My Weblog

Atlas Architecture Overview

I'm a little late on this, but Microsoft announced an AJAX framework at PDC, looks pretty cool. Be really cool if this was in Office 12 and Sharepoint.

Link: Nikhil Kothari's Weblog : Atlas Architecture Overview.

I like to think of Atlas as an end-to-end framework, rather than simply being "yet another AJAX library". Atlas is designed to be an end-to-end application framework spanning client and server development, and the communication between the two. In addition it provides an application framework that enables developers to put together components, and wire them up together. It can be used both declaratively (using XML-script) and imperatively (using JavaScript). Finally it addresses how script functionality can be integrated into asp.net apps as well as HTML pages in a clean, and unobstrusive manner.

Atlas Architecture Overview

I'm a little late on this, but Microsoft announced an AJAX framework at PDC, looks pretty cool. Be really cool if this was in Office 12 and Sharepoint.

Link: Nikhil Kothari's Weblog : Atlas Architecture Overview.

I like to think of Atlas as an end-to-end framework, rather than simply being "yet another AJAX library". Atlas is designed to be an end-to-end application framework spanning client and server development, and the communication between the two. In addition it provides an application framework that enables developers to put together components, and wire them up together. It can be used both declaratively (using XML-script) and imperatively (using JavaScript). Finally it addresses how script functionality can be integrated into asp.net apps as well as HTML pages in a clean, and unobstrusive manner.

The end of the beginning: SaaS starts walking upright

Software businesses can't afford to have religion about architectures and business models, however there is also a tension that exists to come down on one side of the line. The old saying about trying to be the Switzerland is, well, bullshit because only the Swiss can be from Switzerland. The one popular company that comes closest to having religion is Salesforce.com (or as we have begun to refer to it, sfdc), and even they have begun to integrate with desktop applications. My concern about this migration from server side hosted apps to desktop integrated with hosted apps is that there is the possibility for a fair amount of chaos as a myriad of scripting tools are used to accomplish integration. I suppose this is why a company like Weblayers is interesting, because they enforce a degree of policy on software developers and code.

Speaking of sfdc, I wonder what the complexity of their AppExchange increases to each time a new vendor develops an app? In other words, what are the commitments they have to adhere to with regard to upgrading their own service and not breaking any of the interfaces they are publishing. How would you even begin to test that?

Link: Most of the time: The end of the beginning: SaaS starts walking upright.

Enterprise deployment also offers a different cost (and profit) model. A hosted environment's capital and operation costs will increase with the user base, while customers bear most of those costs in an enterprise deployment. These aren't the only factors in determining profitability and growth (suuport cots and development costs may have different curves too) but having both offers the ISV faster adoption, and flexibility over time as customer requirements change and new opportunities appera.

The end of the beginning: SaaS starts walking upright

Software businesses can't afford to have religion about architectures and business models, however there is also a tension that exists to come down on one side of the line. The old saying about trying to be the Switzerland is, well, bullshit because only the Swiss can be from Switzerland. The one popular company that comes closest to having religion is Salesforce.com (or as we have begun to refer to it, sfdc), and even they have begun to integrate with desktop applications. My concern about this migration from server side hosted apps to desktop integrated with hosted apps is that there is the possibility for a fair amount of chaos as a myriad of scripting tools are used to accomplish integration. I suppose this is why a company like Weblayers is interesting, because they enforce a degree of policy on software developers and code.

Speaking of sfdc, I wonder what the complexity of their AppExchange increases to each time a new vendor develops an app? In other words, what are the commitments they have to adhere to with regard to upgrading their own service and not breaking any of the interfaces they are publishing. How would you even begin to test that?

Link: Most of the time: The end of the beginning: SaaS starts walking upright.

Enterprise deployment also offers a different cost (and profit) model. A hosted environment's capital and operation costs will increase with the user base, while customers bear most of those costs in an enterprise deployment. These aren't the only factors in determining profitability and growth (suuport cots and development costs may have different curves too) but having both offers the ISV faster adoption, and flexibility over time as customer requirements change and new opportunities appera.

Gates: Smartphone will be 'big, big hit'

but not a "huge hit" and he's totally ignoring the market for "so-called dumbphones".

Link: Gates: Smartphone will be 'big, big hit'.

"We'll make sure it's a big, big hit," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said at the news conference, adding that he sees a "market of many tens of millions" of so-called smartphones.

Gates: Smartphone will be 'big, big hit'

but not a "huge hit" and he's totally ignoring the market for "so-called dumbphones".

Link: Gates: Smartphone will be 'big, big hit'.

"We'll make sure it's a big, big hit," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said at the news conference, adding that he sees a "market of many tens of millions" of so-called smartphones.

Google Outs Itself: Prediction Markets Used For Strategic Insight

this is a week old but worth noting anyways. It's going to be fascinating to see where these initiatives go.

Link: Mapping Strategy: Google Outs Itself: Prediction Markets Used For Strategic Insight.

Google announced yesterday on its blog that it is using, benefiting from and advancing the state of the art on prediction markets. (I particularly like the playful image they created to go with it.)

Google Outs Itself: Prediction Markets Used For Strategic Insight

this is a week old but worth noting anyways. It's going to be fascinating to see where these initiatives go.

Link: Mapping Strategy: Google Outs Itself: Prediction Markets Used For Strategic Insight.

Google announced yesterday on its blog that it is using, benefiting from and advancing the state of the art on prediction markets. (I particularly like the playful image they created to go with it.)

MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Downloads

MySQL 5.0 release candidate is available. Stored procedures/functions, triggers, views, archive storage, and a pretty interested federated storage engine all add up to make MySQL enterprise class, finally. Oh yeah, there's a data dictionary as well.

Link: MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Downloads.

MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Downloads

MySQL 5.0 release candidate is available. Stored procedures/functions, triggers, views, archive storage, and a pretty interested federated storage engine all add up to make MySQL enterprise class, finally. Oh yeah, there's a data dictionary as well.

Link: MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Downloads.