Why do people always try to improve (eyecandy, functionality, ease-of-use) the desktop but never the applications? Most of the time, anyone sitting in front of a computer looks at an application but almost never at the desktop. Writing this I currently look at a browser, the desktop is barely visible. Even if I want to find something on the disk I look at a filer window. So wouldn't it make much more sense to improve the applications instead of the desktop?
You might argue each application has to be improved by itself since each has it's on functionality. Yes, this is true for the functionality but it's not true for the eyecandy and the ease-of-use. So why doesn't the Tango project (ahref=http://tango-project.org/rel=url2html-1700h ttp://tango-project.org/>) improve the eyecandy of the applications? Or why doesn't any application project try to better comply to wyoGuide (ahref=http://wyoguide.sf.net/rel=url2html-1700htt p://wyoguide.sf.net/>)? Why doesn't any of the companies currently improving the desktop instead improve the applications?
It strikes me curious that everybody creates it's own Ajax implementation but at the end you can't keep the sources closed. So why not team up with all the Ajax initiatives and concentrate on a single OpenSource implementation. I've just started to delve into the Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) which seems to become quite amazing. See for yourself if it isn't the better way than your homebrew implementation.
... I've been doing stuff that is called Ajax today in 1999 and I was late...
I just wonder, did you also use the XMLHTTPrequest? So you might have done similar stuff (probably ActiveX) but not what Ajax go its name from. As a side note Microsoft implements the XMLHTTPrequest also into IE7, I guess since most companies (and users) disable ActiveX by default.
While Ajax currently is just a buzzword it certainly will have quite some impact on how the web will look like in the next years.
I wonder how long vendors still can sell boards of any size without a DVI plug. I'm just buing a Asus A8N-VM CSM because it's the only reasonable board with a DVI in its class (and without chip set cooler).
I might go one day with an ITX board but DVI is a killer argument for me.
If Novells means it serious they have to look into wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) for developing cross-platform binary applications and into Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) for developing web applications. I'm quite sure these are the best way how to do cross-platform development. Besides this might lead to a new future where choosing any platform might not depend anymore on the availability of applications (see http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html.
... Making money on support contracts is not likely to proove effective. My project is an advanced distribution of a text editor...
Since I also have made an editor;-) I'll reply to your post about my feelings regarding OpenSource founding. I effectively see no way how most OpenSource projects can earn any money. At least I see no way with mine. So that means I have to earn my money with other works which of course means commercial software. So it's my best believe that while OpenSource has its advantages, so has ClosedSource as well and both have to exist side by side.
How many times do I have to say that with true cross-platform development, the used system doesn't matter anymore these days. Sure enough if you stick in a Windows-Only environment or else, you have to care for all the little differences between the systems. But if you develop as I've outlined in wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) you can code on any platform as if it were the only existing platform while you code will most likely run unchanged on any platform. To say it once more:
"It doesn't matter which system you use for development".
I always use the context menu to close a tab with the mouse, yet I have to be carefully to not choose the "close other tabs". Besides the "close" in the contect menu should be the very first command.
should be more than enough to break Mircosoft's monopoly on the desktop which certainly will have a mighty impact on their ability to throw around with money. How?
Assume you have a 1000 developers who would one year fully concentrate on writing OpenSource applications according to the guidelines of wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/). This would easily achieve up to a few hundreds cross-platform applications which are better or at least equally good as any Windows-only application. This base stock will force any software vendor who wants to stay in business to change their applications as well to comply to wyoGuide. Any application soon will be converted to cross-platform that's no question. Together with the already cross-platform Mozilla and OpenOffice this will definitely break MS monopoly on the desktop.
There's sure enough already several other similar solutions out there which compete with you. So you should do something the others haven't done. Something which is obviously visible in the eyes of your users. So I propose first see that the GUI of your application fits the users and for that go to wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/).
Of course there are countless other things you could do but concentrate on the important things first and do the rest afterwards. Just think the best advertisment you get is your happy users talking about your application.
It really doesn't make sense to flog others (Microsoft), instead we all should work on improving (Linux) as much as we can and in any possible way. That's the sole reason I designed wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/). So instead of loosing our effort and strength in silly flame wars, start improving Linux not only in the kernel, the desktop, the distributions but also in the free applications. Only then the whole picture of a free system will fit.
O. Wyss
Re:Google map of the Universe
on
Google Goes to Mars
·
· Score: 0, Redundant
Okay, almost done. If you only could help me fix this little error in my code:
alternate = new Universe ();
I always get an "Universe is not defined" error, probably because I didn't link to the right place.
