Some very exciting things coming out of Google Talk. Jingle for example.

Eclipse Communication Framework is the project that I lead,

and I have to say things are getting pretty interesting.

To download/get/install click here

Interesting article by David Orchard on the extensibility differences/similarities between distributed objects and web services approaches. Whole article here. A valuable quote from David: "Distributed object systems made a critical decision that any kind of extension required that both sides understand the extended interface. This is the fallacy of "single administrator". Much has been made about the fragility of distributed object systems, and I'm convinced that this lack of "touchless" extensibility was a key contributor to it's lack of uptake and the triumph of the web."

Another useful article from David: Examining Wildcards and compatible evolution

Interesting and useful set of standards for chemistry...the Chemical Markup Language (CML)

Investigating various technologies for web site/knowledge mgmt. Specifically, webdav. It's currently in the 'protocol almost standardized, but no one's really using it for serious applications yet' phase.

Been working with Eclipse a lot recently www.eclipse.org. It's an IDE with strong component-nature, that allows others to add on well-integrated functionality to the system. It can be made to provide dev support, architecture/design support, etc.

I've been working on a plugin that allows teams to communicate and collaborate with one another directly within the Eclipse interface. Team members associated with a given Eclipse project are made aware of one another, can communicate via IM/chat/app sharing/file sharing, and do it in a context that is specifically designed for that particular group (i.e. with the functionality required for the team involved). See the following web page to get a copy for yourself and try it out. If you want to use it regularly, send me email at slewis@slewis.com.

Read the 'Leaky Abstractions' paper by Joel Spolsky. Check here for the article. It's pretty interesting, and jives with my own experience in working with replication as a leaky abstraction for multiprocess computing and communication.

It remains depressing in Portland workland right now, as all of the experienced, really good software people I know are out of work. Is there a [negative] relationship there between quality of person and liklihood of having a job? Well, at least here in Portland, OR I think so...we've created an environment (actually had for a long time) where the hardware retreads and junior sw people are able to find work at weak companies because they don't know the difference, and the quality sw people don't any work at all...because there are no quality sw companies for the quality people. There are only weak sw companies that are not really competitive with companies in Austin, San Jose, Seattle, New York, Boston or others. For those of us that know how to build "real software" instead of hacked up crap...that sucks.

And where is the support for creating sw companies that will lead Portland out of this economic pit of despair? It's not coming from the existing biz community (they are looking out for their own asses), it's not coming from govt (same here), it's not coming from the local VC/angel "community" (ditto), and the folks that are actually able to create innovation-driven, valuable sw companies are asked to do everything on their own personal dime. Well, folks, they can't/won't save your asses and do it on their own dime.

So, we're left with a local economy and business community that *talks* a lot about being competitive in sw, but in fact is not competitive at all, and possibly never will be. We've institutionalized/enculturated mediocrity in the business community, which has resulted in institutionalized business failure in high tech.

WARNING TO AMBITIOUS, QUALITY, PORTLAND-BASED ENTREPRENEURS: Get out now and find an environment that values and supports the creation of competitive new businesses.