Apologies for the long absence. I've been traveling extensively as well as dealing a spate of family matters and other non-OSAF matters. I appreciate the continuing thoughtful comments and many helpful hints about getting the most out of IS X apps and Mail.app in particular. I don't think I'm going to be able to respond individually, so I hope this collective thank you suffices.
At OSAF, a huge focus at present in on making a series of decisions about feature priorities for Canoga. There have been many "Sophie's Choice" moments about which features aren't going to make the cut and will have to be deferred. Ruthless focus on nailing down design decisions continues to be at the top of my list.
Posted by mitch@osafoundation.org at October 26, 2003 05:05 PMI just read the Chandler article my MIT's Tech Review Mag. I am a founding board member of the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council (NECCC), an association comprised of numerous state government associations including, CIOs, Auditors, Treasurers, Purchasing Officers, Sectretaries of State and more, acting as a clearinghouse and resource for the future of eGovernment and eCommerce.
The most pressing issue is that of Cross Boundary Integration (XBI) amongst agencies and citizens. We are devoting a total annual confernce to that subject and will issue a white paper on XBI.
What you are doing at OSAF is revolutionary yet obviously logical.
If your schedule permits, we would like to shake up our traditionalist and have you join us as the dinner keynote speaker in Raleigh, NC on Monday, Nov 17th. (Conference details at http://ec3.org).
There will be over 350 shakers and movers charting the future course of eGovernment that need to hear from you.
You can contact me at my email or 202.363.5889.
Posted by: Basil Nikas at October 27, 2003 11:37 AM
Mitch, just put this on the wiki, didn't see it there. Very powerful Python architecture for all manner of network tasks with wxWindows hooks (among others). Open source LGPL.
http://www.TwistedMatrix.com
Posted by: Mark at October 27, 2003 01:22 PM
Congrats on being mentioned in Wired magazine! http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/linus.html?pg=6
BTW, forcing the user to preview before they submit could help reduce blog spam .... good idea.
Posted by: Ryan Lowe at October 29, 2003 06:14 AM
Hi Mitch,
I worked a long time ago in DEC on ALL-IN-1, and some knowledge of ObjectLens (which if I recall was a direct ancestor of Lotus Notes and Email filtering.
Anyway - reading between the lines of the Chandler review in Wired, I became quite excited at the idea of a completely new way of using email/IM/blogs/webpages even. I've often found myself having 1-1 emails which should have been IM's or emails thats should have been UseNote postings etc. It seems to me that there are actually a series of abstract interactions between individuals and sets of individuals (known or unknown), with varying levels of discontinuity over time (IM - is 1-1,N-M instant response, Webpage is 1-N No response), together with extreme privacy controls and some concept of Time and Topic (although these are perhaps artificial).
It would be amazingly cool to be able to merge all forms of textual communication to a common standard, and have tools that could grab the right mode of interaction.
Is this what Chandler is to be? If so sign me up :)
Winton
Posted by: Winton Davies at October 31, 2003 03:46 PM
I also read recent, "Wired" & "MIT Tech" mag on Chandler & was really excited. I am a non tech person - no programming just sales background. I remember using 123 and Agenda, they were great after that well....
We desperately need a new type of interface and now programs are limiting, too complex and inflexible for the average user - me. It is not worth my time or effort to go through 100+ page books & classes so I get by but the programs don't do or work like I think.
Windows was nothing but a rip off of the MAC idea and has become increasing complex w/ no ROI.
Often I think why am I sitting her doing the travel stuff tickets, trips, etc. when an 'agent' should be doing those things - hotels, rental cars, etc. etc. The 'productivity tool' has turned me into a secretary?
Although not a genius, God gave me common sense and most of the programs out there now just don't get it or come close to doing the things I want or need them to do.
When you finish Chandler in late 2004 I want to sell for you.
Elaine
Posted by: Elaine at November 4, 2003 06:14 PM
I also read recent, "Wired" & "MIT Tech" mag on Chandler & was really excited. I am a non tech person - no programming just sales background. I remember using 123 and Agenda, they were great after that well....
We desperately need a new type of interface and now programs are limiting, too complex and inflexible for the average user - me. It is not worth my time or effort to go through 100+ page books & classes so I get by but the programs don't do or work like I think.
Windows was nothing but a rip off of the MAC idea and has become increasing complex w/ no ROI.
Often I think why am I sitting her doing the travel stuff tickets, trips, etc. when an 'agent' should be doing those things - hotels, rental cars, etc. etc. The 'productivity tool' has turned me into a secretary?
Although not a genius, God gave me common sense and most of the programs out there now just don't get it or come close to doing the things I want or need them to do.
When you finish Chandler in late 2004 I want to sell for you.
Elaine
Posted by: Elaine at November 4, 2003 06:16 PM
I don't understand the "Sophie's Choice" comment - you don't mean "Hobson's Choice" do you?
Robert
Posted by: Robert at November 10, 2003 04:56 AM
In the movie "Sophie's Choice" (adapted from the William Styron novel) Meryl Streep, as a young Polish mother, is forced by the Nazis to decide which one of her two children will live and which will die. Perhaps a bit dramatic of a metaphor for feature selection, but then I do feel strongly about what's in the product.
Posted by: Mitch Kapor at November 10, 2003 09:13 AM
Is Mitch still around?
Is his web blog a real blog or is it a 'apologies-blog'?
I wish Mitch all the best.
Posted by: jack at November 11, 2003 10:30 AM