Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

The road to Manila

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:6/13/1999; 11:54:46 AM
Topic:Easy Content Syndication
Msg #:7301 (In response to 7298)
Prev/Next:7300 / 7302

Do you plan on distributing this code?

I don't know. Still figuring that out. We may do web hosting, we may offer Manila separately, or we may bake it into a future Frontier release. We're moving to a new place, it's uncharted territory, it's kind of like Clay Basket in a web browser. If Manila becomes part of Frontier, the nature of Frontier changes, dramatically. I'm not sure if people are ready for that kind of change.

BTW, we cracked a big barrier to web-hosting a few weeks ago. We found a safe way to limit the power of macros without completely crippling dynamic features. It's very cool. We could see an explosion in the web-hosting business. I'm not sure whether we should go into an operational mode, offering the service for people, or if we should distribute the software for others to do it.

I hesitate to raise these questions, because as recent experience has indicated, people here are really sensitive to change. I can see the complaints piling on right now. Whatever, I'll do my best. As someone once said during a new-release flamefest on one of the lists, "You guys should be celebrating." I think I have very good news to deliver, but just a sneak preview has begat very little but complaints.

I hate to be so defensive, but you guys have trained me well. There you go, a complaint from me! I've been talking with my friend Doc Searls, one of the Cluetrain authors, about the other side of the Cluetrain, a cluetrain for customers. With increased communication with the vendors, what new responsibilities do customers have?

I've been following the recent messes at eBay and I shudder at the harsh judgment of a whole new generation of customers. They want service as reliable as phone service or TV. I can only imagine how hard it is to keep a service like eBay on the air. I want to learn. I want to get there. But I wonder how hard it will be to bring all the people along on the ride. Are you ready to focus seriously on a new way of doing things? Help me build something really big?

There are responses to this message:

This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:50:45 PM.

© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.