[thelist] Must a webmaster know databases???

[Luther, Ron]

Hi Peter,


"Trend away from multiple applications and languages?" 

Eh? ... What trend? ... Did I miss something? ... I've never seen it in my
20+ years in service (telecommunications) and manufacturing (computers).


I've never believed in the Application Server concept -- maybe because I've
been involved with trying to implement several "off the shelf" MRP systems -
and had to explain that 'core business processes are going to need to be
changed".  I think the concept itself is flawed. {Gee .. is my NIH (Not
Invented Here) symdrome showing yet?}  I feel that there actually are
nuances to the ways in which different industrys operate - I think some of
these make it pretty much impossible to develop a 'generic
one-size-fits-all' application that will actually work. [Contact your local
Oracle applications suite salesman for a demonstration of this!] Within an
industry, different companies have different operating procedures - and are
VERY resistant to change.

So what does that mean for ASPs? ... If you can't get 10 companies to agree
what "booking an order" means and when it happens (and how returns and RMAs
are handled) - how the heck are you going to get them all using your
service? Yeah, yeah Yankee group is predicting it to be a $10B industry in
10 years. [Of course - if you read any 5 of their research reports - all
five topics are gonna be "a $10B industry in 10 years"!]

The rate of technological change is increasing. Is the rate of adoption of
that technology increasing at a similar pace?  I don't think so.  How many
shops and IM guys do you PERSONALLY know who won't upgrade until at least
the second 'service pack' release comes out?  Ever talk to someone upgrading
to a new release of WinRunner?  Are they gonna do that when the next release
comes out - be close to the door when you ask?

This would have two implications: (1) If I'm using an ASP - what control do
I have over when and to what they "upgrade"?  Am I likely to be happy about
that?  When their upgrade schedule impacts MY business?  (2) Isn't this
going to create more and more and more 'legacy' systems?  How soon are my
ASP and CF pages going to be considered 'legacy maintenance' obligations
because we've moved on to the newest technology?  {Ooooo! More consulting
opportunities! Yum!}


Now let me reverse my field - when could an ASP concept actually work - and
in what guise?  Take a look at what the auto industry is doing with their
suppliers ... hammering out a common data interchange format -- not an
application, not a "suite", not a program or an operating system ... a
'common data interchange format'!  That's a very astute way to go (IMHO).
Or maybe some 'niche' markets for small businesses -- if you have an "office
supplies" application that aggregates demand from 1500 small businesses -
you can give them a pretty good discount and still make money .... but I
think you'll have a MUCH tougher time getting Fortune 100 clientele.


By the way ... in the not toooooo distant past ... companies where exhorted
to consider their 'systems' and 'data' as a strategic resource -- e.g. a
competitive advantage.  I still feel that is true, and that the application
server model undercuts that advantage.


Dang ... gotta go learn new stuff and deploy stuff that will soon be both
obsolete and 'someone else's problem'

 
   ;-)


Ron L.