Here's a followup to my initial proposal for us to create free open source, media management servers - (probably) utilizing Apache Cocoon.
By creating what amounts to intelligent proxy and registry servers for media, on-line tools and communities can share media (within the spirit of the Creative Commons) or AT LEAST just not have to duplicate the code that EVERYONE is gonna need for managing media. Whether you're moblogging from your photo camera, streaming media from some service, storing files on a virtual hard drive, subscribing to on-line services, cow-towing to whatever Microsoft shoves down your throat, stealing MP3 files, buying media legally or even creating media yourself - every modern on-line system today has to:
- keep track of where the media it, and what device it's on
- enable it to be easily integrated into the blog, community, page, webapp or service, etc.
- keep meta-data around about the media; who owns it, created it, what the 'deal' is, its size, shape, depth, etc.
- scale itself to the available bandwidth
- follow its owner around through their digital lifestyle (home, school, office, on the road)
Many people think these sorts of media management systems are the key to their proprietary platforms or systems. By making this sort of code open and publicly available, we can level the playing field and get tool vendors onto the next big thing, rather than get them all hung up in creating the same dam code - all over again!
And to those who already have their own media management in place, this idea can serve as a way for them to 'gateway' into blogging tools, on-line communities and competitors services. There are only benefits from this idea - no one loses. And I believe this is one of the reasons Apache Coccon was created - in the first place.
I wonder how many people know that Paolo - in addition to being a super nerdy toolsmith, content management system, eBusiness, hosting nerd, is ALSO a true Rennaisance man? Especially based upon where he's from and where he lives now. Gradisca - which is where Paolo's grandfather is from, (and his current home) is also the location of a great wall built by Leonardo to keep out the Turks.
Only problem - the Count of Gorizia sold out to the Turks and they went AROUND the wall! Just another Italian politics story. Afterall - though the Greeks invented the word - politics really was invented in Italy.
