Thought: Technological Shifts

Do we need a software backend to handle the data?

What if the companies run out of money? Software built by the company is still used by a small number of people

If there were no hosting costs to a software, the software could be used and extended by the customers forever.

Data ownership, data store, data transfer is still the most talked about topic in any software sell

If backend were to be used only to integrate and share the data, while keeping a hold on your owned data and software, it would fundamentally change how the software is developed right now.

Return of desktop computing

• tabs, iPhone have a local storage and compute power
• data on a saas vendor is never safe

Q: why did web software replace the desktop software? My thinking

• Web enabled the businesses to build, distribute the software faster
• Web enabled the businesses to reach directly to and connect directly with the customers
• Forced businesses to come online, at least have an interface for the customer to reach out
• Didn’t need the customers to install software
• Provided equal opportunity to smaller players to compete by offering a better software
• No lock-in (not true now)
• Allowed users to multi-task, by switching tabs in the browser
• Upgrading a software is tough, providing an upgraded version to support new OS, installing an upgraded version does not interest a user. Takes up time and bandwidth.

Q: Why would someone choose a desktop software? Then vs now?