TechFold - Bold tech & web commentary

Bold tech & web commentary

TechFold is technology discussion, commentary, reviews, and opinions from well outside the valley. There's no koolaid to drink here, and TechFold is not in SL, or on Twitter.

Ballmer & Microsoft: “Does everything move to the cloud? I think that is wrong-minded.”

From the NYT:

He rejected the notion that in the future all software would be based in what computer industry executives refer to as “the cloud” — computer hardware and software reachable over the Internet. “People tend to get weird and extreme about this,” Mr. Ballmer said. “Does everything move to the cloud? I think that is wrong-minded.” [Steve Ballmer in the NYT]

Microsoft seems firmly married to the software model, committing only to “the addition of a Web-services component within 3 to 10 years” to core software products.

Now, compare and contrast to Jeremy Zawodny’s experiences last week:

It was at that point that a shift took place in my thinking. I’m simply not going to bother with the hassle, trouble, expense, and complexity of desktop applications when an online substitute will do the job anymore. Life’s too short already. [Jeremy Zawodny]

Zawodny’s laptop died. Getting his apps back up and running in his preferred state and documents restored from back-up was a complicated, time consuming, and bug ridden PITA. In frustration, he turned to the cloud - and was rewarded with always consistent settings, no need to back-up, no multiple-pc configuration inconsistencies, etc. etc.

In the age of near-ubiquitous broadband, the cloud is making more sense all the time. 10 years from now, I firmly believe cloud applications will be taken for granted as desktop apps are today. Microsoft appears to have lost its risk taking edge in its addiction to gluttonous desktop application profits; Ballmer & Ozzie are consigning Microsoft to a slow death.

ballmer, cloud, google, microsoft, webos zawodny

From the Press Release Bin: Another WebOS

The WebOS space has one more member: Synthasite, which joins Teqlo (my first post!), YouOS, Xcerion, Facebook, and others I’m sure. The “WebOS space” is loosely defined, but all members share the common goal of trying to create the development platform on which mashups and applications are built and distributed - a lucrative market — if it really exists.

I’ve argued elsewhere that trying to create development environments like this has relatively little marginal benefit: anyone with the skill and motivation to create a web application will do so in the tool of their choice. Windows thrived as a platform because it provided a set of API’s and a hardware abstraction layer that made developing apps easier; the web generally doesn’t suffer the same level of complexity until you’re into the realm enterprise-strength applications - which these WebOS players aren’t targeting anyway.

So - where they fit into the web ecosystem I have no idea. I admire all players for the technical challenge that they’ve taken on, but I’m not holding my breath for any to become a breakaway success - with the exception of Facebook who - interestingly enough - created the market for their platform before creating the platform itself.

development, facebook, google, ide, microsoft, synthasite, teqlo, web os, webos, xcerion youos

The Facebook Aftermath - Productivity Apps linked via the Facebook OS

Last night, I pontificated on Facebook’s desire to replicate Microsoft’s success factors on the desktop in the social networking space. However you describe it, others seem to agree that Facebook is making the right moves - including turning down Yahoo: see Gino Cosme, i-Boy,

Joe Duck, Brandon Live!, CostPerNews, and others.

Well - it appear that its really happening. There’s a zillion apps launching with Facebook Platform, thanks to savvy marketing and pre-development efforts spurred by Facebook. More important than the volume, however, is the utility: these aren’t just “slideshows with hears & sparkles” or “listen to this kool band, yo!!11″ type applications - many of these are real productivity tools.

In particular, let me point you to two press releases:

Box.net (click for press release):

Box.net adapted their File Sharing App for use on Facebook. Already serving more than 300,000 apps daily from a vast collection of Internet locations, the Box.net File Sharing App allows users to display any file directly on their own sites. From music and video streaming to document collaboration, the app allows for a broad array of functionality utilized by individuals, bloggers, enterprises and recording artists.

Jaxtr.com (click for press release):

With a free jaxtr account, Facebook users link their mobile or landline phones with their online network. By adding their jaxtr widget to their Facebook profile, users can hear from callers worldwide while keeping their existing phone numbers private.

These two applications, integrated into the Facebook OS, to me signal the start of a conceptual sea-change: Facebook is shifting from becoming a social networking curiousity and easy way to share binge drinking plans to becoming a key workflow element for the networked world. In doing so, it is creating the environment for its own ecosystem to grow and flourish in, solidifying its long-term prospects.

box.net, f8, facebook, facebookplatform, jaxtr webos