Beside I've exactly the identical problem on a slighly smaller scale with a Thunderbird extension I currently try to create. See http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=3921 79&highlight=. Maybe writing a Thunderbird extension is similar complex as the Universe.
If Ubuntu strives for enterprise linux releases it needs to have the wxWidgets libraries in its base release. wxWidgets libraries are far more used in enterprises and are a requirement for many small ISV's. If Ubuntu wants to become a real contender agains Redhat/Suse/... in enterprises the top framework libraies have to be available in the base release.
I'm currently switching to Ubuntu from Debian because of the rigid release cycle. If Ubuntu starts to slip release times it might soon fall into the same trap as Debian. I don't mind if this release is postphoned but Ubuntu (Mark) should make clear that the release afterwards is scheduled at the normal release time.
A top project needs to have a reliable roadmap since many other projects and activites depend on them. As soon as this reliability is lost the confidence is lost also and will finally lead to a decline in the inportance of the project.
What I'd like to know is what AJAX library they use. Does Google build its own library and do they plan to release it to the public (OpenSource) or do they use another? I guess they don't use Yahoo's library and probably also not Zimbra's, so what else?
See the OSDL desktop Linux survey (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) and then you know why end users are reluctant to switch. It's not that easy when there still are inhibitors for adoption. Unfortunately nobody knows how, isn't able to or does't want to tackle the problems.
Even Sergey Brin and Larry Page nor Bill Gates have enough money to change the world but they could have a rather large influence to certain aspects. I don't know what Sergey and Larry are up to, if the follow the line of Bill or if they go the route of Mark Shuttleworth. Maybe they alltogether finally take on the "Ubuntu Bug #1" (https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1) but Bill wouldn't like that very much.;-)
What a revolutionary insight of a Java-follower! Congratulation, when looking at all these language flamewars, its extra ordinary that anybody can mention this and even be published by a company which bases their SW business on Java.
I'd like to give Bruce Tate or IBM some tips in which direction they might venture to get more insight:
- Web-Clients: HTML + Javascript with the Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) - Web-Servers: PHP/Perl/Ruby/..., whatever you like - Binary applications: C++ with the wxWidgets framework (http://www.wxwidgets.org/) - Database: SQL with... (not enough knowlegde to make recommendations)
There are probably many more areas with recomendations but not from me, so just add your own. But think there isn't a perfect language for everthing so it should be now clear that one needs a multi language strategy to become or stay successful.
No I don't mean to sponsor GnuCash, I mean to build up a cross-platform solution which is able to compete against Quickbooks on all platform (including Windows). I guess it doesn't need more that just a few developers to create an alternative within halve a year and within a year Quickbooks will notice its business diminish. Well lets see then how all the others Windows-Only vendors will react when they see what happened to Quickbooks.
I'm quite sure these few developers have a much more important impact on the success of Linux that dropping another fifty developers into Suse. It will even be better for Suse if these few developers are taken temporarily away from it.
The way to success is quite easy when you follow a few rules:
- don't have unsolvable obstacles - don't have killer arguments against you - don't have inhibitors - do have something valuable the others don't have - look at our products with the eyes of your customers or users -...
It enlightens me highly that the wxWidgets framework (http://wxwidgets.org/) also belongs to this group of the 30 top projects. It shows me that concentrating on wxWidgets in my application development guideline project wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) is the right step and gives me confidence that applications written this way will have a usable GUI and a superb code quality. It gives me pleasure that my way is correct and hope that the future of free choice of computer (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html) without application considerations is possible.
Slashdot Mirror
Why do people always try to improve (eyecandy, functionality, ease-of-use) the desktop but never the applications? Most of the time, anyone sitting in front of a computer looks at an application but almost never at the desktop. Writing this I currently look at a browser, the desktop is barely visible. Even if I want to find something on the disk I look at a filer window. So wouldn't it make much more sense to improve the applications instead of the desktop?
h ttp://tango-project.org/>) improve the eyecandy of the applications? Or why doesn't any application project try to better comply to wyoGuide (ahref=http://wyoguide.sf.net/rel=url2html-1700htt p://wyoguide.sf.net/>)? Why doesn't any of the companies currently improving the desktop instead improve the applications?
You might argue each application has to be improved by itself since each has it's on functionality. Yes, this is true for the functionality but it's not true for the eyecandy and the ease-of-use. So why doesn't the Tango project (ahref=http://tango-project.org/rel=url2html-1700
O. Wyss
It strikes me curious that everybody creates it's own Ajax implementation but at the end you can't keep the sources closed. So why not team up with all the Ajax initiatives and concentrate on a single OpenSource implementation. I've just started to delve into the Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) which seems to become quite amazing. See for yourself if it isn't the better way than your homebrew implementation.
