HeadLiner: Visual Studio 2005 to Have Stick to Standards Toggle
If Robert Scoble is right, Visual Studio 2005 will have a stick to standards toggle switch. This switch will alow developers to guarantee that projects will work on different browsers: “The next version of Visual Studio lets you target various different browsers and doesnt take a locked into Microsoft stance at all.” This is a […]
Longhorn Long Range Danger
Rich Karlgaard at Forbes gives talks about major trends he sees as Publisher and columnist at Forbes magazine. Recently, he has been talking about the Cheap Revolution – the fact that training and educationally developed countries such as China, Eastern Europe, India and others are able to tie onto the tail end of Moores Law […]
Three Cheers for VB Programmers
You have heard it from Keep an Open Eye and theOpenSourcery.com many times. VB.NET is too close to C# and departs so drastically from the simplicity of coding that is VB6+COM that it a)unnecessarily obsoletes and abandons an important development niche and b)leaves a lot of Microsoft developers in the lurch with a very uncomfortable […]
More DHTML Excellence
In some recent columns, Jon Udell at InfoWorld has been praising some of the nifty things the Google people are doing with DHTML in Gmail and Google Maps. I would invite both Jon and the people at Google to take a look at what is happening in three other arenas with their use of DHTML […]
Microsoft Integration
It appears that CMPs Optimize magazine, directed at CIOs, is another venue interested in Microsoft Integration – especially given Microsofts Interoperability month. Keep an Open Eye has already commented about Microsoft Integration and Interoperability Month, so highlighting what was said at Optimize appears worthwhile on this most important topic. The format at Optimize is a […]
Eclipsing Beans
This last week the drums were rolling for IBMs Eclipse, an Open Source IDE for Java. Wait … IBM has broken all connections to Eclipse, has it not ??? This is an independently run organization. Yeah … and the recent set of announcements on Eclipse topped off by another huge set of a giveaways from […]
Beaned Again
On the ABC TVs show LOST, the writers are happy to explore all sorts of Urban Myths. The latest episode looks at a Hurley, a multi-millionaire when he wins a lottery because he uses a set of “cursed” numbers. But the more general Urban Legend being followed here is that great good fortune has to […]
Finally Billing the Cat
Congratulations are due to Information Week and John Foley for Billing/Belling the Cat. Information Week in its February 14th issue has dared to put on its front cover a story that the IT trade press has tiptoed through the tulips for too long about – the continuing stream of security and reliability problems associated with […]
Linux as Secure
With the public and trade press now able to discuss openly that Microsoft software is reliability and security challenged, it is worthwhile taking a look at the the Microsoft Get the Facts campaign. In it Microsoft maintains that that Windows 2003 server is just as secure if not more so than Linux. Now as one […]
One Step Forward, Two Massive Steps Backward
Microsoft is still just flirting with Open Source and Standards. For every one step forward there seems to be two steps backwards in dealing with Open Systems. And this week saw two massive steps backwards. But first, the one step forward. Microsoft is considering, is pondering, is contemplating how to open WinForms. Now the Two […]
They Said It Couldnt Be Done ..
There is going to be an Internet Explorer 7 after all set for July for beta, late Summer or Fall for release. Well, well, well …. its part of the operating system, it cant be separated …. and that is one of the fundamental problems with IE. IEs use of privileged states then exposes it […]
Adobe as Data Integration Player
Adobe has consistently improved its cross platform document container and archive – Acrobat PDF. Acrobat PDFs major attraction is the fact that it is completely self contained. PDFs carry along all the fonts, stylings, images, and an engine necessary to not only render for display but also print the contained documents with very high fidelity […]
Adobe and Macromedia: Upcoming Shootout at MultiMedia Corral ?
