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. |
