Evolutionary Goo

Here are some links related to green computing from the last few weeks.

• The Story of Stuff (2008-4-22)
  
• The 5 quickest returns on your green investment (2008-4-22)
  
• 5 habits for greener computing (2008-4-22)
  
• IBM servers run cool to woo Web 2.0 crowd (2008-04-23)
• Six lessons learned at the Uptime Green Enterprise Computing Symposium (2008-05-01)
• HP Desktops Go Green (2008-05-13)
  
• Green IT Numbers Don’t Lie (2008-05-18)

There is a new Java web framework, Web4J, that has the goals of being simple, small, minimalistic and opinionated. I really love the idea of this framework. See the overview to get the full list of features. I worked with a number of Java web frameworks over the years. There are so many ways to build a web application that sometimes you just want something that is bare bones and doesn’t come with a bunch of external APIs. Those external APIs can give you lots of power, but also take time to learn and implement.

However, there is one drawback. This framework isn’t free and isn’t open source. Therefore, I don’t think much will come of it. Too bad.

Tapestry and it creator, Howard Lewis Ship, are back. Tapestry 5 is in beta and has started getting some good press. Here is a great introduction from InfoQ. I’ve worked with both Tapestry 3 and 4 and really like Tapestry 5’s approach to HTML templates and components. Tapestry was a ground breaking web framework a few years ago when it first came out and many frameworks, including JSF and Wicket, owe a lot of their ideas to Tapestry’s early innovations.

For better or worse, Tapestry 5 is a rewrite. The XML configuration files that were criticized in the past are now gone. And Tapestry 5 may be the first Java web framework to include an auto-reload feature that allows you to make code changes without redeploying. Very cool.

I think Tapestry 5 still has a chance for a unique place among the Java web frameworks. It uses XHTML templates over JSP pages. Its approach to development is still through components and not actions. And it doesn’t try to generate any Javascript on the fly. Instead if focuses on working with popular Javascript libraries like Prototype.

It will be interesting to see where Tapestry 5 goes. The rewrite has driven some developers away, while the new features will bring some of them along with others . I think the key for Tapestry 5 is to get some great books out there quickly. Also, it will be interesting to see what Trails 2 looks like. Trails, which is a web framework in the spirit of Rails, will be written on top of Tapestry 5.

OK, I’ll play. I’m not sure how exciting twittering will be unless I find it to be a nice replacement or supplement for IM. You can follow me here. I can see how people are getting hooked on it, however, I think it will be interesting to see if Twitter can sustain the hype.

I think any Java Web developer who uses Tomcat can Spring will be taking a look at this new application platform from Spring. I can’t wait to see the GPL version. InfoQ has a nice article on the news here.

The deadline has passed and still no merger between Microsoft and Yahoo. I really like Yahoo as a company, so I personally hope the merger doesn’t happen. If it does, I ‘ll have to decide if I am open minded enough to keep my Yahoo accounts open.

Microsoft has just announced its new Mesh product. It sounds like an interesting and compelling product especially if you are OK with running on Windows. However, with Microsoft’s woes related to the Vista release of Windows, I thought of this quote from movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

King of Swamp Castle: When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that’s what you’re going to get, Lad, the strongest castle in all of England.

If Microsoft can’t fix Vista, will Mesh even matter?

This video about “stuff” is very thought provoking and worthy of your time if you are the least bit interested in sustainability and issues that affect our environment. One thing I find interesting about sustainability (or environmentalism or conservationism for that matter), is that planning for a sustainable future touches on both liberal and conservative political ideas. Sustainability really shouldn’t have to be political at all. And for us to go forward we’ll have to get past politics and be able to agree on solutions to fix our current problems.

As a software developer, the video also made me think about what I do for a living and how I can help. What is cool is that I think in many ways software development trends have already started down this path. The current trends of getting away from bloatware, making software simpler and easier to use, as well as requiring less computing resources to run applications are all ways in which software developers can help to build a sustainable future.

Using a lightweight PC operating system like Linux or a programming language that doesn’t require a bloated IDE can help to not need to purchase a new PC or laptop every two or three years. Creating lightweight applications for others to use will not only decrease the demand for new PCs, but can also create more efficient and easier to use applications that make better use of people’s time. People should be able to get their work done faster, use their computers less and enjoy using a computer more.

While software developers are compensated well, I know many developers who are not just in it for the money. They are in it for the love of technology and a passion to create things. I think sustainability can become one more reason to love the profession.

Dr. Peter Raven will be speaking at Manchester United Methodist Church on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 PM. Dr. Raven is currently the director of the famed Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, MO and has been called a “Hero of the Planet” by Time Magazine. His speech is titled, “Building a Sustainable World: Our Responsibility, Our Future”. This is a public event and is free of charge.

For more information, click here.

If you subscribe to HBO and are not watching the mini-series on John Adams, you are depriving yourself of a terrific history lesson and an entertaining television experience. The series airs every Sunday evening at 8 PM and has one more episode remaining to air. HBO will be airing the entire series leading up to the final part next Sunday in case you have been missing out.