Make it easy 2.0

Space

Developing web application and adding features to your site in Web 1.0 was a job for web developers, programmers, Webmasters. The game is changing and Web 2.0 has several companies which are working on applications to bring the development of web based applications within the reach of common users.

Panelists

Krishna Akella, Program Director, Emerging Internet Technologies, IBM

Michael Arrington, Editor, TechCrunch

Rael Arrington, CTO, O’Reilly Media

DabbleDB (www.dabbledb.com)

Dabble DB combines the best of group spreadsheets, custom databases, and intranet web applications into a new way to manage and share your information online. Panelists were very impressed with the frond end and felt that it could even front traditional databases like MySQL, Derby etc. It can really make developing database application easy. Panel was concerned about the lack of traditional database permission mechanism. DabbleDB doesn’t think it is a very big concern because it isn’t built to replace traditional databases but replaces spreadsheet’s barebones functionality.

Rally Point (www.rallypointhq.com)

Rallypoint is a powerful online collaboration service that allows you to use your favorite desktop word processor and combines it with the abilities of a secure hosted wiki, giving you the best of both worlds. Panelists commented on the challenge of differentiating from Wiki and Wiki based services that are already available. The current beta version is free but Rally point plans on moving to a subscription based model. Among the positive comments was the ease of use of Rally Point. This may actually allow them to rally users and make their presence felt!

The Form Assembly (www.formassembly.com)

Most users/bloggers have struggled to add feedback forms and questionnaires to their websites. Here is where the form assembly plans on making their mark. The Form Assembly offers web-based services dedicated to helping web professionals and everyday users alike create web forms and manage submitted responses. The business model is to charge users per response (12 cents/ response). The panelists’ verdict was that this might curtail the growth of a user base. The GUI also needs more pizzazz. It was also suggested that partnership with blog infrastructure may provide additional growth opportunities.

Zoho(www.zoho.com)

Zoho’s could make MS Office history by providing a web based version of all the tools from the office suite. The main challenge is that having a gamut of applications can sometimes cause a loss of focus. They also allow you to create web application without writing a single piece of code. The main comment from the panelists was to improve the PR and marketing focus. Also, the notion that Zoho is a follower and copies other applications was pointed out by one of the panelists but was refuted by Zoho.

Make it easy 2.0

Space

Developing web application and adding features to your site in Web 1.0 was a job for web developers, programmers, Webmasters. The game is changing and Web 2.0 has several companies which are working on applications to bring the development of web based applications within the reach of common users.

Panelists

Krishna Akella, Program Director, Emerging Internet Technologies, IBM

Michael Arrington, Editor, TechCrunch

Rael Arrington, CTO, O’Reilly Media

DabbleDB (www.dabbledb.com)

Dabble DB combines the best of group spreadsheets, custom databases, and intranet web applications into a new way to manage and share your information online. Panelists were very impressed with the frond end and felt that it could even front traditional databases like MySQL, Derby etc. It can really make developing database application easy. Panel was concerned about the lack of traditional database permission mechanism. DabbleDB doesn’t think it is a very big concern because it isn’t built to replace traditional databases but replaces spreadsheet’s barebones functionality.

Rally Point (www.rallypointhq.com)

Rallypoint is a powerful online collaboration service that allows you to use your favorite desktop word processor and combines it with the abilities of a secure hosted wiki, giving you the best of both worlds. Panelists commented on the challenge of differentiating from Wiki and Wiki based services that are already available. The current beta version is free but Rally point plans on moving to a subscription based model. Among the positive comments was the ease of use of Rally Point. This may actually allow them to rally users and make their presence felt!

The Form Assembly (www.formassembly.com)

Most users/bloggers have struggled to add feedback forms and questionnaires to their websites. Here is where the form assembly plans on making their mark. The Form Assembly offers web-based services dedicated to helping web professionals and everyday users alike create web forms and manage submitted responses. The business model is to charge users per response (12 cents/ response). The panelists’ verdict was that this might curtail the growth of a user base. The GUI also needs more pizzazz. It was also suggested that partnership with blog infrastructure may provide additional growth opportunities.

Zoho(www.zoho.com)

Zoho’s could make MS Office history by providing a web based version of all the tools from the office suite. The main challenge is that having a gamut of applications can sometimes cause a loss of focus. They also allow you to create web application without writing a single piece of code. The main comment from the panelists was to improve the PR and marketing focus. Also, the notion that Zoho is a follower and copies other applications was pointed out by one of the panelists but was refuted by Zoho.