Hello PJ,
> Slightly off the cache topic but I was just on the digitalme site
> signing up of course :) and noticed the advertisement for AOL -
> have you heard anything regarding perhaps some sort of deal with
> AOL beyond the instant messaging one?
Nothing that I'm aware of ...
> In yesterday's conf call, Dr. Schmidt mentioned the ability to
> integrate email/instant messaging/personal id into one product (of
> course digitalme) so does AOL factor in as a possible user of this?
I have long believed that a properly designed identity network in the Internet forms the foundation for all communications between people ... and even machines. It makes perfect sense to use a directory for the back-end storage of identity information, and communications references. So layering communications on top of a simple "identity organizer", to me, is common sense. This means e-mail, instant messaging, chat, NetMeeting, etc. *All* communications could be integrated into such an application. In fact, "first generation" applications like ICQ already do this, and do it well. The next generation, I believe, will include an even more extensible architecture for this, and the IETF standards are starting to come together for this occur.
> Of course it's total speculation but if you hear or know
> anything.... :)
I haven't heard much of anything since leaving Novell. Except for the same press releases that you see. I have been waiting anxiously for the release of digitalme to be able to see the "reality" ...
> Also I did click the link for info regarding digitalme and the
> Palm. Interesting dynamic here.
Synchronization of this information is a requirement for this to be successful. I want access to my "address book", or "Identity Organizer" from anywhere ... in the net ... on my laptop ... in my Pilot ... on my cell phone. If the product created does not provide these features, then it limits the value to me. If *I* have to keep synchronizing all my information it will become unmanagemable. This is why we use computers ... to do work for us. I should be able to update or add information to any device, and within a reasonable amount of time that information should be updated everywhere. Likewise, if you change your phone number ... it should eventually be updated in my cell phone ... without my intervention! (Although I will have created a set of rules on how I want these changes to be handled ...)
> Did you ever hear or see anything regarding Novell's NetTop
> development?
Oh yes ... I was very aware of this ... and I pushed to get the architect and team of NetTop over on the digitalme team. He (and his team of incredibly talented engineers) came over quite a while ago ...
> Was digitalme an off-shoot of that project?
There was incredible overlap and ways to leverage the work that was done there ... very cool vision ...
> Do you know who was involved with that project and if it's
> still "alive"?
Yep ... and yep ... ;-)
Scott C. Lemon |
