Archive for the 'Software' Category

Brain Fitness Program and VMware Fusion

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 25, 2008
in Entertainment, Personal, Software, Startups and Virtualization
. 2 Comments

    

My wife and I listen to National Public Radio almost exclusively when in the car these days. And, living in the Bay Area, you are in the car a lot. Trust me.

So, we make sure to donate to KQED, our local station, every year. And, with that donation, you often get a gift in return.This year, we received Brain Fitness Program Classic.

That’s a fantastic gift, and one that we were certainly looking forward to receiving. Because, hey, we all need to keep our brains sharp, right? We can’t just rely on blogging to do it, can we? No. I didn’t think so.

The product arrived today!

Installation into Windows was a snap, but it wouldn’t run:

The error message is: "Protected program can not be run under virtual machine!"

Now, why would they do that?

So, the problem is that we run our Windows system under VMware Fusion on our Apple iMac computer. Works great and saves electricity (two computers and only one plug in the wall).

However, the fine folks at PositScience that created the Brain Fitness Program seem to specifically check if their application is running on a virtual machine, and refuses to start!

That’s ridiculous.

I now have no way to run the program.

Ridiculous.

Harumpf.

Tags: NPR, KQED, Public Radio, National Public Radio, Charity, VMware, VMware Fusion VMware,Fusion, Windows, Mac OS X, Brian Berliner, brianberliner



Bug Labs at EclipseCon 2008

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 19, 2008
in Mobile, Open Source, Software, Startups, Technology and Venture Capital
. 0 Comments

bug_labs I enjoyed the presentation done by Bug Labs at EclipseCon 2008, titled BUG: A Customizable Hardware and Software Platform using Linux, Java, and OSGi. If you haven’t seen the BUG device, you should check out their Products page.

It’s Geek Candy.

And, it’s entirely built with Open Source goodness - both software AND hardware. Bug Labs gets it!

Start with a BUGbase (which is a full-fledged Linux box on an ARM processor), combine it with a variety of BUGmodules to add various hardware capabilities (like LCD screens, video cameras, GPS devices, accelerometers and the like), and snap it all together to do something interesting. Or, make your own hardware to their spec, and use their software stack. Or, run a different software stack on their hardware. Or, create your own BUGmodule hardware. It’s all open. Knock yourself out.

While I find the hardware interesting, I think the truly exciting part of the business is the software components and the dynamic nature that binds it all together.

Yes, it’s got OSGi at it’s core, including a version of the Concierge runtime!

I think that was a very smart, and bold move. This company may be doing some of the most practical and interesting work in the OSGi space.

This will be a fun company to watch.

spark-capital They are good guys.

Bug Labs is a Spark Capital portfolio company (shout out to Bijan Sabet!).

Microsoft Open Source Software Lab at EclipseCon 2008

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 19, 2008
in Open Source, Software and Technology
. 0 Comments

521 At EclipseCon 2008, Sam Ramji of Microsoft Open Source Lab presented the Keynote on Day 2. Check out Port 25 for more about the Microsoft OSS Lab.

The slides showed Sam’s title as "Director, Platform Technology Strategy"

I have to say that the Keynote was not very good. Of course, to be fair to Sam, he did not have a lot to work with. It’s clear that Microsoft is not spending what they should spend on interacting with the Open Source community. Their budget is only $5M annually for his group (see below).

I liked Sam. He’s gotta be frustrated at Microsoft. Again, to be fair, Sam has been at this for the last 3 years, so he has had adequate time to effect change. And, I think he has. But, still, my take away was that Microsoft is really only giving Open Source a passing glance. As we suspected. Now well confirmed.

Sam outlined some of the current projects and ways that Microsoft is interacting with the OSS community:

  • Linux hypervisor (Xen) interoperability with Microsoft hypervisor (HyperV)
  • WS-Management collaboration
  • Mozilla - Open Source Firefox plugin for Windows Media Player 11
  • Apache Software Foundation - Tuning apache on Windows Server
  • Helping CollabNET with Subversion on Windows.
  • Getting MySQL to run better on Windows Server
  • Getting PHP to run better on Windows Server
  • Samba - Providing support and license modifications to enable Samba development
  • Higgins & CardSpace work
  • SWT on Windows Presentation Framework (for native Windows Vista controls written in Java).

