There is a HUGE pool of untapped resources. Insurance companies process claims for millions, and have all the data, what is being prescribed, what is not being prescribed.. how long the perscription is for..... Who is seeing a doctor on a regular basis, and who isn't.... Using this data you can find out what treatments are being effective, and which ones aren't. Or is it really worth going to the dentist every 6 months? Isn't that worth it's weight in gold?
Internally insurance companies can summarize data without compromising their client's as they have the data all ready. Moving it to an external company would involve generating an guid for each identifying piece of information before it leaves the company. Basically a complete scrubbing of the data, but it is not an impossible task.
Why won't this happen? It's not a privacy issue, it a $$$$ issue.... Drug companies wouldn't want you to find out that they are selling snake oil.. They could loose millions if a report showed that their drug is not as effective as a competitors....
First thing you have to remember is that this IS Microsoft. They are NOT going to be giving away their cash cows, so completely forget IE, Office, and Windows. It ISN'T going to happen. Knowing the crowd here, there will be a lot of noise, and very little signal! Now that said there are a couple areas that they could:
Development tools:
If you've ever done work in the Microsoft environment, you'll know that the tools are decent. For those about to flame me, don't bother, you haven't really USED the tools. I use Visual Studio for.Net development and it is good. Having a tool like that under linux to develop against IIS servers... that would be nice.
SQL Server Tools:
Having a true collection of tools such as the client, and enterprise manager, and Query Analyzer would be a nice thing. Again, this may be a pipe dream as it means they have to play nice with linux users, but it could help connect all those PHP sites to SQL Server!
Outlook/Exchange Protocols:
Wow.. this would be the cat's meow... being able to create a client that would connect up to the exchange server. Forget Linux.. I would love to have this under Windows!
Messenger:
Create an native API available to everyone for the basic services. I'm in the telephony world and would love to be able to create a client that is compatible with MSN and then connect to my servers for phone calls!:)
Windows CE/Pocket PC 2003:
You can forget about the windows pirates here! You buy a pocketpc, you get the OS.. that's the way it goes. So, open up the source, let the masters of kernel tinkering in the world play a bit! This could open the way to many devices guys!
He says he regrets his decision.. but the bigger question is WHY does he regret it? The public backlash, the lack of evidence from SCO? Is this a PR spin, or something that directly affects his company.... Just a thought...
If your system is generating the traffic, then yes... you are responsible for it! We supplied a net connection to a neighbour, they ended up having an open relay for spamming, and a warez site... It was their fault it wasn't a "tight" machine... so they got the bill.
Now if you are getting hammered by worms on the inbound side and nothing gets through, then you can't be responsible for that.
It seems that these people are from the old Dot COM school of business. Invent something cool, but try and make money on something that is competing against that is free! Netscape knows quite well what happens when you try that. (BTW I pretty much ONLY use Netscape)
I am all for making money off internet based products, but there are some things that don't lend themselvs to be "for charge". What would have happened if CERN charged for every character served out to an HTTP Browser? Do you think the net would have taken off? Just think of the cost of relearning a new language, making sure all your clients are compatable, and then paying for thier licencing... Customers commit to an annual volume of between $12,000 and $600,000, payable in equal monthly installments, with a minimum of $1,000 per month.
I say kill it now quietly before clueless CIO's get suckered into paying for something that will go the way of the DODO in a couple months...
Ok... first thing, North America is LIGHT YEARS behind the rest of the world when it comes to wireless technology. A small example here in Canada... want to hook your Wireless Palm Pilot up to ANY type of wireless network (to a cell phone doesn't count!).
Here we have multiple INCOMPATABLE networks, CDMA, TDMA, PCS, GSM, you name it. North Americans can't seem to standardize on anything HELL, just look at HDTV. It's a GREAT technology, but nobody can seem to get thier asses in gear to get it working.