O. Wyss
I just wonder, did you also use the XMLHTTPrequest? So you might have done similar stuff (probably ActiveX) but not what Ajax go its name from. As a side note Microsoft implements the XMLHTTPrequest also into IE7, I guess since most companies (and users) disable ActiveX by default.
While Ajax currently is just a buzzword it certainly will have quite some impact on how the web will look like in the next years.
O. Wyss
I wonder how long vendors still can sell boards of any size without a DVI plug. I'm just buing a Asus A8N-VM CSM because it's the only reasonable board with a DVI in its class (and without chip set cooler).
I might go one day with an ITX board but DVI is a killer argument for me.
O. Wyss
If Novells means it serious they have to look into wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) for developing cross-platform binary applications and into Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) for developing web applications. I'm quite sure these are the best way how to do cross-platform development. Besides this might lead to a new future where choosing any platform might not depend anymore on the availability of applications (see http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html.
. html).
For Linux fans read this LXer article (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index
O. Wyss
Since I also have made an editor ;-) I'll reply to your post about my feelings regarding OpenSource founding. I effectively see no way how most OpenSource projects can earn any money. At least I see no way with mine. So that means I have to earn my money with other works which of course means commercial software. So it's my best believe that while OpenSource has its advantages, so has ClosedSource as well and both have to exist side by side.
O. Wyss
How many times do I have to say that with true cross-platform development, the used system doesn't matter anymore these days. Sure enough if you stick in a Windows-Only environment or else, you have to care for all the little differences between the systems. But if you develop as I've outlined in wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) you can code on any platform as if it were the only existing platform while you code will most likely run unchanged on any platform. To say it once more:
"It doesn't matter which system you use for development".
O. Wyss
I always use the context menu to close a tab with the mouse, yet I have to be carefully to not choose the "close other tabs". Besides the "close" in the contect menu should be the very first command.
O. Wyss
should be more than enough to break Mircosoft's monopoly on the desktop which certainly will have a mighty impact on their ability to throw around with money. How?
5 .pdf, http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread .php?t=105955 or http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/16798. html). The Ubuntu Bug #1 (https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1) would finally be solve and the future as outlined here (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html ) would become true. All would win, well maybe not MS. So why doesn't IBM size up with Novell, Sun, Oracle, Google and others and throw in 10 million each? I think each of them are able to scrap together this 10 millions without much problems.
Assume you have a 1000 developers who would one year fully concentrate on writing OpenSource applications according to the guidelines of wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/). This would easily achieve up to a few hundreds cross-platform applications which are better or at least equally good as any Windows-only application. This base stock will force any software vendor who wants to stay in business to change their applications as well to comply to wyoGuide. Any application soon will be converted to cross-platform that's no question. Together with the already cross-platform Mozilla and OpenOffice this will definitely break MS monopoly on the desktop.
Then nobody would ask again for none-Linux applications anymore as here (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov200
O. Wyss
Do you know why Firefox is the most successful OSS application? Because its a cross-platform application which looks and feels nice on any platform.
O. Wyss
Why doesn't Novell look at its own Cool-Solutions web site (http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/16798 .html)? And why doesn't read Novell this LXer article (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index. html)? Then they would recogize their chance to overtake Microsoft. Sure enough they will anytime in the future but only after they have done their homework.
O. Wyss
There's sure enough already several other similar solutions out there which compete with you. So you should do something the others haven't done. Something which is obviously visible in the eyes of your users. So I propose first see that the GUI of your application fits the users and for that go to wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/).
Of course there are countless other things you could do but concentrate on the important things first and do the rest afterwards. Just think the best advertisment you get is your happy users talking about your application.
O. Wyss
Get out there and do interesting things ...
I did, see http://wyoguide.sf.net/. Unfortuately up to now not everybody thinks it's as interesting. Or haven't everybody heard of?
O. Wyss
It really doesn't make sense to flog others (Microsoft), instead we all should work on improving (Linux) as much as we can and in any possible way. That's the sole reason I designed wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/). So instead of loosing our effort and strength in silly flame wars, start improving Linux not only in the kernel, the desktop, the distributions but also in the free applications. Only then the whole picture of a free system will fit.
