It is easy to lose perspective when the hugeness of buzz and hype envelopes most that surrounds you. And the preference of coding tools is not an exception. Look at the time Google launched its AppEngine and debate around the support for Python was hand-in-hand over the threat of lock-in. Fast-forward today and the lock-in issue has been more or less addressed (by the community, of course) but regarding coding language, much ado about nothing.
Still coders are a hardy lot when it comes to turfs. Despite the prevailing sense of reason that languages are but tools towards a projected application result, many continue to espouse the "ours are better than yours" mentality. And you thought that religion was divided enough.
But the programming world is such a big pie that a premise contrary to this isn't guaranteed to make a worthy app. What developers need is an environment that provides the support and the tools to make them better at their craft and increase the chances of hitting it big. It could be something regarding workspace or culture and for the better part, we know all types/kinds of workers need that.
But there's also the coding environment.
Clouds like Amazon's are a big help now. It is language agnostic that with proper configuration, programmers will have a good enough place for their apps for a fee. But it takes effort to work on this and more so, on managing it. This is where PaaS providers come in and lighten the load literally. Ruby on Rails got better momentum leveraging the PaaS platforms and replicating this for other languages isn't a bad idea. Many providers are coming up with their different solutions right now and despite the apprehensions, I honestly believe that cloud space adoption will increase.
But for that to happen, platforms will need to continue to innovate. Using open source technologies is a great way to start and pushing them to include support for all languages will be mutually beneficial. Ruby on Rails may have gotten a head start but the Java community with Grails is just too big in numbers that we can expect it too to have adopters equal to or maybe more than the number of PaaS Rails users there is in the world now.
The possibilities with clouds and platforms are endless at this point given that mobile is also focusing its signals on it. I guess there is a lot more we haven't thought of yet. That it shouldn't stop with Ruby on Rails or with Java is something certain. And what about the other emergent web frameworks? Maybe some PaaS providers need to just take a chance with it and help it grow.
Anybody who says PaaS exists only for the big programming languages is short-sighted. But that is another story which is not for the faint-hearted.
Looking at my Google Reader, Netnewswire and even Delicious account, it is quite easy to surmise that what interests me the most pertains to Tech issues that relate to the Morph Application Platform and updates particularly Ruby, Rails and Social Media in general. Sure, I do because it's not just work but it's really pretty interesting, a sub-culture of puppet masters of the economy and the radical future. Yet, I honestly admit that I still get easily drawn to issues close to my heart like personal stories of human inspiration and yes, human struggle which simply can't quite exist without the other.
Sure, I continue to seek out and carefully read blogs by programmers and developers. What's surprising is that more than a few of them are putting time writing about these human issues and personal things, too. So, without much ado, I'm going to fire away about things not typically Educe/E-juice.
Tibet and (sporting) glory The Beijing Olympics is about to start its Olympic torch relay and what a real bummer for them. For years, Tibet, under the Dalai Lama's strict non-confrontational stance even in exile, quietly protested to no avail. But a change in strategy is sure to happen especially when younger Tibetans, who have not been as strongly exposed to the Dalai Lama's teachings nor guidance (compared to ideas about freedom, rights and internet), take to the fore.
Questions: 1. Are the Olympics really insulated against politics? Each gold necklace represents a noose for Tibetans. Glory to the Games? And so what about the training and date with destiny? Who stands to lose more if there is a boycott? Athletes, China or even companies... Ready...set...go/fire!!! 2. What are the sentiments of typical Chinese people to the Tibetan occupation? Do they really believe Tibet is worth the trouble, a historical Chinese claim/right or a show of might? Oh, geography...
3. Is the Dalai Lama advocating that Tibet be like Hong Kong? Autonomous and partly-free? Do Hong Kong residents really feel free? Or is it just about commerce and being powerless?
TED is more than a name The site for me. Go visit and marvel at true... uhmm, universality of resonant ideas. And presentations of remarkable people, as well.
Mac, not your average Joe Yes, I use a Macbook and I'm way too cool to be cleaning the toilet and/or washing the dishes (but I do as a form of meditation). Uh uh. Better still, I'm into raising my daughter, Zaki to be the village bully as well as the classiest nose picker among 3-year olds. But don't take my word for it, read this. And how about the Ruby and Rails guys? Control-Alt-Delete
Who what... Horton, that's who. From the ever creative Dr. Seuss - "Seuss" which was supposed to rhyme with voice than with juice. Now that would have been eedious.
It had been a whirl of a 2 weeks and a half, most of which was due to this:
This is my very first screencast, crappy voice and all. It is actually version 3 already and really spent a lot of restless days and nights trying to make it presentable. But overall, it's been a rewarding experience and gasp, I look forward to doing a lot more - but this time with a better mic and a sound-proof room (as if it was possible).
Installed:
Yep, I wanted to do more blog posts but wasn't expecting something like officially writing for Morph as one of its bloggers for Asia. Anyway, expect to see some of my posts there while I ponder on how to keep up writing here. Any suggestions on how to do it will be most appreciated.
Disclosures 2.
I've now been officially part of Morph Labs, Inc (actually started early February). This means I may have to do more writing about company products and sharing them with you over at the company blog. Good thing is, hearing from our guys again this week, the Morph Application Platform really is something. I am as wide-eyed as a kid learning about space as I was upon attending product briefing on its cool set of features. Technology and innovation truly is something.
Still expect to get more news and views on SaaS happenings and Asia Ruby on Rails updates here along with a few occasional rants and personal advocacies in the world of tech. Maybe we could also put in some profiles of interesting persons and places I now meet along the way.
Bob Warfield just posted another comprehensive take on cloud computing particularly on the jockeying between hosters and platform builders. He points out how players try to position themselves and dig their trenches in what they would consider their niche in an obvious battlefield.
He further states: "Markets tend to consolidate from the bottom of the technology stack up. The reason is that the bottom layers have been around a lot longer, there are more big players, and momentum there has often slowed. These are sure signs that a consolidation is in order. It’s important to know where you are in the stack because it equates to where you are in the M&A food chain. Consequently, VC’s often try to evaluate how near the bottom an idea is versus how late in the day it’s getting. Being too low in the stack when the market is very mature is usually a bad thing. Being high up early is oddly almost never a bad thing. The very top of the stack is apps, and it takes apps to propel the other layers forward."
His 3 Important Market Segments: (Top to Bottom) 1. The Virtualizers 2. Value Added Hosters 3. Old-school Hosters
For the past 4 months, I have been fortunate to be part of the preparations of putting up a new company. Although, I am still unofficially a part of Morph, I do treasure the countless hours I spent reading and doing tasks to help Morph in my own small way. Even better, the guys who I've worked with are fantastic and have been quite patient of my obvious limitations.
www.gamespot.com