I was talking to a friend and discussing the state of - what else - the technology industry. I mentioned to him that this was one of the best times to do innovative work. If one looked and thought hard enough, there were plenty of opportunities. And I wondered why others didn't think along the same lines. He simply said, "Others don't think enough."

That set me thinking (!) When I look back to my entrpereneurial career of 10 years, it is my reading-thinking-writing combination which has helped generate new ideas. They all work in tandem and reinforce each other - a kind-of positive feedback. Reading provides the external inputs. Thinking helps identify possible opportunities and Writing clarifies thought.

Much of what we are trying to do in Emergic is not unique by itself. But no one has tried to put together the collection of ideas the way we have. This has all come slowly - it has taken the better part of 18 months to script it all. Now, the actions seem to come easily and rapidly - the big picture is quite clear to me (and hopefully the others in the company).

But the game has just begun. We have a long and arduous road ahead. It is what I enjoy - the ups and downs. One knows one is on the right track when the down days outnumber the up days. It keeps the RTW routine going! In fact, by thinking enough, I think one can build innovative technology companies without spending too much money. But then writing cheques is often the easy way out.

This is where the blog has personally made a huge difference to me in the past 5.5 months. It has drilled the daily RTW routine into me. It has also exposed me to ideas from people I'd never otherwise have interacted it. The more open we are willing to be with our thinking, the more we get back.

From Consulting Times:

CodeWeavers-- software maker and principal backer of the Wine project -- and Xandros-- the upstart successor to Corel's pioneering Linux efforts -- have formed an alliance that may give a boost to the acceptance of the Linux desktop, particularly in corporate environments.

Xandros is incorporating customized versions of CodeWeavers - CrossOver Office and CrossOver Plugin solutions into its long-awaited Linux distribution, slated for release around the end of October. This "CrossOver for Xandros" package allows users to easily install and use critical office programs -- most notably Microsoft Office -- directly under Linux, without the need to purchase a Microsoft Windows license.

There is an excellent interview with Jeremy White, CodeWeavers’ founder and CEO.

Some of the winners:

Distribution: Mandrake Linux
Graphics Program: The GIMP
Word Processor: OpenOffice
Text Editor: Vim
Desktop EnvironmentKDE
Office Suite: OpenOffice
Programming Language: C
Development Tool: GCC
Shell: bash
Database: MySQL
Backup Utility: tar
Linux Game: Quake III
Web Browser: Mozilla
Linux Web Site: Slashdot
E-mail Client: KMail
Instant-Messaging Client: gaim
Distributed File Sharing System: Gnutella
Audio Tool: xmms

The Internet as integrator - Tech News - CNET.com is the title of an article in Strategy+Business: "Brand building is an area in which the Internet could change everything. Indeed, the real transforming power of the Internet derives from its ability to serve as the central organizing platform for integrated marketing communications programs--the glue that holds disparate channels and executions together, making them a cohesive force. Turning the Internet into the medium that rationalizes a firm's multiplicity of brand-building programs has the potential to change both perception and (the resulting) reality for the brand marketer."

Tech Talk: So far, you’ve talked of thin clients with a thick server. That solution is good for clusters of people. What about the single user – primarily, the home market?

Deviant Entrepreneur: The obvious solution for the home segment is the Linux Desktop. The newer breed of slimmer desktops are available for less than Rs 20,000 in India (or about USD 300 in the US). Linux need to be pre-installed on these computers. The challenge will be getting some of the educational software and games to run – most of these are designed to run on the Windows platform. Considering that most home users still do not tend to buy legal software in emerging markets, a Linux PC may not offer significant benefits. For mass market adoption, the end-user prices have to less than Rs 8-10,000.

So, how do we make this happen? Consider the following: take the same TC-TS solution we had talked earlier, and let us see how to extend this to enterprises. The TC-TS solution needs a 100 Mbps LAN. This can be provided in some residential complexes. In that case, the thick server could in one of the homes, from where there is connectivity to the Internet. The “last-mile” connection today is Ethernet, and tomorrow, it can become wireless with WiFi (more on this a little later).

Alternately, the thin client could come with a hard disk or CD-ROM drive for the Linux OS to boot locally. Linux works well on even the older computers. In fact, the success of Linux in the embedded devices segment can be applied here. A simplified Linux kernel capable of running on older PCs can enable cheaper desktops to be made available for the home segment. Of course, there would be limitations for what can be done on this computer, but for first-time buyers, such a computer would work just fine.

What is needed is to (a) create a distribution system through a chain of computer stores (think of them like tech “7-11s”) in neighbourhoods, wherein people can buy, upgrade and get support for their computers, and (b) a pricing model which makes computing a utility. This pricing model eliminates the notion of ownership of computers (the underlying asset in any case is not worth much) in favour of a monthly pricing model, based on the type of computer used and the services needed.

One point about support: in the case of the recycled computers, no real hardware support needs to be provided – only replacement of the computer.

TT: What you are really talking of is creating an alternate ecosystem for the bottom of the pyramid.

DE: Exactly! The existing computer value chain has Intel and Microsoft at its core. The new value chain will have recycled computers and open-source software as its lynchpins.

Consider the following: when users in emerging markets buy computers today, most of the money goes out of the country. What if that most of that same money were to stay within the domestic ecosystem? In the alternative scenario that we have charted, most of that money stays within the country, thus enabling the creation of stronger local technology companies. It also provides the necessary incentive for the development of a domestic software and solutions business.

This is not a game that any single organisation can play – it needs lots of smaller entities to come together and create a grassroots, emergent network, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Next Week: Technology’s Next Markets (continued)