One of my development friends, John Joseph Bachir, said something refreshingly optimistic at SXSW this year: �this is a great time to be a developer.� And he�s right: there�s a mixture of (a.) technology choice and diversity, (b.) a focus on simplifying technology to provide more frequent functionality, and, (c.) a huge extension of what a �computer� is, therefore, what you can program.

Years ago, I was suspicious of the �software is in everything� line from big vendors like IBM � when that story fit nicely with Rational buying Telelogic. But, now, the broader idea of �the Internet of things� is real enough to play around with, and, for some to do something meaningful with. There�s three high-level things that are driving this, and no doubt more:

(1.) Networking is everywhere and it finally works well enough

(2.) Open systems are now more the norm than not

(3.) The Return of Apple