Never before has there been so many usable choices for the desktop: Windows 7 and MacOS Snow Leopard have recently been released; and desktop Linux, with Ubuntu at the forefront, is getting great reviews. Windows is still entrenched with a huge lead. MacOS is showing gains, while Linux is holding on to its share. But perhaps it does not matter which OS prevails, just like Blu-ray’s victory turned hollow due to the lack of sales of its products. And why is Blu-ray not taking off as expected?
While the High Definition DVD wars were being waged, during a MUCH too long battle, broadband video delivery was maturing and gaining in popularity. People REALLY like to use broadband: it is convenient, reasonably high quality (and getting better, fast), and did I mention really convenient? Renting a physical DVD is so 90’s! They get scratched, finger prints, and worse (I rented a family DVD once which had a child’s sticky red candy fingerprints all over it).
So, back to our OS wars. While I am no fan of Microsoft, I have to admit even they are looking, at least a little, past the OS into the future of web applications. For example, I use web based email because I can access it from ANY browser, no matter if it is on Windows, MacOS, Linux, a cell phone, or even a game console. Online office productivity applications are taking maturing quickly.
I can see this trend continuing, with more and more applications being made available as web based. Google is betting this is the case, with its Chrome browser paired with a stripped down version of Linux. Could the OS not matter in a few years? I hope so!
In the mean time, I have been thinking of porting some of my own code to Java and JavaScript to open them up for easy use by web applications. I think developers would be smart to at least think about this future, otherwise they might just get a glimpse of the taillights of the web application trend as they are passed by alongside the information super highway…
What do you think? Will this finally be the real write-one-run-anywhere nirvana for software developers? Will a full OS be relegated to those who need to run specialized, processor and data intensive, applications?
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December 22nd, 2009 at 10:30 AM
In response to Kevin:
No. I have never used any type content management system, except, of course, for WordPress
I am a hands-on, fully in control, type guy, but I made an exception for this blog.
January 3rd, 2010 at 12:37 AM
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January 8th, 2010 at 11:19 PM
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January 12th, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Sweet Post. Where would we be without tv..
January 13th, 2010 at 12:20 AM
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