Software Out There

[RedEarth]

THE Internet is entering its Lego era.

Indeed, blocks of interchangeable software components are proliferating on the Web and developers are joining them together to create a potentially infinite array of useful new programs. This new software represents a marked departure from the inflexible, at times unwieldy, programs of the past, which were designed to run on individual computers.

As a result, computer industry innovation is rapidly becoming decentralized. In the place of large, intricate and self-contained programs like Microsoft Word, written and maintained by armies of programmers, smaller companies, with just a handful of developers, are now producing pioneering software and Web-based services. These new services can be delivered directly to PC's or even to cellphones. Bigger companies are taking note.

For example, Google last month bought Writely, a Web-based word-processing program created by three Silicon Valley programmers. Eric Schmidt, the Google chief executive, said that Google did not buy the program to compete against Microsoft Word. Rather, he said, it viewed Writely as a key component in hundreds of products it is now developing.

These days, there are inexpensive or free software components speeding the process. Amazon recently introduced an online storage service called S3, which offers data storage for a monthly fee of 15 cents a gigabyte. That frees a programmer building a new application or service on the Internet from having to create a potentially costly data storage system.

Google now offers eight programmable components — elements that other programmers can turn into new Web services — including Web search, maps, chat and advertising. Yahoo offers a competing lineup of programmable services, including financial information and photo storage. Microsoft has followed quickly with its own offerings through its new Windows Live Web service

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/technology/techspecial4/05lego.html?pagewanted=print

[IsItJustMe]

1. Seems great, until you consider the consequences.

As we all know, laws change daily. Many of the innovations created today will be used against you tomorrow. We are living on a slippery slope when it comes to privacy in this day and age.

One example:

Years ago insurance companies got together and said, wouldn't it be great if we could create a Event Data Recorder EDR which could keep a record of conditions of a vehicle when an accident occurred. We could use this data to create better cars.

That same EDR is now being used in court cases for convictions.

Now we have all heard of Data Drilling and things going on with the domestic spying.

Most technologies can be used for good or bad. They are a two edge sword. Be carefully of what you ask for, you just might get it back in spades in unexpected ways.

[LastDemocratInSC]

2. This requires a fragile infrastructure that never breaks

Will these software systems work without an internet connection? Internet connections are the most fragile part of the infrastructure.

Will they work while flying over Iowa at 35,000 feet? Will they work while on your deck in the mountains far from a DSL connection?

How about when the internet goes down, whereever you are, over Iowa or in the mountain cabin. It's just a minor glitch but it might take 5 days if you're up in the mountains and are lucky enough to have DSL, etc.

The infrastructure is the issue.