported music downloads, is at a crossroads as management is in danger of losing control of the company.

According to multiple sources, including current and former employees, the company's founder and chairman, Joe Mohen, has told associates and friends that he may be forced to hand the company over to investors. The sources also said that Mohen has said a shutdown of the Web site could occur as early as next week. Mohen told CNET News he was unable to comment, citing poor cell phone coverage at his location.

New York-based SpiralFrog made a … Read more

Vinnie Mirchandani writes provocatively on his Deal Architect blog that Oracle's penchant for acquisitions may be hampering its ability to innovate in-house and write code:

In existing Oracle internally developed and acquired products in the last five years, Oracle's enhancements have been anemic.

Oracle, in my opinion, has forgotten how to develop code. Its top executives are deal makers, not technology visionaries. Worse, when it comes to their acquisitions, they cannot retain or easily replace the entrepreneurial talent...The rapid pace of acquisitions has also had a significant impact on Oracle support.

Customers report frequent and confusing changes … Read more

Like practically everyone, I've been the victim of poor customer service. I've talked to people who didn't know what they were doing, or how they were going to help me. I've talked to people I couldn't understand at all. It's easy to get frustrated.

Things need to change. Apple has stayed on top of the customer service game, while Dell, which once held that crown, has customer support quality issues that simply shock me. Suffice it to say that when you contact most tech companies, you simply don't know what you will get. A knowledgeable, understandable tech support agent? Maybe. An agent that sticks to a script and doesn't really listen to you? Unfortunately, too likely.

Here's my tech support wishlist:… Read more