Some of you may have just experienced a deluge of new posts via my RSS feed. My apologies. When I switched servers last week, I forgot to update the path for the RSS feed, so none of you were getting any updates.

That problem has since been fixed.

In case you’ve still not subscribed to the search industry’s excellent Search Marketing Standard magazine, you’re missing the Fall issue.

BetaNews has details of Microsoft’s plans to offer a Google Pack alternative, complete with useful programs such as Windows Live Messenger and Live Mail Desktop.

Called Windows Live Essentials, the program also features a new application called Windows Live Dashboard. The Dashboard would show the user what Live programs are installed and what is available for download.

Microsoft has announced their own version of Google Answers and Yahoo Answers – Windows Live QnA.

According to ther Windows Live blog, some of the features include:

* A smooth interface that enables you to ask, answer and vote on a question.

* A free-form “tagging� system that allows you to attach your own keywords and phrases to your question to make it more discoverable by other users. With QnA, you tell us what the question is about, not the other way around!

* Integration with Windows Live Spaces via modules that show off questions you’ve asked and questions you’ve answered.

* See your score constantly increase on the Superstars page and earn reputation stars for consistently giving great answers.

Barry’s uncovered a forum topic that discusses how some content thieves are inadvertantly stealing Google Analytics tracking codes, along with a page’s content.

For those of you that use Google Analytics, you should be aware that if someone steals your source code and leaves your “UA” code, the unique identifier for Google to know what site the traffic is from, that your traffic may be inflated.

I’m hoping that either Robert Scoble or Michael Arrington get into the scraping business – boy would my traffic jump then!

Wow, I hope you’ve had your coffee this morning, cos this news is a shocker.

Danny Sullivan is leaving Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies. Here’s Danny’s own words on why he is leaving…

I was concerned about moving forward with Incisive, however. I’m far from the only reason behind the success of SEW and SES, but I’ve played a major role. I helped build both of those assets. Then I watched one company sell them to another without me having any formal capital stake in the sale. That left me wary of history repeating itself. I wasn’t going to help this new company grow the business out of the sheer kindness of my heart.

Looks like Google may ruffle some more feathers of the publishing community. They’re already sending death-ray looks in the direction of Google’s Book Search, so they’ll likely be even more upset with news that you can now download out-of-copyright books from Google.

As TechCrunch reports…

Until now, Google only allowed people to read the out-of-copyright books online (and only snippets of copyrighted works). To search the database of available full titles, go to books.google.com and click the “full view books� option when searching.