Why do I think Chrome OS is revolutonary

When I learned about Chrome OS for the first time, I thought it would be nice. I didn't foresee billions of users converting to ChromeBooks, but it made sense: notebooks were everywhere, proprietary OS was still expensive and heavy and tablet devices were science fiction.

But then came the iPad and shuffled the deck. With the release of recent Chromebooks, I noticed a backlash of criticism. It's easy, I must admit. Tablets are forming their niche. Android gives a very good fight not only to Apple's iOS but also to legacy operating systems, such as Windows. So why would I? That's a good question if you look through a narrow keyhole. Open the door and take a broader look at the ecosystem.

Chrome OS has a very limited native user interface framework. Let's focus for a moment on this statement. Take a look at your desktop computer or smartphone. It's native UI consists of many visual elements: windows, toolbars, keypads, dialogs, data-grids, etc. Smartphones have a built in set of applications, exposing a diverse set of UI elements: a dialer, contact list, text messages and more. Both desktop and smartphone UIs are consistent in colors, look and feel. Chrome OS behaves very differently. In daily use, it almost doesn't have a native, built-in user interface. It shows a browser, where every application is actually a web-page. And web pages, by their nature, are democratic and not confined to a strict, limited set of UI elements. If you are using a Chromebook solely with Google's web applications, you are faced with Google's minimalist UI. If, instead, you rely on Microsoft's web applications, you enjoy a very different experience (though the term "enjoy" may be controversial).

But what if we took this democracy into smaller devices? What if you had a Chrome OS smartphone? Your basic phone applications, such as contact list, dialer and text messages could wear many skins - because it's html. One design would look dramatically different than the other - and the best designs would rule. Customization would be easier and individuality will thrive. The OS will have an access to the device's native capabilities, such as camera, location and accelerometer. Developers will have a free hand in exposing the UI for these capabilities and features.

I like this concept. I like it because simple, agile HTML/Javascript, paired with today's fast and economic processors can give a good fight to native UI and its development complexity overhead. If the user experience is not compromised - this can be the beginning of a new era: like the web - one language fits all client sides, very little cross-platform adaptations would be required the user experience would be where it belongs - in the center. I like it because it removes a lot of boundaries.

Crete 2010 vacation at Villa Eleana

It started with a good sign. When we unpacked at Villa Eleana, I found a paperback copy of Anna Karenina* on the bookshelf. One of its 864 pages was ear marked. Just one page. Since I have already started reading Anna Karenina in my iPad - I was amazed to see that the bookmarked page was the exact page I was just reading. What a coincidence! The page describes the rural life of Constantin Levin, one of the main characters. Rural life - we had plenty of it in Crete.

This was indeed a great summer vacation: the accommodation was great, we enjoyed nice mountain view, private swimming pool, comfortable facilities and nearby attractions, such as Plakias with its beautiful beaches and Rethymnon, about which I will elaborate further.

Most of the time we cooked our meals out of fresh local ingredients. The yard's barbecue was very busy, so were the kitchen's stove and oven.

Did Google loot Facebook?

Choosing a name to a product is a skill for the masters. A known, embarrassing story is the name Mitsubishi picked for their 90s SUV - Pajero. None did their decision makers know about its meaning in some Spanish speaking countries' slang: masturbate. Ouch. Later models marketed in these countries carried a different name, of course, leaving a heavy dust cloud of doubtful reputation behind them.

A totally different case is Google's new social network name - Buzz. This name, though not awkward as the given example, fell as a ripe fruit to the hands of us, native Hebrew speakers. In Hebrew it can be used all alone or as part of other words, making a saucerful of meanings and sub-texts. To begin with, the English slang Buzz is commonly used in modern Hebrew, so Google did a good job here. We use Buzz for its meaning. Using "buzz" for describing a buzz is "cool", yet another English slang adopted by Hebrew speakers. It's cool to say cool in Hebrew and it's totally uncool to use the original Hebrew word for it, Giz'ii, literally meaning "pedigree".

So how do us, Hebrew speakers, roll, mince, chop, dice and reuse Buzz? Let's start:
"Bahz" (pronounced similarly to Buzz, with shorter z) stands for two different Hebrew words. Multiple meaning is a common practice in our ancient language. The funnier one in our context is to despite. So the first Hebrew reactions to Google Buzz could be translated into something like "I despite Google Buzz", making the reader pronouncing the word "Buzz" twice in two different meanings.

The other translation is falcon. My original reaction to Google Buzz's name was - "Hey, there is also Google Hawk, it anyone is interested". This opened an interesting bird-watching thread. One of the replies was - "I would prefer pigeon mail over Gmail. Pigeons are more sophisticated than falcons. Yes, a pigeon is slower, but at least it gives you the illusion that it cares for you." The responder continues: "I wonder whether Google decided to start a whole line of bird-named products. Google-Peres would be the perfect one for diplomacy". Some explanation is needed here: Israeli president Shimon Peres's second name. In English Peres is vulture. Got the idea?

We're not done yet. Being a syllable in other words, Buzz gets yet new, surprising meanings in Hebrew. "Mevuzbaz" (like many Hebrew words, use terminal stress in pronouncing) means "wasted". Just imagine the long tail of threads around this word and its declinations, a whole gammer world in Hebrew: Bizbez, Yevuzbaz, Bizbazti and so forth, don't bother with the translation. Bzahz, an Arabic word meaning "udders" was adopted in Hebrew slang as boobs. So it can be somehow awkward, but the pronouncing is a bit different here, where the two Zs (yes, two of them J) sound more like the letter J in Jargon.

