After the acquisition

InfoWorld: Talks about what Peoplesoft users think about the future. According to Ephraim there are three choices for Peoplesoft users -

Resignation — many customers will quietly make the switch because it is the cheapest alternative. I am sure that Oracle  will provide a lot of support to encourage this.
Rebellion — some customers will [...]

Thinkpad is now ThinkChina

Its finally official -
Here is the rationale -
“The problem with the PC market is that margins are tight, and PCs are increasingly becoming a commodity,” said Bryan Ma, an analyst with market researcher IDC Corp. in Singapore.
Slower growth rates and declining margins may force some manufacturers out of the market altogether, [...]

Technology cooperative

There used to be a time when one of the big 5 consulting firm will cook up a fancy methodology to push big ERP upgrade. In order to make a killing in the process. Every customer will have to buy the same or similar expensive methodology. Lot has happened since those days - [...]

Product Innovation Faltering

PDMA report suggesting that the overall product innovation is slipping.

AMR Research VP Kevin O’Marah pointed to a landmark study by the Product Development Management Association (PDMA) which found a marked drop in more innovative new products (versus incremental enhancements) between 1995 and 2003. This has resulted in many more fast follower companies than new [...]

IT Doesn’t Matter - now in hardbound edition !

Economist did a revisit to the “IT Doesnt Matter” issue, looks like Nicholas Carr is expanding on his theory in his new book .
It sure is an existentialist debate and one which is ruffling many feathers on the mighty trillion dollar information-technology industry -
Though there are pros and cons to this whole debate and [...]

Sense of overhang in the venture world

Friendster’s valuation is proving that greater-fool theory is alive and kicking -
As the economy and the stock market pick up, an estimated 5,800 companies are hoping to get a slice of venture capital, which includes tens of billions of dollars that have been on ice since the dot-com bust. Forecasters say private firms [...]

Myths of open source

Busting the myths of open source (from CIO magazine)
“IT’S A LEGAL MINEFIELD
A variety of open-source licenses exist, and helping CIOs understand their implications is good business for lawyers—very good business. “[CIOs'] concerns chiefly revolve around the implications of using code to which they can’t verify their right to use,” says Jeff Norman, a partner in [...]

Ray Lane on new economy

Ray Lane, during Software2004 conference, on the new dynamics affecting software-based startup businesses -
Competency driven cost-model
- Predictable metrics
- Ubiquitous access
- Continous updates
- SOA (has to be there !)
- Flawless service (very expensive feature)
His parting shot - “There’s nothing [...]

CIO reporting to Sales & Marketing

Jeff Cohen, the former CIO of JetBlue , on why he left JetBlue-
“I left because I knew I didn’t want to report to sales and marketing,” says Cohen, now chief executive of Vertical Software Group, an aviation-software startup based in North Caldwell, N.J. “If you are used to reporting to the CEO and COO, [...]

Muddle through

Peter Burris making good point while using political science term “muddling through” to explain the unforeseen consequences of Offshoring, Outsourcing, Open source, and productivity gains -
Citing general stats -
10% of IT work has been “offshored”;
quality software development labor in emerging markets costs 90% less than in the U.S., but has been and continues [...]