nimbletoad blog

The web app platform Rails, built upon the Ruby framework, has enjoyed a rocketing lead in the publicity arena with all the press generated by 37 signals and their opinionated founders. In contrast, Django, built upon the python language has gained popularity while staying out of the limelight.

Over the past month the tide has begun to turn thanks to the help of Google. When Google’s Application Engine is released to the general public it will run on the python language and come pre-installed with Django.

While Google is considering offering other languages at a later date, at this point Python and Django are the Belles of the Ball.

Earlier this month Google announced the preview release of the Google App Engine. Is this the dawn of a new enlightened era or the foreshadowing of the Apocalypse? Think Terminator and Battlestar Gallactica. Google’s servers will now not only catalog and store our data, make use of our anonymous profiles, but run our software applications as well.

Google App Engine lets you run your web applications on Google’s infrastructure. App Engine applications are easy to build, easy to maintain, and easy to scale as your traffic and data storage needs grow. With App Engine, there are no servers to maintain: You just upload your application, and it’s ready to serve your users.

On one hand I find myself stoked at the the possibilities. The Google App Engine promises to solve many of the problems and barriers to entry previously encountered with web apps. It has always been difficult to deploy web apps. Adam Howell over at Vitamin sums up deployment frustrations at the start of his Google App engine review. Writes, “And if, by the grace of the server gods, I do finally get something that runs and deploys my code — well now I get to monitor it, keep it updated and running 24/7. Yay!.”

With Google Application Engine one only has to upload an app and Google does the rest. Plus the Google App Engine runs on Python and comes pre-loaded with the django framework. Now anyone with a little bit of drive and ingenuity can release their very own web app. POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

On the other hand something can be said for the distribution of control. Let us all hope the good hearted people at Google always remain smarter than their creations.

Free has a price. Make no mistake about it. The old saying, “You can’t get something for nothing” rings true especially in today’s Internet.

Google and Yahoo do not provide free search and email out of the goodness of their hearts. Myspace and Facebook do not exist simply because the founders were lonely. There is a seemingly endless list of sites offering you free access to their services. Mint will let you track your money for free. Sites like Cellar Tracker and Vin Cellar will let you track your wines. Yahoo’s Flickr will even let you store your photos without a charge. The question is “Why?”

Well, the March issue of Wired magazine declared Free as the Future of Business. At first glance it makes sense. Think back to the classic example of Gillette giving away the razor so it could sell the blades, or of Hewlett Packard virtually giving away printers so it could sell ink jet cartridges. Giving away something to ensure a future revenue stream seems logical. But, what about the long term? What if customers wake up one day and realize they have sold their souls for a shiny trinket?

Everyone must ask themselves “Is the free razor [or email, or storage site] worth it ?”

Is the privacy I’m giving up to sites such as Google and Myspace worth the utility I get? I used to think so. However, now I’m not so sure. I think I’ve discounted what my anonymous data is worth. On March 31, 2008 Google declared revenue of 5.19 billion for the previous quarter. It would appear Google’s product, namely our “anonymous” data is pretty valuable.

But, what about sites like Mint and Vin Cellar that do not sell advertising?

Instead of a direct answer, let’s take a look at 37 Signals. 37 Signals is not only the creator of Ruby on Rails, but of many web apps.

37 Signals does it right. They make no bones about it. They offer free functional versions of their web apps such a Basecamp and Campfire to lure you into the paid plans with greater functionality. 37 signals is in the business of creating and selling Web Apps. Their intentions are clear. Other sites’ intentions are a little more cloudy.

Two questions that everyone needs to ask before signing up for a “Free” web service:

1. What are the ulterior motives behind offering this free service?
2. Is the price of “Free” worth it?