I'm amazed what my simple statement about soccer could induce of insights on technology and its influence on the live. I'm quite happy to live now and possibly have some small influence on the technology of the future generation. Hopefully they like their lifes as much as I do mine.
Even if the web is a very democratic place only the biggest player get a top place. Just look how Yahoo declared itself as satisfied with second place or like Microsoft won't overtake Google anytime in searching. To overtake any leader of a certain kind of a web site you need huge amounts of resources, resources which only the leader can afford. So whenever there's this killer idea any big player simply takes it over and integrate it into their own side. Only when big players sleep like Microsoft did with IE, outsiders (Firefox) get a chance.
On the other side it's quite easy to destroy someone's business if you use the right leverage and are prepared to drop enough money out of the window to push such a leverage (see OpenOffice). Of course that means you neither can make a business yourself except after you are the undisputed leader. Yet another sample is the Xbox360, even if the PS3 will be a success, Microsoft will simply launch another XboxHDTV and will crush the PS just a year or 2 later since they have these resources.
What amazes me is that nobody understands these simple mechanics. The web is the ultimate amplifying factor which soon will influence even normal business like shopping or banking etc.
Besides just look how Microsoft has an OpenSource lab to know any emerging thread from the OpenSource community many times even before the OpenSource community knows it itself. All the big players, who can afford it, have such labs and also the ordinary business has soon to use this technique.
To summarize, it's quite unlikely to see any killer idea emerging from small sources since these don't have the necessary sources. Another sample my own idea (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html) needs a few millions to get started. But if I get this money it will completely change the desktop environment, finally fixing Ubuntu Bug #1.
... but until we're all walking around with Star Trek-esque super computers the size of a notepad, I'm not sure I see any obvious reason for the desktop to disappear anytime soon.
Even then desktops will be around if only to start a web browser. So there will always be remote web applications as will be local binary applications. The only difference is which kind for what task.
But what will change is that applications either on the web or local will become cross-platform since sooner or later nobody can afford to develop for several distinct platforms anymore (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html)
Before Oracle Boss talks about OpenSource he better cares about improving their own Enterprise-Manager and installation tools. Currently it's almost impossible and only with extrem care to install it together with other Java applications. It most probably screws any security concept. IMO Oracle would be better adviced if they drop Java for all their tools altogether, there are better cross-platform solutions for such tools these days.
As the trainer of a junior soccer team it's impossible to handle all the administrative staff without email and soon this will be also true for web access. So constant connectivity might soon become as important as a phone if not more important.
Forming alliances seems to be the only way to force a standard these days. I hope there will also be an alliance forcing cross-platform development (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html) one day.
Oracle so far isn't known as participating in OpenSource very much and it seems the free databases might finally become a thread to their business. So I don't consider their statement very objective.
Second, it broke open source into two categories:infrastructure area (Linux, Apache, etc.) and higher ed specific applications (course management systems, finance systems, etc.).
All the negative impressions come from the application problem as outlined here http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index.h tml. Unfortunately as long as this problem exists it will influence the overall picture of OpenSource. Sad but unless this is not fixed OpenSource isn't ready for prime time.
It seems this study isn't fully accessable, is there a free link anywhere? I'm most interested in any information about the state of OpenSource und would like to get as many links to infos as possible.
It has to be mentioned that all the top OpenSource project are in some kind heavily sponsored:
- Linux by OSDL, RedHat, IBM, Novel and lots others - Firefox by the Mozilla Foundation - OpenOffice by Sun,... - Gnome by RedHat,... - KDE by Novell...
Does this prove that OpenSource development is wrong? Or is not done properly? I think not, the way how OpenSource development is done is fine but it shows some other problems. It shows that OpenSource development has a leader problem, a problem in which direction (towards which goal) the development should head.
I'm constantly asking myself if it make sense to switch from the current Mac infrastructure to Linux instead of Windows but always the questions pops up: "Is this best for the childrens?". Unfortunately many children already have a computer at home with Windows installed and more unfortunate almost none of the Windows applications are also available on Linux. So these children can't use the same applications at home and in school. So IMO Linux in school only makes sense if most applications are cross-platform on Linux and Windows available.
To advance OpenSource forward in the hope it will have an impact on enhancing the society I think it's most important to come to term and start developing TRUE cross-platform development. That means not only building cross-platform but also usable cross-platform by any ordinary user. See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
I can't believe that anybody can tell anything about the Linux desktop without reading the "ODSL Linux Desktop survey" (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) before! Else Jono Bacon would have known the first top inhibitor for the Linux desktop adoption is "Application support".
