Google Wave

[Natobasso]

Originally Posted by ora

Yep NB, it is far from perfect, but at least someone is starting the conversation.

Any other takers?

XMPP has been around almost ten years, Google Wave certainly didn't start the conversation. http://www.xmpp.org

[ora]

OK, maybe a poor choice of phrase, made the conversation public perhaps? By analogy the Cloud did not begin with Amazon but they moved it into the sphere of public discussion.

Anyway, as I understand it XMPP refers to the realtime parts of Wave, which is not in fact the bit I think is exciting, its the annotation/internal threading etc. The support for embedded content etc etc.

Basically I get several hundred emails a day and it is not an efficient way to do my work, but it is what is used in the Industry, I just want to see people trying it implement alternatives or at least improvements on the grand scale, and Google are all about the grand scale.

[Natobasso]

Here's my thoughts:

1. Apple iChat also uses XMPP, as do many other chat clients, so what Google is doing is just building upon that framework and incorporating other functionality visually.

2. I think exploring this space is a good thing (what XMPP can do) but I don't think Google has implemented it particularly well. Most people who start using it, me included, take one look and say, "now what".

Google is not known for it's stellar interaction design, in fact the ratio is about 800 devs to 10 designers: http://thesalon.blogspot.com/2009/03...s-leaving.html

What I'm hoping is Google and everyone else, since XMPP is opensource, does is takes this thing to the point where we get GoToMeeting meets Twitter meets email with the usability level of an iPhone or Ducati motorcycle.

Sure, my expecations are high - but please Google, don't keep Wave in beta for 6 odd years like you did Google Mail. Iterate, but then finalise and commit.

My .02.

[#1 Rhapsody]

Sent you the PM.