OS X's commercial credentials recently got a major boost from the Open Group. Thanks to the efforts of Apple's OS boss Kevin Van Vechten and his team, Leopard has cleared all of the hurdles required to attain UNIX 03 certification. That places Apple in elite company. Only Sun, IBM and HP are certified, so OS X turns the Big Three into the Big Four.
Here's Apple's Open Group brand certificate, which entitles Apple to use the UNIX brand. I suggest printing this on high rag content paper, framing it and hanging it in your server room or your Mac-graced cubicle. There are UNIX pretenders, and there is the real thing. Mac users, realize that qualifying for UNIX is no small feat, especially for an open source, BSD-based OS. The Open Group standards, the PDFs for which are idiotically marked as free but blocked from PDF download unless you buy your way into a membership, are rooted in System V. Apple is to be commended.
The UNIX 03 specifications cover libraries, system calls, terminal interfaces, commands and utilities, internationalization and the C language. That's the whole enchilada for ISVs (independent software vendors) porting their server and non-GUI applications to OS X. UNIX ISVs ought to climb on board, because once Leopard ships in October I expect Xserve sales to take a leap. Software developers should also keep in mind that the Leopard client OS is the same as Apple's server, minus the quite exceptional administrative tools, and the installed base of four and eight-core Mac Pro desktop/workstations is even larger. MacBook Pro users are carrying 4 GB notebooks. If you're put off by Objective-C and Apple's proprietary UI frameworks--you needn't be, although I do wish that someone would give Apple's frameworks the Mono treatment--you've got OpenGL, SDL, X Window, Wine, Java SWT, Flash, DHTML with Apple's Canvas extension, and my old flame, curses. Microsoft's Silverlight is sweet as well, and it's picking up steam.
Wondering if you want in? You do. Imagine coding on Mac and porting by recompile to RISC big iron.
http://weblog.infoworld.com/enterprisemac/archives/2007/07/leopard_gets_un.html
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
PlayStation 3 to get a secret Rockstar game
Sony says it has signed a deal with Rockstar -- the creator of, most famously, the "Grand Theft Auto" series -- to get an upcoming game exclusively on the PlayStation 3. But it won't say which game.
We already know it won't be "Grand Theft Auto IV"; both the PS3 and Microsoft's XBox 360 will get that game, though Microsoft purchased exclusive rights for add-on content. On the PlayStation blog, Sony exec Michael Shorrock says the new exclusive also isn't "L.A. Noire," the beautiful black-and-white gumshoe game that will come out for PS3 next year. Instead, the new title is "something all new," Shorrock says, brought about by Rockstar's desire to "make a game that you can truly only do on PS3, harnessing the power of CELL and Blu-ray disc." (Cell is the chip that the PS3 runs on.)
So look there. First there's news of Blu-ray porn, and now Sony has two Rockstar exclusives. Is the PS3 getting its game on?
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/07/30/ps3_rockstar/
We already know it won't be "Grand Theft Auto IV"; both the PS3 and Microsoft's XBox 360 will get that game, though Microsoft purchased exclusive rights for add-on content. On the PlayStation blog, Sony exec Michael Shorrock says the new exclusive also isn't "L.A. Noire," the beautiful black-and-white gumshoe game that will come out for PS3 next year. Instead, the new title is "something all new," Shorrock says, brought about by Rockstar's desire to "make a game that you can truly only do on PS3, harnessing the power of CELL and Blu-ray disc." (Cell is the chip that the PS3 runs on.)
So look there. First there's news of Blu-ray porn, and now Sony has two Rockstar exclusives. Is the PS3 getting its game on?
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/07/30/ps3_rockstar/
Wikia Grabs Search Crawler Grub
Wikia Grabs Search Crawler Grub
The open search engine being developed by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has bought the search crawler Grub from LookSmart, according to IDG News.
"The Search Wikia project seeks to create a search engine based on open-source search protocols and human collaboration, drawing from the concept of the Wikipedia online encyclopedia, which is written and edited by a community of volunteer collaborators." The IDG News reorted.
