lets imagine

What's the next big thing in software? Perhaps it is wiki-based applications--they do seem to be croping up everywhere these days. But why would such a system (i.e. the platform for wiki-based applications) be limited to browser access? Why not a thin python client? And shouldn't it support scripting as one means of being user-extensible? This is my vision for the Agile Wiki.

Now why do I keep harping about rolonics and using rolonic terminology for everything? Rolonics is a theory that is helpful in describing persistent first-class user objects, their behavior (descriptors), relationships (classifiers), state (ledger) and changes over time (journal). And it is the only theory which is applicable. It is also complete, as it covers transformations and interoperability of complex systems (both are structure/stream/structure).

I know I've said this before, but I believe the reason why we keep reinventing things and creating ever-higher software stacks (servlets, session beans, entity beans, portlets, SOA) is because development is ad hoc. The industry as a whole lacks direction and has degenerated into fads. Software these days is all about fashion and if you're not working on the latest fad, you're nobody. This is not a good state of affairs. And it makes software very expensive.

I've become quite an advocate of Rolonics these last few years. It was developed by Norm Kashdan to describe things (objects) and knowledge systems. The power of software is in its ability to create models, which is also the power of language. And using Rolonics, I am convinced, provides a sound theoretical basis for software development.

I invite you then, and challenge you, to join me in this grand adventure, to reshape the software industry and indeed the way we think about the world around us. Work with me, learn more about rolonics, and put an end to software as a fashon.

Bill