Re^2: "As software grows up" .. what do you do?

in reply to Re: "As software grows up" .. what do you do?
in thread "As software grows up" .. what do you do?

I can suggest, and this is vague because I don't know the details at the "left behind" site, that hiring some current UI designers - and I do mean designers - along with some smart front-end developers who are up-to-date with current Javascript frameworks, will let the left-behind company both catch up and provide an excellent user experience on tablets (ok, some tablets are inherently going to provide a poor experience at the moment, but that's not your problem). This also allows you an option to get into the mobile market, if that's applicable.

For many companies with a major web presence, the shift seems to be away from apps to sophisticated HTML 5 websites. They can look very good on just about anything, and will do a lot to provide that "oh, they must be current" kick that seems to be missing. They also allow you to not be beholden to anyone else for distribution or taking a cut of subscription fees, etc. (I love Apple, but all that's built in to their model.)

Another alternative is to build APIs that other platforms can use, whether they're HTML 5 applications or custom apps. In addition, direct access to the APIs by customers is another possible revenue stream - selling enhanced access to the basic APIs, more features, or more capacity for a fee. Don't like our basic interface? You can build the one you want - and we offer support services at $XXX to help.

Essentially, either the service itself has to make is obvious that it's the best, or it needs to provide something else that the competition doesn't: more support, more function, cheaper prices, ... can't make any other suggestions because I don't know the context and I am not a marketer. But the basic is "why are we better, and what should be do to emphasize that? If we're not, what can we do about that?"

Comment on Re^2: "As software grows up" .. what do you do?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: "As software grows up" .. what do you do? by sundialsvc4 (Abbot) on May 15, 2012 at 18:24 UTC
Heh. I just had a very interesting interview with a person which quickly turned into a discussion. In that discussion, I held out the notion that I actually don’t think that all of this present methodology that is grounded in HTML5 and JavaScript will survive the onrushing tablet/smart-phone space. Here we all are, talking “matter of factly” how Flash is out (good riddance) and “of course” HTML5 is in, and which “of course” JavaScript framework is going to dominate on tablets and ... all of the sudden ... “OMG! But what if? ...” “It’s dejá vu all over again...” I think that these hand-held devices are going to bring us straight back to the application, installed individually on each device through the “automatic software update” processes that are now common. The applications are going to be native, communicating with back-end servers perhaps using legacy-compatible JSON and/or XML:RPC protocols, but our entire “know how” investment of how to build web applications is going to be ... nullified. “These are not ‘web’ applications.” Where do I think it’s going? I think that the next talked-about thing will be cross-platform development languages, of which I am currently most familiar with http://www.haxe.org and its brethren. I don’t know if this is the language that will win, but I think it’s the correct approach. However, there is a wee bit of a problem . . . The problem is that there is once again no “short line” between the present state and that one. Once again, we have corporately made massive investments in a technology that worked, and even witnessed our actions and choices appearing to be sanctified by the biggest and most well-known names ... and then, the technology changed course again and leaves us swimming in an oxbow lake. Don’t know yet if I’ll get the gig, but it sure was an interesting discussion.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.

Re^3: "As software grows up" .. what do you do?
by sundialsvc4 (Abbot) on May 15, 2012 at 18:24 UTC

Heh. I just had a very interesting interview with a person which quickly turned into a discussion. In that discussion, I held out the notion that I actually don’t think that all of this present methodology that is grounded in HTML5 and JavaScript will survive the onrushing tablet/smart-phone space.

Here we all are, talking “matter of factly” how Flash is out (good riddance) and “of course” HTML5 is in, and which “of course” JavaScript framework is going to dominate on tablets and ... all of the sudden ... “OMG! But what if? ...”

“It’s dejá vu all over again...”

I think that these hand-held devices are going to bring us straight back to the application, installed individually on each device through the “automatic software update” processes that are now common. The applications are going to be native, communicating with back-end servers perhaps using legacy-compatible JSON and/or XML:RPC protocols, but our entire “know how” investment of how to build web applications is going to be ... nullified. “These are not ‘web’ applications.”

Where do I think it’s going? I think that the next talked-about thing will be cross-platform development languages, of which I am currently most familiar with http://www.haxe.org and its brethren. I don’t know if this is the language that will win, but I think it’s the correct approach. However, there is a wee bit of a problem . . .

The problem is that there is once again no “short line” between the present state and that one. Once again, we have corporately made massive investments in a technology that worked, and even witnessed our actions and choices appearing to be sanctified by the biggest and most well-known names ... and then, the technology changed course again and leaves us swimming in an oxbow lake.

Don’t know yet if I’ll get the gig, but it sure was an interesting discussion.

In Section Meditations