Posted by aussiewebmaster at July 30, 2007 4:58 PM
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/070730-165824
The open search engine being developed by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has bought the search crawler Grub from LookSmart, according to IDG News.
"The Search Wikia project seeks to create a search engine based on open-source search protocols and human collaboration, drawing from the concept of the Wikipedia online encyclopedia, which is written and edited by a community of volunteer collaborators." The IDG News reorted.
Posted by aussiewebmaster at July 30, 2007 4:58 PM
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/070730-165824
FCC to Set Airwaves Auction Rules as Google, AT&T Take Sides
By Molly Peterson
July 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators today set the rules for the government's biggest auction of wireless airwaves, with Google Inc. fighting against carriers such as AT&T Inc. to force the winning bidders to open up the spectrum to more users.
The sale may fetch as much as $15 billion and may shape the legacy of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who is pushing for regulations that would force winning bidders to allow more access to some of the airwaves than current rules demand.
``Ten years from now, this is what we'll remember the Martin commission for, this auction,'' said Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Blair Levin in Washington, who helped write rules for airwaves auctions in the mid-1990s as chief of staff to former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. ``It can be a tremendous stimulant to the economy; it can also be a bust.''
The airwaves in question, which the FCC must auction off by the end of January, will be freed up when television broadcasters convert to digital signals in February 2009. It's the first such auction since last year and will be the last of its kind for decades because no other airwaves of that quality are expected to be vacated in the foreseeable future, the carriers say.By Molly Peterson
July 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators today set the rules for the government's biggest auction of wireless airwaves, with Google Inc. fighting against carriers such as AT&T Inc. to force the winning bidders to open up the spectrum to more users.
The sale may fetch as much as $15 billion and may shape the legacy of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who is pushing for regulations that would force winning bidders to allow more access to some of the airwaves than current rules demand.
``Ten years from now, this is what we'll remember the Martin commission for, this auction,'' said Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Blair Levin in Washington, who helped write rules for airwaves auctions in the mid-1990s as chief of staff to former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. ``It can be a tremendous stimulant to the economy; it can also be a bust.''
The airwaves in question, which the FCC must auction off by the end of January, will be freed up when television broadcasters convert to digital signals in February 2009. It's the first such auction since last year and will be the last of its kind for decades because no other airwaves of that quality are expected to be vacated in the foreseeable future, the carriers say.
AT&T, the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, and No. 2 Verizon Wireless want the airwaves so they can offer more of their own mobile Web content at faster speeds. The carriers consider these airwaves ideal for high-speed mobile Internet service because they can carry signals over long distances and penetrate walls.
New Alternatives
Web companies including Google and EBay Inc. are seeking rules they say would spur the creation of a wireless alternative to services sold by the entrenched phone and cable companies. That would create new competition for San Antonio-based AT&T and Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Verizon Wireless, whose networks now work only with technologies they approve.
Martin sparked controversy this month, when he proposed rules giving Google some of what it wants, saying the buyer of one piece of the airwaves being sold should be forced to allow any device or application to work on its network.
Martin says his proposal would give consumers more choices and spur advances in the U.S. wireless industry, which lags behind those of other industrialized countries in network speeds and device features.
Google wants the FCC to go even further. It argues not only for access to all devices including laptops and mobile phones and all kinds of software such as applications that provide driving directions, but also says the owner should be forced to rent the airwaves at wholesale, discounted rates instead of the full price a retail customer would pay.
`Robust Competition'
The owner of the most popular search engine is developing new wireless Web services and looking for a new way to reach people in a bid to boost ad sales.
``If the FCC ultimately decides not to adopt `wholesale open access' license conditions, we do not see how significant new competition can emerge from this auction,'' Google lobbyist Richard Whitt in Washington wrote in a blog posting yesterday. ``The prospect for fostering robust competition in this slender but valuable slice of spectrum hangs in the balance.''
