DISQUS

Grant you just made yourself something to do with it

This is great news we at Folknology have been waiting for and AWS db cloud facility. It means we can fast forward our migrations and new apps on AWS.

One question given we are building in Erlang on EC2 is there an Erlang module/library we can use to access (pretty please) SimpleDB?

We are looking at using such a module and maybe adding mnesia caching to it.

(al at folknology)

regards
Al

If you like MindManager you might also be interested in
http://www.mindmeister.com/

Maybe you could do a vid with these guys.

regards
Al

I like SmartSheet and remember when it was first announced. I however do have some issues with it :

1) Why don't they have APIs, I need it to work with my other productivity 2.0 apps.
2) I leans heavily on email for collaboration, my email box is not a good place to get me attention. Why don't they offer alerts, notifications etc.. via RSS like most other web 2.0 apps.

Overall I like the idea but these 2 failings make it a bit to much like an island, it could almost run on your machine and not be web based. Contrast this with 37 signals - Basecamp which may be simpler but has those important integration and collaboration features. They are also missing out on the mashup market. I will be more likely to use it if they fix these issues.

Oh and if they have fixed these, apologies, but I wasn't aware that they had done so.

regards
Al

Well we develop for the 'Internet Platform' and we develop on Macs and Linux. We use Windows also, but primarily for testing rather than developing. I think Apollo is smart and a pretty platform but we are unlikely to switch from the internet to it because it is a single vendor platform and we are not going to make that kind of mistake again. We only use open standards and platforms now, competition is essential for us. Also we envisage that we will be able to achieve 80-90% of what Apollo offers through open standards soon anyhow.

regards
Al

I believe starting a business out of a garage isn't cool anymore it's 'old skool', apparently starting your new venture from a coffee shop is ;)

Maybe you will have to start hanging out at coffee shops with your camera Robert..

I hope you will be covering my personal favourite 'Protopage' it is really cool, none of this silly columns stuff you can have widgets anywhere any size and multiple desktops pretty smart really.
http://www.protopage.com

regards
Al

Well this just helps Apple's cause, nothing like a bit of controversy to get more publicity for a new concept.
This thing will run and run

I think you are quite correct Robert, this accelerates their plans around office 2.0 and small business services, while Microsoft is still caught (in the headlights) between their shareholders and innovators. Google knows this and is maximising it's disruptive forces whilst Microsoft is weakest with it's imminent launches of both Vista and Desktop Office products.

regards
Al

Hi Stephanie given your new role, you might be interested in something we have done over the last couple of weeks with ouir comments. See the post from our blog last week :

http://www.folknology.com/A_new_comments_strategy.html

Regards and enjoy the new role, sounds fascinating.
Al

Google docs is already live brilliant :
http://docs.google.com/

regards
Al

Oh one more feature, Can you make it work with Opera, the version that comes with the Nokia 770 tablet (2006 OS) please rather than having to use the mobile view..

I would like the Google team to take a bow, they have created a kick arse product. We haven't seen that since GMail. If Google could repeat that kind of product focus with their other products they would be knocking many balls out of the park. I was a desktop feed reader fanboy until the rework of Google reader.

Also respect for the Reader team tipping the hat to 37 Signals.

P.S. Robert I think you got the coolest job in the world getting to meet all of these teams/companies.

Featuire request : being able to sync an offline reader with reader, that would be handy.

regards
Al

I think you need more focus, more filtering that gets you to the real dope.

But you have a few issues because of the shear quantity hitiing your listening channels.

Sounds like you have an itch to scratch, remember the open source adage scratch that itch for yourself.

I would move away from the old school email as it is highly inefficient for these sort of quantities.

I would also think about using your community to help create a social software that helps filter your (public) incoming information feeds. Create a companion site dedicated to this filtering have your community vote/rate on incoming streams based on categories, let the social effects move the interesting stuff to the top and then concetrate on those. A kind of social blog where the subject matter is decided by the adience/community.