Europe has been using different wireless services for years now. Anyone in NA ever use SMS? By the time we catch up to where the Europeans in a couple years, they will be on to the next generation of wireless. And it WILL happen unless someone bites the bullet, and decides to make the leap, and get the new technology in NOW. There is a HUGE investment in the current technology (same problem here with HDTV) and the carriers just don't want to make an investment that will be obsolete by the time they roll out the first installation.
With GPRS, and 3G networks being developed and all the promises of high bandwith JUST around the corner, do you really think the limited WAP, and iMode will cut the mustard?
You'll be able to have a phone that will not only be able to handle full colour graphics, but full motion video, multiple megs of memory, and basically be a small desktop computer in your hand. You think this is far fetched... take a look at Yopy, and Handspring!
Marry a Yopy, and a Handspring, and you will get what I think will be the next generation of communications device. Notice I didn't say "CELL PHONE", as I personally feel that the cell phone days are numbered. The Yopy has the colour screen, and Linux operating system, and the Handspring has an expandable slot that NOW contains a cell phone! Take a peek at the TV show Earth Final Conflict. Watch for the communications devices.... sound familiar? Remember, Sci-Fi is usually the true window into the future.
Ok, the mice have their multi millenia experiment on Earth MKII... and this time, the Vogons go an wipe out another end of a distant spiral arm for their bypass. What do you think the final result is? Are we still a race that is obsessed with digital watches, and think that the towel is the most useful tool in the universe? Have we progressed beyond our current limitations? Basically, where do you see the human race as a whole going?
With everything becoming more "NET" centric (more focused on the desktop here), what will happen to Linux IF the major browser suddenly disappears?
Do you think Microsoft would port their browser over to Linux?
Could this be Microsoft's secret plan to slowly kill off Linux? If someone can't browse the internet using a browser, then why would they want Linux on their desktop? (I can see the Microsoft marketing right now.... Switch to Windows, we have a browser!)
Ok... now cool off for a second....;) What is our alternative if Netscape disappears?
Is Opera up to the level of support (on the web site side of things) that Netscape is?
Is there another Browser on the horizon to take over as the king of NON-Microsoft OS's?
Personally, I use Netscape ALL the time (except when mandated by da boss), and would mourn the loss of it.
Just some food for thought...let's see what happens.
I work for a small development shop, and my boss said if we want to develop stuff in Linux, show me a major RAD development tool. Now that Delphi is on the way, it will make it SOOOO much easier to convince people.
For you people wondering WHY Delphi is so popular.... try it, you may find you like it. I've been working with it for a couple years now, and have found that it has the ease of (flame suit on ) VB, and the power of C++ (maybe not to the extreeme extent, but pretty damn good!)
Also the fact that the survey was aimed at Borland developers many of which already use Delphi, it is no surprise to me!
For their part it is an extreemly good stratigic move. Since Microsoft will publish VB for Linux WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER, or Microsoft, buys it out... Inprise can grab a HUGE part of the market.
For Linux, there will be a huge influx of developers that already know the ins and outs of Delphi, so there will be a lot more apps! Which is a very good thing!
Can we trust the strength of the encryption? All I know about encryption is that some program, I enter a password, and it scrambles the text. BUT, when you have the source to an application, you can make sure there are no secret back doors that sends a copy of your e-mail to some government agency. I seem to remember something a while back about CC-Mail having a back door for some governments. It is kind of hard to hide a back door when you have the source exposed so that everyone can see, and compile their own "CLEAN" copy...
First off.. IVR CANNOT be handled by a Voice Modem. Now before you startup the flamethrowers give me a sec... I am dealing with MINIMUM 1 incoming T1, and we have a couple boxes with 8-10 T's... That is up to 230 incoming calls at once, and not one line at a time.
The current KING of the hill (in hardware) is DIALOGIC. BUT Dialogic is DEEPLY in bed with Microsoft. People have been pressuring Dialogic for about 6 years to come out with drivers for Linux, but nothing yet. There have been a couple times when activity on the Dialogic mailing list where rumors have been flying about (last one was something was supposed to happen March 25th), but again NOTHING!
