Walled Gardens, Robert Frost, and Online
March 11, 2010
I find the write ups in Gigaom (free version) interesting. I rarely agree or disagree. The business spin on the articles is solid. I did balk at “A Belated New Year’s Resolution: No Walled Gardens” by Jim Louderback, one of the former Ziff people. I think former Ziff people are wonderful, but I was disconcerted by the article. The idea is a little Platonic for me. The ideal world is definitely not one that I inhabit. Reality is proprietary systems, clever plays for vendor lock in, and outright duplicity.
For me, one of the more curious passages in the write up was:
Well basically it means to eschew controlled environments, whatever the cost , and to embrace open platforms with all your heart.
Let’s think about this walled garden stuff.
First, code something for Google. Now try to repurpose the code; that is, get the code out of Google. Nope. One way street. All that open source razzle dazzle is subject to the same vagaries as Google Gadgets were. One day something is there; the next day that something is gone. Not long ago a query for “skin cancer” and “recipe” produced glimpses of a more sophisticated Google results list. Poof. Gone. Google wants to be the big dog, and I think that a person who sees Google as open may want to spend some time poking around Google’s patent documents and the firm’s technical papers. Hurry. Some of these disappear pretty quickly now. Google is more locked down than most companies. Walled garden is a gentle description of Google’s set up in my opinion.
Second, Apple. Here’s a way to see how Apple runs its railroad. Deauthorize a computer from your iTunes account. Now plug in your iPod. The system removes certain content from the iPod. Now that’s an open system. I hate the hassle of deleting a podcast from iTunes. I hit delete and then I have to hit M. I want to delete not do two things. The App Store? Even worse. Just ask a WiFi app developer. Apple is a one-way street, and I think Google has decided to emulate Apple but with an even more New Age spin.
Third, Cisco. Example. Hewlett Packard and Cisco are no longer pals. Why? Well, neither outfit wants to be open. What about other plumbing companies. The same. Get a Meraki device. How open is that? In my opinion, it is not open. What’s open are the marketing assertions. The reality is that Meraki wants to nuke Cisco, Alcatel, and any other network vendor. Once everyone is in Meraki-land, the walls will become more visible in my opinion. (Keep in mind that Google is an investor in Meraki.)
Finally, let me highlight a couple of other closed outfits. Both practice lock in but in idiosyncratic ways. IBM is focused on keeping customers on the reservation. IBM talks about open source, but when you want to make something work, you don’t get too much open source code to help iron out the many glitches in Filenet in my experience. Microsoft? Closed. The “open” aspects of a Microsoft system are a result of security bugs. Oracle? You want a fast Oracle database, buy the Oracle-Sun hardware solution.
In short, today’s IT market is about lock in, walled gardens, and keeping competitors out and customers in.
Maybe in Alice in Wonderland, not today’s IT market. I think good fences make good neighbors.
Stephen E Arnold, March 11, 2010
No one paid me to write this. Because I mentioned Alice in Wonderland, I will report non payment to the Office of Management and Budget, where the reality of numbers is the essence of life.
Comments
One Response to “Walled Gardens, Robert Frost, and Online”
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I appreciate your thoughts. In fact, I’m most excited about the fact that I got you to disagree – I think that’s definitely one of the key things an opinion column needs to do. Definitely rather you agree or disagree rather than just absorb.
I’m just not a fan of lock in because I think it causes big problems down the road. But I see the security implications, for sure.
I haven’t seen Alice in Wonderland yet, but it’s only available in walled gardens, er, theaters, so I just might have to wait.
jim