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.
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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?
Silicon Alley Insider wonders why Google Knol's still alive: With Google shedding sometimes cheap projects left and right, Eric Krangel wonders why Knol isn't slated for the chopping block. The Wikipedia-ish competitor requires a lot more authority for writing and editing articles, which has limited its scope. It's also not very interesting. Wikipedia may have its problems about many hands watering down the soup, but it also has a remarkable breadth of interest and depth in particular areas.
I know, I know, this is about hosted stuff not people, but Jerry Yang's expiration date as CEO is nearing. He'll step down when they find a replacement, which he'll be involved in selecting. Which is a bad idea. If you can't run the company well yourself, being involved in finding the next leader is comical.
I used to email with Jerry a bit way way back in the long ago, when YAHOO still had its abbreviation spelled out. Nice guy. But not Steve Ballmer.
