Okay so perhaps that's a slight exaggeration (and my apologies to the hard working Microsoft employees out there), but I was quite surprised to see a tweet from Microsoft announcing to the world:

@microsoft: It's not often that we encourage you to stop using one of our products, but for #IE6, we'll make an exception: http://bit.ly/g0wt4m

Not only that (which is a great statement to see regardless), clicking through we are presented with some great visual statistics on the rapidly descending Internet Explorer 6 usage across the globe.

Great, interesting even - but dig even deeper and Microsoft (via a third party) have actually undertaken a complete cost-benefit analysis, giving some great business reasons to upgrade the browser from a "oh but my business has lots of stuff that needs IE6" perspective. Sure, it's a bit of a Internet Explorer 8 lovefest, but I'll take the underlying point: upgrade!

This move from Microsoft is an interesting note from the perspective of community and social media as well. Microsoft have demonstrated they are listening and are getting involved with an important movement that is closely related to their company, despite it's potentially negativity. Good work.

The web has changed significantly over the past 10 years.

It will certainly be good to see the back of IE6 (and IE7 for that matter) so we, the Internet, can get on with things.

Check out Microsoft's IE6 Countdown site for more information on upgrading your browser away from Internet Explorer 6.

A first for a Solutions Outsourced staff member (at least, as far as we know), Mr. Miko Ademagic (of Movember 2010 Team Leader fame) has achievement unlocked a huge 1 million views of his hit YouTube video Andrea B - Auf der wiese steht 'ne kuh..!

The video consists of a cute blonde girl with a permanent marker drawing of a cow around her bellybutton applying the German language to a somewhat warped nursery rhyme. It's a simple formula, and clearly it works.

The video ranked very well in Germany with three main groups standing head and shoulders above the rest:

1. Males 45-54 years old
2. Males 35-44 years old
3. Males 55-64 years old

I sat down with Miko and asked him about his feelings on his recent success with hitting the big 1 million views.

Brett: How are you feeling right now, after hitting the big 1 million? I know you were counting down to it for quite some time!

Miko: Yeah, i'm feeling pretty good. A lot of hard work and creative mind energies went into creating this short film. I didn't want this to be one of those films that gets views only because of some keyword exploiting and a hot blonde - i definitely wanted it to earn its views for its artistic integrity. A lot of people worked hard for this milestone, it definitely wasn't one of those stupid videos you make out of boredom, so some recognition is definitely nice to have.

Brett: Has hitting the 1 million views changed you in any way? Has the success gone to your head?

Miko: Funny you ask Brett, I did experience very mild superpowers for a while. I had the ability to levitate 5mm above the ground, so for some time there i wasn't really down to earth. I also had the ability to see potential views for my video, and my head has increased in circumference by 0.75cm. My head hasn't changed back yet, i think there's some excess success in there. Try saying that 5 times fast. Excess Success.

Brett: You have clearly succeeded where others have failed. What advice would you give others so they too can hit the 1 million views?

Miko: Be true to yourself. Be true to yourself, Believe in your dreams, If you believe you can achieve, Live every day like its your last, Eat your Greens, I before E except after C, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, An apple a day keeps the doctor away, The early bird gets the worm, I'll be back, I know what you did last summer, Rocky I, II and III, Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Eat Pray Love, Thirty Six, Forty two, Forty eight, Fifty four, Sixty. And write your keywords in two languages.

Sometimes the obvious, simple things work the best. Check out the original video that's causing all the hype.