A Modest Proposal on MSHoo
Apparently the off and on again wooing of Yahoo by Microsoft is on again. And of course Google is saying in China, of all places to raise the question of monopoly – but Eric Schmidt could have made the speech in Washington DC the only place where monopolies are currently coddled even more so. His […]
Web Books
Try the following exercise at Barnes and Noble or Amazon – enter “Web Development” or “Web Design” in your search request for books. Click and you will get 100s if not 1000s of books recommendations – Web Creation for Dummies thru CSS Zen Garden to Learning Web Design. And many of the books will have […]
Kindle What ?
Publishers are desperate and converging. Books, newspapers, magazines, and a host of printed media are chasing a scarce and seemingly dwindling supply of attention, eyeballs, and readers. Oh and advertisers. All lost to that beast that almost everything is free on the Web including their publications on the Web. May eCash RIP. And what is […]
The Flash Advantage
Believe it or not the screenshot at the left is not an Adobe product. Yep, its a dead ringer for Photoshop with masks and layers and pretty fast response time. And it is available now online for free. I urge you try it out – you dont even have to sign up. But I can […]
Picnik.com as Flash Player Virtuoso
I really did not expect online photo editing to ever happen, but Picnik.com has brought online photo editing to the Web as the screenshot attests to. The service is quite good and fast. The latter speed is achieved by using the latest Flash Player. Let me say, as a confirmed Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Elements and […]
The Windows Brand Under Siege ?
The most popular story on the NYTimes email list this weekend is about the topic we have been discussing for the past few months here at Keep an Open Eye – the exact extent of the disaster that is Windows Vista and what it is doing to the Windows Brand. What makes the NYTimes story […]
AJAX The Definitive Guide
Ajax: The Definitive Guide by Anthony T. Holdener, III – Jan 2008, OReilly Press $50 This is the the definitive guide on AJAX circa late 2007 early 2008 – but only if you consider definitive to be like the New York Time – all the news on Web 2.0 fit to print. The book certainly […]
Vistas Slow, Torturous Demise
My previous posting on Virtual Windows Substitute is based on one major assumption – that Microsoft Windows Vista is a really unfinished and bloated. By bloated ;we specifically mean that Windows Vista requires 2 times the memory , disk and other resources that Windows XP requires for equivalently prompt and functionally capable PC desktop operation. […]
The Release of IE8 beta 1
I am afraid that Microsoft still does not get it. They are the ones on the outside trying to get back into the good graces with Web Developers after treating them almost contemptuously for the past 10 years. In effect Microsoft tried to thwart Web Development in favor of their own Windows platform and its […]
Ming the Merciless is after Flash
Read this commentary from Microsofts Joe Wilcox at the Microsoft Mix08 Web developers conference where IE8 was announced. That conference by the way had 28 sessions about Silverlight, eight about the new Expression Suite, 12 about IE and programming and none about IE8 in particular. B But take your cue from the Silverlight numbers. Joe […]
IE8 and Web Standards
Just prior to Microsofts Mix 08 conference in Las Vegas in this first week in March 2008, IE General Manager Dean Hachamovitch announced that: “We’ve decided that IE8 will, by default, interpret web content in the most standards compliant way it can. This decision is a change from what we’ve posted previously”. The reaction of […]
Microsoft Unleashes Web 2 Office Offensive
The evidence is mounting that Microsoft will soon be getting into the SaaS and Office online services business in a very big way to pre-empt Googles move into the same sphere. Here are some of the handwritings on the wall: 1)Huge $half-billion/per site investments in 600,000++ square feet data centers worldwide continues with 24 new […]
Fork JavaScript!
