DISQUS

Interesting question - but I'm not so sure this is a technology problem, but rather a cultural and/or legal one. IMO a technology solution to this would likely result in DRM being required on all hardware and software for this to work - which REALLY scares me.

Personally Ryan, I really want alternatives to Macromedia/Adobe. The fact that they are (going to be) one company now really makes me nervous - we need competition. Flash is great - no issues there, but I've built my business on Macromedia's 'future technologies' in the past (Multiuser Server, SiteSpring, Generator, Central(?) etc.) and have been burned before. After a while you get tired of being a patsy, of broken promises and stupid management decisions.

Open source tools/platforms such as OpenLaszlo give me the opportunity and incentive to help drive them to meet my company's and consumers needs. I can't say I ever had that feeling with Macromedia - definately not with Adobe.

Also, I wouldn't call OpenLaszlo a poor man's Flex by any stretch of the imagination. It's different. Same ends, very different means of getting there. Also, a vastly different potential down the road. SWF/Flash is convenient today (as was Director was in the 90's) - what happens when Flash just isn't the favoured 'product/platform' in a few years... what about your career then?

I'm becoming more and more partial to 'amateur' - especially when loosely translated as 'lovingly created media' ;-)

via Kevin Marks
http://epeus.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_epeus_arch...

Ah... yes, 'revolutionary' is definately a loaded word. I probably should have thought twice about that. However, I'm not entirely sure that I still wouldn't have used it. Here's why:

1) the concept of user installable web applets (Gadgets) that allow users to customize and extend their 'portal' site is really interesting. Granted much of this has been done (poorly) in previous portals (Yahoo!) and some of this is being done well in many Web 2.0 apps (JotSpot, etc) but there's something about being able to plug-in other Javascript/XML apps from other vendors/sites that I REALLY like.

http://microsoftgadgets.com/blogs/gadgetnews/ar...

2) while the drag + drop, AJAX stuff has been done better (and x-platform from the beginning) in many Web 2.0 apps, having Microsoft adopt this way of working instead of forcing another ActiveX contrived, Windows only solution is definately a step in the right direction. Of course, they do have that awful sounding 'WinFX everywhere presentation layer thing' that I'm really not looking forward to however...

3) a comment from Bill G that hopefully won't be forgotten, "...but also that developers on other web platforms could as easily integrate data from Microsoft applications and services into their user experience.) Bill Gates replied with puzzlement, "Of course. There's no difference between syndicating out and syndicating in. It's just XML."

http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2005/11/live_...

As for the end-user perspective I'm talking about is that of everyday, normal people who just need to get things done. My mother-in-law who hates installing software, my best friend who can't be bothered installing or upgrading anything (Skype, Firefox, etc.) and my wife who couldn't care less about Web 2.0, AJAX or any other technology of the day.

Lastly, regarding the impact on the internet + desktop, IMO the very fact that these ARE web apps from Microsoft is telling enough. I highly doubt that anybody couldn't live without these offerings (or any current Web 2.0 app at the moment) - but as a sign of things to come I think having Microsoft engaged in the conversation is a big win for everybody.

As I said, I'm probably dead wrong - but I'd love to be proven correct.

I first saw this a couple of hours ago and quickly (very quickly) came to many of the same conclusions listed here. So portal-like, other Web2.0 folks are miles ahead, it ain't no Dashboard/Konfabulator - but then I went for a coffee and for some reason ended up spending the better part of an hour exploring the live and widgets sites. I'm probably dead wrong, but I really do believe there is something very different about what Microsoft is trying to do. It may not have the initial wow factor that Dashboard or Ruby on Rails have enjoyed within the geek community - but from an end-user perspective this is revolutionary stuff that will have an impact on how average users perceive the web/Internet/desktop.

Personally, if Microsoft is willing to open up and allow others to play in it's sandbox (data in and out) then I'm really interested to see where this might be going.

Another option that might be worth mentioning is Drupal - http://drupal.org - it's free, open, based on php/mysql and is designed with multiple contributors in mind. That said, it is a little more complex than WordPress and is not necessarily a great first step for those just coming to blogging.



FYI - there is also a hosted Drupal service (similar to TypePad) offered by Bryght - <a href="http://bryght.comhttp://bryght.com<br />

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Another option that might be worth mentioning is Drupal - http://drupal.org - it's free, open, based on php/mysql and is designed with multiple contributors in mind. That said, it is a little more complex than WordPress and is not necessarily a great first step for those just coming to blogging.



FYI - there is also a hosted Drupal service (similar to TypePad) offered by Bryght - <a href="http://bryght.comhttp://bryght.com<br />

• Jump to »