Updated: 9/9/02; 12:46:06 PM
A Useful Addition
    Observations on Software - Markets, Technology, and Companies

daily link  Monday, March 4, 2002

Palm OS 5: Too little, too late?

Palm's latest OS is late to the party with a number of features - such as improved security - that are needed for success in the enterprise market. The question now is whether the company can maintain its lead in installed base. Microsoft is way behind -for now.

Is Palm the Next Netscape?. Even though Palm's operating system still owns more than half of the PDA market, Microsoft's marketing engines are roaring, and the software giant is gaining ground in the mobile OS space. Palm is fighting back with the release of version 5, but will that be enough? [osOpinion

9:10:22 AM  permalink 


Open vs. Closed

He'll no doubt take heat for this, but the basis of his argument is a sound one - commercialization is a powerful driver of growth in the software industry. It's obviously not the only way to go - or grow - the open source nirvanna articulated by some of the more libertine members of the open source community would turn the software industry into a cottage industry.

Mundie slams Liberty, open source. Speaking at the WCIT 2002, Microsoft's chief technical officer Craig Mundie says public license advocates don't understand the need to commercialize. [ZDNet Tech News

8:55:21 AM  permalink  source


The wages of sine...

Are a big fine and jail time.

'Drinkordie' pirate captain pleads guilty. John Sankus, a co-leader of one of the Internet's oldest international software, game and movie piracy ring, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. [ZDNet Tech News

8:48:15 AM  permalink  source


Back from the brink?

Novell is an industry poster child for the argument that great enginnering can be hobbled by poor marketing. The firm has consistently scored high marks for the quality of its products - but has never been able to provide adequate support for developers, gain the support of thought leaders, or maintain market share in the face of competition from lesser technologies. Sentimental management favorite Chris Stone has returned to the company, urging watchers to watch the company's new strategies unfold. He might better urge us to buy something.

Novell: Comeback plot unfolding?. Chris Stone rejoins Novell as its No. 2 executive and says the company will rise again as a significant force in the software industry. But some aren't so sure. [ZDNet Tech News

8:43:11 AM  permalink  source


Microsoft ahead of itself?

A healthy dose of hype is standard procedure for any technology introduction - so the observation that Microsoft has the programming cart before the business horse isn't really news. But the article does provide a good overview of many issues associated with .NET.

Is Microsoft promising too much?. Critics are accusing the software giant of creating too much of a buzz about new technologies before fully developing concepts, let alone any actual products or services. [ZDNet Tech News

4:59:15 AM  permalink  source


Copyright 2002 © Dale Gardner