JavaScript ought to be forked – before the transition to JavaScript 2.0 makes a still relatively easy to use and approachable language inevitably OO cryptic, strong typing relentless, and large-scale programming oriented. JavaScript may fall into the Visual Basic and ActionScript traps. In the transition of those languages to undeniably very useful large-scale or complex […]
RAIA Comes to AIR
The New York Times has seen that RAIA-Rich Anywhere Interface Applications is fit to print now that Adobe has released AIR to the public. And so the full impact of the RIA become RAIA will start to get full acceptance in the press – catching up with the reality we have been covering for the […]
Information Week
As a former freelancer, I have watched the slow demise of the printed IT Trade Press first with alarm (fewer assignments), then regret(even fewer and farther between stories) and then alarm again (the IT Trade Press turned a blind eye to Redmonds attempts to stifle/thwart Web development by not updating IE and its other Web […]
Microsofts Interoperability Pledge of Allegiance
On Thursday, February 21, 2008 Microsoft trotted out its VP of Legal Ops, Brad Smith along with Internet Veep Ray Ozzie and Servers Veep Bob Muglia and then proceeded to make an Important Strategic Announcement which I think was a Pledge of Allegiance to Interoperability as blessed buy Microsofts Strategic Interoperability Advisory Committee. Whew!!! I […]
Microsoft Launches Longhorn Server
Today Microsoft launched Longhorn Server or Windows 2008 server. Just as a note the Microsoft.com main website according to Netcraft has been alternating between some unknown OS Server, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 since the start of the year changing about once every 2-5 days. According to Alexa, the Microsoft.com website has slowly […]
Adobes Documentation Woes
I have said it before but it appears to need repeating. One of the key attributes that brought Adobe to graphical, design and info delivery prominence has been the quality of its documentation – both printed and electronic delivered with their software. Well since the buyout of Macromedia that quality has taken a precipitous decline. […]
Vista Viewings:eWeek
Here is the heart of the review of Vista by eWeeks Andrew Garcia After three weeks of frequent usage, Windows Vista somehow seems like less than the sum of its parts. I know there are a lot of compelling features under the covers (Ive reviewed them ad nauseam), but their impact is hidden by a […]
Security Wobbles
Computer Security is like the roller coaster ride of Stock Markets. You hope its going to go contantly up and improve over time but then Reality Bites and stories like super cooling hardware chips to mke stealing carefully guarded security keys trivial appear – almost like blips and downturns in the stock market. It appears […]
Why Microsoft is Buying Yahoo
Microsofts timing for buying Yahoo is certainly very curious – on the weekend before the Monday release to Manufacturing of Windows Server 2008 and Vista Service Pack 1 and XP Service Pack 3 promised arrival shortly thereafter. Redmonds marketing has in past been impeccable – a slow drumroll prior to RTM or a launch, nothing […]
Missing Manuals
David Pogue of the NYTimes is the founding editor of the Missing Manual series at OReilly. Now in this new world of severely down-sized documentation there is life-saving series of books that fill the gap that have been left by so many software vendors. I can understand why say a Microsoft or Adobe or McAfee […]
Two PC Databases
2-3 years ago I was bracing for the onslaught that was to be Yukon – the PC database from Microsoft built on a SQL Server core that would be part of the Windows operating system. This personal database would anchor all sorts of Office, Exchange, Internet and MS Messaging services. Somehow, Yukon got lost in […]
Model Driven Software
Microsoft is selling a lot of futures of late. Much is coming through eWeeks Darryl Taft who appears to have the pipeline into Redmonds development intentions. First there was hints of a lean, mean Windows 7; then the fact that Visual Fred would be going back sometime real soon now into being a scripting language […]
Virtual Windows Substitute
I have been saying that the first PC vendor that delivers a mobile machine that has true full screen touch operation at current laptop prices will gain huge market share. Currently, Microsoft with Surfaces has shown that it recognizes the competitive advantage, but the pricing is atrociously high – typical of what Redmond has done […]
HP TouchSmart PC
HP, no surprise no surprise no surprise, is the first PC vendor to have a fully touchscreen PC … well sort of. It is only limited gestures smart and its form factor as a desktop is pretty bulky. But its overall specs are not too bad: # AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-52 # 2048MB […]
Inside RIA
Inside RIA is the new website that OReilly has created covering the rapid emergence of RIA tools and development philosophy on the agendas of IT managers everywhere. And typical of many OReilly books and websites, it is polished and well done. As one who has already moved onto Web 3.0 and RAIA, I have not […]
Zoho Show: YouTubes-like Presentations
Just a year ago it seemed everybody was promising to make their Office Suite Live! The reality is not exactly…. with one major exception – the people at Zoho. They have a wide range of tools already available. But the one that caught my attention is its presentation tool, Zoho Show 2: Press any of […]
Heads First JavaScript
I am a big fan of the Heads First series of books by the OReilly Press. Their wacky, dynamic style make them memorable. And OReilly has gotten first class writers to author some excellent volumes in this series. The take-no-prisoners approach with “there are no dumb questions”, “JavaScriptcrossword Puzzles gives writers/editors an opportunity to clear […]
Campbellford Library Action
I heard something at the Campbellford Ontario library today that I thought would be of broader interest. The Cambellford Library, like many libraries in rural Ontario are always seeking more patrons. One way they are doing this is by becoming Internet Cafes. The Trent Hills libraries do this by offering both Wifi connections and having […]
Suns Open Script ..
With the opening of Java, Solaris plus the purchase of MySQL, Sun is determined to show that a)it is the number one provider and user of Open Source software and b)that it can make mnoney based on an Open Source business model. This latter task has been a long and winding road. But the basic […]
Commentary on Silverlight Article
Charlie Fink at Internet IT BusinessNET has raised some very good questions about RIA. His article asks Has Microsoft finally seen the (Silver) Light? and What are RIA-Rich Internet Applications?. Now the article does catch the flavor of what is happening in the RIA field but misses two important ingredients – RIA is morphing to […]
How to Downgrade to Windows XP
I think Information Week has this article mis-titled. It should be How to Upgrade from Vista to Windows XP.
