Why Dropbox, Teams and Slack are all coming to the same conclusion

I’ve been wanting to write about the changing work tools and collaborative landscape for a while now. My original notes were from over two years ago, but recent events prompted me to put my thoughts down. I’d love your take on this, discuss on the Slack, we accept English and French 😀

On to the update.

Computer Systems, Operating Systems and the Digitisation of Tasks

Recently Dropbox revealed the technologies and products that would further spur growth using its platform. Dropbox is trying to create a higher-level operating system predicated on users that need to get things done, rather than to “use a computer”

If we look at computer usage and how it has evolved, we see a clear and straight path traced from the beginnings of computing — where mainframes and shared access were de rigour — in which users had one or two specific tasks in mind and set out to accomplish them. Often these were scientifically or mathematically based problems that had clear goals and outcomes; solve this incredibly complex algorithm, calculate this difficult sum, resolve for X the average…, etc.

Computer usage evolved largely because the computers themselves evolved, being driven by the demands of the users that wanted to do more and more complex things, faster and faster. Technological advances aided this and in the early 1960s Moore’s Law was born. A law that has only started to become less and less relevant.

Soon, people started using computers to do what would have been heretical things back in those early times; playing games, writing letters, listing items all became not just easily accomplishable tasks, but the very reason people would purchase computers.

Further developments enabled software houses like Microsoft to provide better tools to allow the computer to get out of the way and for the user to concentrate more on the tasks for completion. The modern operating system was born. Windows, Mac OS (which transformed to OS X then MacOS, note the distinction) all provided users with a simple, safe and often fun environment to work and play.

Placed on top of these systems were the applications that enabled specialised job functions to be digitalised. Photoshop digitalised manual and often frustrating photo development, Quark Express upended magazine and newspaper layout by treating objects digitally and writing itself became a digital process only for most people.

Then something changed, something that so fundamentally shifted the paradigm of computer systems that it not only upended the way we used computers, but has totally changed their design and build. It is all attributable to what we now term “The Cloud”.

Cloud Computing

Although a recent phenomenon as far as the general public is concerned, Cloud Computing owes its origins to the very first implementations of interconnected networks, the ARPANET. ARPANET was a US Government-funded network design that had its initial design goals set to provide a failsafe communications network in the event of attack or dysfunction. ARPANET solved the problem by routing and re-routing the communications around different routes, then reassembling the pieces to make a coherent transmission. Even back then, in 1977, the cloud symbol was depicted to simplify the structural understanding of the (very complex) design.

In a working paper at Compaq (subsequently purchased by Hewlett Packard), the phrase “Cloud Computing” appeared, however, it was subsequently popularised by Amazon when they marketed their nascent cloud computing product ECC (Elastic Compute Cloud).

Once given mass appeal and implemented in business, suddenly the enterprise, pro and consumer markets were ripe for the introduction of applications that targeted specific needs, or solved particular jobs to be done.

Today, a large majority of applications in use at home and in business, are either 100% cloud or have cloud elements attached. The Cloud has allowed developers and designers freedom to try new things and the flexibility to modify quickly if something doesn’t fit. Completely new applications use cases have been developed as a direct result of the cloud computing revolution and signs indicate that it is not likely to stop anytime soon.

The changing landscape enabled because of the cloud

One spin-off from this revolution is the profound effect it is having on the incumbents and how those specific legacy systems are getting disrupted out of business.

With the release of Windows 95, Microsoft expertly leveraged it and its cash cow sibling, the Office applications bundle, to gain a hold on the entire computing operating systems business. If it didn’t work with Windows it was essentially irrelevant1.

Built for individual computing, Windows and the computers it was mostly paired with, were ill-suited to the shift towards cloud computing taking place over the last 5 to 10 years. And this is where today’s once-relegated-to application-status programs show the way forward for computing in the hyper-connected universe in which we find ourselves.

Applications that touch virtually every aspect of modern lives —cab calling, pizza delivery, doctor reservations, even toothbrush applications that analyse brushing style and offer tips for better dental health— are being built because of three main factors; the 24hours online nature of the tools, the abstraction of the ties to a specific operating system and the form-factor that creates and encourages ultra-portability.