Mountain View, California-based Google has pledged to bid at least $4.6 billion for a slice of spectrum, if the FCC approves additional rules such as Google's wholesaling proposal.
Verizon and AT&T say they may bid less if more restrictions are placed on the winners, reducing the potential revenue the government receives.
`Unnecessary Restrictions'
``We have made our position clear about the FCC not putting any unnecessary restrictions on any of these blocks,'' Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ivan Seidenberg said on a conference call yesterday. ``What we need to do now is see what the rules say and then develop a bidding strategy accordingly.''
Debra Lewis, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, co-owned by Vodafone Group Plc, declined to comment further. Christopher Libertelli, a lobbyist for San Jose, California-based EBay's Skype Web-phone unit, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to expand on Whitt's blog remarks.
AT&T, which opposes Google's proposal, endorsed Martin's plan last week. Martin's measure strikes a ``creative balance'' between competing interests, said Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs. AT&T spokesman Michael Balmoris declined to comment.
Martin, a Republican, says wholesale rules may discourage bidders from developing their networks. Republican commissioners Robert McDowell and Deborah Taylor Tate also oppose a wholesale requirement. Democratic commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein favor such rules.
``No matter who wins the spectrum, it would be helpful if it was opened up for different companies to come in and buy capacity on a wholesale basis,'' Adelstein said July 24 in an interview.
McDowell and Tate said last week that they hadn't decided whether to support Martin's open-device proposal.
AT&T, the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, and No. 2 Verizon Wireless want the airwaves so they can offer more of their own mobile Web content at faster speeds. The carriers consider these airwaves ideal for high-speed mobile Internet service because they can carry signals over long distances and penetrate walls.
New Alternatives
Web companies including Google and EBay Inc. are seeking rules they say would spur the creation of a wireless alternative to services sold by the entrenched phone and cable companies. That would create new competition for San Antonio-based AT&T and Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Verizon Wireless, whose networks now work only with technologies they approve.
Martin sparked controversy this month, when he proposed rules giving Google some of what it wants, saying the buyer of one piece of the airwaves being sold should be forced to allow any device or application to work on its network.
Martin says his proposal would give consumers more choices and spur advances in the U.S. wireless industry, which lags behind those of other industrialized countries in network speeds and device features.
Google wants the FCC to go even further. It argues not only for access to all devices including laptops and mobile phones and all kinds of software such as applications that provide driving directions, but also says the owner should be forced to rent the airwaves at wholesale, discounted rates instead of the full price a retail customer would pay.
`Robust Competition'
The owner of the most popular search engine is developing new wireless Web services and looking for a new way to reach people in a bid to boost ad sales.
``If the FCC ultimately decides not to adopt `wholesale open access' license conditions, we do not see how significant new competition can emerge from this auction,'' Google lobbyist Richard Whitt in Washington wrote in a blog posting yesterday. ``The prospect for fostering robust competition in this slender but valuable slice of spectrum hangs in the balance.''
Mountain View, California-based Google has pledged to bid at least $4.6 billion for a slice of spectrum, if the FCC approves additional rules such as Google's wholesaling proposal.
Verizon and AT&T say they may bid less if more restrictions are placed on the winners, reducing the potential revenue the government receives.
`Unnecessary Restrictions'
``We have made our position clear about the FCC not putting any unnecessary restrictions on any of these blocks,'' Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ivan Seidenberg said on a conference call yesterday. ``What we need to do now is see what the rules say and then develop a bidding strategy accordingly.''
Debra Lewis, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, co-owned by Vodafone Group Plc, declined to comment further. Christopher Libertelli, a lobbyist for San Jose, California-based EBay's Skype Web-phone unit, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to expand on Whitt's blog remarks.
AT&T, which opposes Google's proposal, endorsed Martin's plan last week. Martin's measure strikes a ``creative balance'' between competing interests, said Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs. AT&T spokesman Michael Balmoris declined to comment.
