There has been a lot of rejoicing and jeering over Google's web application deployment offering, Google App Engine. Most of the gripes (that I have seen) have been about the constraints of only supporting a single language, limited database capabilities, no file or OS access of any kind. Frankly I think there is an element of FUD to all of these.
First for language choice, AppEngine has been receiving a lot of flack over the choice of a hobbled Python over and above all other languages. Also there have been a couple of gripes overheard at the lack of real foreign key constraints in the relational layer.
Boo frickin hooo. Stop whining and get coding and you'll come to the same conclusion all artists, composers, coders, and generally anybody that ever created anything did. Namely that constraints are sometimes the inspiration for the creation. Sometimes it is the constraints that shape the work more than anything else. Lack there of may sometimes lead to interesting experimentation, but I put forth that actively not following a system of conduct is itself a constraint. Trying to be original is hard work, and all the harder by not framing your work within something familiar.
But I also should stop bitching and get to work. My idea has the potential to reshape the way collaboration science is conducted, but I need to deliver the tool to the audience. Seems like G-Apps would be a perfect test bed.
