Me too!
But I don't know how MSFT would feel about that..then again, if in the end NDS was to "win" the directory war by sheer techology, it's a possible avenue for MSFT to look at.
Perhaps the day will come that MSFT has the same thoughts Dr. Schmidt has to "peacefully co-exist" because other than Banyan and a few metadirectory companies there is only Oracle's Internet Directory and NDS. I'm not sure what to make of Netscape's Directory server now that AOL and SUNW have their hands on it. And let's remember that metadirectories are merely attempts to make other directories work together not replace them. They add an extra layer on top of an already complicated mess sometimes.
I'd also be wary about licensing NDS to MSFT they have a habit of "embracing and extending" technology from other companies (I merely point to Java as the latest proof). If I were Novell, I wouldn't let a MSFT engineer within a lightyear of NDS source code :)
Beyond that, I had an interesting conversation regarding network appliances with a friend of mine (who works at Oracle). He sees the directory playing a larger role in the future than the underlying OS. It all goes back to making the data accessible to the user. The platform it's presented on is merely a vehicle.
He says the web has changed everything when it comes to presentation of data. With XML and other standards coming in the near future, presenting data via web-based standards will become the #1 way for users to get information. We're not talking about just PCs here either.
Think out of the (beige) box for a moment...PDAs, cell phones, 2-way pagers, GPS units in cars, RF-enabled web browsing/email/instant chat via hand-held devices....it goes on and on. And that's just here and now. What happens when micro-computing gets beyond the current limitations of silicon?
Not to mention thin-client technology within the home (interactive intercom or even a way to watch you baby's crib via a QuickCam and ethernet connection on your TV via picture-in-a-picture). This market has yet to get past the "imagine if" stage. When we start seeing products for the home (and office) where IP connectivity is the key, it no longer matters what OS it's using. The only thing that will matter is the TCP stack!
This will bring OS independance. Once we have OS independance the computer landscape will change drastically. Will traditional electronics companies (sony, RCA, mitsubishi, etc) create the next wave in the computer industry much like IBM did with the PC?
OK, enough looking into the future :) Right now, we have more serious things to worry about like Novell's marketing ideals...when a small presentation we did at Brainshare makes it all the way to a worldwide marketing meeting I can think only 2 things:
a) we're geniuses
b) they really NEVER thought of this before
Peter Strifas |
