sun do rent by the cpu hour already
http://www.sun.com/service/sungrid/index.jsp
1$ per CPU hour for batch processing - not on demand web apps, which is where caroline is different
4 publicly visible posts • joined 12 Jun 2007
The impedance mismatch is between tools and compilers that manage different languages, which are elements of the same application.
Linq is LANGUAGE integrated query. In other words, while I write my C# or VB, i can write my data access code inline, and get the background compilation check direct against a data source. I have one tool and one language to learn, and a framework (which emits pretty optimal sql) talks to the database (or XML files, or roll-your-own) tier.
Other frameworks exist. As ever, Microsoft is not first to the market with the concept, but looks to me like they've learnt from others mistakes.
The Linq approach works when I have a database that belongs to a single application. In that case I like having the data access logic closer to the application developer, save them switching languages/tools and having more complex build and test processes.
If on the other hand I have a central database, used by lots of applications, I'm probably going to write stored procedures and ask the applications to call them; which, by the way, doesn't stop those applications using Linq. Just the ORM pieces.
If it's a really big database, like an AS400 with billions of records, I'm probably gonna wrap the logic in Web Services (or just a RESTful uri framework) where I can anyway, and ask people to integrate with those.
http://www.25hoursaday.com/weblog/2007/12/01/FacebookBeaconIsUnfixable.aspx
<quote>
When you read this you realize just how insidious the problem actually is. Facebook isn’t simply learning about every action taken by Facebook users on affiliate sites, it is learning about every action taken by every user of these affiliate sites regardless of whether they are Facebook users or not.
</quote>
Reckon that contrevenes DPA regulations in lots of countries. Hopefully, this analysis is wrong, but there's a pretty compelling code walkthrough...
I've been expecting this. I suspect, now the wholesale market has opened up it's possible to run the network at fairly little cost per customer, and the broadband market has hence commoditised.
So to differentiate it's now necessary to do something a bit different.
One way to do this. is to compete on customer service. Make your customers happy. Or at least tell them you're doing so.
The other way, that I expect to see more of, is to bundle more complete solutions with the network - running business applications, probably as hosted solutions. Add a bit of voip and video conferencing, perhaps some consulting, or desktop services. You can probably start giving away the network for free, Why do small businesses want this? Single point of contact. Consolidated billing. Fully outsourced IT.
So I reckon, rather than seeing them disappear in 6 months, we will see more combined ISP/ASPs appearing on the market. BT do this already, with Hosted Exchange etc; they're adding a bit of mobile with their Fusion voip+gsm product.
So the market isn't decaying, It's just that the value proposition is changing.