I discovered Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace by serendipity. And was surprised to see the breadth of the solutions being sold, ready for download. Yes, we all know that SaaS is the way of the future but the fact remains that over 90% of computers sold in the world come with a Microsoft OS and this site […]
Notes on Software 2007
Okay, so I agree that this post is stale news by blogging standards. And yes, there are no revelations in this piece- just a few notes on the Software 2007 conference this past week. The Software 2007 conference this week was a great experience. M R put up a great show with some marquee names […]
First software, now journalism -is bartending next?
All I can say is that Lou Dobbs now has some more material to scare everyone with. This widely reported story (California Web Site Outsources Reporting) just goes to illustrate that all jobs are increasingly global. What’s next? Housekeeping? Coffee Barista? Barkeep? Well, if telemedicine can let you do surgery from a distance, perhaps we […]
Warren Buffett buys into Web2.0 conept with $60 Billion
Warren Buffett may not realize it or even know of web2.0 but he is tapping a core concept of Web2.0 i.e., user-generated content, to figure out how to invest hordes of cash that his company generates every year. Currently, his firm Berkshire Hathaway is sitting on $40 billion and he needs to find places to […]
Eating Crow: Microsoft pursuing Yahoo! again
Will I have to eat crow on this one? This has been long awaited by many industry watchers. Here is my Dec 2006 post where I ask the question and argue that its highly unlikely that Microsoft will acquire Yahoo!. Now, it appears that this deal may actually be taking place. Or is it? The […]
SaaS: The Multiplier Effect
There are many well-known benefits of SaaS solutions such as subcription pricing, faster implementations and greater user adoption. One that is rarely mentioned is the multiplier effect for niche partner solutions. As an example, take an HR application. If a niche vendor comes in to introduce a complementary application to say automate performance review approvals. […]
Did Shai Agassi read The Dip by Seth Godin?
Seth Godin recently released a new book called The Dip that fundamentally questions the belief that quitters never win and winners never quit. He argues that smart, successful people know when to quit. They recognize what fights are worth fighting, and when its time to seek out other causes. Read his excellent interview with Guy […]
Sun does streaming video (IPTV)
Sun is following through on its strategy of building systems for service providers in the new world of web2.0, SaaS and communications over IP- a trend CTO Greg has called Red Shift (see video Redshift: The Explosion of Massive-Scale Systems by Greg where he walks you through this shift.) Jonathan Schwarz has argued in several […]
Blockbuster v NetFlix: Lessons for software vendors considering SaaS
NetFlix nearly killed Blockbuster by revolutionizing the video rental business with its SaaS-like subscription pricing model and Web2.0-like community referrals. Blockbuster has fought back hard for its life and there are signs now that the tide may be turning in its favor. But Blockbuster lost nearly 75% of its $4 billion market cap over last […]
India still needs WaaS, PaaS and not (only) SaaS
by indoloony India is making a lot of progress with more new billionaires being minted every month. The focus on software industry sometimes takes away from what are more pertinent problems- Water (as a Service) and Power (as a Service). Most Delhiites get around 2 to 4 hours of water supply and must have intricate […]
Broadband for $1 a month, SaaS and Flat World
I just returned from a two week India trip, and was once again amazed by the rate of change- or to be more precise the rate of change in the rate of change (acceleration). I attended an event hosted by TiE New Delhi where a speaker mentioned that the cost of broadband in India is […]
Sun winner as IDC validates Jonathan Schwarz’s Bus Metaphor
As I wrote in a recent post The comeback story of Sun, Sun seems to have made some good solid bets in hardware and they seem to be paying off. Jonathan Schwarz recently wrote a post on the move towards bigger servers entitled The Glamor in Mass Transit. The latest IDC report on servers confirms […]
Did Huawei cause Cisco to buy WebEx?
I just returned from the SaaS Summit organized by OpSource in Monterey, California (more on that later) and a lot of the discussion turned to Cisco’s WebEx acquisition and what it means for SaaS and the high-tech industry in general. Most of the reasons cited for Cisco’s move to acquire WebEx by experts were around […]
Don Dodge say VCs invest $40 billion with only $18bn in exit: some addional data points
Don Dodge has written an excellent piece Venture Capitalists and Angels invest $40 Billion per year but see only $18B in exits that Jeff Nolan and Jason Wood have commented on(hat tip to ). The core thesis of his post is that “exits have averaged $18B over the past 6 years while investments have averaged […]
Peek inside the Kitchen: Why SaaS customers should care about SOA?
If you are a customer that is using on-demand CRM, HR, Reporting, you may think that you probably need not bother about SOA. After all, SaaS is akin to ordering a meal at a restaurant rather than cooking one yourself. But actually you should care about how the meal is prepared, metaphorically speaking, for several […]
Prosper could get bigger than Google
Prosper is a P2P lender founded by former E-LOAN founder and CEO Chris Larsen and follows in the footsteps of Zopa, a UK based startup. Prosper has helped originate loans over $35 million over the last 18+ months. The unsecured consumer lending market is huge- if you think Google’s potential playing field or EBay’s universe […]
Power of visualization: Debunking Myths about the Developing World
Debunking Myths about the Developing World With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, Prof. Hans Rosling uses software from Gapminder debunks a few myths about the “developing” world. This global health visionary has discovered a powerful new way to communicate complex data about the world; his remarkable interactive graphs help deliver profound insights about […]
Launching The SaaS Plugin Report: Are you plugged into the grid yet?
I have started a new blog hosted on Oracle Blog network, it is called The SaaS Plugin Report and will focus exclusively on Software-as-a-Service. I recently switched roles at Oracle from Identity Management to work on a new initiative focused on Software as a Service primarily working with on-demand ISVs and hosting companies. Here is […]
Hijacking the Hello
Hello! In an exquisite marketing campaign that will become deeply embedded in your psyche over the next 6 months- Apple has launched its “Hello” tv ad. If you think about it, this is a master stroke as over time with repeated exposure to this ad you will associate the word Hello to Apple iPhone. Essentially […]
An appeal for Darfur
This is off topic. But more relevant to the topic of human life and humanity. I don’t know if you have ever lived through a riot or massacre or genocide. I have not. The closest I experienced violence of this magnitude was from the security of my house in Meerut, India when 1000s of Hindus […]