Ontiveros @ Textdriven

37signals most prominent write up to date probably has to be as inclusion in the Business Week cover story entitled “Speed Demons”. I’ll attempt to elaborate on a few points made in the write up. All of their product offerings utilize open source software, including Ruby, as a platform so it is a given that 37signals doesn’t have the “not created here” syndrome. The framework, which was developed in house by Hansson, in order to cut down on repetitive code would become known as “Rails”.

My interpretation of the framework was that it was created as a process improvement method during the developing of their first web application entitled “Basecamp”. The framework was itself released as Open Source software by Hansson and 37signals for the world to use and improve. By doing so, Ruby on Rails itself became a product. The feedback from Basecamp is from consumers, while the feedback for Rails is from other developers.

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Looking back at previous write ups, I noticed that I oftentimes begin with a disclaimer. I’ll not do that this time. What I will do is discuss what appears to be exploding demand for the Mixed Grill product offering.

Those of you who are active on any of the Strongspace, Joyent, and even Textdrive forums to a lesser extent, know that there are voices in the community who can’t wait for the release of the Mixed Grill offering.
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I love the concept behind online storage. As noted in the “Online Storage Gang” blog entry by Michael Armstrong at Techcrunch, this is an idea who’s time has come.

Please keep in mind that I’m attempting to make a point, and not criticize. Web 2.0 companies do need to launch if they are going to compete with the majors (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.) What’s the point of being small and nimble, if you can’t get out in front? 37signals have some ideas about how to stay nimble and are having tremendous success.
What Nik’s writeup entitled the “Economics of online storage” fails to capture is the opportunity cost of not being first or early to market in terms of cash flow and market share. Without doing comprehensive research, this is a very difficult figure to hammer down.

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Let me start out with a disclaimer. I use Ubuntu on a Gateway Pentium III & an Apple G3 Power PC. Ubuntu has made my Linux desktop use a no brainer. I don’t even have to visit the forums anymore as everything that I use just works.

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The concept of technology clusters has always intrigued me. I wondered why so much development was focused on the coasts. What was wrong with the rest of the country? Why couldn’t new technology development be setup in states that need a new economic overhaul, say Mid-Michigan for example?

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What does it take to run a successful web-application business during the Web 2.0 growth era? Can you just build it? Will they come? As we know, the barriers to starting web based businesses are at an all time low, due to hyper competition in the hosting industry among other factors. As such, web-applications are being introduced at a very rapid rate. While these “new” services are very exciting, the economics of web 2.0 have not been tested yet. Many have tried to quantify the economic validity of some of the more popular on-line picture and web storage providers.

What they don’t understand is that none of these new business “start-ups” will matter, let alone succeed, if they cannot manage the value chain. Ah yes! Sound management techniques and practices have their place with Web 2.0. Why write about 37signals? Because they have a deep interest in solid management techniques as is evident on their “Signal vs. Noise” blog.
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This is an open letter to the powers that be at the Saginaw News. Please consider modernizing the way you deliver your content to the masses. Currently, the Saginaw News is available on the same cheap pulp that has been staining fingers black for generations. Subscriptions are available to interested parties both in and out of state. While that may have cut it for quite some time, it doesn’t really cut it for people like me.
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10.23.2005

Windows security has just taken a turn for the worse! As if there were not enough programs of “cracking” a Windows password available for download. Enter Loginrecovery.com. This site has been established for legitimate reasons. I myself stumbled upon this site after locking myself out of my own Windows machine! I know I know, I promised never to use Windows again. “Windows free in two-thousand and three”. Those who know me, have heard me say it.
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For as long as I can remember, there has been a push to use Linux on the desktop. However, this initiative seems to have been amplified in recent times. Companies are pushing their versions of Linux to businesses and consumers alike. Never has their been such an effort to use Linux on the desktop.

Do you want to know about Linux but don’t know where to start?
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