There are a couple companies that seem to be embracing Linux... Pika (Ya! Canadian!), Acculab, and NMS. I suspect that Rhetorex will be the next one to throw their hat into the ring, and the only one missing is Dialogic.
Now for the next important thing... IVR Software. Currently there is nothing out there to handle the IVR back end. BUT there is ample open source languages that could be extended. Database support used to be an issue, now with pretty much every major database on Linux, that is not a problem anymore.
Once you have your basic "Interface" card working, there are a whole bunch of other cards you can add in to get the extended support that you want. SCSA pretty much the standard for connecting cards. Once you have the card, you need the firmware.. Hopefully they will port it over!
Anyway, enough ranting... summary:
ACCULAB, PIKA, and NMS have support for Linux. Dialogic needs to be beaten over the head with a wet fish and have some sense beat into them!
Sunday's would be a GREAT time to put articles like this. I do like reading other views of people . Lets you know what the rest of the world is thinking. Maybe "Slashdot Sunday" could also have a few guest columnists.. Rob, maybe send out invitations to write a guest column to people inside and outside the industry! They will appreciate (if they have flame proof suits) the feedback that such a vocal audience could give! Hell wouldn't it be great to flame BillGatus of Borg. See what he has to say, if he can actually take off those rose coloured glasses, and drop all the marketing BS...
I look at ALL THE FLAME'S, the "JOHN KATZ IS AN IDIOT" messages and shake my head... CT just posted a neat little thing that allows you to CUSTOMIZE what you see... IF YOU CAN'T STAND JOHN KATZ... THEN REGISTER... CREATE A CUSTOM PAGE THAT ELIMIATES HIM!!! (Yes.. I was shouting!)
I do like the steps that they give to evaluating Linux. It gives a careful approach that should let someone LEARN the capabilities of Linux without killing themselvs and jumping into a new environment without thinkin!
Slashdot Mirror
There is a HUGE pool of untapped resources. Insurance companies process claims for millions, and have all the data, what is being prescribed, what is not being prescribed.. how long the perscription is for..... Who is seeing a doctor on a regular basis, and who isn't.... Using this data you can find out what treatments are being effective, and which ones aren't. Or is it really worth going to the dentist every 6 months? Isn't that worth it's weight in gold?
Internally insurance companies can summarize data without compromising their client's as they have the data all ready. Moving it to an external company would involve generating an guid for each identifying piece of information before it leaves the company. Basically a complete scrubbing of the data, but it is not an impossible task.
Why won't this happen? It's not a privacy issue, it a $$$$ issue.... Drug companies wouldn't want you to find out that they are selling snake oil.. They could loose millions if a report showed that their drug is not as effective as a competitors....
First thing you have to remember is that this IS Microsoft. They are NOT going to be giving away their cash cows, so completely forget IE, Office, and Windows. It ISN'T going to happen. Knowing the crowd here, there will be a lot of noise, and very little signal! Now that said there are a couple areas that they could:
.Net development and it is good. Having a tool like that under linux to develop against IIS servers... that would be nice.
:)
Development tools:
If you've ever done work in the Microsoft environment, you'll know that the tools are decent. For those about to flame me, don't bother, you haven't really USED the tools. I use Visual Studio for
SQL Server Tools:
Having a true collection of tools such as the client, and enterprise manager, and Query Analyzer would be a nice thing. Again, this may be a pipe dream as it means they have to play nice with linux users, but it could help connect all those PHP sites to SQL Server!
Outlook/Exchange Protocols: Wow.. this would be the cat's meow... being able to create a client that would connect up to the exchange server. Forget Linux.. I would love to have this under Windows!
Messenger:
Create an native API available to everyone for the basic services. I'm in the telephony world and would love to be able to create a client that is compatible with MSN and then connect to my servers for phone calls!
