Homepage, Sweet Homepage
Google’s new Homepage API is a perfect illustration of the weaknesses inherent in the server-centric web model. Note that I would have to submit my code to Google for approval just to modify my own homepage. This creates an unfortunate bottleneck where I have to wait some unspecified period of time and conform to potentially arbitrary criteria before I can enjoy the fruits of my labor. It also creates a perverse ownership model since I can’t host and distribute my software myself. This is a big deal for me, since I like to keep all my creations here on this blog. I would have no problem listing my homepage module (if I were to write one) in the Google directory, but primarily I want it to sit alongside my blog posts, essays, article and other software, creating a composite view of who I am and what I’m up to.
Contrast this with the client-centric approach used for Firefox and AllPeers extensions. Yes, Firefox has an official extensions site with similar controls to those used by Google. But I’m under no obligation to use their site. I can put my extensions on my blog, email or IM them to my friends, burn them on a CD and mail 10 copies to every AOL subscriber or whatever. This is a much more fertile environment to spur innovation. It’s great that Google has an open API, but they need an open process as well, and this can only work if data aggregation and manipulation occur on the client, not the server.
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Matt, Your issue has more to do with business model (inserting an editor/approavl process) than architecture.
Comment by Mike — 12/20/2005 @ 8:14 pm
Mike,
Does it? I’m sure that Google could get into a lot of hot water for hosting apps that it hasn’t run through some kind of manual approval process. The advantage of the client-centric (i.e. decentralized) approach is that it places the burden of trust where it belongs: on the author of the code. Of course, people may want to go through a trusted third party, but that should be an explicit choice, not a requirement.
Comment by Matt — 12/20/2005 @ 8:19 pm
Have you looked at the gadget solution from start.com? It allows that you host your own gadgets.
Comment by Julien Couvreur — 12/21/2005 @ 9:46 am
depth favicon
I really like Matthew Gertner’s favicon. Very striking, and unusual to see someone publish a 3 dimensional one….
Trackback by Bill de hÓra — 12/23/2005 @ 1:12 am