I have been writing for a while on the topics that I am directly working on
a day to day basis or have a passion about - Digital Media!
However I do have another that brings the engineer and geek out in me is the
emerging SaaS / Cloud / Web Platforms that have been bubbling around for a
while and are now starting to really take shape in some respects and what is
evolving around these technologies, platforms and thought concepts.
I only write code - and practice in a darkened room - and rarely let it out
into the public domain - as it is only a hobby, but do enjoy the satisfaction
of completing code that works, functions and does what it's supposed to do -
however I get a bigger buzz by evangelising about future trends in technology
and try to push the boundaries of the listener in what may or may not
happen.
Look ahead, break outside the normal constraints - look beyond what is
possible now to what will be reality sooner rather than later.
The web as a platform is one of these elements where - I no longer want to
be constrained by whatever OS I use, whatever pre-loaded applications I have or
compatibility issues and out of date drivers that means that when the almighty
Windows releases it's next OS version (7?) the end user doesn’t have to trash
their printer, scanner, download a patch fix for their digital camera etc...
not that I care about that as I am a happy MacOSX boy and will not be back to a
Windows based PC (apart from when I'm at Conchango - until they decide to
finally supply me with a MacBook AIR- ;)
I am also a big fan of Open Source / Open Standards and the Mozilla
Foundation in particular. A colleague of mine gave me a link to the Mozilla
Labs Weave idea - which I had been following since around April and reviewing
the initial web service APIs - but the video is a great representation of what
they are looking to achieve - which is not dis-similar to my Cloudbusting
(codename) concept that I am working on.
The basis is that I can store, categorise, index, file and have rich
relevant metadata in my cloud (MobileMe / Live Mesh / etc..) that can be
accessed anytime that I want it. Device agnostic - as long as I can access the
web - the interface and associated software (SaaS) is part of the structure and
cloud application. My cloud is my digital life and where I can work and play -
access, stream, download, view and add applications as and when I need them and
when I want to use them.
The desktop then becomes the playground for everyone - and if it is only a
desktop that is required and the software and applications reside on my cloud,
then do I need my Mac?
Yes - but my Mac becomes just another gateway or a device that I can use. It
becomes my editing suite, my notepad, my designer platform - it becomes
whatever I want and need it to be.
Another conversation with a colleague was around browser development - and
what I thought Microsoft would deliver with IE8? Web standards? You would hope
so - but again the browser as we think of it just now as a tool to access content
stored on the web - what if that was more?
To make any headway moving forward - and to stop being totally dictated to
by the likes of Microsoft - you have to be able to think and act beyond what
you see and use just now. If you get excited by a new Windows OS (can't think
there is many out there??) and what surprises Microsoft will have instore for
you this time - then I guess yes this concept isn't really for you - but if you
want to access YOUR content anytime, anyplace, anywhere on any web enabled
device that is not being created by multi-Billion $ companies that need to be
sure that you have a valid licence or valid operating system - but instead is
being crafted by a community that is building its reputation and code practices
on open standards, open source and for an open web future - such as Mozilla and
Google - then now is the time to act - sign up, get involved, get building, get
coding - get what you want to be able to do as a user out there - you will find
that there already is millions with the same idea and goals.
If not, and we all wait before you can say "Bill Gates Strikes
Back" the openness of the web and the ability to access and engage with
your content as you want it to be will become obsolete by proprietary
technologies - developed in Redmond, and just as it happened all those years
ago, the future will belong to Microsoft!
More detail and how adding in my favourite subject matter, digital media,
starts to combine Cloudbusting and web platforms within your cloud - and take a
new look at how your digital media is stored, distributed and even record your
favourite TV shows as well as creating value and even revenue from syndication
of your content and distribution of others through the web as a channel.