tech to watch

Dion Hinchcliffe's Web 2.0 Blog is the closest I have come so far to reading a definitive site on the subject of this new web application design philosophy known as Web 2.0. The days of static web pages with links and buttons is being overtaken by pages that come alive kinda like the programs we began using before the web emerged, but in a new massively connected way not possible before it did.

Ruby on Rails sounds like a promising web development framework, though I know nothing more than the

I've been watching the Open Office project for quite a while, even back when it was known as the free version of StarOffice from Sun. Over the past few years, several clunky and annoying issues have been obliterated, allowing this free program to emerge as a viable replacement for the spendy Microsoft Office in nearly every way. Some folks are saying that only Powerpoint and a few types of highly complex documents may still require the features of MS Office. Other folks are pointing out that OpenOffice is a memory hog and loads slowly.

A lot of talk these days about emerging web-based programs using new methods of stitching together information and services from many sources into an arrangement desired by the user. That's my definition of "Web 2.0", anyway. It seems a couple sites, Ning and Jotspot are making some of the visions a reality. I'll enjoy seeing where all this goes!

Blue Security has come up with an innovative way of applying real pressure on companies who use spam to generate traffic to their web sites. If identified spammers don't heed warnings to stop, participants' computers will be instructed to post a complaint to the offender's web site every time a spam message from that site is received.

Zimbra represents several steps forward: an open source collaboration server that will certainly give Microsoft's Exchange a run for its money, and a great example of AJAXi technology that promises to make deploying great tools easier and easier over time. Maybe my home network will sport one of these someday!

Ubuntu is a Linux operating system with a philosophy centered around making technology accessible and useful for ordinary people. Whereas many technology projects seem to focus on making techies' jobs easier or making money, this one is different. That gives me hope it will end up being one of the more usable "free" operating system configurations.

ZDNet article tells the Ubuntu story