Martin, a Republican, says wholesale rules may discourage bidders from developing their networks. Republican commissioners Robert McDowell and Deborah Taylor Tate also oppose a wholesale requirement. Democratic commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein favor such rules.
``No matter who wins the spectrum, it would be helpful if it was opened up for different companies to come in and buy capacity on a wholesale basis,'' Adelstein said July 24 in an interview.
McDowell and Tate said last week that they hadn't decided whether to support Martin's open-device proposal.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=arvxmI_bGJKU&refer=us
July 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators today set the rules for the government's biggest auction of wireless airwaves, with Google Inc. fighting against carriers such as AT&T Inc. to force the winning bidders to open up the spectrum to more users.
The sale may fetch as much as $15 billion and may shape the legacy of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who is pushing for regulations that would force winning bidders to allow more access to some of the airwaves than current rules demand.
``Ten years from now, this is what we'll remember the Martin commission for, this auction,'' said Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Blair Levin in Washington, who helped write rules for airwaves auctions in the mid-1990s as chief of staff to former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. ``It can be a tremendous stimulant to the economy; it can also be a bust.''
The airwaves in question, which the FCC must auction off by the end of January, will be freed up when television broadcasters convert to digital signals in February 2009. It's the first such auction since last year and will be the last of its kind for decades because no other airwaves of that quality are expected to be vacated in the foreseeable future, the carriers say.By Molly Peterson
July 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators today set the rules for the government's biggest auction of wireless airwaves, with Google Inc. fighting against carriers such as AT&T Inc. to force the winning bidders to open up the spectrum to more users.
The sale may fetch as much as $15 billion and may shape the legacy of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who is pushing for regulations that would force winning bidders to allow more access to some of the airwaves than current rules demand.
``Ten years from now, this is what we'll remember the Martin commission for, this auction,'' said Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Blair Levin in Washington, who helped write rules for airwaves auctions in the mid-1990s as chief of staff to former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. ``It can be a tremendous stimulant to the economy; it can also be a bust.''
The airwaves in question, which the FCC must auction off by the end of January, will be freed up when television broadcasters convert to digital signals in February 2009. It's the first such auction since last year and will be the last of its kind for decades because no other airwaves of that quality are expected to be vacated in the foreseeable future, the carriers say.
AT&T, the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, and No. 2 Verizon Wireless want the airwaves so they can offer more of their own mobile Web content at faster speeds. The carriers consider these airwaves ideal for high-speed mobile Internet service because they can carry signals over long distances and penetrate walls.
New Alternatives
Web companies including Google and EBay Inc. are seeking rules they say would spur the creation of a wireless alternative to services sold by the entrenched phone and cable companies. That would create new competition for San Antonio-based AT&T and Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Verizon Wireless, whose networks now work only with technologies they approve.
Martin sparked controversy this month, when he proposed rules giving Google some of what it wants, saying the buyer of one piece of the airwaves being sold should be forced to allow any device or application to work on its network.
Martin says his proposal would give consumers more choices and spur advances in the U.S. wireless industry, which lags behind those of other industrialized countries in network speeds and device features.
Google wants the FCC to go even further. It argues not only for access to all devices including laptops and mobile phones and all kinds of software such as applications that provide driving directions, but also says the owner should be forced to rent the airwaves at wholesale, discounted rates instead of the full price a retail customer would pay.
`Robust Competition'
The owner of the most popular search engine is developing new wireless Web services and looking for a new way to reach people in a bid to boost ad sales.
``If the FCC ultimately decides not to adopt `wholesale open access' license conditions, we do not see how significant new competition can emerge from this auction,'' Google lobbyist Richard Whitt in Washington wrote in a blog posting yesterday. ``The prospect for fostering robust competition in this slender but valuable slice of spectrum hangs in the balance.''
Mountain View, California-based Google has pledged to bid at least $4.6 billion for a slice of spectrum, if the FCC approves additional rules such as Google's wholesaling proposal.