O. Wyss
Okay, almost done. If you only could help me fix this little error in my code:
1 79&highlight=. Maybe writing a Thunderbird extension is similar complex as the Universe.
alternate = new Universe ();
I always get an "Universe is not defined" error, probably because I didn't link to the right place.
Beside I've exactly the identical problem on a slighly smaller scale with a Thunderbird extension I currently try to create. See http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=392
O. Wyss
Be prepared to wait for an update ...
Fine, can I sign up for an update notification somewhere?
O. Wyss
Where is the Google map of the Universe? I'd like to go to the "Restaurant at the end of the Universe".
O. Wyss
If Ubuntu strives for enterprise linux releases it needs to have the wxWidgets libraries in its base release. wxWidgets libraries are far more used in enterprises and are a requirement for many small ISV's. If Ubuntu wants to become a real contender agains Redhat/Suse/... in enterprises the top framework libraies have to be available in the base release.
O. Wyss
I'm currently switching to Ubuntu from Debian because of the rigid release cycle. If Ubuntu starts to slip release times it might soon fall into the same trap as Debian. I don't mind if this release is postphoned but Ubuntu (Mark) should make clear that the release afterwards is scheduled at the normal release time.
A top project needs to have a reliable roadmap since many other projects and activites depend on them. As soon as this reliability is lost the confidence is lost also and will finally lead to a decline in the inportance of the project.
O. Wyss
What I'd like to know is what AJAX library they use. Does Google build its own library and do they plan to release it to the public (OpenSource) or do they use another? I guess they don't use Yahoo's library and probably also not Zimbra's, so what else?
I'm starting to use the Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/) which might become the top free AJAX library. See my first easy samples "tree?.html" at (http://wyoguide.sf.net/test/.
O. Wyss
See the OSDL desktop Linux survey (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) and then you know why end users are reluctant to switch. It's not that easy when there still are inhibitors for adoption. Unfortunately nobody knows how, isn't able to or does't want to tackle the problems.
O. Wyss
Even Sergey Brin and Larry Page nor Bill Gates have enough money to change the world but they could have a rather large influence to certain aspects. I don't know what Sergey and Larry are up to, if the follow the line of Bill or if they go the route of Mark Shuttleworth. Maybe they alltogether finally take on the "Ubuntu Bug #1" (https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1) but Bill wouldn't like that very much. ;-)
O. Wyss
What a revolutionary insight of a Java-follower! Congratulation, when looking at all these language flamewars, its extra ordinary that anybody can mention this and even be published by a company which bases their SW business on Java.
... (not enough knowlegde to make recommendations)
I'd like to give Bruce Tate or IBM some tips in which direction they might venture to get more insight:
- Web-Clients: HTML + Javascript with the Dojo toolkit (http://dojotoolkit.org/)
- Web-Servers: PHP/Perl/Ruby/..., whatever you like
- Binary applications: C++ with the wxWidgets framework (http://www.wxwidgets.org/)
- Database: SQL with
There are probably many more areas with recomendations but not from me, so just add your own. But think there isn't a perfect language for everthing so it should be now clear that one needs a multi language strategy to become or stay successful.
O. Wyss
tackle the most important Linux problems. The OSDL Linux desktop survey (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) clearly lists Application support as the first top inhibitor to Linux adoption and Novell's own Cool-Solutions web site (http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/16798 .html) shows that Quickbooks is the most wanted Linux application. So why doesn't Novell sponsor a real OpenSource alternative?
...
No I don't mean to sponsor GnuCash, I mean to build up a cross-platform solution which is able to compete against Quickbooks on all platform (including Windows). I guess it doesn't need more that just a few developers to create an alternative within halve a year and within a year Quickbooks will notice its business diminish. Well lets see then how all the others Windows-Only vendors will react when they see what happened to Quickbooks.
I'm quite sure these few developers have a much more important impact on the success of Linux that dropping another fifty developers into Suse. It will even be better for Suse if these few developers are taken temporarily away from it.
The way to success is quite easy when you follow a few rules:
- don't have unsolvable obstacles
- don't have killer arguments against you
- don't have inhibitors
- do have something valuable the others don't have
- look at our products with the eyes of your customers or users
-
O. Wyss
It enlightens me highly that the wxWidgets framework (http://wxwidgets.org/) also belongs to this group of the 30 top projects. It shows me that concentrating on wxWidgets in my application development guideline project wyoGuide (http://wyoguide.sf.net/) is the right step and gives me confidence that applications written this way will have a usable GUI and a superb code quality. It gives me pleasure that my way is correct and hope that the future of free choice of computer (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html ) without application considerations is possible.
O. Wyss