Promises, promises: the elusive user-assembled app dream

Will users finally get the chance to assemble their own applications? There's nothing really new to this promise, promulgated by vendors, consultants, and pundits. As Oliver Widder (of Geek & Poke fame) points out, this was promised as SOA started out several years ago, and now gets promised again as mashups hit the enterprise mainstream. Maybe it will all work out this time around. If not, users will have to wait for the next paradigm shift, due in 2012.