C#, VB.Net, XML and mass consumption of coffee.

At work I design and code tools that work with data. This data is collected from various sources, mainly people who don’t mind being interrupted at dinner time when data collectors call and ask questions. The issue with this approach in my view is that the data itself can’t be considered 100% reliable. After all, we tend to exaggerate some aspects of our lives even in front of a complete stranger. Human condition; makes you feel more important I guess.

One of the key things that analysts who work with this data are constantly looking for would be up-to-date information. Let’s face it; some things are fluid, changing all the time. If you would want to keep track of the population of a major city, lets say New York, how would you go about doing it? Keep on updating the data manually as new results come in? Have an intern whose job it would be to check daily if those numbers have changed? Well, if you can afford interns, then I guess you can afford some kind of integrated system build based on latest statistical data, but what about the rest of us?

Ever changing data is what sets apart current information from outdated. Consider that some heavy decisions are based on this data; I would imagine that it is important to always be up-to-speed. I am not going to say that GoogleLookup is THE solution, it is A solution, but this is a step in the right direction. Makes me want to consider giving Google Docs another look, despite the worries I have about having my documents indexed.

To me things like that are what make on-line based office solutions more attractive to businesses and simple users. Have a look at documentation, try this for yourself – all I can say, I am thoroughly impressed. For complete list of functions click here.

As much as I like Chrome, here is the problem:

11. Content license from you 

11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services. 

11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services. 

11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions. 

11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.

Now, that’s cold.  One would expect such things from Microsoft, but not from the company that claims “Do No Evil”.  While I can understand how a web site might claim that they own the content that you have generated on it via forums, blogs and so on, things like that from the browser seems to be a bit too extreme.  Many people will not be able to honestly accept such agreement – after all if you are at work, your employer probably has rights to all content generated by yourself that’s related to the employer’s business.  Same goes for universities and colleges – your research and your projects are part of Intellectual Property which most likely is property of the school.  This renders Chrome unusable for many people.  Not to mention that an open source browser that claims such rights sounds like a complete rip off.  Hoping that they will rethink the EULA in the future, after all, this just makes sense.  

BTW, posting this via Chrome.

This has been a quick and strange announcement.  I had read about it in the morning – actually watched that whole set of comics as I found the whole concept of explaining a new product through use of popuralized medium such as comics highly interesting.  First thing I thought of – what about FireFox – after all Google and Mozilla have been working together for quite some time.  I do understand the intention of Google to actually go and do their own thing – sometimes you have to do this to satisfy the need.  

As I was about to go home, I got a link to download the Chrome in it’s beta form.  Well, I have to admit – thins thing is great.  At least so far I am very happy with what they have done.  UI is simple and to the point – at first I thought having your tabs above the address bar is bizarre, but after couple of minutes I realized that this is where they are supposed to be – after all that’s a tab, and it has it’s own address bar and the rest.  By placing it above the rest of the window, that whole point is just emphasized.  According to the comics, the main thing was having multi threaded browser, where javascript would not lock up your browser, and I guess they’ve got that figured out.  There are couple of sites out there where I had to switch to IE just to view the content, as FireFox would take forever to load it – with Chrome this is not an issue.  Chrome is supposed to be a great platform for use with web apps as static HTML is a thing of the past, and that is a great point.  Web is not going anywhere, complexity of web apps are growing exponentially and will continue to do so in the future, we need to have a new browser to accommodate these trends.

There are couple of things that I think could have been done better, but after all this is beta, and I am sure the product will be improved.  For instance – after install I had to go through the dialog on importing settings from FireFox.  Passwords and usernames are fine, but my bookmarks from FireFox are nowhere to be found, although to be fair I have not really conducted extensive search.

Overall Chrome is great and it will become even better as it will mature