Architecture + Business + Software…
Over the last few weeks Google have been announcing some really cool stuff. All of it designed to move people more towards cloud computing.
The first announcement was Google Wave which Rod from Xero has explained better than I could.
In the last few days they have made a head-on assault on moving people away from Exchange Server to Google Apps and also providing Blackberry Syncronisation.
This does look interesting, it will be interesting to see what move if any Microsoft have in waiting:
Some interesting news in the world of Big Business Software.
A week after IBM walked away from buying SUN, good old Larry has stepped in, upped the price and made the purchase.
Interestingly Oracle have said they were after JAVA, but others speculate they were more interested in mySQL.
As a first year architecture student 15 years ago one our History of Architecture papers was to profile an international Architect.
All 90 of us in the class had to profile a different architect, so the day the list went up for us to select our architect was quite chaotic!
Many people in the class, including myself, were keen to profile the Finnish-born Eero Saarinen.
Today I received an email from AutoDesSys the makers of FormZ announcing a new 3D modelling program called Bonszai3d that has just been launched as a BETA. The email then had a feature on Saarinen’s TWA Terminal at New York’s JFK that has been modelled for an exhibition on Saarinen.
Checkout the Model of this amazing building designed 50 years ago.
Checkout the Eero Saarinen Exhibition.
When I look back on my studies and see where technology and software have come over the last 15 years, I can’t help but think but I could do if I was studying architecture today.
Incidentally, I wasn’t quick enough to signup to profile Saarinen, however, keeping with the Nordic theme I profiled Sigurd Lewerentz, one of the two architects of the Stockholm Woodland Cemetery:
Running an Internet Based Business certainly has it’s challenges and marketing / attracting customers is at the top of my list.
Many people have the notion that because the Internet is so far reaching that you have a market place on your door step. What you have is access to a market place but you still need to be found!
Also, using Google Adwords is not a silver bullet marketing strategy for web based businesses – it is an important piece in the strategy but not the be all and end all.
Another piece of the puzzle could be Banner Ads, however the following article provides some very interesting light on that subject:
What If You Ran an Ad, and Nobody Saw It?
The interesting thing about the article is that I didn’t even notice that I wasn’t looking at the ads until I forced myself to look at the ads!
The other interesting and encouraging thing is that paid search ads do work so I’ll keep using Google Adwords as a part of my marketing strategy.
Over the last few days i have found screeds of items on the new Google Chrome. Rowan Simpson has taken the application view point further with some interesting results inlcuding a great Xero app for the Mac.
Google’s new browser Chrome was released today and while I haven’t had a great deal of time to put it through it’s paces I have certainly found it fast and like some of it’s features.
While traditional applications still exist there are an ever increasing number of web applications available.
Google Chrome provides a nice feature to allow you to Create application shortcuts…
This allows you to browse to a web application – take Xero for example – and have a short cut produced for your Desktop, Quick Launch Bar or Start menu.
Once the short-cut has been created you now simply click it to launch the application in a browser window without all the browser interface (address bar, bookmarks etc)
All good!