A couple of the Q&A Questions:

  • When will Microsoft become a member of the Eclipse Foundation? Response was, literally, a joke: "I thought we were doing that when we acquired you"? Ha. Ha. Ha. (Ugh). Nothing more added.
  • What other Eclipse projects look good? Response was perhaps something where Eclipse could author Silverlight apps. There are others, but not willing to discuss them with us.
  • Will Microsoft have Eclipse committers to do the SWT/WPF integration? Response is no. Microsoft would work with the committers and provide support and resources.
  • I asked a question about the Microsoft OSS Lab budget now, and how it will grow in the future (given that Microsoft revenue is currently $50B). Response was that the Lab alone has a budget of $5M, but they work across the company to assess the strategy and work with the OSS organizations. So, the Microsoft OSS Lab is a change agent. Sam followed up with a shameless plug. The Lab’s resources will increase if we tell Microsoft that their work is valuable.
  • Why did Microsoft define new Open Source licenses instead of using current ones, like EPL? Response was that Microsoft is positive on Open Source. Made that clear with their Codeplex initiative (which nobody in the audience knew about). Microsoft wanted explicit treatment of how patents and intellectual property is handled.

There was very little "strategy" discussed in the keynote presentation. Lots of words, not much action. Nothing at all in the way of a Roadmap for the future. I think Sam missed an opportunity here.

FolderShare, Dropbox, Syncplicity, Oh My…

Published
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on March 18, 2008
in Software, Startups and Venture Capital
. 3 Comments

foldershareI’ve been a user of FolderShare on my multiple Mac computers for quite a few months now. FolderShare is a FREE application that is provided by Microsoft (they acquired the FolderShare company in November, 2005). It does run on a Mac, but the Mac version is very old (not a Universal Binary, so it has to run in PowerPC emulation mode), and showing its age a bit.

OK, it’s really called Windows Liver FolderShare (beta).

FolderShare mostly works, though. And, when it works, it works very well. It’s a peer-to-peer way to synchronize your folders across multiple computers. What that means is that Microsoft never owns a copy of your files - they flow directly between your own computers, using 256-bit AES encryption (good enough). They limit each "share" to 10,000 files, which is a limit that I have absolutely run into. And it was not pretty unraveling the mess that was made by blasting through it (likely user error, but it was not entirely obvious how to recover from it).

I am bold enough to use FolderShare to even synchronize the active source code that I am editing across my desktop and laptop. This is a bit scary, but all my stuff is backed up by Subversion and Time Machine, so it’s all good.

dropbox Enter Dropbox.

Dropbox is still in Beta and, unfortunately, I don’t have an invite yet. However, the video demonstration looks very slick. It’s different from FolderShare in that it does store your files "in the cloud". By storing your files centrally, it also adds the ability to version your files - basically providing a backup service along with a synchronizing service.

It appears that you have to place files within a "Dropbox" folder in order for the product to work. That’s different than FolderShare, as FolderShare can work in whatever existing folder you specify. Since Dropbox is in Beta, and I really haven’t seen it, who knows how it actually works. Stay tuned for more later (when I get my Dropbox invite, that is).

Dropbox has received a ton of press coverage, including articles in TechCrunch and the GigaOm Network.

SyncplicityLogo Enter Syncplicity.

Also in Beta, and currently only available for Windows, I haven’t had a chance to kick the tires on Syncplicity either. But I know the founder well, and have had numerous long talks with him about the product, the product philosophy, the target customer, the market, the competition, and where Syncplicity wants to go.

At this point, Syncplicity feels like the perfect combination of FolderShare and Dropbox. Like FolderShare, Syncplicity allows you to work within any folder - you don’t have to specify a side folder to do your backup/synchronization. Like Dropbox, Syncplicity integrates tightly with the Explorer/Finder to work the way you want to work, and also provides a cloud-based, secured version of your  files (and the requisite benefits of having that).

I look forward to watching how these products evolve. There is a definite need for something like this, and I do think the need goes way beyond the tech crowd.

Google Summer of Code 2008

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 18, 2008
in Open Source and Software
. 0 Comments

logo_gsoc

Now is the time to nominate projects for the Google Summer of Code 2008. In particular, what SOC projects would be great for Eclipse? Basically, anything that you would like a student to work on for 3 months in and around Eclipse toolset.

You can volunteer as a mentor to help your project through (or not). But mentoring is a very lightweight way to help facilitate the project this summer. Also, Google graciously pays for all the development cost (and supports the Open Source community).

If your project gets selected, it will be assigned the resource. Brainstorm session during the conference included such ideas as:

  • XQuery Editor
  • Custom display of classes in CDT Debugger
  • Support for J2SE Security Editors for Policy Files (integrated with OSGi model instead of Sun security model)
  • RELAX NG Compact Form Editor
  • Better code obfuscation configurator
  • Support for Maven

There is a wiki here. Edit away!

At EclipseCon 2008 - Look Me Up!

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 18, 2008
in Open Source, Software, Startups and Technology
. 0 Comments

eclipseCon2008 Just like last year, I’m back at EclipseCon 2008 this year!