As I've begun writing applications for a living I've gradually been looking for a easy easy easy method of application development. Something that is truly RAD. For desktop applications I've settled on an old Amiga BASIC language and cross platform application framework called PureBASIC that's been ported for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. However for web toolkits I still haven't found that "magic bullet" that makes things truly and absolutely simple.
I've settled with wxWidgets/wyoGuide (see http://wyoguide.sf.net/ ) for binary applications development and now start delving into the Dojo-toolkit (see http://dojotoolkit.org/) plus PHP for web development. These are the best ways for me to do cross-platform development.
It amazes me that anybody still can mention win32, etc these days. IMO it should now be obvious for everybody that to develop anything decent cross-platform is the way to go. In the web development there's AJAX/PHP/Java/... and in the binary application programming there is wxWidgets/QT/... .
building content, content and again content. And for that you need users who provide content, editors who prove read content and a leader who assures the flow of content. There is no problem to find a leader, just choose yourself (or me if you like:-) ). There's no problem to find editors, in the beginning it could be yourself as well or later some of your best users. But it's impossible to find users who provide content, just forget it unless you have this exceptional idea, this outstanding vision and this absolute determination to success and work for it.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm amazed what my simple statement about soccer could induce of insights on technology and its influence on the live. I'm quite happy to live now and possibly have some small influence on the technology of the future generation. Hopefully they like their lifes as much as I do mine.
O. Wyss
:-))
Well they did, at least I did when I was a child. Of course there wasn't that much termin changing as it is these days.
O. Wyss
Even if the web is a very democratic place only the biggest player get a top place. Just look how Yahoo declared itself as satisfied with second place or like Microsoft won't overtake Google anytime in searching. To overtake any leader of a certain kind of a web site you need huge amounts of resources, resources which only the leader can afford. So whenever there's this killer idea any big player simply takes it over and integrate it into their own side. Only when big players sleep like Microsoft did with IE, outsiders (Firefox) get a chance.
l ) needs a few millions to get started. But if I get this money it will completely change the desktop environment, finally fixing Ubuntu Bug #1.
On the other side it's quite easy to destroy someone's business if you use the right leverage and are prepared to drop enough money out of the window to push such a leverage (see OpenOffice). Of course that means you neither can make a business yourself except after you are the undisputed leader. Yet another sample is the Xbox360, even if the PS3 will be a success, Microsoft will simply launch another XboxHDTV and will crush the PS just a year or 2 later since they have these resources.
What amazes me is that nobody understands these simple mechanics. The web is the ultimate amplifying factor which soon will influence even normal business like shopping or banking etc.
Besides just look how Microsoft has an OpenSource lab to know any emerging thread from the OpenSource community many times even before the OpenSource community knows it itself. All the big players, who can afford it, have such labs and also the ordinary business has soon to use this technique.
To summarize, it's quite unlikely to see any killer idea emerging from small sources since these don't have the necessary sources. Another sample my own idea (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.htm
O. Wyss
Even then desktops will be around if only to start a web browser. So there will always be remote web applications as will be local binary applications. The only difference is which kind for what task.
But what will change is that applications either on the web or local will become cross-platform since sooner or later nobody can afford to develop for several distinct platforms anymore (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html )
O. Wyss
Especially any distribution should closely read this article http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index.h tml if they want to improve.
O. Wyss
Before Oracle Boss talks about OpenSource he better cares about improving their own Enterprise-Manager and installation tools. Currently it's almost impossible and only with extrem care to install it together with other Java applications. It most probably screws any security concept. IMO Oracle would be better adviced if they drop Java for all their tools altogether, there are better cross-platform solutions for such tools these days.
O. Wyss
As the trainer of a junior soccer team it's impossible to handle all the administrative staff without email and soon this will be also true for web access. So constant connectivity might soon become as important as a phone if not more important.
O. Wyss
Forming alliances seems to be the only way to force a standard these days. I hope there will also be an alliance forcing cross-platform development (http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html ) one day.
O. Wyss
Oracle so far isn't known as participating in OpenSource very much and it seems the free databases might finally become a thread to their business. So I don't consider their statement very objective.
O. Wyss
Second, it broke open source into two categories:infrastructure area (Linux, Apache, etc.) and higher ed specific applications (course management systems, finance systems, etc.).
All the negative impressions come from the application problem as outlined here http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index.h tml. Unfortunately as long as this problem exists it will influence the overall picture of OpenSource. Sad but unless this is not fixed OpenSource isn't ready for prime time.
