New Architect: Progress Paralysis. Quote: “A Web site has two sets of constituents: the customers who use it to get things done, and the employees of the organization that builds it. As site complexity grows, so does the difficulty of the task each group has to accomplish.” Comment:via the always good Column Two, which also… Continue reading New Architect: Progress Paralysis

New Architect: The Road to Usability. Q&A with Tim Bray. Today's Web UI doesn't look much different than it did in 1994. Have we learned nothing? Second, the huge gulf between the visual access your desktop provides to your hard drive and the “query, hit Enter, look-at-lists-of-items” basis of most Web apps. [Tomalak's Realm]

The Future of Flash as a rich client. Mike Chambers has created … an example of the Flash MX DataGrid control. It's a great example of the richness of the client environment created with Flash MX. We're now reaching the richness of the traditional Mac/Win desktop in terms of user interface components. I know the… Continue reading The Future of Flash as a rich client

Update: Background Image Links. A light and tasteful background graphic may be just the touch you need to spice up your next project. Our updated collection of background graphic links is your gateway to thousands of downloadable borders, tiles, and textures specifically for use on Web pages. 0912 [WebReference News]

Bob and Dan are dead-on:  The browser has served us well.  It has provided a means by which we can have universal access to applications, transactions, and published information.  But in the meantime, the PC has become a powerhouse: cpu, gpu, storage, price.  The Great Conversion to notebook computers is well under way, and it's… Continue reading Bob

NYTimes.  I have always thought the best thing that could have been done to limit the stock bubble was to increase margin requirements (most of my financial industry friends didn't think the Fed had the power, they do).  Here is what Greenspan said earlier in the cycle: In September 1996, at a meeting of the… Continue reading NYTimes

Powertoys for Windows XP.  Ones I downloaded:  an thumbnail maker and a power calculator (I haven't had a scientific calculator for a while). [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

How to rework your Intranet with Manila and Radio.  Lot's of people are asking me how they can provide a facelift to their Intranet and/or build an internal K-Log network (with Radio and/or Manila).  I thought I would provide some of the information that I get asked often: Manila ($899 a server — there aren't any per… Continue reading How to rework your Intranet with Manila and Radio.  Lot's of people are asking me how they can provide a facelift to their Intranet and/or build an internal K-Log network (with Radio and/or Manila).  I thought I would provide some of the information that I get asked often:

Manila ($899 a server — there aren't any per seat or per domain charges) ($299 Academic)

1) Manila can be used to manage a standard informational website on an Intranet.  These pages are easily managed through a browser-based WYSIWYG editing tool and management system.  So, it is possible to enable authorized content owners with little to no technical training the ability to edit pages they have responsibility for (edit and add text, upload pictures and files, and much more).  Additionally, Manila provides out of the box discussion groups, e-mail bulletins, easy theme management, and much more. 

2) Manila can also serve an existing site as a static site through its integrated webserver.  All you need to do is drop the files into a folder and tell Manila to serve them.  Manila can also render pages it creates as static files that are served via the webserver.  It is possible to run Apache and Manila on the same server and have Manila send static files to Apache to be served.

3) Manila can serve as a weblog server.  Users can easily create personal weblogs using Manila.  It can support hundreds of weblogs.

4) Manila can also run a Radio community server and serve those sites statically through its integrated webserver.  The Radio community server provides community stats and management functionality that makes running a Radio community easy.

Radio ($39.95 a desktop)

1) Radio provides a way for individuals to publish a personal weblog to a Radio community server running Manila or via FTP to an account on a standard webserver.  It also allows individuals to both syndicate their site and subscribe to news.

2) Radio can be used to create directories of resources on a Manila server.  It is a very easy process using Radio's outliner.  These directories can be linked together easily to create a master directory of resources with subsections managed by different individuals.

Basically, with Manila and Radio it is possible to build a large full featured Intranet on a single server that meets the needs of hundreds of individuals.  The two can also be used in concert to quickly build a K-Log network.  There is so much more, but this covers the basics. [John Robb's Radio Weblog

Radio tip:  Have a look at DynamicDNS.org.  Very easy to use service.  It is a way to get around dynamic IP addresses provided by ISPs to DSL and Cable customers. Basically, I could set-up a domain through them (ie:  jrobb.dyndns.org or a variant on any of these domains) and have it redirect to the remote access page on my Radio desktop. … Continue reading DynamicDNS.org

NYT.  Details of the perks Jack Welsh continues to get from GE.  Pretty amazing package that is surely to cause him substantial embarrassment. [John Robb's Radio Weblog]