Blog directory Blogorama have just announced some important changes that will affect fans of the site, especially those using the tracking features. This from an email from Blogorama
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Computerweekly.com> Sun Microsystems is beginning to forge a relationship with Really Simple Syndication or RDF Site Summary (RSS).

The company said it will develop RSS for internal communications within its company , as well as delivering external information among developers, customers and partners. It will also integrate a set of tools for its Java Desktop System and integrate the client experience. read more>

scotsman.com> Weblogs are becoming part of everyday life now. The personal digital journals have become so popular that politicians have them. Teenagers spend hours flirting on them. Some people even make a living from publishing their thoughts online. But there’s also a small group of people who actively dislike the way the weblog phenomenon has become so widespread and all-encompassing read more>

Duncan Riley> I’ll preface this commentary by stating that despite some concerning aspects about how TypeKey will work, and my reluctance to p*ss more people off after last weeks episode, I’m for TypeKey. Why?
Two words
“BLOG SPAM”.
I couldn’t care less if SixApart was really an undercover operation of the CIA created to spy on bloggers and Ben Trott was really an international assassin who is using his high amount of international deal signing to knock off anti-US bloggers. I am sick and tired of Blog Spam, and I’d consider selling my soul to not have to spend 30 minutes every evening deleting spam that MTBlackList has failed picking up. I am sick and tired of free loaders trying to boost their Google PageRank by trying to obtain free advertising on this site by flooding this Blog (if they want to advertise they can pay for it). If you’ve not experienced Blog Spam you may not understand, but for the many of you out there reading this article that have, you will understand. Any thing the Trott’s do to stamp Blog Spam out will be beneficial not only to the dedicated bloggers who spend countless hours deleting and trying in vain to protect their beloved sites against Blog Spam, it will benefit the blogosphere as a whole to bring back a time when comments were interesting and not full of advertising.

The Trotts have announced TypeKey, their new comment verification system to help fight against Blog Spam, and the blogosphere is a buzz in what could turn out to be one of the most talked about, controversial new launches of 2004. The Blog Herald takes a quick wrap of the emerging debate
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(via Loic Le Meur Blog) Ben and Mena Trott continue to conquer the world with news that Six Apart and Ublog SA have signed an exclusiveagreement in which Ublog SA becomes the exclusive agent of Six Apart in Europe, Middle-East and Africa and has started distributing its leading weblogs publishing products, Typepad and Movable Type. read more>

(via Roland Tango)> B Mann has an interesting rant on MT which he compares it to Windows in stating that MT is the“Windows of the Personal Publishing World”. Whilst Mann is not an MT fan, and uses the article to attack MT, the analogy is none the less interesting and is representative of the penetration MT has had amongst non free site using bloggers. Roland Tango defends MT, although gives credit to Mann on his article.

Duncan Riley> There are plenty of search tools on the web, some providing original search, others utilising the big players, and then there is Seekscan. I’ve had the pleasure of an email interview with Seekscan founder Jeffrey Kang, and this is a little bit about Jeffrey and the Seekscan network.
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Six Apart announced that NTT Communications, Japan’s largest telecommunication company, has licensed Six Apart’s popular TypePa software to power NTT’s forthcoming “Blogzine Weblogging Service.”
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Google has responded to the criticism of bloggers and other web users over the inability to track which servings of AdSense are doing well in each site or sub page by releasing a new Channels reporting feature. Whilst requiring the insertion of identifying code within each “channel”, the addition will be welcomed by bloggers and others who are currently using (and we should note able to use) the service to generate revenue. Other new features include downloadable reports, new Alternate Ad colours and support for Ads in frames.
For those refused, there is no word yet on if and when Google will allow AdSense signups for personal blogs it has previously rejected.