Browser based applications

I don’t understand how Microsoft continues to retain its position as software leader when there are so many competing free online resources available.

I am a big fan of Google Docs and its competitor Zoho. Lifehacker provides a good comparison of the features provided y both.

And there’s also Open Office, an open-source program which I believe is restricted to your desktop and not available via the internet (last time I used it was in 2005).

Yahoo! just acquired Zimbra — which is more of a training or webinar type service to compete with Zoho Chat and Meeting

Now that I’ve switched from PC to Mac, I’ve been using Google Docs and Zoho (I really do need to commit to one) exclusively.

What do you use?

Filed under: Eureka!, eye opener

Rome Reborn 1.0

Scientists, historians and archaeologists came together to recreate Rome as it appeared on 21 June 320 AD. The 3D city runs in real time and took 10 years to develop. Travel back in time and see Rome Reborn 1.0.

I’d love to see someone develop something like this for Lisbon prior to the earthquake of 1755. Records and correspondence indicate the city was the jewel of Europe before that natural disaster. The fires and floods killed almost 90,000 people and destroyed the city’s infrastructure. It would be interesting to see what the city looked like before the wide avenues and squares were built.

Filed under: Eureka!, pure gold

Encompassing the Globe

The Sackler Gallery hosted one of my all-time favorite exhibitions – Encompassing the Globe – about the Portuguese maritime explorations in the 16th and 17th centuries.

My mom and I attended the opening of the exhibit back in June and since then I’ve gone through the collection of maps and paintings and furniture and religious relics about two dozen times. I’m particularly fascinated by the armillary spheres.

I thought I had a good understanding of Portugal’s history during the age of exploration – but this show proved my knowledge at best inadequate and at worst disgraceful considering my parents were born there. I really need to bone up on my world history.

Filed under: Around Town, Eureka!