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Home » Computers And Internet Articles » The Seamless Web

The Seamless Web

http://www.enfish.com/

The hype over ubiquitous (or pervasive) computing (computers everywhere) has masked a potentially more momentous development. It is the convergence of computing devices interfaces with web (or other) content. Years ago - after Bill Gates overcame his misplaced scepticism - Microsoft introduced their "internet-ready" applications. Its word processing software ("Word"), other Office applications, and the Windows operating system handle both "local" documents (resident on the user's computer) and web pages smoothly and seamlessly. The transition between the desktop or laptop interfaces and the web is today effortlessly transparent.

The introduction of e-book readers and MP3 players has blurred the anachronistic distinction between hardware and software. Common speech reflects this fact. When we say "e-book", we mean both the device and the content we access on it. As technologies such as digital ink and printable integrated circuits mature - hardware and software will have completed their inevitable merger.

This erasure of boundaries has led to the emergence of knowledge management solutions and personal and shared workspaces. The LOCATION of a document (one's own computer, a colleague's PDA, or a web page) has become irrelevant. The NATURE of the document (e-mail message, text file, video snippet, soundbite) is equally unimportant. The SOURCE of the document (its extension, which tells us on which software it was created and can be read) is increasingly meaningless. Universal languages (such as Java) allow devices and applications to talk to each other. What matters are accessibility and logical and user-friendly work-flows.

Enter Enfish. In its own words, it provides:

"...Personalized portal solution linking personal and corporate knowledge with relevant information from the Internet, ...live-in desktop environment providing co-branding and customization opportunities on and offline, a unique, private communication channel to users that can be used also for eBusiness solutions, ...Knowledge Management solution that requires no user set-up or configuration."

The principle is simple enough - but the experience is liberating (try their online flash demo). Suddenly, instead of juggling dozens of windows, a single interface provides the tortured user (that's I) with access to all his applications: e-mail, contacts, documents, the company's intranet or network, the web and OPC's (other people's computers, other networks, other intranets). There is only a single screen and it is dynamically and automatically updated to respond to the changing information needs of the user.

"The power underlying Enfish Onespace is its patented DEX 'engine.' This technology creates a master, cross-referenced index of the contents of a user's email, documents and Internet information. The Enfish engine then uses this master index as a basis to understand what is relevant to a user, and to provide them with appropriate information. In this manner Enfish Onespace 'personalizes' the Internet for each user, automatically connecting relevant information and services from the Internet with the user's desktop information.

As an example, by clicking on a person or company, Enfish Onespace automatically assembles a page that brings together related emails, documents, contact information, appointments, news and relevant news headlines from the Internet. This is accomplished without the user working to find and organize this information. By having everything in one place and in context, our users are more informed and better prepared to perform tasks such as handling a phone call or preparing for a business meeting. This results in ... benefits in productivity and efficiency."

It is, indeed, addictive. The inevitable advent of transparent computing (smart houses, smart cards, smart clothes, smart appliances, wireless Internet) - coupled with the single GUI (Graphic User Interface) approach can spell revolution in our habits. Information will be available to us anywhere, through an identical screen, communicated instantly and accurately from device to device, from one appliance to another and from one location to the next as we move. The underlying software and hardware will become as arcane and mysterious as are the ASCII and ASSEMBLY languages to the average computer user today. It will be a real partnership of biological and artificial intelligence on the move.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Ozana Giusca Interview

Ozana Giusca is someone who knows how to spot an opportunity.

With the rapid development of Eastern Europe, she had a sense that there was a lack of quality resources available to companies in both Bulgaria and Romania to establish successful business ventures. In addition to this, she also found that Western companies needed quality advice when trying to business in the Eastern European Market. Put the two ideas together and Bridge Europe Consulting was born...

The Interview

DS: What inspired you to set up Bridge Europe Consulting Ltd?

OG: Two things inspired me:

(i) The lack of resources amongst Romanians and Bulgarians to develop successful projects,

(ii) the need for provision of professional services at international standards, for Western companies considering setting up operations in Romania and Bulgaria.

On the other hand, i was helping people with advice, as well as contacts â€" now I do the same, but I charge for it.

DS: Did you have any help setting up the company or were you going it alone?

OG: I set it up entirely on my own. However, I did have few brainstorming sessions with the consultants I work with â€" these are professionals with various skills, that I outsource specific tasks to.

DS: What was the biggest challenge you faced in bringing your idea to fruition? How was it overcome?

OG: Getting people to pay for consulting services. Persuasion, and development of good relationships with prospective clients always helps.

DS: What makes you most proud about your achievements with Bridge Europe Consulting Ltd?

OG: Even though very young, it is a brand that people already know and trust.

DS: How did you actually fund your business to get it off the ground?

OG: From revenues. The initial investment was extremely low, and we have started generating income from the very beginning. These days, all you need is a laptop with Internet connection, and a mobile phone.

DS: What attributes make a successful entrepreneur?

OG: Drive and hard work. Having a goal and desire for success.

You also have to love what you are doing and to believe in what you are doing.

DS: What do you believe are the necessary elements for a business venture to succeed?

OG: Satisfy a need, find a niche market, have the right 'offering' (in terms of packaging, pricing, positioning), have an appropriate action plan, with set targets and milestones. Have the appropriate mixture of skills within the team. Most important, DELIVER!

DS: How essential do you see a University education in achieving success as an entrepreneur?

OG: I do not think it is essential, but I think it is valuable. Higher education gives you a prospective and a structured approach. However, if one has the right attitude, it can be done.

DS: What are the three most important lessons you have learned about business and entrepreneurship?

OG: The three important lessons are:

(1) get things documented - get agreements on paper, do not rely on what people say

(2) execute mandates, and market your services at the same time. Grow your business as fast as you can.

(3) continuously expand your network (of friends, business partners, potential suppliers, anything)

DS: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Don't only dream about it! Do it!

DS: What's the number one book you would you recommend to aspiring entrepreneurs?

OG: I think people need different types of books, so I would rather not say any. It is a matter of taste, but also a matter of personal qualifications, background and understanding. People get motivated and incentivised by different things.

DS: What memorable mistakes, if any, have you made in business? What did you learn from them and how can they be avoided?

OG: Once I hadn't entirely assessed the client's abilities and understanding, and I had embarked on a project relying on his professionalism - which I learnt afterwards was totally missing. I ended up spending a lot of time educating the client - which was of course not paid for. From now, I will ensure the client knows exactly what needs to be done and especially, what are his/her responsibilities. It may sound too strong, but I ensure that the client is able to deliver, prior to signing the mandate.

DS: What are the best and worst things about being an entrepreneur?

OG: Best: Freedom, total control of your life. Huge satisfaction when success is reached. Internal fulfillment... and the list can go on.

Worst: you are a small fish in a big ocean. At the very beginning, it is not easy to get people to treat you properly (I mean getting them to take you seriously - and not only when you deliver a report or give advice, but especially when they have to fulfill their contractual obligations). On the other hand, cash flow is instable, so great attention should be given to the cash position in the first year of operations.

DS: Are there any other thoughts, insights, or advice for aspiring entrepreneurs that you'd like to add?

OG: It is a fantastic experience. One cannot realise how rewarding it is, until he/she starts! Once on that path, you will never want to go back to the corporate world!