The Iron Yuppie

Ack! I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I've been busy... I mean really busy. But that's no excuse! Anyhow, I'll try and restart.

Let's jump right in with a favorite topic of mine, Google. I was reading the COO of Sun's blog earlier and, maybe because I'm in marketing and I am extra sensitive to this, but jeeeez it reeked of marketing BS. Check this out:

Two of the internet's most valuable brands have clearly achieved that status: Java and Google. Could you imagine a PC that couldn't access Java services? Or how about a browser that couldn't get to Google? My view, either would be a tough sell. Other programming, such as Macromedia Flash, Firefox and OpenOffice are in the same league - along with services such as Yahoo.com, eBay, or AOL.com.

Nice! Google? Totally necessary. Everyone in the world wants and uses them. Java? Not so much. I've done a reinstall on a machine recently (dead hard drive), and I have yet to come across a single site that required Java. I don't even have the Java Runtime on there. It's been over a month and I surf a LOT. In fact, I've only seen one site that did something using Java, and that could have EASILY been done with Flash/Shockwave. I'm not saying Java isn't the bees knees and doesn't have a hojillian people developing for it, but it's not a consumer product (by and large) and I think you're just fooling yourself.

Similarly, I like the comment about OpenOffice being in the same league. Come on. Be realistic. How about this, I'll withdraw my comment if you can point to one person who doesn't a) read slashdot DAILY b) work in the Massaschusetts government office that sponsored the adoption c) work at Sun or d) runs *BSD/*nix AND runs StarOffice. How can you even compare it to Firefox which which has massive popular support and has ads out in the NYTimes and could still only achieve 8% marketshare? Do you think that's going to improve once IE7 is out?

On the other hand, what they're going to do next DOES interest me. AJAX is amazing stuff... how that compares to click-once or Avalon or XUL I have yet to sort out. But Ajax is megacool. I didn't understand his comment about how rich clients is on its way back... doesn't that conflict with his AJAX point?

One other point comes via NetCrucible:Why is Microsoft Afraid of Google?

I have to agree with his point, and this is the biggest thing that people outside of the software industry don't understand. Let's steal this quote:

Let's talk about the "copying" theory first. Five years ago, Bill Gates shook up the industry by announcing a dual-pronged strategy -- all productivity apps seamlessly integrated into the universal canvas of the web, and the "web as a platform". This wasn't vapor, this was what I used every day. Five years ago, I did not have Office installed on my machine. I used an app that combined word processing, IM, telephony, and e-mail in a single universal canvas (with cool contextual side-menu), all running in my web browser. We decided not to ship it at that time, but it had nothing to do with product quality or feasibility.

Now fast forward to 2005. A bunch of people who worked on that project are now at Google, and rumors fly around about "bricking over" MSFT by shipping productivity apps on the web. At the same time, pundits run around talking about "web as a platform", ripping off Bill's 2000 vision wholesale without giving credit. Give me a break. Clearly what is happening is a bit different than Bill laid out in 2000, but the amount that is exactly the same is stunning (almost depressing; where is the originality and creativity?)

Another example is Google Earth vs. Virtual Earth. VE shipped slightly after Google Earth, but do people really think MSFT saw Google Earth and then "real quick like" copied the whole thing in a month or two? The company must really be invincible. Or take Messenger, which has been shipping new releases three times a year. Google just shipped their first version. Please don't say we pre-emptively copied Google.

Why does everyone think that you can just whip this stuff up overnight? Look at Apple's Searchlight technology. Great stuff! Look at Vista's search technology. Great stuff! Does anyone really think that Microsoft WAITED until Apple shipped before being inspired by the functionality and deciding to copy it? Is there any chance that they were both under simultaneous development and Apple, being better at scoping and shipping that Microsoft is, got it out first? Sometimes these opinions one runs across in blogs, articles and open comments about who copied who are just insane. It's like they're talking to hear themselves.