( Via Newsweek)Marc Benioff talks about the new future for software. Excerpts with edits and comments added:
The world of enterprise software, which manages the workings of corporations and monitors their client relationships, paradoxically generates larger-than-life executives in its own ranks. Salesforce.com is based on the premise that business software—and maybe all software was changing from a product to a service.
On what it means software is dead: The concept that you buy the software, that you own it, that you manage it has really come to the end of its life. It will be replaced by something that looks more like what we see today with major Web sites, like Amazon.com, eBay and Google. Companies will be able to run their business using a service delivered over the Internet that looks like a mainstream Web site.
On the forthcoming operating system for these on-demand applications : Microsoft has not taken the leadership position in moving the software model forward. More delays have been announced. We've seen that with the BlackBerry, we've seen that with the iPod, we've seen that even with Firefox in the browser. Microsoft's models are breaking down in many areas(This may be true, in my view).
Learning from Larry Ellison :You have to have a vision of the long view. When we make a big, grandiose statement like software is dead, or Microsoft is letting us down, that's what we're doing.
My Take: I am not so optimistic about SaaS model to succeed in the complete range of enterprise applications but in some areas like HR, Accounting etc - it may make a mark. However I think to make a statement software is dead - is too outlandish.In fact I think that there may be too many hosted solution provider offering solutions at too low rates - the SaaS proponents may see this trend moving towards a tight suitation for the segment. I notice that new key themes like opensource and hosted solutions are always seen to be a threat to Microsoft and its future.
Category : Software.
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