Windows CE/Pocket PC 2003:
You can forget about the windows pirates here! You buy a pocketpc, you get the OS.. that's the way it goes. So, open up the source, let the masters of kernel tinkering in the world play a bit! This could open the way to many devices guys!
He says he regrets his decision.. but the bigger question is WHY does he regret it? The public backlash, the lack of evidence from SCO? Is this a PR spin, or something that directly affects his company.... Just a thought...
If your system is generating the traffic, then yes... you are responsible for it! We supplied a net connection to a neighbour, they ended up having an open relay for spamming, and a warez site... It was their fault it wasn't a "tight" machine... so they got the bill.
Now if you are getting hammered by worms on the inbound side and nothing gets through, then you can't be responsible for that.
It seems that these people are from the old Dot COM school of business. Invent something cool, but try and make money on something that is competing against that is free! Netscape knows quite well what happens when you try that. (BTW I pretty much ONLY use Netscape)
I am all for making money off internet based products, but there are some things that don't lend themselvs to be "for charge". What would have happened if CERN charged for every character served out to an HTTP Browser? Do you think the net would have taken off? Just think of the cost of relearning a new language, making sure all your clients are compatable, and then paying for thier licencing... Customers commit to an annual volume of between $12,000 and $600,000, payable in equal monthly installments, with a minimum of $1,000 per month.
I say kill it now quietly before clueless CIO's get suckered into paying for something that will go the way of the DODO in a couple months...
Ok... first thing, North America is LIGHT YEARS behind the rest of the world when it comes to wireless technology. A small example here in Canada... want to hook your Wireless Palm Pilot up to ANY type of wireless network (to a cell phone doesn't count!).
Here we have multiple INCOMPATABLE networks, CDMA, TDMA, PCS, GSM, you name it. North Americans can't seem to standardize on anything HELL, just look at HDTV. It's a GREAT technology, but nobody can seem to get thier asses in gear to get it working.
Europe has been using different wireless services for years now. Anyone in NA ever use SMS? By the time we catch up to where the Europeans in a couple years, they will be on to the next generation of wireless. And it WILL happen unless someone bites the bullet, and decides to make the leap, and get the new technology in NOW. There is a HUGE investment in the current technology (same problem here with HDTV) and the carriers just don't want to make an investment that will be obsolete by the time they roll out the first installation.
With GPRS, and 3G networks being developed and all the promises of high bandwith JUST around the corner, do you really think the limited WAP, and iMode will cut the mustard?
You'll be able to have a phone that will not only be able to handle full colour graphics, but full motion video, multiple megs of memory, and basically be a small desktop computer in your hand. You think this is far fetched... take a look at Yopy, and Handspring!
Marry a Yopy, and a Handspring, and you will get what I think will be the next generation of communications device. Notice I didn't say "CELL PHONE", as I personally feel that the cell phone days are numbered. The Yopy has the colour screen, and Linux operating system, and the Handspring has an expandable slot that NOW contains a cell phone! Take a peek at the TV show Earth Final Conflict. Watch for the communications devices.... sound familiar? Remember, Sci-Fi is usually the true window into the future.
Ok, the mice have their multi millenia experiment on Earth MKII... and this time, the Vogons go an wipe out another end of a distant spiral arm for their bypass. What do you think the final result is? Are we still a race that is obsessed with digital watches, and think that the towel is the most useful tool in the universe? Have we progressed beyond our current limitations? Basically, where do you see the human race as a whole going?
:)
Loaded question... I know!
Ok, people... put on your forward thinking cap...
;) What is our alternative if Netscape disappears?
With everything becoming more "NET" centric (more focused on the desktop here), what will happen to Linux IF the major browser suddenly disappears?
Do you think Microsoft would port their browser over to Linux?
Could this be Microsoft's secret plan to slowly kill off Linux? If someone can't browse the internet using a browser, then why would they want Linux on their desktop? (I can see the Microsoft marketing right now.... Switch to Windows, we have a browser!)
Ok... now cool off for a second....
