Webware reports that HP's Upline backup service is being shuttered: The service, based on technology from a firm acquired by HP, is disappearing entirely on 31-March-2009. All fees will be refunded.
February 2009 Archives
Online database application host Coghead plans shutdown: The firm, which made it relatively simple to build complex applications that they hosted, will cease hosting on 30 April 2009. Coghead was looking for buyers, and found none. Several firms (noted in the linked article) are offering conversion help to their platforms, with some throwing in short-term free hosting.
The Ma.gnolia bookmarking system is unrecoverable: The developers lost both their primary user data storage, and backups were apparently unusable. After three years of operation as a free bookmarking site, akin to Yahoo's Delicious, Ma.gnolia won't be operating any more. The site's owner, Larry Halff, was able to retrieve publicly bookmarked data, and has provided that to users. But private information is gone for good. A recovery effort didn't work.
Google tells the New York Times a bit about its decision making: Wondered by Lively became deadly, Dodgeball got hit, and Notebook had its pages torn out? The New York Times details some of how Google looks at what works and what doesn't.
Three key elements: Can internal staff be recruited to work on the project in their official spare time (for projects that aren't top-down authorized)? Does the product work when Googlers use it (the dog-food test)? And is there a potential for a mass audience?
