Category Archives: Software

Remember Sun’s vision for Java:  client-side applets, downloaded on the fly, running in/alongside the browser?  It was a great vision, but Microsoft moved to block browser adoption and Sun botched it.  After nearly 15 years, client-side Java never really hit … Continue reading →

Over creamed chipped beef this morning, I subjected my friend Antonio to my latest rants on challenges and opportunities in the software business.  He helped me crisp up a major theme:  being smart is no longer a barrier to entry. Software used to be … Continue reading →

Last year I wrote about the brilliance of platform APIs for the big guys:  let your app developers figure out what the market wants, and then incorporate those into your system.  Most API terms prohibit you from suing the platform … Continue reading →

I was cleaning last weekend, and came across my college 12Mhz PC/AT. It has a 40Mb Seagate hard drive ($425, new!) and monochrome Hercules graphics. We used that computer into the late 90s; eventually, it’s sole purpose was to run … Continue reading →

I do have a few Windows machines left around the house doing utility duty, and it seems each update of Firefox runs slower and slower.  Maybe Web browsers are like the government: inevitable bloat.  I’m trying the beta of Safari (Apple’s Web … Continue reading →

Way back when, I thought I was a PowerPoint jock. Until I worked on a presentation with Bob Weinberger, and realized how little I really knew.  I wanted to reach back and redo years of presentations. Like many users, I … Continue reading →

Like many users, 99% of my app usage has settled into Firefox+Word+Excel+PowerPoint.  Most of the new “apps” that I use are Web-based. So, using a new app like OmniOutliner is a rare event, and adopting an entirely new category of … Continue reading →

I was having a jam session today with Steve Kane and Keith Bostic (just before the storm), and we got to talking about platforms. I think most platforms have evolved from a successful app, where someone woke up and said, … Continue reading →

I went to FlexCamp Boston yesterday. It was for Flash developers (which I’m not), with lots of code examples and live shots of dev tools. It was a good way to get immersed in what Adobe’s doing. I think Flash … Continue reading →