Longhorn (heart) RSS
Its excellent to see something I've been beleiving in for along time come to start to come to fruition. Its my belief that subscription based content consumption is the next generation of computing.
Subscription based consumption renders current consepts of composite applications obsolete in many scenarios.
Microsofts plan here is everything you could ask for in an approach - open and standards conforming. Yet at the same time, maximizing the value proposition of the Microsoft OS and Office platform. (whether they'll get it right or not has yet to be seen).
By making data subscription incredibly simple for applications developers and users, application models will need to change again to the fourth era of application interface.
The first era was main frame - accessing data that was shared with others.
The second era was the birth of client/server, where users were enabled to manipulate that shared data, not just consumer or enter it.
The third era was the move to internet (and intranet) based applications, specifically web apps, that enabled users to keep an application ~their application~ accessable.
The fourth era, as I see it, will be the era personalized publishing and subscription for consumption. Include in this area evolutions in existing application models and you will see, once again, revolution in how we view, and use computing.
Many at microsoft seem to think that the fourth era will be the rebirth of client/server (smart clients), but I think this is just an evolution of known tools and techniques - not transforming or evolutionary. Smart clients have a lot in common with the subscription model though!
A critical point in this revolution will however be in realization that we need to continue to offer all the strengths of the previous era's as we move forward.
To this I suggest to the Microsoft RSS platform team, that a user centric list of feeds (including what has been read) not only needs to be cross application (as they have proposed to date), but have the ability to span out of a single computing instance and be consumable and updatable from a multitude of devices and locations.
The statement "these are the users feeds" is the axisis of this. But we must recognize and accomidate that the user is a real living (and moving) being, that won't stay still. The concept of a OS based user must fade and the recognization of a single, cross network, identitiy must be realized.
I'll expand further on this at some point in the near future.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Monday, June 13, 2005
TechEd Podcast From The Microsoft Podcast Team
Woo Hoo, I get to go tech ed after all... well not quite but almost as good.
TechEd Podcast From The Microsoft Podcast Team
TechEd Podcast From The Microsoft Podcast Team
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
First meeting with MS evangelist
Today we had our first face to face with Microsoft at work. Both sales and evangelists for our companies vertical were present.
Previously we had very lightly tapped one of them for assistance on some tablet pc applications we were working on.
We had brought a mixed crowd to the table today, but every one had a strategic and productive mindset. However this did result in a fair bit of time level setting around the tenants of what is .Net.
Strategically the session was focused on interoperability.
I know we would have liked a lot more detail around team system, and the sap/ms partnership, but we can cut some slack around products that aren't on the market yet.
Will definitely be back in touch with them as we move forward with various initiatives.
iPod Shuffle
Yes, its true, I added a 1GB shuffle to the lineup of iPods my wife and I have.
Todate our iPod collection now includes the shuffle, a 4Gb mini, and a 40Gb 3rd gen. Each hit a pretty specific niche in our lives, but there's some redundancy.
The mini is primarily my wifes, but she hasn't been using it much - distractions and the fact that she actually wants the shuffle. She uses the iPod for audio books, a little at the gym and at the barn. She finds the mini slightly to big for her.
I will give her the shuffle, but I admit I really like it.
I don't think I'd like the shuffle very much for music, stemming from not organizing my music collection very much, I haven't done much with playlists. Because of the amount of music I have the 40Gb is better for me for music (on the plane, or in the car). But audiobooks are perfect on the shuffle.
Todate our iPod collection now includes the shuffle, a 4Gb mini, and a 40Gb 3rd gen. Each hit a pretty specific niche in our lives, but there's some redundancy.
The mini is primarily my wifes, but she hasn't been using it much - distractions and the fact that she actually wants the shuffle. She uses the iPod for audio books, a little at the gym and at the barn. She finds the mini slightly to big for her.
I will give her the shuffle, but I admit I really like it.
I don't think I'd like the shuffle very much for music, stemming from not organizing my music collection very much, I haven't done much with playlists. Because of the amount of music I have the 40Gb is better for me for music (on the plane, or in the car). But audiobooks are perfect on the shuffle.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Microsoft Finger Print reader
A short time back I promised a quick review of some new toys I purchased. Ok so it might have been a long time back on some of them. I confess. I'm going to try to correct this delay, starting right here, todya!
I purchased the Microsoft Finger print reader based on a few reviews, including comments from Michael Swanson.
In short its a fantastic gadget! I readily recommend to anyone to get it. I bought one for my Dad even!
The device is well built, reliable, and very easy to use. Its even pretty reasonably priced in my opinion.
I can't wait for it to be built into laptops or mice.
I purchased the Microsoft Finger print reader based on a few reviews, including comments from Michael Swanson.
In short its a fantastic gadget! I readily recommend to anyone to get it. I bought one for my Dad even!
The device is well built, reliable, and very easy to use. Its even pretty reasonably priced in my opinion.
I can't wait for it to be built into laptops or mice.
Onfolio
I've been using Onfolio to manage my blog readings for a few months now. I really like it.
I've tried a bunch of tools in this space previously and I really landed on Onfolio, I've tried everything from RSS Popper, Sage, NewsGator, andBloglines.
The interface is slick, quick to pick up. Great way to keep track of what you've read, what you haven't, and mark things for follow up or to read later. On top of it, I can add things to a collection for future searching, or automated posting to this blog.
But horror of horrors yesterday my beta edition expired! And they now want $$ for me to keep using it.
The choice was clear: cough up the $30 the personal edition of this great product. When I went to confirm my purchase however, their web application threw a small hissy fit which left me with a nice error. Unsure of wether my order went through or not, I headed to their "contact-us" page and sent them a service request.
About 4 hours later I got a phone call from a nice guy named Matt at Onfolio. He put through my order manually, and upgraded my purchase to the professional edition because I had the issue, and had been a beta user.
Overall great product, and so far the service was very good.
I've tried a bunch of tools in this space previously and I really landed on Onfolio, I've tried everything from RSS Popper, Sage, NewsGator, andBloglines.
The interface is slick, quick to pick up. Great way to keep track of what you've read, what you haven't, and mark things for follow up or to read later. On top of it, I can add things to a collection for future searching, or automated posting to this blog.
But horror of horrors yesterday my beta edition expired! And they now want $$ for me to keep using it.
The choice was clear: cough up the $30 the personal edition of this great product. When I went to confirm my purchase however, their web application threw a small hissy fit which left me with a nice error. Unsure of wether my order went through or not, I headed to their "contact-us" page and sent them a service request.
About 4 hours later I got a phone call from a nice guy named Matt at Onfolio. He put through my order manually, and upgraded my purchase to the professional edition because I had the issue, and had been a beta user.
Overall great product, and so far the service was very good.
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