'Use the force Robert'

good luck
regards
Al

I think the key difference here is 'Collaboration'.
That key feature (One that microsoft failed to deliver for years whilst in its internet denial phase) is what makes what google is doing so different from a me to Excel copy. A very large number of spreadsheet users do not use it for finance and higher order functions. They use it to produce simple lists and cards etc.. Often these are shared amongst others ( think local league tables, memebership lists, org charts, phone lists etc..). Thishas historically been difficult with excel requiring emailing of files and then merging changes, beyond the scope of many. With the collaborative spreadsheet this just happens. Add the ability to chat and interact whilst doing it and you have the single biggest development the spreadsheet has received in decades. This does to the spreadsheet concept what a blog did for word processing. Thats the innovation here, not actually Google's by the way, preceded by NumSum, WikiCalc,IRows.. etc (I feel sorry for those guys).

regards
Al

Hi Robert

I am not sure Tara was focusing on the not getting it (although big companies genrally don't) She was more concerned about the fact that even if they do get it the internal hiearchies and processes prevent anything happening about it. In a large company it is difficult to prevent this happening unless you are willing to turn regular organisational structures on their head.

There are however innovative companies out there changing things. A great example is 37 Signals, Jason Fired, 37s visionary does the customer support, That way he gets to know how the products work and what customers need. I can't see this sort of thing ha[ppening in larger businesses, infact larger businesses make support more difficult by charging extra for it!!

Thus I would be interested in knowing how Microsoft are 'getting it ineternally', or how anyone else scales their business to remain competitive given the challenges laid down by these smaller smarter businesses.

PS take more blog breaks, it makes your blog light up like a beacon...

regards
Al

I think your dismissing the solution to easily, and perhaps asking the wrong question.

see : http://www.folknology.com/blog/1/1/2006/4/24/366
How Microsoft can re-invent itself

Disclaimer :- I do not, have not and will probably never work for Microsoft, I am expessing the opinion of a common user, developer and small business.

Regards
Al

Thanks Matt
I also left a comment at the base of that link for the guys perusing there to check your demo examples and see how it can be done cross browser.

I would really like to see some more simpler examples to make it easier to implement but I understand you have only just put this thing together for Ray's demo. Let me know when you have more samples, my eamil is on our blog. Also if you are setting up any kind of blog around this with rss as oppossed to the maillist I would love to know about it.
Thanks

Rgeards
Al

Actually I think this is sheer brilliance, particularly the live linking with RSS underneath. But the best thing is you guys have not spoilt the idea by making it proprietary and Microsoft only. I love the way it uses Microformats, pure gold. And get this they use Firefox in the screen casts instead of IE that just kicks butt, Look out everyone Microsoft is coming to the party and they will be bringing some awesome toys this time.

We will be implementing this in our up and coming products, If your in the web biz I would take a very good look at it.

PS. Our products are not Microsoft based at all, most are written using agile backends with Java, Groovy and run on Linux. Our development platform is primarily Mac and linux based. You will also notice most of our posts critisize MS recent announcments due to high dissapointment and lack of trust from past experience before you cruxify me for overzealous here. I have also posted about LiveClipboard on the blog, I can't see why so many comments are negative about this idea.

Well if you had been paying more attention to newer RSS feeds and your constant new discoveries you might have seen this folknology post : http://www.folknology.com/blog/1/1/2006/2/18/39 and de-focussed from the meme earlier.

Although keeping the meme as an RSS feed can still make sense.

Enjoy the return of sernedipity
regards Al

Oops sorry didnt snip that post enough dam copy and paste...

http://blogs.botw.org/blogs/ is well and truly Scobled

I got :
-----------------------------------------------------
Server Error in '/' Application.
Compilation Error
Description: An error occurred during the compilation of a resource required to service this request. Please review the following specific error details and modify your source code appropriately.

Compiler Error Message: BC30648: String constants must end with a double quote.