Modern computing platforms are all connected to the Internet by default. Your phone, your tablet and the new generation of laptop PCs all have cellular radios in them, with access-anywhere, anytime, Internet.

Legacy operating systems are becoming less and less relevant. Ask yourself, do you talk about Uber as an application on the iPhoneOS or, most likely, as a service that you access from your phone?

Speaking of phones, this the third factor, exists because of miniaturisation techniques developed by companies like Apple and Samsung, that have provided always-on super-computing power in the palm of your hand.

Which gets us to the subject of the new Cloud OSes on the horizon and how, despite different starting points, the paths are converging towards the same thing for corporate and con

The Cloud OS

I’ve been particularly interested in the developments of three companies’ products and how they change the nature of computing moving it from a legacy individual task-based needs response, to a more collaborative jobs-to-be-done enabler. Dropbox, Microsoft Teams and Slack, all show enormous potential to change the way we use computing systems, …if it hasn’t happened already.

Dropbox started life out as a small add-on that allowed the transfer, storage and synchronisation of files on your local computer to their cloud infrastructure. With obvious benefits such as availability, backup and omni-availability, the reasons not to use it were difficult to find. Other developments enabled the inclusion of a more granular security model that enabled the selective sharing of files and documents between consenting participants. Dropbox stayed like this for some time and became a well respected and trusted partner for handling your data.

Recent announcements by Dropbox have shown their understanding of this coming change and their willingness to work with other providers to develop and enhance their offering, developing it to something more akin to a workplace operating system than a data synchronisation utility. Dropbox has partnered with Microsoft, Google and others addressing the need for people to get things done and not become preoccupied by the underlying systems that enable it. Directly from their software, team collaborative features are being rolled out. You can make a Zoom call, message directly through Slack and many more.

Microsoft Teams is coming to the same conclusion with their Teams platform. Built on the legacy base of Sharepoint, Teams is designed to be a more collaborative start and endpoint of doing a task rather than a step in a complex workflow. Sharepoint was never able to get past this problem. Microsoft has finally developed a platform that is able to integrate outside tools in a way that looks and works like native extensions and be easy and enjoyable to use. There are, additionally, plenty of app integrations with tools that are sometimes in direct competition to Microsoft’s own productivity tools being promoted. How times have changed!

Just looking at Project Management (PM) software, Microsoft has its own well-respected Microsoft Project tool, Teams features a slim PM tool called Planner that fits the bill for probably something like 90+% of general PM. Not only that, but they actively promote a rival, Trello.

Slack is on a similar path, with te aforementioned integrations with Dropbox, but also Microsoft’s own collaborative suite Office 365. I’ll not labour the point, but you can see where this all leading, the fight for the start point in any working environment.

The original controller of the computing experience was the manufacturer (IBM, DEC, etc.), disrupted by the operating system developer (Microsoft, Apple) and this is now itself being disrupted by the intrinsically agnostic application developer. The difference today is that the operating systems developers are not letting disruption happen to them without their own self-disruption. That fact alone (that Microsoft is willing to collaborate on such an important tool for Microsoft) should tell you that they understand that time is up for Windows. Apple itself, is also in the midst of its own transition and is pivoting more of its revenue to services, which explains the departure of Jony Ive and also last weeks’ web beta for its Apple Music service.

I want to write more about the reason why I think Jony Ive is leaving Apple at the end of this year, but I’ll be focusing on today’s event from Cupertino and seeing how that may affect my thoughts.

Collaborative tools like these mentioned are the future of modern computing, acting as the entrance, the glue and the final resting place of work, which itself is becoming ever more collaborative in nature.

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(1) I know this is not strictly true as Apple and a few others had market share in their proprietary systems optimised for specialised computing and not general computing like Windows allowed.

Sunday mornings is my time. I wake up early, usually around 5am, so that I can have a coffee and prepare my things for a morning ride. I’m a (Sunday) cyclist and have been cycling for many years. It’s a ritual that is not only good for physical health —I have a resting heart rate of someone may years younger— but it is very good for the mind too.

Some Sundays I’m rewarded with the most beautiful scenery. This morning was no exception. Taken at the foot of the volcano, you can’t help but enjoy the site and simultaneously awe at the potential power.