We have already called these two savvy media software vendors as bellwethers – the ones to watch for long term trends especially on the desktop where both companies have large franchises in Web, collaboration, and multimedia tools and software. And of course with the digital revolution occurring in photography, audio, and video helping to eat […]
ColdFusion 7: Front End Magic
Macromedia will be introducing ColdFusion Mx 7 this week and it will be a strong entry in the server side application development tools market place. ColdFusion is a front end tool for J2EE and Java appplication servers (Macromedia Jrun 4, BEA Weblogic 7.x, 8.x and IBM Websphere 4.x , 5.x.). ColdFusion 7 also has the […]
Integration and Interoperability: A Question of Trust
My previous posting on Let Actions Speak for Microsoft which commented on Microsofts Interoperability Month website and 20 webinars has produced an interesting and thorough response from Kent Tegels. Rather than leaving this commentary buried in the comments page – I have brought it out front and center. My remarks are in italics, Kents are […]
Toronto Class Act
Last weekend we featured shots from the fabulous pyrotechics put on by Groupe F at Torontos Nathan Phillips Square. This week we may have a class act, Close Act Malaya from Holland , that tops that show – no small feat. What makes Close Act compelling is that the show is brought right to the […]
eBay Phishing Phumbilitis
Its only proper that on Stupor Bowl weekend we get another example of eBay Phishing Phumbilitis. It appears the executive suite at eBay just does not get it – by not immediately shutting down the Phishers they are setting up a tremendous set of liabilities: a)all members and non-members that get duped by eBay phishers […]
Let Actions Speak for Microsoft
Microsoft has just reported $40 billion in revenues and over $16B in earnings yet it is out to do what it has had to do many times over – change its image on a major Enterprise computing issue. This time it is interoperability. But in fact, over the past 10 years Redmond has consistently had […]
IP fromHell
The IP from Hell is not some URL like 66.6.6.6 but rather Software Patents and the whole swamp that is IP-Intellectual Property rights. IBM just opened up and gave as a pool 500 patents to to the Open Source community. A few weeks later Sun topped that by giving 1600 patents. I cant wait until […]
Identity is the Key
Identity is the key to a number of problems vexing IT savvy organizations from spam to security thru how to charge for small services rendered. So it should come as no surpise that: a)Microsoft and Sun are trying and largely failing “to get together on their great peace initiative – and one of the key […]
Fine Show in the Square
Frances Groupe F , as anticipated, produced a magnificent show in Torontos Nathan Phillips Square to launch Torontos WinterCity Fest. And there were other delights in town. See some of the exhibits here at the PixofToronto.com. Finally the Dutch troupe, Close Act Malaya will be presenting their one hour show starting Friday February 4th and […]
WiMax:The Great Disruption
WiMax represents the next great Disruption in IT and communications technology. And ttue to its name it will be massive. Here are 4 different views on WiMax: Ciscos view – Trying to reduce the alarm bells within the telecom and mobile communities David Courseys opinion – he appears to be not far off the mark […]
Windows.NET Security Services
I am looking through my notes from PDC 2000 of July 11-14th 2000 in Orlando Florida. This was the conference that unveiled the details of .NET to the IT community. Praerit Garg, Lead Security Program Manager , Windows.NET platform. The presentation was thorough, wide ranging and full of security features and promises for Windows. The […]
Shameless Civic Plug
The City of Toronto is having a wonderful Winter CityFest starting Friday January 28th and extending through the weekend of Feb 6th. Many events are downtown at New City Hall – Nathan Phillips Square. If you are in Toronto on business consider staying an extra day or two for the festivities. The picture below is […]
The Convergence Imperative
For roughly the past decade, CxOs have raised integration and interoperability to the top of the annual charts of IT Priorities. CIOs must be very leery of the “Are We There Yet?” queries about Information at your Fingertips especially given the Security and Reliability sidetracks. The executive suite is looking for business process and data […]
Flowering Tip
Most desert watchers will already know this but the Southern California, Utah, Neveda desert regions of the US had a lot more rainfall than usual as the Coast got drenched at the start of the year. And with record amounts of snowfall even on the interior California mountains, there should be a fairly good Spring […]
Coverage of IT: Mixed Reviews
Weblogs like this are commanding bigger coverage of IT events and news. The major trade presss is reacting by setting up more specialized IT websites like the excellent Pipeline series at Techweb, the specialized coverage sites at eWeek/ZiffDavis like ExtremeTech and Microsoft Watch. ADTMag and JupiterMedia are specializing their coverage – ADT broader and perhaps […]
Patterns
Patterns are being talked about everywhere. Our favorite book is Head First Design Patterns by Eric and Elizabeth Freeman. But when you see Patterns being talked about in the BI Data Integration space (see the Ascential weblog here) then you know that Patterns have escaped the Java “ghetto” and are gaining wider acceptance. And what […]
The MonoCulture Creed
Everytime you advance the argument to Microsoft excutives and product managers that the name of the game in the IT World today is integration, compatibility and interoperability and that Microsoft should do more – they just laugh or simply shrug it off. Redmondnites say the IT World – corporates large and organizations small and around […]
Viewletpolls: Non-Web Services
The OpenSourcery is trying out Qarbons Viewlet Poll What Qarbon does for us is make it dead simple to do polling for between $100 – 299 per year. Fill in a form, choose from dozens of poll layouts and you are away to the races – okay you have to move the generated HTML and […]
Linux on the Desktop: Already Here
Infoworld, which normally is pretty IT prescient, has a TechWatch article from November 2003 in which they declare “Next year [2004] just may be the year that desktop Linux emerges as a viable alternative to Windows.” The drivers are a continuing stream of Windows desktop security and reliability problems (check – still going on); ever […]