Source Error:

Line 425: stuff = stuff.Replace("", "")
Line 426: stuff = stuff.Replace("", "")
Line 427: stuff = stuff.Replace(","")
Line 428: stuff = stuff.Replace("", "")
Line 429: stuff = stuff.Replace("", "")


Source File: e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb Line: 427


Show Detailed Compiler Output:

c:\windows\system32\inetsrv> "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\vbc.exe" /t:library /utf8output /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\9f085a9f\8445e33e_fa29c601\botwcore.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.Mobile\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.Mobile.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Code.zhu6twvg.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_global.asax.5ej9utse.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Xml\2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Xml.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_32\System.EnterpriseServices\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.EnterpriseServices.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System\2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\fb4231a6\aed3e7b9_561dc601\SharpSpell.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_kjoaupze.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\3d99fdd8\76789b99_561dc601\PetersDatePackage.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_32\System.Web\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_cn16kbje.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Configuration\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Configuration.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Drawing\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Drawing.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_32\System.Data\2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Data.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\8110d294\8ec9a036_6b39c601\entityconverter.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\60247e8d\e2a7f1b6_561dc601\SharpSpell.1033.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.Services\2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.Services.dll" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\55c45ef2\261b2b94_561dc601\Interop.USAePayXChargeCom2.DLL" /R:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\assembly\dl3\bce83e02\a47a6b94_561dc601\LinkPointTransaction.DLL" /out:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_qgn-i6bv.dll" /D:DEBUG=1 /debug+ /win32resource:"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\qgn-i6bv.res" /define:_MYTYPE=\"Web\" /imports:Microsoft.VisualBasic,System,System.Collections,System.Collections.Specialized,System.Configuration,System.Text,System.Text.RegularExpressions,System.Web,System.Web.Caching,System.Web.SessionState,System.Web.Security,System.Web.Profile,System.Web.UI,System.Web.UI.WebControls,System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts,System.Web.UI.HtmlControls /define:Debug=True /define:Trace=True "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_qgn-i6bv.0.vb" "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_qgn-i6bv.1.vb" "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\df0a21e6\c1b01edd\App_Web_qgn-i6bv.2.vb"


Microsoft (R) Visual Basic Compiler version 8.0.50727.42
for Microsoft (R) .NET Framework version 2.0.50727.42
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(28) : warning BC42025: Access of shared member, constant member, enum member or nested type through an instance; qualifying expression will not be evaluated.

catarray.Reverse(catarray)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(309) : warning BC42104: Variable 'mycommand' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

mycommand.Dispose()
~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(427) : error BC30648: String constants must end with a double quote.

stuff = stuff.Replace(","")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(483) : warning BC42104: Variable 'newchainstr' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

newchainstr &= newcatarray(0) & "/"
~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(497) : warning BC40000: 'Public Shared ReadOnly Property AppSettings() As System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection' is obsolete: 'This method is obsolete, it has been replaced by System.Configuration!System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings'

baseurl = "http://" & System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("blogdirectoryunsecuredomain") & "/"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(500) : warning BC40000: 'Public Shared ReadOnly Property AppSettings() As System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection' is obsolete: 'This method is obsolete, it has been replaced by System.Configuration!System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings'

baseurl = "http://" & System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("botwdirectoryunsecuredomain") & "/top/"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(538) : warning BC42105: Function 'BuildCatChainRepeaterDatasource' doesn't return a value on all code paths. A null reference exception could occur at run time when the result is used.

End Function
~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(554) : warning BC42104: Variable 'catchain' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

Return catchain
~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(569) : warning BC42104: Variable 'catname' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

Return catname
~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(788) : warning BC42104: Variable 'mycommand' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

mycommand.Dispose()
~~~~~~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(801) : warning BC42024: Unused local variable: 'newq'.

Dim newq As String
~~~~
e:\blogs.botw.org\blogsearch.aspx.vb(923) : warning BC42104: Variable 'myadapter' is used before it has been assigned a value. A null reference exception could result at runtime.

myadapter.Dispose()
~~~~~~~~~


Show Complete Compilation Source:

[snip]......
I have purpously removed the souce code and compilation listing it provided me with
[/snip].......


Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.42; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.42
--------------------------------------------------
Sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous, this perhaps showed a lot more that anyone should see

Point then to one of your techies quick..

regards
Al

They will do it differently thats for sure

Actually I think it maybe whats under the bonnet/hood all of these announcements/betas may look quite random (and distastefull to some) ,but they share a common architecture and heritage underneath. I think when we see these facilities begining to get mashed together the pattern will emerge, i.e. the power of the combination. These early front ends are because you need something to start with and beta with.

regards
Al

Thanks for the heads up on Nubler Pete, I hadn't seen this one.
I like you have been watching this space for some time.