Connecting to Box.net With NetDrive

Here is quick post describing how to connect to Box.net (box.com now) using an application called NetDrive. This is the process I used for Windows XP, though it should work for Windows 7 as well. You can download the application from here: http://netdrive.net/

Of course it goes without saying that you need to sign up for a Box.net account if you don't already have one. You can sign up for an account here: http://box.com

There are a few tutorials on connecting your Box.net account as a drive in Windows. Here are some examples:

http://techie-buzz.com/tech-news/mount-boxnet-account-in-windows-explorer.html

http://smallvoid.com/article/winnt-webdav-network-drive.html

I have had trouble trying to use the Windows WebDav implementation on XP, so this application was a breath of fresh air. It is very straightforward, though there is a gotcha that I haven't seen documented on any other site. So here are the steps:

1. Download and install NetDrive
2. Open the application
3. Create a "New Folder" under Site
4. Select your new folder
5. Click "New Site" and fill in the information on the right side of the screen
6. I named mine "Box.net" (I know, not very original)
7. For the site URL, use: "https://www.box.com/dav" (notice the https prefix, and the .com instead of .net)
8. Enter port 443
9. Select "Server Type" as "WebDav"
10. Choose a drive letter for your mount point
11. Enter your "Account" login ID
12. Enter your "Password" using your Box.net password
13. Select your "Automatic login..." preferences
14. Click "Save"

Now you are almost done. Here is the secret sauce that makes this work:

1. Select the "Site" you just created
2. Click on the "Advanced" button
3. Set your "Encoding" to UTF-8
4. Click the "Use HTTPS" checkbox
5. Enter 443 for the "Host : Port" (if it's not already filled in)
6. Enter your login information again (if it's not already filled in)

That is it! Now you can mount your Box.net cloud drive whenever you like. I find the performance better than other methods as well (ie - I set it up using Windows 7 native WebDav - WebFolders - support). You can now access your cloud drive any time you like.

Farewell, GoEverywhere ...

GoEverywhere was a Beta project at Symantec that researched the viability of a Webtop as a single sign-on personal portal. I used it on and off and thought it was pretty neat, but it just was not a killer application. I found that just having the few online services I used regularly open in browser tabs was just as productive.

Where this technology would be useful is perhaps on thin-client systems that access corporate in house web applications. Unfortunately this is not a ubiquitous occurrance at this point in the IT world. Most companies and individuals are still primarily dependent on a few stand alone or networked client-server applications.

Cloud computing is a nifty idea, but the infrastructure, security, and products are just not feature-rich enough to replace the prevalent IT landscape. Additionally, corporate customers are reluctant to place all their eggs in the "Cloud" basket for any number of reasons. Until there is truly instant, secure "Internet Everywhere", I see Cloud Computing remaining merely an interesting sidenote in corporate IT.

One niche where I see it being useful in the short run is for individuals that have light to moderate productivity needs, or that just want access to a few documents from anywhere. Though the later requirement could be easily achieved by editing documents on the local computer and uploading them to an online storage account, or even just emailing the to yourself, it may still be useful to create them online.

I always hate to see applications fading into the twilight, but perhaps Symantec will make the code available under a community license. That would allow small groups, or maybe educational institutions to at least put what was done to good use.

Goodbye, GoEverywhere!

Dear Beta Tester,

Thank you for participating in the beta program for Symantec GoEverywhere. This innovative project in cloud computing was very successful and provided a number of insights on technical features and usage patterns derived from substantial user feedback. However, the beta program for GoEverywhere will come to a close on June 30, 2009. At that time, the service will no longer be accessible and available for use.

Symantec continues to develop innovative technologies and remains focused on its vision to become the leading provider of cloud-based offerings that secure and manage the world's information. However, at this time we do not plan to release Symantec GoEverywhere as a standalone service.

Account information, including log-in information for accounts you have connected to through GoEverywhere, will be securely deleted, and no personal information will be retained.

We thank you for your active participation and support. If you have any questions about Symantec GoEverywhere, please contact us at support@goeverywhere.com

Thank you,

The GoEverywhere Team
*Sorry if you have received this email more then once.

Why Twitter is Great

I have seen numerous articles about whether or not Twitter is going to make it. I am thinking, "How can it not make it?" Unless they do something incredibly stupid and alienating, they cannot help but succeed. Let me tell you why.

Look at this Blog ... Kinda sparse, huh? Postings a bit irregular and not very consistent. It takes a lot more time and effort to maintain and keep a full fledged blog up than I have. Micro-blogging on the other hand is quick and easy. Most people, especially anyone with a spouse and kids, do not have the cycles to spend writing lengthy tomes on their blog.

Twitter on the other hand, allows anyone to make a quick observation about something they read, learn, hear, or do. It can enable a large segment of the population to express themselves and their opinions about anything that matters to them. It could especially appeal to all the SMS text users, who are used to constant, shorthand, streaming communications. Twitter is your life in motion.

I also love the fact that I can post on Twitter, and have that information automatically cross-posted to one or more of several social media sites. I want to duplicate effort as little as possible. My spouse complains that I already spend too much time in front of the computer.

The only real problem Twitter has is that they have not figured out a way to fully monetize the service. This is a slippery slope and they have to tread lightly. Something I would consider is maybe partnering with Google and taking advantage of the AdWords/AdSense programs they have. Google is definitely the master of non-invasive advertising.

Another possible route is to create premium services that can be added on. Fortunately or unfortunately, some of the areas where this could be profitable are being filled by 3rd party developers. For example using Twitter for job searches, or for sharing pictures.

Maybe they can market Twitter to corporations for internal use. All the employees in a department or group could follow each other and always know where each member is on various projects. This is another niche that some other companies have already started to jump into.

Finally, perhaps they can charge corporations on Twitter a fee. I think this is very fair, and should not disenfranchise current individual contributors. The beauty of this is that companies will be followed by people that are already interested in them. It is like consumer driven product marketing and placement, unlike TV where the entertainment companies try to target advertising to a demographic based on who they think will be watching the movie of the week.

I do hope Twitter is able to find that right balance between making money and keeping it's users happy. It is a terrific service that allows people to express themselves and keep up with friends, associates, and family. It allows you to show your life in motion, and to answer that constant question: "I wonder what so-and-so is doing right now".