We give Microsoft a lot of grief for launching too many me-too products and services. So when Microsoft does try something new, it’s only fair to point that out. Two announcements this week point to fresh thinking in Redmond. First is the launching of a little notebook-like utility called Thumbtack. The second is the hiring of identity management guru Dick Hardt.
Thumbtack is a utility that allows you to gather snippets of anything on the Web and, with a click of a button, toss it into a notebook to be saved, tagged, organized/shared with others. Highlight the item on the Web page — or let Thumbtack take the first couple of paragraphs for you — and with the help of an add-on for Internet Explorer or Firefox, boom, the item is stored in your notebook. If you aren’t a fan of add-ons, you can drag and drop or copy and paste items onto your Thumbtack page. What’s special about it is that it includes several gadgets that allow you to manipulate your newly saved info in useful ways. For instance, the address gadget automatically maps all the addresses in the collection of material you have on a notebook page. The layout gadget explores layouts on a canvas, the property gadget allows you to add your own properties and then, using the plot gadget, you can create charts or otherwise analyze your data. For instance, if you were researching potential new office sites, you can create your list of prospects from the Web pages you visit, plot the addresses on a map, chart the comparative costs and have your business partner take a look.
Another plus: Thumbtack is an AJAX application and Microsoft chose REST APIs to encourage others to build their own gadgets, which will use the Live Labs Web Sandbox for security.
On the downside, as a Windows Live application, it requires a Windows Live i.d. to use. On Oct. 27, Microsoft promised to implement support of the Web single sign-on standard OpenID (and has that feature available as a CTP version) but won’t have it available for production uses until 2009, it says. Another failing, this application seems to live alone — no toolbar integrates it with any other interesting Windows Live application, such as Live Mesh, or with Windows Live in general.
The application is also reminiscent of the Microsoft search and save utility Tafiti launched in late 2007. But Tafiti is built on Silverlight. Haven’t heard much buzz about Tafiti since its launch, although it seems to be a useful utility for those that know it exists, and take the time to master it. It allows you to search the Web, news sites, RSS feeds and images and then to drag those sites to a personal library. From your personal library, you can continue to interact with the material — such as posting a blog.
Another light through the Microsoft tunnel is the news this week that Redmond hired identity management guru Dick Hardt. (See related story, Why Are Entrepreneurs Joining Microsoft?) Microsoft is in need of fresh insight and ideas, and it is perhaps also in need of folks that can move a little faster in implementing up-and-coming Web standards like OpenID. (Microsoft actually joined the OpenID consortium in February.) Let’s hope people like Hardt can prod Microsoft along, and that people like Hardt don’t themselves get trod upon by the world’s largest software company and its distinctly control-freak corporate culture.
Still it is encouraging to see Microsoft building cool AJAX/REST services, giving a target date for OpenID (vague as it is) and hiring the likes of Hardt who has a strong background in open source technologies.
Visit the Microsoft Subnet web site for more news, blogs, podcasts. Also see:
Glenn Weadock: Windows Search optionsWindows 7 CrackedSeek and you will find … Windows 7 Federated Search with SharePoint8 little-known technologies that instantly make Microsoft shops run smoother17 job-hunting resources for Windows pros Subscribe to all Microsoft Subnet bloggers.bi-weekly Microsoft newsletter. (Click on News/Microsoft News Alert.)Sign up for the
