14 November 2005  

Friends of nFold,

Welcome to the nFold Software Minute. Focusing on the lighter side of software matters for managers, this newsletter is released every two weeks and should not take more than a minute to read. If you find it amusing, please share it with your friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the newsletter contact subs@nfold.com.

LIVE SOFTWARE AND WHY YOU NEED IT (NOT, OR RATHER NOT YET)

Many of you will have heard my favourite Microsoft joke. No, not how many Microsoft programmers does it take to change a light bulb, but the one about Bill Gates and an engineer on a road trip. The car breaks down and the engineer gets out, lifts the hood and sees nothing wrong. Bill Gates' solution? Why not get back in the car and start the engine to see if all the bugs have mysteriously disappeared by re-booting, er, I mean, re-starting. And yet, my friend Gregor was not far off when he said 'I just shook the hand of a god' the day he met Bill Gates. Microsoft has revolutionised the software world time and again and perhaps they're about to do so again?

On 1 November, Microsoft announced its 'Live Software' initiative. A storm in a teacup? Well, yes and no. In line with its usual smoke and mirrors marketing genius, the Microsoft announcement pre-dates anything useful (there is a 'windows live beta' site at www.live.com but the 'live office' - beta site, of course - will only become available in early 2006). 'So what is all the fuss about?' I hear you ask. Well, imagine never having to buy any software ever again. Rather, you would subscribe to 'software services' as and when you need them.

Effectively what Microsoft has launched in the 'office live' website seems to be a platform for the delivery of software services...the foundations of a new industry, if you will. Coming from anyone other than Microsoft I would call this conceited, but I'm half inclined to believe they can pull this one off in the fullness of time. It's just disappointing that there are no REALLY useful services available yet (unless you count webmail, instant messages and a home page). On this note, a popular song comes to mind: "All dressed up and no place to go!"

Trust nFold for impartial advice on software.
sandy@nfold.com