8 September 2019, F.W.I

On the horizon this morning, a beautiful scene of rising Cumulus clouds being lit by the warm sunrise. I couldn’t take a photo. I tried, but I couldn’t, because of a technical problem.

No. Battery.

My DSLR’s battery had died overnight, apparently from my stupidity. Not switching it off and placing screen down with the lens pointing up, pressed buttons that eventually ran the battery down.

Reaching for my iPhone to take the photo only resulted in disappointment. So much so, I dare not share the image here.

Maybe tomorrow morning.

6 September 2019 — French West Indies

LinkedIn is a great resource for professional use. Links to colleagues (if you’re working in an international company), articles and insights in your domain of work and of course the potential of career advancement.

However, lately I’ve noticed that the platform has started to become filled with inane postings and uselessness posing as wisdom. I’ve even seen conspiracy theories being propagated, and of course, the inevitable cancer of junk advertising.

I don’t have an answer to the problem currently, but scaling back use seems to be a rational decision.

Social Media poisons everything seems apt in 2019.

5 September 2019 — French West Indies

Where’s the rest of the Caribbean? Follow-Up to France-Antilles

We’re heading into peak hurricane season as this graph from the NOAA shows, notice the sting in the tail in October. Do your preparations and check on them weekly!

On to the update.

World Blockchain Forum, London 2019

The World Blockchain Forum kicked off in London this past Sunday and runs for 3 days. The Forum is a roaming event that takes place all over the world and multiples times a year. It is considered in the top 20 of the world’s finance conferences and boasts over 1500+ CEOs, Executives, Investors and Officials.

Our events in Miami, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Dubai, Amsterdam and New York have been attended by over 20,000 executives, investors, entrepreneurs and tech visionaries from around the world.

As you know, I’m not too hot on the cryptocurrency bandwagon for multiple reasons, notwithstanding fraud, but Blockchain is a technology with great potential to help digitise operations and streamline processes to make users’ lives better. 

I wrote about the subject in Blockchain ≠ Cryptocurrency, largely because I wanted to dispel the myth that Bitcoin etc., is blockchain. And to try to prevent the incorrect and interchangeable use of those terms. They are not the same thing. Technically speaking, one relies entirely on the other to build out its services.

I’m an on-the-record sceptic of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies, and so far, nothing I’ve seen has led me to believe differently. They are almost all, a waste of money. They are all, without exception, a huge waste of energy in a time when economising energy should be a priority not just for governments but individuals alike, and at the very worst end of the scale, some are downright fraudulent. That being said, the underlying technology of these currencies is actually quite interesting and has place for use in Digital Transformation, hence why I’d like to talk about it in this week’s issue. That technology is, of course, blockchain, or as it was originally known as, block chain.

In researching this article, I found a few resources from last year’s conference and I’m currently parsing through the YouTube playlist that has been released. I was particularly interested in the interview by the Hon. Wayne Caines, Minister of National Security, Government of Bermuda. Although the interview could have been a bit more structured and technically detailed, there were a few interesting points that were discussed that got me thinking about the rest of the Caribbean. Where the hell was the rest of the Caribbean?

Bermuda has set itself several goals and legislation has been amended to increase their chances of reaching them; the Digital Asset Business Act, the ICO (Initial Coin Offering) Bill and its Virtual Currency Business Act.

Bermuda’s strategy is to differentiate itself in a crowded market by aligning as many factors as possible to enable the digital transformation of it island. Like the Caribbean, it’s isolated, it has resource issues and it has difficulties finding meaningful investments for development. Its banking system was hitherto old-school, but the young PM, who intrinsically understands digital opportunities, is making great progress. I suggest you watch both the interview and the Hon. Caines’ presentation.

I’d like to see other territories do some of this. A concerted effort by CARICOM members —as a start— to distribute competencies, the shared benefits to all could be substantial. If we’re all trying to do the same thing, inevitably it leads to a zero-sum game, where all participants lose.

$15 Million MOU signed with Binance in 2018

The memorandum of understanding, worth $15 Million, was signed with Binance Group, with the aim of establishing funding for Fintech and blockchain-based companies that are targeting the educational field. In return, Binance is creating 40 new jobs with two-thirds allocated to Bermudians.

