YAT: Time to get on the RAC

An exciting development in Groove is a greater more open debate around various issues. This is really impressive and not to be underestimated. Really.

Searching for Groove and Blog on Google I came across one cynic kind-of complaining about ray Ozzie drawing a legal line on personal blogs by Groove employees. The cynical comment was around Groove heading fro IPO at some stage. Well blow me, and I thought Groove Networks was a non-profit organisaton!!

And so ignoring that aside, I challenge anyone anywhere to find another company that is leading the way on openness and connectivity the way Groove is doing. Really. This is a challenge. And Groove wasn't always up to it. Early on I, for one, was critical that Groove did not embrace its own technological advance except as a tools for driving profits. I remember one webcast where I just cringed at the difference between what was spouted and what was bing practised.

But no more. Groove Networks has learnt. It has learnt to be more open. It has learnt to trust from in its surround sound. Such a lesson does not pervade an organisation overnight, nor do some people get it - ever. But full credit to those who do. I shall not name names.

But gradually Groove is entering more and more into more open dialogue. Dialogue that is expressive, effective, humourous, productive, trusting. Regular readers will know the adjectives.

You will know the frustrations of entering into such dialogue. I do not mince words. Sometimes my own emotion goes over the top perhaps. You will know the dangers of such dialogue. Opening yourself up allows weaknesses to be seen that perhaps should not.

But this surround sound system is and eco-system of the first order. And what needs to be in place to help develop and nurture it is a one step forwards, two steps back approach. A careful testing of lets do this, lets open up a little more. A bit of pain, a lot of pain, but then wow a real feeling of real tangible progress that otherwise would be clearly impossible.

Where oh, where is this rant going? YAT (Yet Another Tip) is all about technical tips. Well here is one that helps extend boundaries of your Groove associations, your own Groove surround sound - carefully.

When inviting people to spaces you can simply send them an invite. Ok, but if you want to open it up as a general facility then you can save an invittaion file. And you can go further and email this file. You can post it on a website. You can add it to a files tool or GFS space.

But take care. Take very great care. Once you have sent that GRV file out - you can never get it back. Once someone has downloaded it once onto their computer it can be redistributed without your authority. Sending a GRV space invittaion by email can simply be forwarded on and on and on. It never loses its potency until the day the space dies.

However Groove created a neat if underused feature. And one that I love. RAC - Require Acceptance Confirmation. Tick the RAC box when you are saving your invitation file and your are almost totally safe. The final step is to deny the invite permission - so that the only way in is through the RAC file.

Send the RAC file round the world, who cares! Publish it on the web. When the GRV is executed you, yes you, will get asked to authorise the new member before they join. You are the gatekeeper and no-one can get past without your explicit authority. If you say no, then they do not get in.

Check your RAC now and you will never regret it. Leave it unchecked and you just never know who will break easily and invisibly through your tightest firewall and groove security fence.

posted by Andy Swarbrick/PopG at 17:05