Slashdot Mirror
The Downsides of Software as Service
JustinBrock writes "Dvorak's article yesterday, entitled Don't Trust the Servers, argues that the danger of software as a service was highlighted when 'the WGA [Windows Genuine Advantage] server outage hit on Friday evening and was finally repaired on Saturday. It was down for 19 long hours.' The whole fiasco raises an interesting perspective on the software as a service 'fetish'. Dvorak highlights it hypothetically: What if the timeline were reversed, and we were moving from online apps to the desktop. Hear his prophecy of the marketing: 'You can image the advertising push. "Now control your own data!" "Faster processing power now." "Cheaper!" "Everything at your fingertips." "No need to worry about network outages." "Faster, cheaper, more reliable." On and on. I can almost hear the marketing types brag about how much better "shrink wrap" software is than the flaky online apps. The best line for the emergence of the desktop computer in a reverse timeline would be "It's about time!"'"
Let's imagine another hypothetical: one where Dvorak is a respected columnist who is taken seriously. I can see the Slashdot comments now: "Wow, another Dvorak article! Hooray!" "No one understands the industry better than Dvorak!" "This is one of the most insightful and valuable things I've read all week!"
Of course, this is just a hypothetical, and like the one in the article itself has little to do with reality.
I, for one, can't think of a single upside of "Software as Service"
ZuluPad, the wiki notepad on crack
Did anyone else have to do a double take on the author of this article. The more I read, the more I'm thinking it can't be Dvorak right? This is pretty sensible. Rechecked the author when I was done and said, "huh"
I never new there was an Upside!
Great. I happen to agree that putting things in networked services just for the sake of having it in networked services is a waste of resources. But since Dvorak came right out and said it now I haven't got a argumentative leg to stand on. It's like a child molester agreeing with me that we ought to have more public parks.
Next thing you know he'll declare how much he likes pizza, completely undermining my fondness of it.
More Twoson than Cupertino
Wow, an assembly programmer who builds his own chips? Where do you find the time to /.?
Tags != Comments, and -1 (Troll) != -1 (I Would Respond Angrily To This Poster So They Must Be Trolling)
Let me guess....are they GIF's?
www.purevolume.com/martyd
Perhaps you should go outside and get some fresh air. ;)