Grid

There is shift in the tech community towards grids. Oracle came out with its 10G database, now Sun has released the Sun Grid, and is offering $1 per CPU hour to run apps on their grid. At the moment, grids are still a novelty. Berkeley introduced the grid to masses through the search for aliens (SETI). Their system, BOINC, is a very nice and simple grid, but is very University geared. There are a number of vendors and a couple of enterprise strength open-source solutions.

Vendor Tools
http://www.entropia.com
http://www.datasynapse.com/
http://www.avaki.com
http://www.platform.com/
http://www.ud.com
http://www.gridsystems.com/

Open-Source
http://www.zetagrid.net
http://www.globus.org
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/
http://gridengine.sunsource.net/
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/
http://www.globus.org/cog/java/

The other interesting development is that people are talking about Grids in the same breath as web-services. Personally, I am not a big fan of web-services, and has always considered web-services a solution to a very specific and narrow problem space. A grid can be thought of as a single computer with a whole lot of CPU's. I guess running apps on the grid is really just a service, and web-services, in theory, is attempting to standardize that communication. A service oriented world is interesting, but I am not convinced the world works that way.

On top of all this bable, I am proposing to build a PSG (Pretty Simple Grid) as an open-source project. The grid, unlike all other grids, will be geared for small teams whether in large organizations or not. The grid must be simple to install and simple to use. It's features will be limited to what is required and what doesn't require much setup. It will be written in java; client download-able via internet; the client will run as service, screen-saver, etc... The goal is to allow individual technology teams to leverage the grid in their offices. Most of us working for the Man probably work in pretty small teams, but are a part of a large entity that is impossible to convince to install a large grid. A small grid used solely in the small team with their 10 pc, is simple to install and provides a lot of value.

Are great developers dopamine addicts?

The below post is not complete, and not fully developed. I believe there is some sort of connection between dopamine and great developers. But, dopamine may not be the cause, but an effect. In any case, enjoy the post but don't judge the author.

Dopamine is natural chemical produced by the body. Based on medical studies, researchers have discovered that during periods of excitement and satisfaction, dopamine levels in the brain increase. One such study, discussed in the Wall Street Journal, shows that the reason people enjoy shopping is because of the excitement of trying on something new, or experiencing something new. For example, they've found that people tend to buy more things when they shop in a new environment such as another city.

Great developers tend to be people that are constantly searching for new challenges. They are in a constant pursuit of the known. Give a great developer a non-trivial project, and ask them what they think of it. A great developer will tell you that the project is fun and interesting, a bad developer will complain that the project is hard. Give a great developer a simple project that they've already mastered, and ask them what they think of it. A great developer will complain of boredom, and the lameness of the project. A bad developer will seem happy to have received an easy task.

So, where does dopamine come in? I am thinking that the reason great developers are in a constant pursuit of the known is because the pursuit is exciting; pursing the unknown gives them pleasure. It's the excitement of the chase. Once the chase is over, the excitement is over, the dopamine level decreases, and the developer becomes sad and bored until the next challenge.