24 February 2006  

Friends of nFold,

Please note that our next software showcase function will NOT be on 15 March as planned, but rather on 6 April. Watch this space for more details coming soon to an inbox near you.

Welcome to the nFold Software Minute. Focusing on the lighter side of software matters for managers, this newsletter is released every few 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 this newsletter contact subs@nfold.com.

SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE : WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

When the Universe talks at me loudly enough, I finally hear what it's trying to say to me. And lately, it's been screaming at me about Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). You might call it a string of coincidences, and maybe you're right. But when Arthur Goldstuck tells me this is the next big thing, Google delivers 8 million hits, Syspro announces at nFold's software showcase that this is the way ERP systems are moving and then, when I look more closely at the matter I see Microsoft, CIO Magazine and others coining the phrase as the wave of the future, I'm reaching for my ear-muffs and wandering off to grab a cup of coffee so that I can settle down for a good read and a chance to mull it all over.

The result? Well, I finally understood what SOA was when I found an analogy to appliances and plugs. One to which I can really relate. Here's my translation: what if software suppliers didn't try to offer you a whole kitchen and spend a few months (or years) custom making it to fit your house? Rather, you could have the freedom to buy any brand of toaster (with a local power adapter that fits your two or three-prong wall plug) able to toast any kind of bread. Hey Presto! You understand that a service is a software routine (make toast) made available over a network (power grid) with a well-defined interface (220 volts power supply).

Is it 'THE FUTURE' or just another buzz-word? Who knows. I guess it depends on the range of your crystal ball. Sadly, future-gazing is an inexact science. I prefer to leave my options open.

Trust nFold for impartial advice on software.

Have a great week, and don't forget to vote on Wednesday.
sandy@nfold.com