D-E-S-T-R-O-Y
The virtual owner of the web, Google has released its software update framework, codename “Omaha” under the open source license. What this means is that you can use the update framework in your own Windows apps. Since its being used in Chrome and Google Earth, you can be sure abot its robustness.
So if you have a windows application that needs updating, look no further than here. Detailed blog post here.
P.S: For Mac OS X, try Update-Engine
Gtalk is great. Since it was released in 2005(?) I’ve always stuck to it, and even chucked out yahoo messenger. There is something about the little white window, the simple interface and functions, and more importantly the no mess, no junk small application. Its 2009, and google doesn’t seem to update Gtalk at all! I mean it DESERVES to become better. Here is my wishlist:
1. Multi platform support – Yea, I’m talking Mac OSX, Linux, etc. You can argue that adiumx/pidgin do work on the gtalk servers, but hey, file transfers are broken! Would love to see the standalone ported to the other popular platforms.
As far as I know, the core is based on libjingle, which google has open sourced. This library is what takes care of voice calls, and file transfer in the gtalk application. Can’t it be ported?
2. Smileys – Please! I beg you!
3. Video Conferencing – Its available in your google mail. Why isn’t it available on gtalk?
4. Multi User Chat – Like those yahoo conferences where many people can talk crap simultaneously.
Oh! That reminds me. Gtalk is still in beta (shock!), so they are probably working on a few things. Just hope they give it out to the masses a little sooner.