Live Mesh Not Yet Live
Sometimes an idea is so brilliant that my weak mind can't grasp it. Other times,
I'm confused because the idea is too complex or the explanation unclear. Microsoft's
new Live
Mesh initiative clearly falls into one of these categories.
The basic concept is fairly simple. The mesh refers to the fact that most of
us have multiple computing devices which will be able to communicate and synchronize
by turning into our own private mesh. This mesh, which lets my laptop and phone
have the same files as my desktop, also ties into to the "cloud" so
our storage and services can be Web-based.
Here's where it gets a mite confusing: Live Mesh isn't really a thing we can
plug into, but a set
of developer services and technologies that allows meshes to be built. And
developers can use nearly any language to build meshes.
I have many questions. First, shouldn't data synchronization between devices
have been solved long ago? Didn't Windows 95 have Briefcase for just this purpose?
Second, this sounds way too abstract and futuristic. Any time I see something
this broad, without a lot of detail, I figure it will take years to emerge --
if it ever happens at all.
And, as I read into the details, it appears that Live Mesh will include a host
of software services, which sounds great 'til you realize these have to be paid
for somehow. One option is to clutter our screens with ads, which makes it hard
to concentrate. (How can you write a memo to employees when you're staring at
a bikini ad?) The other is to pay for them through subscriptions -- just one
more item to add to the list that already includes our Symantec subscriptions,
cell phones, cable TV and broadband Internet.
How much do you spend a month on TV, phone and Internet? Let us know by writing
me at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on April 28, 2008