Software is perhaps the best business opportunity that most geeks can get into it since it doesn’t have to be very expensive and going international simply set’s the difference among other business opportunity. I bet that most entrepreneurs in the field of technology has an ultimate dream of going international and achieve the best deals of their life. Once an opportunity knocks on their way to go abroad even if the sponsor will pay them P1 a year they will grab it because they are on for a long term investment. The people that they will connect and collaborate once they met them will be their greatest asset as they move on to the next level.
In today’s era of Web 2.0 a major transition is beginning to happen that even the largest software maker Microsoft will be challenge not only in the field of intellectual capability but as well as adaptability in culture and trends. With Ray Ozzie as the new Chief Software Architect, Microsoft is on for Web 2.0 dominance as they vision to build a very ambitious project of combining enterprise, web and mobility into one solid platform of Microsoft with a rich understanding of business process and interoperability of different operating system ranging from Linux, Solaris and Mac.
Microsoft has started to develop a software-as-a-service strategy over the past year. Its initial offerings—Windows Live and Office Live programs—provide Web-based mini-applications. And, while reinventing its enterprise line, Microsoft is taking on Google and Yahoo for consumer applications, and Sony and Apple for consumer devices—game consoles and music players. It made me wonder if the investment in MSN and Xbox is a distraction that will not allow them to deliver [on their enterprise strategy]. Any company, no matter how large, has a limited number of teams. I wonder how will they divide the team and manage it in such an effective and balance way considering that all these competitors are on for swift-no-mercy-kill.
Another challenge is this cultural shift will have to take place at the same time the company is marketing Vista and Office, two products only tangentially related to Microsoft's long-term strategy. As we all know Vista and Office is a software-as-a-product which is in contrast in today’s trend software-as-a-service. Then Microsoft visionary Bill Gates announced in June that he will leave the company in 2008.
If Microsoft wants to retain their position as one of the most important company in the world Microsoft must overcome equally critical barriers of technology, strategy and culture. I think Microsoft is having their first step in aligning critical barriers of technology by reaching out to open source community through partnership with Novell. Novell operating system Suse[A linux operating system] will create a bridge between Windows and Linux world—hopefully this will create harmony in a complex world of technology.
With software as a service trend, all a user needs to access a Web-based application is a browser—not a robust operating system tightly integrated with the application. With this concept in mind FireFox browser will gain more appeal to most users because of its independence with Microsoft. Perhaps, the next most intriguing question will probably be computer upgrades. In a user prospective view, upgrades for computers and operating system will be lessen but internet bandwidth will be more in demand. However, in a software developer prospective views computer upgrades will be doubled and the complexity of the system just got even more complex than you ever think off.
The reason why I said that is because of the following:
Take for instance in my case as a software developer who is working in an electric company. Application system [the day to day software that most employees used] is the back bone of the company and technically once I decided to go web application for better customer and employee service, a new business structure must be develop to cater user satisfaction. Technically the system was built using MS SQL Server as a database back end and the web will be develop using ASP.Net and since both tools I used came from Microsoft the development stage will not be a major problem.
Once the system is up and running the complex way of maintaining it will be twice as harsh as it can be because the assurance of keeping the web and application align together will take a lot of effort and time to those who is in charge then one minor revision that will affect the interconnectivity of the whole application system will also affect the web application. Not only you have to anticipate problems that involve your company technicality but also external problems such as Microsoft phasing out your old programming tools, back ward compatibility and hackers.
Exciting isn’t it?
Point’s to Ponder
With the new era of software as a service I think we as software developers have more opportunity than ever before because for every obstacle that will come in every corporate world you and I are the man to call for these jobs to do it in an efficient way. The clients or the company that you’re working at will be more and more dependent on your skills as we move on to this new and exciting era of software as a service
Reflecting as to what this new trend will bring to our future, I can tell that this new era has made the playing field twice leveled as before since it provide a better way to develop software and do business internationally. The Cyber World is getting matured day by day new and rich features are evolving, new services are being offered and the barriers of discrimination in the world of operating system is being synchronize thru web application. What more can I say? Fire up those passion and start pondering those keyboards for the next killer apps that will change the history of our world.
As to Microsoft, they are now hunted by the culture that they popularize which is change and upgrades. It reached to a point that not only computer hardware and enterprise corporations must adopt or die but also the company that started it all Microsoft. With a vision of one company to rule them all and Bill Gates stepping down on June 2008 I really don’t know what to say but good luck. I have to admit that with Bill Gates out of Microsoft it’s like Michael Jordan out of Chicago Bulls and you know how boring NBA is today. I assure you that Steve Jobs will be so freaking lonely for he will miss his arch rival. I just hope Steve won’t loose his passion out of depression as Bill walks out of Microsoft.
Steve it’s ok to cry hehehe.
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