Verizon and AT&T say they may bid less if more restrictions are placed on the winners, reducing the potential revenue the government receives.
`Unnecessary Restrictions'
``We have made our position clear about the FCC not putting any unnecessary restrictions on any of these blocks,'' Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ivan Seidenberg said on a conference call yesterday. ``What we need to do now is see what the rules say and then develop a bidding strategy accordingly.''
Debra Lewis, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, co-owned by Vodafone Group Plc, declined to comment further. Christopher Libertelli, a lobbyist for San Jose, California-based EBay's Skype Web-phone unit, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to expand on Whitt's blog remarks.
AT&T, which opposes Google's proposal, endorsed Martin's plan last week. Martin's measure strikes a ``creative balance'' between competing interests, said Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs. AT&T spokesman Michael Balmoris declined to comment.
Martin, a Republican, says wholesale rules may discourage bidders from developing their networks. Republican commissioners Robert McDowell and Deborah Taylor Tate also oppose a wholesale requirement. Democratic commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein favor such rules.
``No matter who wins the spectrum, it would be helpful if it was opened up for different companies to come in and buy capacity on a wholesale basis,'' Adelstein said July 24 in an interview.
McDowell and Tate said last week that they hadn't decided whether to support Martin's open-device proposal.
AT&T, the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, and No. 2 Verizon Wireless want the airwaves so they can offer more of their own mobile Web content at faster speeds. The carriers consider these airwaves ideal for high-speed mobile Internet service because they can carry signals over long distances and penetrate walls.
New Alternatives
Web companies including Google and EBay Inc. are seeking rules they say would spur the creation of a wireless alternative to services sold by the entrenched phone and cable companies. That would create new competition for San Antonio-based AT&T and Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Verizon Wireless, whose networks now work only with technologies they approve.
Martin sparked controversy this month, when he proposed rules giving Google some of what it wants, saying the buyer of one piece of the airwaves being sold should be forced to allow any device or application to work on its network.
Martin says his proposal would give consumers more choices and spur advances in the U.S. wireless industry, which lags behind those of other industrialized countries in network speeds and device features.
Google wants the FCC to go even further. It argues not only for access to all devices including laptops and mobile phones and all kinds of software such as applications that provide driving directions, but also says the owner should be forced to rent the airwaves at wholesale, discounted rates instead of the full price a retail customer would pay.
`Robust Competition'
The owner of the most popular search engine is developing new wireless Web services and looking for a new way to reach people in a bid to boost ad sales.
``If the FCC ultimately decides not to adopt `wholesale open access' license conditions, we do not see how significant new competition can emerge from this auction,'' Google lobbyist Richard Whitt in Washington wrote in a blog posting yesterday. ``The prospect for fostering robust competition in this slender but valuable slice of spectrum hangs in the balance.''
Mountain View, California-based Google has pledged to bid at least $4.6 billion for a slice of spectrum, if the FCC approves additional rules such as Google's wholesaling proposal.
Verizon and AT&T say they may bid less if more restrictions are placed on the winners, reducing the potential revenue the government receives.
`Unnecessary Restrictions'
``We have made our position clear about the FCC not putting any unnecessary restrictions on any of these blocks,'' Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ivan Seidenberg said on a conference call yesterday. ``What we need to do now is see what the rules say and then develop a bidding strategy accordingly.''
Debra Lewis, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, co-owned by Vodafone Group Plc, declined to comment further. Christopher Libertelli, a lobbyist for San Jose, California-based EBay's Skype Web-phone unit, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to expand on Whitt's blog remarks.
AT&T, which opposes Google's proposal, endorsed Martin's plan last week. Martin's measure strikes a ``creative balance'' between competing interests, said Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs. AT&T spokesman Michael Balmoris declined to comment.
Martin, a Republican, says wholesale rules may discourage bidders from developing their networks. Republican commissioners Robert McDowell and Deborah Taylor Tate also oppose a wholesale requirement. Democratic commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein favor such rules.