O. Wyss
It seems this study isn't fully accessable, is there a free link anywhere? I'm most interested in any information about the state of OpenSource und would like to get as many links to infos as possible.
See also http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
O. Wyss
"Desktop System better than Microsoft's". Oh well maybe next year.
O. Wyss
It has to be mentioned that all the top OpenSource project are in some kind heavily sponsored:
... ... ...
8 905&cid=14833101
- Linux by OSDL, RedHat, IBM, Novel and lots others
- Firefox by the Mozilla Foundation
- OpenOffice by Sun,
- Gnome by RedHat,
- KDE by Novell
Think!
See also http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=17
O. Wyss
It strikes me curious why the authors choose Gimp and GnuCash as sample project to layout their theory. The ODSL survey (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) proves that even Linux users still wish for Photoshop instead of Gimp and it proves together with the Novell's Cool-Solutions web site (http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/16798 .html) that users prefer other cash applications than GnuCash.
. html) I don't see a possibility how it can eventually overtake ClosedSource development.
Does this prove that OpenSource development is wrong? Or is not done properly? I think not, the way how OpenSource development is done is fine but it shows some other problems. It shows that OpenSource development has a leader problem, a problem in which direction (towards which goal) the development should head.
So if OpenSource doesn't head into a common direction as e.g. outlined here (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index
O. Wyss
Some very simple samples but with understandable code, just go to
http://wyoguide.sourceforge.net/test/tree1.html
http://wyoguide.sourceforge.net/test/tree2.html
http://wyoguide.sourceforge.net/test/tree3.html
http://wyoguide.sourceforge.net/test/tree4.html
try them out and view the source. For more info go to http://dojotoolkit.org/
O. Wyss
I'm constantly asking myself if it make sense to switch from the current Mac infrastructure to Linux instead of Windows but always the questions pops up: "Is this best for the childrens?". Unfortunately many children already have a computer at home with Windows installed and more unfortunate almost none of the Windows applications are also available on Linux. So these children can't use the same applications at home and in school. So IMO Linux in school only makes sense if most applications are cross-platform on Linux and Windows available.
O. Wyss
To advance OpenSource forward in the hope it will have an impact on enhancing the society I think it's most important to come to term and start developing TRUE cross-platform development. That means not only building cross-platform but also usable cross-platform by any ordinary user. See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
O. Wyss
Mark is also the owner of the "Bug #1 in Ubuntu" (see https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1) albeit he seems to make no progress at all. For further reading see article at http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index.h tml
O. Wyss
I can't believe that anybody can tell anything about the Linux desktop without reading the "ODSL Linux Desktop survey" (http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005 .pdf) before! Else Jono Bacon would have known the first top inhibitor for the Linux desktop adoption is "Application support".
. html) how to possibly solve it.
Read the article at LXer (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/54009/index
O. Wyss
As I've begun writing applications for a living I've gradually been looking for a easy easy easy method of application development. Something that is truly RAD. For desktop applications I've settled on an old Amiga BASIC language and cross platform application framework called PureBASIC that's been ported for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. However for web toolkits I still haven't found that "magic bullet" that makes things truly and absolutely simple.
I've settled with wxWidgets/wyoGuide (see http://wyoguide.sf.net/ ) for binary applications development and now start delving into the Dojo-toolkit (see http://dojotoolkit.org/) plus PHP for web development. These are the best ways for me to do cross-platform development.
O. Wyss
The thinnest wrapper is no wrapper at all if FLTK isn't small enough.
O. Wyss
It amazes me that anybody still can mention win32, etc these days. IMO it should now be obvious for everybody that to develop anything decent cross-platform is the way to go. In the web development there's AJAX/PHP/Java/... and in the binary application programming there is wxWidgets/QT/... .
See also http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
O. Wyss
building content, content and again content. And for that you need users who provide content, editors who prove read content and a leader who assures the flow of content. There is no problem to find a leader, just choose yourself (or me if you like :-) ). There's no problem to find editors, in the beginning it could be yourself as well or later some of your best users. But it's impossible to find users who provide content, just forget it unless you have this exceptional idea, this outstanding vision and this absolute determination to success and work for it.
If you want to know what I'm talking about on a sample just have a look at my idea, my vision and my determination, have a look at http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
O. Wyss
Graf said. 'Linux? Definitely. Eclipse? Definitely. Mozilla? Most likely.' What about all the others: OpenOffice, Gimp, Gaim, etc?
O. Wyss
See the OSDL Survey: http://www.osdl.org/dtl/DTL_Survey_Report_Nov2005. pdf for the issues.
O. Wyss