The Eclipse Foundation puts on one heck of a good conference. The sponsors are top-notch and the breadth and depth of the conference is always quite impressive. If you are heavily invested in Open Source and Java-based tools in your enterprise (and which enterprise is not?), then EclipseCon is the place to be.

Fring: Decent IM for Symbian Phones

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 17, 2008
in Gadgets, Mobile, Software and Startups
. 0 Comments

fringlogo

Not sure how I missed this one… But, I had been looking for a good, FREE, application for my Nokia E61 to do Instant Messaging on Yahoo! Messenger. And, I found one, and much more, in Fring.

From GigaOm on 10 Apps To Have For Your Symbian S60 Phone:

Fring — A multi-protocol IM client that currently supports AIM, Skype, Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk and Twitter, and features a SIP client. Fring seamlessly uses your data connection to allow you to IM or call contacts if they are on Google Talk or Skype. Fring also recently launched a feature that allows you to send files over Wi-Fi and 3G connection to your contacts. Very cool.

I just need the Yahoo IM connection, but I also tried Fring through my Skype account calling a landline, and it worked just fine (voice quality was about what you would expect - not great, but certainly understandable).

Damnit - I’m Beholden to a(nother) Windows Application

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 17, 2008
in Blogging, Mac OS X and Software
. 6 Comments

WriterSplash So, I’m finally getting back to blogging. I had a very long hiatus. Sorry about that.

It seems that life got in the way (if you call getting married and starting up a new company “life” - I know I do).

Anyway, back to the same old blogging tools on the Mac OS X platform. Nothing really satisfied my needs. I had previously been using Qumana, and wrote some positive articles on it before. It’s unchanged in the last year, and still pretty good, but it did leave me wanting more and something that felt a bit more “solid”.

Best likely candidate would be MarsEdit. I love what Daniel Jalkut is doing with this application. Great stuff. But, I am one of those types that wants a WYSIWYG-like experience. I’m quite good at flinging around markup, I just don’t want to have to do it while I’m writing - it’s just too distracting from the task at hand. MarsEdit does have some excellent image integration, and I feel that at some point it WILL be my blogging tool of choice. I’m continuing to watch.

Last year, I tried Adobe Contribute 4, and even participated in the Adobe Contribute CS3 Beta test. While it is WYSIWYG, it’s just not for me. The team made significant progress in the CS3 edition, but the tool still had lots of little problems that distracted from the writing experience and the application itself was quite the resource hog.

If you are seeing a theme here, it’s all about reducing distraction; reducing friction in the writing process.

OK, so I decide that my new wife needs to blog about what we learned while planning our wedding. She’s a Windows user. So, I set her up on her own Wordpress blog and find her a blogging tool to use. I chose Windows Live Writer.

And, you know what?

Windows Live Writer rocks!

Every bit of it is very well done. And, it’s FREE. I do hate to say it, but you have to give Microsoft props when they get it right. Well done WLW team!

So, for now, I will be blogging with Windows Live Writer running from my VMware Fusion based version of Windows XP executing on my MacBook Pro (when on the road) or my iMac (when at home). Now, that’s a mouthful.

iPhone SDK: Awesome or Dead On Arrival?

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on March 17, 2008
in Gadgets, Mac OS X, Mobile, Software and Technology
. 1 Comment

index_promofooter_sdkWell, Apple finally released the iPhone SDK, or at least a Beta version.

Apple took quite a beating when they released the iPhone without an SDK back in June 2007. What were they thinking? Back then, they released a set of guidelines for building web-based applications that, when run through Mobile Safari, would sorta, kinda look like an iPhone application. That’s not gonna fly…

Then, they released the iPhone SDK (Beta). I downloaded it immediately and built my first test application.

Holy crap.

The wait was definitely worth it.

They knocked the ball out of the park!

They exceeded my expectations in almost every dimension.

Yeah, sure. There are plenty of things not to like about this first version of the iPhone SDK, and many have already ripped the failings to shred:

  • Third-party applications must be distributed through the Apple iPhone Store. You cannot just build an application and run it on the iPhone. It has to be signed by Apple. Some see this as too restrictive.
  • iPhone applications cannot run in the background. This rules out a whole host of interesting applications and certainly does make the iPhone less attractive as a truly useful mobile platform. Some say this makes the platform a non-starter for them.
  • Apple takes 30% of all software sales for handling the distribution and update of approved iPhone applications. Some think that’s a bit much, and would rather keep that 30% for themselves, handling the marketing, installation and upgrade of their applications directly.
  • Apple gets to say “yes” or “no” on whether your particular application gets to run (is signed by them). Some think that Apple will deny competitive applications or applications that may encourage illegal downloading, say. Some say Apple has too much power as application gatekeeper.
  • Apple will not allow a VoIP application to be built that operates over the GPRS/EDGE (soon to be 3G/HSDPA) data network. They will allow VoIP applications to run over WiFi, however. Given the hassle of finding a WiFi hotspot, some feel that this is an unfair restriction.
  • You can’t build applications with Interface Builder yet. Some think that makes iPhone app development a complete non-starter, at least until IB is made available.
  • Apple claims that the third-party developers get to use “the same API calls used by the Apple developers to build their own iPhone applications” (like Mobile Mail and Mobile Safari). However, given all the restrictions, this is clearly not true.
  • Apple does not allow you to build an application that executes other applications, either using plug-ins, or interpreted code. Which means that you cannot have a Java Virtual Machine on the iPhone. Hey, wait a minute. That sounds like a good restriction after all, given all the junk J2ME applications out there…

But, they’re missing the bigger picture. They are lost in the details.

Here’s some of what is absolutely great about the Apple Mobile Platform:

  • It’s a controlled environment for developers. The development tools (Xcode, Interface Builder, debugger, performance monitors) are exceptionally good. Anyone that knows Objective-C and Cocoa certainly have a head start, but this is a great toolchain. No other mobile platform has such a great and robust development environment.
  • Running only Apple-signed applications means that it will be very hard to get ill-behaved malware on the device. And, if you do, it will be very easy to identify it and remove it. Apple has done a great job on the security aspects of the mobile platform.
  • Apple nailed the Enterprise requirements for the iPhone. Nailed them. They are listening. And responding. Very refreshing to see a big company get it right. So often.
  • I love the 70%/30% split between developers and Apple. I think it is more than fair to the developers. Apple has taken a game-console style revenue sharing model here. Apple defines, markets, and distributes a great hardware console (the iPhone) and publishes the API for creating structured (and signed) applications. For that, they take 30%. Extremely fair. I think it’s great that product updates will be easily delivered to customers. Much better than forcing every application to have a slightly different way of updating itself. Very nice for the end-user experience.
  • I’m OK with the other restrictions. Yes, the platform will be less extensible, but it will surely be beautiful, consistent, and solid. Disallowing background applications will not be as bad as people think - I’m with John Gruber on this point. Remember: Apple is developing this “for the rest of us”. I.e., it is not a phone that only geeks will own. It’s a phone that my Mom would own. And, she just wants it to work.

I own a Nokia E61. It runs Symbian. Until last week, Symbian was the best thing going for Mobile OS development. Not anymore. And don’t even get me started about Windows Mobile… Ugh.

The iPhone, and this oh so restrictive SDK, will be THE mobile platform for the mass market (and the enterprise).

Jason Fried said it best:

What we saw today was the beginning of two-decades of mobile domination by Apple. What Microsoft and Windows was to the desktop, Apple and Touch will be to mobile.

I completely agree.

And have doubled-down on my AAPL stock.

Stay tuned for more. We’ll get to Android later.

VMware IPO - A Major Success

Published
by
Brian Berliner
on August 14, 2007
in Software, Startups, Technology and Venture Capital
. 0 Comments

VMware went public today!

Check out VMW on Google Finance.

Back in October of last year, I wrote an article that noted how VMware, a subsidiary of EMC, was kicking butt as a software company, but the value that they were bringing to EMC shareholders was clearly not being represented in the EMC stock price.

In February of this year, EMC and VMware announced that they would sell about 10% of the company in an IPO to happen this summer. Great minds think alike — and ours too! I wrote about that here.

VMware pre-sold over $368M of the proposed 10% to Intel Capital and Cisco (see these articles).

For the IPO today, VMware priced at $29.00 and opened at $50.00. Near the closing bell, I took this snapshot:

Up 84.83% is what you call a successful IPO.

No wonder. IDC estimates the virtualization market at $20B by 2011. VMware is currently at $1.2B. Do the math on that. There’s definitely plenty of upside for companies in the virtualization space. (Disclosure: I am a founder and shareholder of Cassatt Corporation, a company that sells virtualization management software for large data centers; I am now also a customer and shareholder of VMware).

When I wrote my original article, EMC stock was selling for about $12/share, and had been largely flat for years. Yesterday, EMC stock was selling for about $19/share. That’s over a 50% rise in share price in under a year. A key kicker of that rise in share price was, indeed, the VMware IPO. Well done EMC! Your stock has finally moved and you are delivering shareholder value from your most excellent VMware asset.

Finally, Intel Capital and Cisco have more than doubled their Net Asset Value of their VMware investment in just a handful of weeks. Honestly, that was a lot faster than I had predicted. They should expect a little extra something in their holiday bonus this year.

Go VMW!

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