tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6081361780079434787.post6679422583275682284..comments2018-03-19T23:50:31.686+01:00Comments on Business or Pleasure? - why not both: IT utility and Cloud. And why Salesforce.com is stuckMartijn Linssenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573419401627232560noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6081361780079434787.post-11925349943361168912010-01-28T10:58:26.178+01:002010-01-28T10:58:26.178+01:00Thanks developinthecloud, I agree with your explan...Thanks developinthecloud, I agree with your explanation. The Force.com is a real PaaS, and does fit in the Cloud<br /><br />Of course a great advantage of Cloud-based platform is that they have no legacy, so don't fool yourself here about speeds and ease of development. I am very curious to see where the twain will meet, but it will surely be in the area of Web ServicesMartijn Linssenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00573419401627232560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6081361780079434787.post-57949093971066959992010-01-26T12:38:21.598+01:002010-01-26T12:38:21.598+01:00I mostly agree with you as long as we're discu...I mostly agree with you as long as we're discussing platforms that serve boxed-type solutions in the cloud, broadly speaking I disagree.<br /><br />Salesforce offers two major areas in their cloud offering, the CRM, and the Force.com platform. The second is far from the boxed software paradigm, and can be used to create any type of web application, or plug in any 3rd party application (built on the platform or not). I think that hole in the market you're talking about is already filling up with the likes of the Force.com platform, Google App Engine as well as Microsoft Azure.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, these players are not there yet, but they're on the doorstep and each of them is powerful, flexible, and quick enough to evolve with your business. As a developer I'm involved in business-process evolution, and the cloud-based platforms facilitate this evolution more quickly, cheaply and efficiently than that of legacy systems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6081361780079434787.post-70255510424632758742010-01-06T11:31:52.805+01:002010-01-06T11:31:52.805+01:00Thanks PEG, you got a great point there.
If, for ...Thanks PEG, you got a great point there.<br /><br />If, for argument's sake, an auto-IP4-to-IP6 converter were possible, that would be a nice layer to squeeze in between...<br /><br />Yes, the vast bulk is commodity. But we're just car salesmen that can influence, drive and dictate the car factories to make that very unique car each and every time. And we do.<br /><br />Cloud will drive down that particular form of standardisation though: just saying no to the customer. In that way, it will make IT more matureMartijn Linssenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00573419401627232560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6081361780079434787.post-58642324347793535682010-01-06T09:02:16.354+01:002010-01-06T09:02:16.354+01:00I think there's a hole on the market for cloud...I think there's a hole on the market for cloud services which someone will drive a truck though, in line with your thoughts above.<br /><br />Salesforce.com and the other U.S. based cloud applications seem to be taking a boxed software approach to growing their products, continuously piling on features to try and create a competitive position. They treat cloud as an all-or-nothing decision, when really, as you pointed out, only some business services/activities makes sense in a utility model.<br /><br />Given that cloud really makes sense as a utility model, there's an opportunity for someone to simplify their products, plugging it into every app or service under the sun to achieve scale, and then undercut the rest of the market. Remember, you don't buy power from the power station (data utiity), you buy it from the distributor (SME app).<br /><br />This does a couple of things:<br />1. Make it easier for them to achieve scale. They become a "information asset management service", which is easier to build out.<br />2. Make it easier to buy. It's not longer an all or nothing decision.<br />3. Makes it easier to partner, which improves their route to market.<br />4. Lets them do less, which give's the cost lever a good hard yack, and cost of is the most potent weapon they have.<br /><br />It's a strategy of plug the CRM data into your existing wiki and/or social network, rather than attempt to build a new social network around your CRM.<br /><br />Let's face it: the vast bulk of enterprise functionality is a commodity. Play to that strength, rather than work against it.<br /><br />r.<br /><br />PEGPeter Evans-Greenwoodhttp://peter.evans-greenwood.com/noreply@blogger.com