Is Opera up to the level of support (on the web site side of things) that Netscape is?
Is there another Browser on the horizon to take over as the king of NON-Microsoft OS's?
Personally, I use Netscape ALL the time (except when mandated by da boss), and would mourn the loss of it.
Just some food for thought...let's see what happens.
For you people wondering WHY Delphi is so popular.... try it, you may find you like it. I've been working with it for a couple years now, and have found that it has the ease of (flame suit on ) VB, and the power of C++ (maybe not to the extreeme extent, but pretty damn good!)
Also the fact that the survey was aimed at Borland developers many of which already use Delphi, it is no surprise to me!
For their part it is an extreemly good stratigic move. Since Microsoft will publish VB for Linux WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER, or Microsoft, buys it out... Inprise can grab a HUGE part of the market.
For Linux, there will be a huge influx of developers that already know the ins and outs of Delphi, so there will be a lot more apps! Which is a very good thing!
Just my 2 cents (1 cent US!)
Can we trust the strength of the encryption? All I know about encryption is that some program, I enter a password, and it scrambles the text. BUT, when you have the source to an application, you can make sure there are no secret back doors that sends a copy of your e-mail to some government agency. I seem to remember something a while back about CC-Mail having a back door for some governments. It is kind of hard to hide a back door when you have the source exposed so that everyone can see, and compile their own "CLEAN" copy...
Well, SOMETHING that I know a bit about...
First off.. IVR CANNOT be handled by a Voice Modem. Now before you startup the flamethrowers give me a sec... I am dealing with MINIMUM 1 incoming T1, and we have a couple boxes with 8-10 T's... That is up to 230 incoming calls at once, and not one line at a time.
The current KING of the hill (in hardware) is DIALOGIC. BUT Dialogic is DEEPLY in bed with Microsoft. People have been pressuring Dialogic for about 6 years to come out with drivers for Linux, but nothing yet. There have been a couple times when activity on the Dialogic mailing list where rumors have been flying about (last one was something was supposed to happen March 25th), but again NOTHING!
There are a couple companies that seem to be embracing Linux... Pika (Ya! Canadian!), Acculab, and NMS. I suspect that Rhetorex will be the next one to throw their hat into the ring, and the only one missing is Dialogic.
Now for the next important thing... IVR Software. Currently there is nothing out there to handle the IVR back end. BUT there is ample open source languages that could be extended. Database support used to be an issue, now with pretty much every major database on Linux, that is not a problem anymore.
Once you have your basic "Interface" card working, there are a whole bunch of other cards you can add in to get the extended support that you want. SCSA pretty much the standard for connecting cards. Once you have the card, you need the firmware.. Hopefully they will port it over!
Anyway, enough ranting... summary:
ACCULAB, PIKA, and NMS have support for Linux. Dialogic needs to be beaten over the head with a wet fish and have some sense beat into them!
Sunday's would be a GREAT time to put articles like this. I do like reading other views of people . Lets you know what the rest of the world is thinking. Maybe "Slashdot Sunday" could also have a few guest columnists.. Rob, maybe send out invitations to write a guest column to people inside and outside the industry! They will appreciate (if they have flame proof suits) the feedback that such a vocal audience could give! Hell wouldn't it be great to flame BillGatus of Borg. See what he has to say, if he can actually take off those rose coloured glasses, and drop all the marketing BS...
I look at ALL THE FLAME'S, the "JOHN KATZ IS AN IDIOT" messages and shake my head... CT just posted a neat little thing that allows you to CUSTOMIZE what you see... IF YOU CAN'T STAND JOHN KATZ... THEN REGISTER... CREATE A CUSTOM PAGE THAT ELIMIATES HIM!!! (Yes.. I was shouting!)
I do like the steps that they give to evaluating Linux. It gives a careful approach that should let someone LEARN the capabilities of Linux without killing themselvs and jumping into a new environment without thinkin!
May not be perfect, but it is a start!