A few days ago, I wrote about a browser based operating system called Challenger. It is written by a fellow from Sweden by the name of Hakan Bilgin. To begin with... I am amazed by the fact that anybody has actually read my blog. Second... I'm a little amazed that the person about whose project I was talking about actually read my blog. While I recognize that my comments are out in the public eye now... I still was a little amazed.

Next... Hakan had some comments on my mini-article that I wrote about his project. Perhaps my list of criticism was not received as I had hoped. I am amazed by what he has accomplished in what I assume to be a very short period of time. In his comments, he notes that he has only been working on the project part-time. Yet another feather in his cap for the accomplishment of this system as it stands now. The part that I believe I left out in my post/article earlier was the simple fact that the product is currently an alpha product. The reason that is important is because it should be noted when evaluating the product for merit.

Interestingly enough, I had been writing this blog with the specific audience of my students, family and friends in mind. As such, conversations that I have with them outside of my blog come into play and provide a frame of reference to work from. In classes, we had been discussing the possibilities that could be offerred through techniques such as AJAX and other background xml calling/loading techniques that are available today to web developers. Much of this talk had been done with small examples of thin ideas that barely scratched the surface of the possibilities. Then, I found Challenger. While there are a number of features I would add and there is a direction I would take with the project.... Hakan Bilgin's direction may be different and his progress thus far should both be applauded and watched. So, Hakan... hopefully... this is the slack you were asking for in your comments. This project shouldn't be comparred to Linux or Windows... instead compare the direction and that direction's potential.

This evening.... I've learned a lesson... my blog, a place I had considered to be an extension of my classroom and my life is no longer just that. Today, I've found that my blog is not only a place to strengthen knowledge and connections in my circle. Instead, it is now also a place to build connections outside my circle of friends, students and family.