bedeviled mojo slop

Almost a year ago, Apple announced Tiger and Tiger Server, the codenames for their next-generation operating system successors to Panther and Panther Server. Included in Tiger Server, Apple decided to bundle a product called Weblog Server. Weblog Server is based on blojsom, the open source project I developed and continue to actively develop and maintain. Apple's original press release on Tiger Server read as follows.

Weblog Server is fully compatible with Safari RSS in Mac OS X Tiger and makes publishing a weblog as simple as checking a box in Server Admin preferences. Weblog Server is based on the popular open source project ‘Blojsom’ and is fully integrated into Tiger Server with an easy-to-use interface, Kerberos authentication support and LDAP integration. Weblog Server provides users with calendar-based navigation and customizable themes and users can post entries using the built in Web-based functionality or with weblog clients that support XML-RPC or the Atom API.

Apple's latest press release on Tiger Server doesn't read much differently.

Weblog Server is fully compatible with Safariâ„¢ in Tiger and makes it easy for non-technical individuals to publish and syndicate content using their existing web browsers. It supports calendar-based navigation, user and group blogs and HTML, RSS, RSS2, RDF or ATOM protocols. Weblog Server can integrate with Open Directory, LDAP and access control lists for authentication and comes with several Apple-designed blog themes.

It originally started with an e-mail from an Apple engineer that basically read.

We are thinking about including blojsom in an upcoming product release. Are you the point of contact?

I wrote back saying I was and that I would be happy to answer any questions. A month, maybe two, went by and I hadn't heard anything and so I wrote back and asked if there was any more information I could provide to help them along in their process. The message I got back was basically, "We cannot divulge any information about future product releases." Bummer But hey, I respect employee agreements and so I guess I have to respect those who respect their employee agreements.

And then Apple's WWDC happened. And they announced Weblog Server that was based on blojsom. And things were a little bit different that day.

blojsom was the first project I released as open source. It wasn't but a year old and it was being included in an operating system. And future updates from blojsom that make it into Weblog Server will probably be delivered via Software Update. That's a real trip.

Oh yeah, and celebration. Cristal. A welcome note from Steve Jobs.

Fast forward to the present day. It's been just over 2 years since I started blojsom. Things are going quite well. I love the project. There are t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts. I want to grow the functionality as quick as possible. There are times when I think that people don't pay attention to the project and then someone writes and says, "Thank you for the work you've done on blojsom." And that means a lot.

It's really going to be exciting once Tiger Server hits the shelves. It'll be a little different to walk into the local Apple store and hold a packaged box that contains software I developed. And if I wanted to buy Tiger Server, I'd have to pay the $499 for the 10-client edition or the $999 for the unlimited-client edition since I don't work for Apple. I guess I could ask my Apple contacts, "Can I get a free copy of Tiger Server?" But that'd also entail having to buy a machine that I could use to actually run the software Double-edged sword.

I'm looking forward to the feedback from people using Weblog Server. As it's based on blojsom, they're able to develop and use all of the blojsom plugins, write custom themes, request and tweak functionality, and so on. If there's one thing I've learned from working on blojsom it's that you need to be accepting of any and all feedback about your project. You have to take the good with the bad. It helps you grow. It helps your project grow.

I'm trying to follow all of the news related to Tiger Server. If there are specific items of interest you think I need to read or address, send 'em along.

To the folks who read my blog (all 7 of you), thanks. To the folks using blojsom, thanks. To the folks who have participated in the mailing lists providing feedback, submitting bugs, and entering contests, thanks.

To the folks purchasing Tiger Server on April 29th, thanks in advance for the feedback.

Adam Burt graciously sent me WML and Mobile XHTML templates for blojsom. You can grab them now from those links or they'll be available with the next release of blojsom.

Anyone from Nokia or another company want to donate a phone so I use these as well?

Thanks again Adam!