Long Transactions and Slack
One of the most contentious problems in Web Services and online transactions is long-duration transactions. Now long duration is not microseconds or even seconds; but rather think in terms of minutes to hours to days. Think in terms of long duration Web Transactions or messaging workflows or various replication strategies. Now not all of these […]
Photo Look back 7 Years
The Toronto Camera Club was getting rid of some of its old books and magazines – if you take it you must keep it type deal. A bit leery, nonethless I scarfed up a couple of copies of PC Photo magazine from September/October 1998. Their motto was “Your guide to better photography using computers”. And […]
Memo to Meg Whitman, eBay and PayPal CEO
Dear Meg – I have been considering for the past half year to join eBay and PayPal. But since September I have been receiving a steady stream of sophisticated phishing attack eMails sent in the guise of valid eBay documents. The image below is typical of the phishers attack emails. I have been co-operating sending […]
Apple Mac the MiniKnife: Take II
Recently I was listening to a Sunday talk radio station in Toronto, that is when they are required by law in Canada to do their “serious” broadcasting – roughly equivalent to the Sunday morning news programs on US TV. Small blessings for granting some parties a extremely profitable monopoly on the airwaves. But I digress. […]
WebLogs as Personal Newspapers: The Web as Freedom to Broadcast/Publish
One of things that is killing the IT trade press (and as a freelance writer I can assure you it is dying an agonizing death) is the consolidation and continued downturn in the IT economy. But another major factor is weblogs like this. In fact, weblogs and the Web in general can be thought of […]
Mind and Computing
There is no doubt that Cognitive Science and Neurology have been impacted by computing in many ways. Perhaps the most profound are the relatively non-invasive tools such as PET, MRI, and CAT scanning that allows researchers to see the development and changes to the brain over time and in the case of PET over various […]
Apple Sneaking up on Linux, Windows
InfoWorlds Tom Yager has done another superb job of interpreting events in the computing hardware world – his assesment of the new Apple mini is broad stroked but essentially right on Denmark. Read the copy for yourself – but what Tom is arguing is that Apple is targeting the Apple Mini to be is the […]
MDA – Model Driven Architecture
I just sat through a presentation today that attacked Model driven Architecture. Now I am not enamored of MDA and generally (but not completely) agree with Scott Amblers analysis and training on some of the critical drawbacks on MDA . But I could hardly agree with 4 of the 7 major points used to attack […]
Browser Security Coverage
Ziff Davis eWeek is featuring a story by Ryan Naraine whose headline reads: High-Risk Flaws Flagged in IE, Mozilla. Right away I am thinking – “uhoh … more security trouble and this time it hits Mozilla as well as IE browser”. Wincing a little I read the story details. “Security researchers have raised the alarm […]
Flash has Competition
Macromedia Flash has competition and this is only natural. After all Flash has the franchise for animation and rich media development on a wide range of platforms but most notably on the Windows PC. Its SWF file format is the preferred means of delivery of combined animation, sound, fonts, images and video over the Web, […]
Adobe and Macromedia: Bellwethers
Adobe and Macromedia are two vendors whose products have great impact well beyond their revenue streams – the combined total of which is less than $3B per year as compared to Microsoft which is easily ten times their combined total. Yet both have key enabling technologies that are of increasing importance as the IT world […]
JavaScripts Travails
JavaScript is nearly reaching a tenth year aniversay and yet is still one of the best scripting languages around. “Still ? ” you ask. Well look what JavaScript has had to go through. “Cut off the oxygen” good will from Microsoft did its parent in and left the language orphaned with effectively no development funding […]
Big Software Whiffers Awards
It is that time of year again, time to look at the Big Software Whiffs of the first half-decade of 2000. One of the fascinations in life is the Big Whiff, the Choker Special, the Mighty Miss. You know – when one of the big players or big companies misses, swishes, strikes out in its […]
CES Shows the Way
It is amazing but for the second year in a row CES is the dominant “computing” show on the planet. And all the gliches in the Bill Gates/Microsoft demo were an apropos indication of how the PC, surrounded by Beware of Pitbull signs, has ceded priority to the clever embedded device builders – be it […]
Tom Yager: Tells it like it is
Infoworlds Tom Yager is getting a deserved reputation for mincing no words. Here is his description of the IT Recovery for the next few years from the Dec 20th, 2004 issue: “Your life lessons in self-sufficiency will serve you well as you get to know the son of the son of the new economy. I […]
Open Source Influence
Open Source has influenced software development in many ways – some almost invisible. In the database arena I can now get very good database software from MySQL, PostGres, Firebird/Interbase, Apache Cloudscape among others for free development and mostly free deployment. But as a developer I also appreciate the fact that I can get for nearly […]
CSS Prospers
One of the quiet events over the past year has been the relative propserity that is occurring around W3Cs CSS-Cascading Style Sheets. CSS provides, among other things, the basic commands for font styling and formating of layers and regions on a web page. In addition, creating those layers with precise colors, borders, margins, and most […]
Caught in the Middle
IT shops are caught in the middle of the transition to open and integrated – and just in case you were wondering it is tough sledding. IT shops not only have to contend with legacy internal systems many of which have poor integration capabilities; but also legacy commercial applications which have been deliberately left to […]
Adobe: Intelligent Help
Now you have heard it from this source before but it bears repeating – the disappearance of almost all printed documentation is one of the troubling trends in software marketing and deployment. The swing is distinctly to all electronic and a great deal of that Web based. There is a convergence going on in software […]