We are today launching The Future of Software, a micro site that over a period of one month will take a look at some of the major trends that are changing and influencing the software business.
In this report we look at a variety of topics – Office 2.0, databases, mash-ups, widgets and browsers – and how they are all defining the future of, what else, software.
In her kick off post, Anne Zelenka talks about the 7 Cs of Software. The software is “increasingly collective, connected, cyborg, closed and open, composed, choreographed, and cognizant,” she writes.
Over next one month, a variety of contributors (including myself) will explore these topics. At the end of the month I will offer it to you a neatly packaged report as a PDF download. This concept is really a twist on one of my favorite sections in the old Red Herring, Briefing. It took an analytical look at one thin slice of the technology industry, say optics, from many different angles. I have sorely missed, and hopefully, this special mini-blog will fill the gap.
This is the first of the many Future reports we have planned. Broadband, Wireless, and top technology trends are on deck as well, and we are experimenting with even narrower niches. If you would like to suggest some topics for future reports or specific pieces in the current report, let us know and we will try and make them happen. The plan is to evolve these special reports into premium for-pay briefings, but for now we are going with the ad/sponorship model. Sun Microsystems is the sponsor of this inagural effort.
Great idea! Look forward to reading these reports.
Topic for future reports: gadgets, of course. And, you could report on different categories of gadgets: communication gadgets, entertainment gadgets, productivity gadgets, etc.
very cool – though i’d much prefer a sponsored-only plan, as i’m not so sure that having you turn into a mini-forrester will have the greatest impact on the many other things you’ve got your hands on (wouldn’t presume to know shit, but feels like you’re spreading yourself thin these days)…
btw, it would be great if you could recap some of the ongoing highlights in your new tv show – that’d be a cool topic, or maybe the writers could give 1 minute snapshots…
Great idea – I just hope the usual “VC myopia” when it comes to microISVs doesn’t occur – self funded 1-10 (more weighted towards 1) Internet-Centric Software Vendors are booming!
Who are you guys to say what the ‘future of software’ is?
When was the last time anyone writing for that mini-site developed anything of note? or created any technology that gained any sort of traction?
Seems like a ploy just to create more blog-estate.
Sounds interesting…
Here’s another topic suggestion: encrypted file sharing within private networks; today, lots of people are preferring to stay within the safety of a circle of friends/family/coworkers when sharing files, as opposed to freely exchanging data with complete strangers. Several companies are popping up that do this, including my company’s GigaTribe: http://www.gigatribe.com (shameless, I know!)
Nima: Perhaps you don’t know my background.
I led the team at Oracle that integrated its ERP and CRM apps and produced Oracle’s customer data hub, now in widespread use and rated by Gartner as being in the “magic quadrant” in its category.
I managed the development of a natural hazard risk assessment system that went on to be acquired by a major reinsurer and now is used across the U.S. in rating risk due to earthquakes and hurricanes.
I have worked on numerous custom software development projects on Unix and Windows using a wide variety of tools and platforms and I continue to use web technologies today for a variety of projects.
I have worked as an industry analyst and currently work as an independent consultant advising software companies on the social web.
Who is to say what the future of software is? No one has a crystal ball but those of us in the field may have something useful to contribute to keep the conversation going.
Nima,
of course, you are making a snap judgement without even waiting for the full series to unfold. Which is fine, but if you clicked through Anne’s bio, and bios of who are going to be writing the pieces, you would be able to get answers to your questions/reservations.
Right now, it looks like one big ad for Sun. I imagine you are already working on fixing that.
They are the sponsor of the series, so well their ads are going to be there. as more content rolls out, you will be able to look beyond that. i have two post coming tomorrow and friday.
fantastic. i remember the briefing section well and am glad to see you focusing on software out of the gate. very cool man.
How does one contribute to this effort? Do you require additional contributions.
Gautam
can you send your idea/suggestion using the contact form, and I can then reach out to you.
thanks
Hi Om,
I haven’t seen anyone do a full-on wide-spectrum analysis of web-based computing, it’s always seen just as things like webex or office apps, but not about the physical infrastructure, platforms, and how in the future things will be unversally available dynamically and ubiquitously.
Oh, and how, any company depending on sales of indivdual sales, software or hardware, is potentially screwed eg. Avid versus the potential of Forscene from Forbidden Technologies
( http://www.forscene.net , http://www.forbidden.co.uk )
Also, the potential of the humble (“dumb”) set-top box when the network gains collective intelligence.
And how the mobile with wfi, touch-screen and 80gb hard-drives + projector screens/dvi-output will be able to replace so many of our digital products combined beyond anything the iphone might do.
Haptics/interfaces.
Storage tech.
inter-connects: no one cares about the most mundane, but important stuff about this digital world.
Spectrum: usage, efficiency and saturation.
Yours kindly,
Shakir Razak
Sounds cool. I like following the new trends in software.
@Om & @Anne,
Yes my judgement was ‘snap’ but as any web worker daily reader will tell you most 99.9 percent of web judgments are snap.
I clicked the link I saw Anne’s name , a name I had seen around here before. I googled her name I couldn’t find a CV or any background info just blog postings in or around the Om’osphere as I call it.
I’m sure it will be a great feature, but when you role out a mini site with a title like ‘the future of software’ you might wanna make the writers bios more prevalent. Like make Anne’s byline a link to her bio.
Om & Gang,
Been reading the posts on the mini site. Thanks. What ever happened to the nice pdf download on the Future of Software you promised when kicking this off.