At the coalface

Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company have revealed the top 10 technologies that they believe will change the world over the next four years:

1. Multicore and hybrid processors
2. Virtualization and fabric computing
3. Social networks and social software
4. Cloud computing and cloud/Web platforms
5. Web mashups
6. User Interface
7. Ubiquitous computing
8. Contextual computing
9. Augmented reality
10. Semantics

Right up there at number 3 – Social networks and social software.

I consider myself very lucky to be working in this area today and I really enjoy it. I remember working for an e-commerce start up at the turn of the decade and it’s got the same exciting feel to it – like we’re building the platforms today that people will be using for a good few years to come.

It was a really exciting time but the bubble did eventually burst and I moved on to more mundane business related activities which eventually bored me to death. This time, however, I’ve got a nice little salary protection plan and much clearer long term goals if things do go pear-shaped, suffice it to say I’m making hay whilst the sun shines!!!