IT Valentines 2008

By Debra Donston

The software as a service model-

Speaking of SAAS, there’s hardly a day that goes by around here when someone doesn’t say, “I’ll build a Google spreadsheet/document/calendar for that.” Many a project management app has come and gone, but the free Google productivity suite provides a simple, effective place for colleagues to keep updated and share ideas.

No, the XO didn’t come in at $100, and, yes, there have been-

Companies that have implemented server virtualization are starting to run up against some challenges, in terms of managing and securing virtual instances, but there’s still a lot to love about the technology. With the ability to divide one x86 server into many, companies have been able to dramatically cut costs. And, with the forthcoming Windows Server 2008 offering built-in virtualization capabilities, it may be easier for companies who haven’t hopped on board the V-train to do so.

Joining a social networking site can be a bit overwhelming. It’s amazing how quickly connections are made and shared, and the opportunities for collaboration seem almost endless. But that’s the beauty of it, too, and an increasing number of companies are discovering how much potential the technology has as a way to connect with customers and effect better communications and relationships.

We were going to single out the iPhone here, but, really, it’s smart phones as a category that have evolved to the point that we now have almost seamless always-on access to our e-mail, the Web, contacts and so on. The iPhone is just the coolest one of all-

Wireless access anywhere? WiMax is still a ways from being mainstream, but the possibilities are pretty compelling.

We’ve been lost more times than we like to admit, so, now that GPS is available in a relatively affordable form for the masses, there are lots of long road trips in our future. And location-based services in general are poised to provide new ways for sellers to connect with buyers, among other things. Of course, we are a little creeped out by the thought of a latte coupon being sent to our smart phone as we pass the nearest Starbucks.

Video has been available on the Web pretty much since the Web’s inception, but the technology planets are in alignment such that Web video is effectively accessed by pretty much anyone. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video can be worth a million. Companies are increasingly seeing the value of video on their Web sites-

When a call to China costs as much as a call next door-

For too long, it was the norm for applications to be developed in a closed environment. The result was often platforms that didn’t play nicely with others, and were more difficult than they had to be to implement and maintain. The open-source model allows applications to be developed and updated by a community of stakeholders, and everything from IM to CRM is being offered by some provider or another as open source. Indeed, you know open source is closing in on mainstream status when Microsoft opens up some of its code.