Software
Evolution
by: Rafael
Sosa As Internet connections become
more permanent with broadband access, software
will be able to evolve into a more efficient and
personalized medium. Currently, most software
run from our hard drives and require installations
that alter our system configurations, many times
slowing down our computers. Because software occupies
space and processing power, there is a limited
amount of software that can run in our PCs. On
the business side, current software systems require
many companies to produce a system of distribution
(Compac Discs), customer support, and is usually
not compatible with all customers, thus limiting
its customer base further.
A software evolution is ocurring and it is going
to benefit both customers and businesses immensly.
Software will no longer come as a packet that
needs to be installed on a PC, but rather it will
be completely Web based. Web based software will
become the default way of reaching customers.
Customers will have advantages such as, using
unlimited amount of software, using applications
regardless of where the person is or which computer
he/she is using, software can be personalized
and upgraded to meet specific needs to each individual.
Businesses will be able to, reduce costs, reach
a larger customer pool, taylor its software to
diverse markets, repair bugs more rapidly and
easily, understand its customer and the way they
use their software, etc.
In order for this software revolution to occur
in whole, there needs to be a central point. Like
Miscrosoft's DOS in the 80's, which became the
standard choice of operating system to centralize
and organize our computer operations, there needs
to be an online operating system. As of now, Microsoft
has built an empire because of its vision and
their dominance in the OS market. However, now
there is a window of opportunity to take a large
chunk of that empire and possibly eliminate Microsoft's
monopoly of the Operating System. While there
are many companies and organizations (Apple, Linux,
Lindows) out there trying to take a bite out of
Microsoft by competing on the same turf, PC users
are accostumed to Windows and will most likely
not switch. The opportunity to eliminate this
monopoly is to create an Online Operating System.
PC users will inevitably move completely online.
An Online Operating System will be the central
point of every user in the future. There are online
companies who have an inside advantage to this,
such as Yahoo!, Google, and AOL, but it can be
anyone's medal, even to a fairly unknown competitor,
as was Microsoft when they introduced DOS to the
world. In this new concept of Operating System,
there can be a larger space of diversity and can
be shared by more companies, unlike the current
status. |
