exsto

it's never that straightforward is it...

So I received my MacBook Air - I had to do it - I ordered it and it turned up. But - I planned to use VMWare Fusion to manage some of the business software I implement and one of two other bits of accounting software etc.

The kicker is that I didn't buy the CD drive that came with the Air - I bought the story that said I can piggy back the drive of another machine and that'll all be OK for installs etc.

Whilst that may be true for some install routines - any of them assume an attached physical CD drive - which isn't insurmountable (no pun) - but is a mega pain in the rear. So much in fact that I'm trying now to find a quick purchase of a USB CD drive - and whilst I'm there an Ethernet dongle.

So - the lesson here - if you're buying a MacBook Air - go do it. But you must buy an additional Ethernet dongle and the CD drive. In fact I'd call on our friends in Infinite Loop to package these up. Business users today still need them - and consultants like me who visit sites regularly need both and the compromise just isn't worth the time that I've now spent trying to get around the shortfall.

the power of an idea

my step-brother John Rostron has developed an idea called Sleeveface over the last few months - from a social object on Facebook into a blog based website and now into the news! From that initial idea will come a book and who knows what additional opportunities.

Whilst a niche idea, it has today made both the BBC News website and the Mirror

This is a cross-over story to make any Web2.0 / social software fan drool - in that the initial idea has generated a cash opportunity - that's the way to make it work - but the key here is that the guy leading the charge is a rock promoter - is there a new wave role for a similar role within the social software domain?

Social network platforms become invisible?

Interesting post from Guy Yeomans on the possible future disappearance of the particular social networking platforms - you know the usual suspects like Facebook, MySpace, Beba et al - and their replacement with more generic sharing - more I guess like a "SNIP"- Social Networking Internet Protocol (you heard it here first) by which individual platforms will share their (social networking) objects and packets.

Long way to go but I guess Facebook opened some of the doors - but membership and identity will alawys be key to a trusted network.