``No matter who wins the spectrum, it would be helpful if it was opened up for different companies to come in and buy capacity on a wholesale basis,'' Adelstein said July 24 in an interview.
McDowell and Tate said last week that they hadn't decided whether to support Martin's open-device proposal.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=arvxmI_bGJKU&refer=us
Atlantic hurricanes doubled over the last century: study
Last Updated: Monday, July 30, 2007 1:31 PM ET
CBC News
Key factors in global climate change, like warming sea temperatures and shifting wind patterns, have prompted a sharp rise in hurricanes, according to a study out Monday.
The report by Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology was published online Monday in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London.
hurricane john satellite (Courtesy of NASA/MODIS)
The study found that the first 30 years of the 20th century was relatively quiet, with an annual average of six observed hurricanes and tropical storms. The annual average increased to 10 after 1930, and then reached 15 from 1995 to 2005.
"These numbers are a strong indication that climate change is a major factor in the increasing number of Atlantic hurricanes," said Holland in a statement.
The researchers analyzed data from about the past 100 years, ending with 2005. They used systematic meteorologist's data derived from aircraft flights starting in 1944, satellite data from about 1970, and more sophisticated measuring methods for the subsequent years.
Also, they said that the years 2004 and 2005 had unusually active hurricane seasons, spurring an abundance of research into whether more intense tropical cyclones are correlated with natural cycles, global warming, or some other cause.
"The new study indicates that natural cycles are probably not the entire cause because the increase has happened across the last century rather than oscillating in tandem with a natural cycle. "
"While the number of storms has steadily increased, the proportion of hurricanes to all Atlantic tropical cyclones has remained steady. Hurricanes have generally accounted for roughly 55 per cent of all tropical cyclones. However, the proportion of major hurricanes (those with maximum sustained winds of at least [177 kilometres per hour]) to less intense hurricanes and tropical storms has oscillated irregularly, and has increased significantly in recent years."
Although the study did not cover 2006, it did note that the 2006 hurricane season was far less active than the two preceding years — partly because of the emergence of an El Nino event in the Pacific Ocean. However, 2006 "would have ranked above average a century ago, with five hurricanes and four other named storms," it added.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/07/30/atlantichurricanes.html
CBC News
Key factors in global climate change, like warming sea temperatures and shifting wind patterns, have prompted a sharp rise in hurricanes, according to a study out Monday.
The report by Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology was published online Monday in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London.
hurricane john satellite (Courtesy of NASA/MODIS)
The study found that the first 30 years of the 20th century was relatively quiet, with an annual average of six observed hurricanes and tropical storms. The annual average increased to 10 after 1930, and then reached 15 from 1995 to 2005.
"These numbers are a strong indication that climate change is a major factor in the increasing number of Atlantic hurricanes," said Holland in a statement.
The researchers analyzed data from about the past 100 years, ending with 2005. They used systematic meteorologist's data derived from aircraft flights starting in 1944, satellite data from about 1970, and more sophisticated measuring methods for the subsequent years.
Also, they said that the years 2004 and 2005 had unusually active hurricane seasons, spurring an abundance of research into whether more intense tropical cyclones are correlated with natural cycles, global warming, or some other cause.
"The new study indicates that natural cycles are probably not the entire cause because the increase has happened across the last century rather than oscillating in tandem with a natural cycle. "
"While the number of storms has steadily increased, the proportion of hurricanes to all Atlantic tropical cyclones has remained steady. Hurricanes have generally accounted for roughly 55 per cent of all tropical cyclones. However, the proportion of major hurricanes (those with maximum sustained winds of at least [177 kilometres per hour]) to less intense hurricanes and tropical storms has oscillated irregularly, and has increased significantly in recent years."
Although the study did not cover 2006, it did note that the 2006 hurricane season was far less active than the two preceding years — partly because of the emergence of an El Nino event in the Pacific Ocean. However, 2006 "would have ranked above average a century ago, with five hurricanes and four other named storms," it added.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/07/30/atlantichurricanes.html
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