MacBook Air: Still Not a Tablet
One can easily imagine there was such a collective sigh of relief from Redmond over MacBook Air that the Eastern half of the US has had two days of frigid weather as seen in the Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants football game. No full touchscreen tablet to make Windows PC tablets look like […]
Microsoft Tipping Point ?
Microsoft may be at a tipping point – a quality tipping point just as founder Bill Gates gets ready to leave this summer. And the whole problem is that huge, bloated Brobadingnang known as Vista. I have heard people who say that even after 300 fixes – Vista Service Pack 1 will a)not squelch some […]
Big Middleware Deals
Oracles purchase of BEA and Suns buying of MySQL will have profound impact on the IT software market. Oracle now has the technology to challenge IBM and SAP across the board in all Fortune 1000 shops. My major reservation is whether Oracle can intelligently marshal and deploy all the IP assets it has on board […]
EU Fills in for DOJ
The European Union has been filling in for the still hobbled and given up for lame-duck Antitrust unit of the US Department of Justice. Interestingly, the EU Antrusters continue to concentrate on the Wintel players – Microsoft and Intel. The latest Microsoft antitrust allegations are against the browser tying irregularities of Microsoft and the failure […]
Flash ActionScript 3 Documentation
For reasons unknown Adobe is hiding ActionScript 3 documentation. Do the following- go to your Flash CS3, Flex 2, or Flex 3 installations and search for *.pdf, *chm, or *.hlp files which describe the syntax or programming guides for ActionScript 3. Let me give you a clue – there is nothing! Talk about supplying OReilly, […]
More Silverlight Smart Marketing
Darryl Taft argues that Microsoft has created a coup by securing the NBC Olympics as a Silverlight player presentation. Meanwhile the NYTimes sees the final CES Presentation by Bill Gates as hohum – including the Olympic Silverlight deal. However, my vote is with Darryl, this is a crafy way to get Silverlight downloaded and used […]
Classified Ad Market
A few years ago with Craigslist.org sweeping away every city newspapers classified ad section with its free ads, the writing was on the wall for newsprint: down and out in “know” time. Everybody knew that Web Triumphant would prevail. Well not so fast: This the latest of about 3-5 rejections per week I get from […]
Firefox 3.0 Beta
Firefox 3 beta is getting bravo reviews even though it is not likely to see production release until March or April of this year. Here are some of the key new features that are garnering high praise: 1)security enhancements – include warnings for forged pages, phishing pages, integration with anti-virus software, and warnings when going […]
Silverlights Smart Marketing
Microsofts Silverlight faces a major hurdle – the Flash Player that drives Flex/Flash and which Silverlight seeks to replace has 95% or better penetration on PC, Mac and Linux desktops. So how do you do this – if course, tap into the Windows monopoly and make Silverlight a default install on all those Vista (and […]
2008: Technology to Watch For
Here are 5 technologies that will bring profound system change in2008 – note that no order of import is implied in this list: 1)Wimax gets delivered in 2008 with both bandwidth and accessibility enhanced for both private and open networks. The rollout will enable competing mobile and notebook technologies for consumer attention and investment dollars. […]
Flex 3 Coverage
Flex3 in Flash Flex 3 completes the story – this is an attempted use of SWF and Flash paper in WordPress with no luck; I shall have to investigate further.
Most Disappointing Software of 2007
The most disappointing software of 2007 ranked in reverse order from bad to worse are: 5) No IE8 on the horizon. (in contrast see what eWeeks Jim Rapoza has to say about Firefox 3.0 beta 2) when Microsoft got back into the browser business because it had serious competition, Bill Gates promised at MIX conference […]
Those Rascally Apple Ads
The Apple vs PC ads are great fun but now Rob Pegoraro has seemlying done an inadvertent one at the Washinton Post- see here.
SilverLight Runtime Problems
Every time I try to run a SilverLight demo I am quite likely to run into the above error message. The 1.1 Silverlight runtime is rejected by most 1.0 Silverlight websites. This is strange as backward compatibility of runtimes is standard operating procedure – take a look at many ActiveX and all the Adobe Flash […]
Project Portfolio Management
The world of IT project management is stepping up. Over the past 10 years project management are moving away from single project management monitoring and looking also more broadly at a portfolio of projects in the corporate IT mix. This viewpoint is being motivated by both internal IT and external organizational drivers. Internally within IT, […]
Obama on Open Source
Now it would seem the best thing you could have is No Politics in IT….ooops an oxymoron. But the Democratic presidential campaign appears to have “roiled up the ODF versus Open XML waters” with Presidential hopeful Barack Obama appearing to give solace to ODF. Now I can see the IT pundits waxing rhetorical – “last […]
Apple Management Story
Apple produces great TV ads and very nifty touch screens slowly getting bigger. See more Apple ads. It also in its early days produced some soap opera management if this report is to be believed. I think Gassee may have been right as reported. Being the standard is not all its cranked up to be, […]