Binance is a Cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in Japan — it started out in China but has since relocated due to a Chinese cryptocurrency ban — and is currently on of the largest exchanges operating today.

Bermuda is seriously transforming its legislation and structuring the development of digital services and it is a good sign that some countries are taking serious steps to implement changes. It’s not going to be easy and, I for one, would argue that too heavy a reliance in cryptocurrencies is probably a bad thing, but the systems put in place can be used for other digital services that will increasingly be based on Blockchain. Bermuda has built out a number of online civic services, with more coming online all the time, however, like any Digital Transformation, it is a journey and not a project!

France-Antilles follow-up

As of today, 5 September 2019, eight (8) parties have registered their interest in taking over the failing media organisation that is responsible for the local newspapers of Guadeloupe, Guyane and Martinique, amongst other ventures (also in difficulty) according to la 1ere Martinique.

The candidates

Hildergarde SAS

A Paris-based company, that in 2002, created a network of media companies present in film, television, magazine production, literature and press. My research suggests that they are mostly concerned with media-oriented publications, so what experience they have in daily newspapers is hard to understand.

Caribbean Active Broadcast

A business based in Martinique, specialised in Radio. Unclear, again, its experience in newspaper production and distribution. An organisation possibly looking to diversification due to declining revenues in advertising (my assumption).

Alizés TV

A Guadeloupéen television channel, created by an ex-employee of the national television chain France Télévisions. I keep labouring the point, but again, newspaper experience? It’s fundamentally important, because newspaper production and distribution are not the same as television. Once created, a show has virtually zero marginal costs associated with distribution and media can, and is, often re-used. Yesterday’s newspaper is todays fish and chips!

Trace Global

Contemporary and urban music video show and reality television programs. A great fit for a daily newspaper? Their revenue is largely made up of subscriptions over cable television (the pressure is on, thanks to Netflix, etc.), advertising and selling own-label content (increasingly more expensive to make).

Medias du Sud

Owner of the currently active ATV Martinique, and the failed expansions into Guadelopue and Guyane in 2018, the company is a television network based in the south of France. You know what I’m going to say next…

Prim SAS

Prim is a printing company based in Guadelopue. It’s unclear to me what they are even doing in this race, unless they see an opportunity to purchase a brand-new printing press on the cheap as part of expansion plans for Martinique. Those operations costs are a sting in the tail though! Not to mention that physical printing with environmentally damaging materials is a business likely to legislated out of business in the coming years.

Hubert Pedurand

This is the interesting one from a business point of view. The proposal is based on an SCOP model. Société Coopérative et Participative (SCOP), essentially an LLC where the majority shareholders are the employees themselves. In a heavily cost bearing business that is the production of atoms and the physical distribution of said, the SCOP model has its limitations, in that external investments are limited to 49% of the capital. That doesn’t preclude in-kind or other investments, but it does diminish the attractiveness for potential investors.

The prognosis

For the moment, no business plans have been made public and I would love to see what each pretender is proposing. I’ll just have to wait and see, but I’m keeping a close watch on proceedings.

We see a common theme emerging, radio and television media companies postulating, in probable diversification strategies. These are sustaining evolutions and they don’t feel like they are understanding the fundamental reasons why FA failed. Of course, I may be wrong, and hat-eating will ensue, but I doubt it.

Perhaps intentions are to keep the current staff and management as, quite rightly, they immediately bring onboard many years of experience in the industry. But every few years FA keeps failing, what could be wrong?

I believe that a failure to recognise the digital reality will end in failure and I set out my arguments in The slow demise of France-Antilles and Newspapers in the Caribbean.

In the English-speaking Caribbean you may be wondering what this has to do with you. This scenario is playing out across the world, I can’t see in any way how the Caribbean will be an exception!

The Future is Digital Newsletter is intended for anyone interesting in learning about Digital Transformation and how it affects their business. I strongly encourage you to forward it to people you feel may be interested. If this email was forwarded to you, I’d love to see you onboard. You can sign up here:

Sign up now

Visit the website to read all my articles and continue the discussion in the Slack group.

Thanks for being a supporter, have a great day.