ZDNet News: Netdocs: Microsoft’s .Net poster child? “According to sources, Netdocs is a single, integrated application that will include a full suite of functions, including e-mail, personal information management, document-authoring tools, digital-media management, and instant messaging.” Could be good, could be crap. Fortunately, there are other interests in Two-Way-Web development.
Netdocs will deliver an integrated, XML-based workspace. Internet and Office, all in one. The interface is based on the idea of a “Universal Canvas”.
My.UserLand on the Desktop is a competitor in the Two-Way-Web application devleopment. This is going to blow people’s minds., says Dave Winer. “You can take a Web application and run it on the desktop. It’s a lot faster, and can be richer and more customizable. The hood-lift is easy and interesting — make a change in the Web interface, and then flip over to the environment and see how it changed. Most databases don’t have a graphic interface. Ours does. Most people have never seen it. Soon they will.” I’ll be looking forward to seeing this.
Obviously, competing with desktop software is something different from competing on internet applications. But something really must be done there.
