I’m really suprised thateverybody is trying to create the “web based office” from scratch. We have a huge elephant in the room: the weblog.  Scrap the idea that we have to have a desktop app for the next gen of desktop tools. Scrap the idea that we have to make something which is a word processor. Take your head out of your butts and realize: we dont need anopther word processor! we need a REPLACEMENT for the word processor.

Take a blogging tool.  Create a content divide: public/private, add save and e-mail features (think PDF/RTF/ODF). Add some calendaring, A generic interface to mysql as a DB, and some spreadsheet and BAM. There you are.  You have your new e-mail client. Your new word processor, Your collaboration space, Your new callendaring tool. Youve got your 1:1 your 1:many and your 1:*.

Software companies need to realize that the blog is the next desktop.  We’re quickly entering the point in the evolution of the internet where the  user *is* represented in realtime by a digital avatar… sure its not the 3d one we saw in those terrible movies from the 80s (no lawnmowerman for you!) but we’re HERE. It’s NOW. People are living a connected life, and the gap between pushing, sharing, and publishing is shrinking each day.

The future is still tomorrow. But change is HERE.