Let's terminate this discussion with "Bazahz", terminal stress again, means to loot. Read the post headline again now.

WWI

No, this does not stand for World War 1.

I think that one of the most asked questions after an innovative product is presented to the world, usually begins with
"Why Would I?". Well, it's not just Apple's new iPad. I guess that decades ago, WWI questions were asked with the introduction of the telephone, radio and TV. "Why would I want to be interrupted by ringing bells during tea time, darling?", "Why would I want to host foreign people's voices in my living room?", "Why would I sit and watch movies instead of reading books or listening to the radio"? and so forth.

Of course, many more WWIs were probably asked about products or innovations that nobody really needed, ending up in history's garbage. God knows how many insomniac nights did I spend in front of some TV shopping channels, ending up not buying any innovative mop, because why would I need one. Better recollection now reminds me that I didn't have a nickel to spare that time, but that another issue.

But once a truly innovative product is adopted, no one questions it. WWI is then replace with IWI, standing for "I Wish I" / "I wish It". I wish I was able to call friends without the need for a human operator in the middle. I wish I could carry it with me everywhere. I wish it had colors, not just black and white. Or, in our case, you already hear IWI for built-in camera, USB, HDMI, multitasking, you name it. And the sucker hasn't hit the stores yet.

Indeed, I have a few WWI for the iPad myself. Why would I want to have email and other push alerts when I try concentrating in a book? This is where the Kindle shines - it does one thing perfectly. No interventions, great readability, long battery life. People use other devices for email, text or other alerts, usually their phones, laptops or Netbooks. Why would I want to watch movies on it? At home I have a variety of devices just for that - a plasma screen hanging on the wall, two desktop computers and one laptop, all have great visible quality and 16:9 screens. On the go I have my iPhone, why would I? the iPad looks a bit large and heavy holding it for a long time, standing in the subway.

In business trips I will always carry a laptop with me. I need some heavy duty software, like photoshop, integrated development environments and other geek stuff, not available on an iPad. Of course, during a boring meeting, it would be a breeze to use it, but that's about it.

So why would I, indeed? The answer is in the question. Unlike mops utilizing latest NASA technologies, this one really has something into it. We don't know what exactly this thing is, but unless it's a total technological failure, which it's not, you will see people using it everywhere. Home, office and on the go. No one will ask WWI. It will just be there. Easy to use, a bit irritating with alerts during Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, a bit needy on battery life, well - a bit of everything, annoying to pleasing.

Israel's first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, said once: "I don't care about what the people wants. I know the people needs". That what some of us love in Apple. As Steve Jobs himself once said, about his Apple exile period: “It took us three years to build the NeXT computer. If we'd given customers what they said they wanted, we'd have built a computer they'd have been happy with a year after we spoke to them - not something they'd want now.”. And if he's wrong this time?

Happy birthday, Mr. Orringer!

I don't speak French. Apparently, a great portion of my family lives in France: my late Grandfather's sister immigrated to France after WW2 and together with her husband raised four children. But I do speak some English, and as you can see I can even compose a sentence or two into a logical phrase. Thanks, Mr. Ruben Moses, my high school English teacher - I owe you that one. Luckily, another big portion of my family lives in the US - again it's my grandpa's fault: his uncle immigrated to the states in the 30's, if I recall well. So luckily, my American relatives can read this.

A few years ago I registered to an online genealogy tool and started an online family tree. I added as many relatives as I could, did some research to cover knowledge gaps and consulted my parents and grandmother. This turned out to be quite viral - relatives added their own relatives and the tree grew up rapidly. I could have forgotten all about it, but luckily this service keeps sending me birthday reminders.

As a child, I remember that we had some solid connections with our overseas family. We exchanged letters and visits. Well, let's be honest here - they visited us in the holy land way more than we could afford visiting them. My mother's second uncle, Phil and his late wife Margery volunteered and donated to Zionist organizations - something that my parents could not afford. But look what happened: communication has become much easier, transportation is cheaper and our economic situation is better. We keep getting these reminder emails, but seldom bother sending congratulations. When we do send them ("we" - is both sides), a reply is even more rare.

So here is to you, Mr. Eugene Orringer, for your birthday today. Happy birthday Eugene! I wish you and your family a long, happy and healthy life. This is nothing but a sincere and honest birthday greeting. There is and there can't be any hidden agenda behind it. Sorry for the cynicism, but I don't plan to visit NC anytime near, no offense, so you can keep that extra bed folded. Cynicism aside, I am quite sure that if I knocked on your door at 2am asking for a place to stay - I would have been welcome. That's mutual, you know. It's been years since a Weiner or Orringer challenged our hospitality. So let me use this platform to invite you guys to visit us. You know we live in quite an interesting place. It would be our pleasure. I remember well Estelle's visit to Israel, staying at our home when I was a child.

Again, no offense, but this is an open invitation not only to you, Eugene. Wherever you are, my family members, my home is yours. And by the way, hell - I should visit NC one day, shouldn't I?

This post is also translated to Hebrew, here.