My first post on Snow Leopard was a little bit vague and not really explaining why I think it's very good that Apple focused on most important things - things that never change for their customers.
Intro - Why not including new OS apps and features is a strategic direction of Apple
Many people were confused that Apple introduced new major release of their operating system without any new features or shiny apps. But was it really a surprise?
Steve Jobs said few years ago that "he does not expect any major revolution in the PC world. People like to drive their cars with normal steering wheel, not a futuristic joystick, don't they?". When pressed he added "revolution will happen in the post-PC device world - where purpose built hardware will be powered by web based software services".
Instead of looking for innovation in places where it can not be done - Apple focused on most important requirements of every computer system - requirements that will never change.
Customers would always want high performance - now it's 64 bit and optimized for multicore CPU
High performance is a number one priority for every computer user. This was proofed by many surveys and polls - most probably it's also key for you, dear reader. What's interesting high performance is not always tight to actual speed (like how fast my window will come up on the screen) - it's also a feeling that user has - how fast he or she finished job he had in mind.
Apple was always focusing on both aspects - easiness of use (hi speed of finding right options) and now - 64 bit operating system - real performance upgrade.
This switch to 64 bit is very interesting for web application developers (aka SaaS vendors) - Safari 4 on Snow Leopard is 64 bit too. It means that Java Script can be executed about 50% faster then it was on 32 bit Safari version.
Customers would always want more reliability
According to Apple, their engineers focused on tweaks and tunes of the system and it's core applications so they'll be more reliable. Even if it's hard to point a finger at any particular application or function that is more reliable - I'm sure they did good job on removing existing bugs. Hope they added minim amounts of the new ones...
Summary - Less is More so what would you remove from next version of Mac OS X?
To make the next version even faster and more reliable maybe there is something that they should remove from the system? Imagine the press conference or Jobs keynote speech describing removed apps or features :)
So what should they remove? Maybe Mail app? Maybe next version of Gmail or Yahoo Mail would support offline storage so well that we could abandon installed Mail client?
Any other thoughts?
Snow Leopard - focus on things that never change
Yesterday there was a launch of new version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard - event that was discussed widely on pretty much every medium we can imagine. I still haven't upgraded my MacBook Pro but it's just a matter of time... very short time to be precise. But it's not important. Important is that Apple released an operating system that doesn't introduce any new major functionality.
What it does is simply focusing on things that never change for the end users - need for speed, need for reliability and need for easiness of use.
A bit of a shock for most of the industry that was built around "I have more features than my competition - please upgrade your hardware to be able to use them" principle.
What was not a surprise for us - the warm welcome from the user base.
What it does is simply focusing on things that never change for the end users - need for speed, need for reliability and need for easiness of use.
A bit of a shock for most of the industry that was built around "I have more features than my competition - please upgrade your hardware to be able to use them" principle.
What was not a surprise for us - the warm welcome from the user base.
5 reasons why SaaS is interesting NOW!
Few things that I had in mind after reading couple of interesting blog posts:
Why people should look at SaaS seriously? Here are 5 good, but very much not typical, reasons:
Why people should look at SaaS seriously? Here are 5 good, but very much not typical, reasons:
- Always in the history of software when disaggregation happened, there was a tremendous business opportunity for many companies. Right now we are decoupling Operating System from the Applications.
- People love Apple Mac. They hear about it because they already use iPhone and iPod. People that will migrate from PC to Mac would want to use it also for business - they will look at Web Apps because there aren't that many native business apps for Mac.
- Fastest growing segment in the PC industry is Netbook - device that has only one goal - to help you surf the web while on the move. Business people will use it instead of using full size laptops because they are cheaper and more portable .
- Even Microsoft, who fears SaaS very much, is on board with Office 2010 .
- Google .
Nokia Booklet 3G
This is very quick post just to let you know of another Post-PC device that is really interesting. Nokia just released info on their netbook that will be running Windows operating system and will be interesting amalgamate of mobile phone and netbook.
Just another really nice tool for all the business people that are on the move.
Software as a Zen - The Manifesto
The reason why.
We have started our company because we think that something is seriously wrong with the current way businesses are using IT. Instead of boosting their productivity, competitiveness and increase value of the company, most of them are dealing with endless implementations of overcomplicated software, upgrades, hardware purchases, data center building and everything else that is totally irrelevant for their business.
Why start now? Good timing is very important - and tough economic conditions are perfect for people that would like to present new way of doing more and better for less. We also think that we are facing the same kind of change in thinking about software design and delivery as we've seen when DVD replaced VHS or when iPod emerged and destroyed DVD and the way we think about obtaining music.
Can you hear one hand clapping?
It's very hard to create simple design. It's very simple to create complexity. We will do our best to create simple design with most important features - because most of the time "less is more".
Peace of Mind.
Typical headaches with IT - security, upgrades, hardware purchases, installation, migration etc. People are buying electricity not building a power plant - we would like to provide application service exactly the way power plants are providing electricity. This way our customers can focus on the most important thing - growing their business.
Remember about your every day Mantra.
"Simple foundations of business" - that is exactly what we would like to provide.
We have started our company because we think that something is seriously wrong with the current way businesses are using IT. Instead of boosting their productivity, competitiveness and increase value of the company, most of them are dealing with endless implementations of overcomplicated software, upgrades, hardware purchases, data center building and everything else that is totally irrelevant for their business.
Why start now? Good timing is very important - and tough economic conditions are perfect for people that would like to present new way of doing more and better for less. We also think that we are facing the same kind of change in thinking about software design and delivery as we've seen when DVD replaced VHS or when iPod emerged and destroyed DVD and the way we think about obtaining music.
To sum things up - we think that Software as a Service is the same thing for software business that iPod was for music business.
From SaaS to SaaZ.
From SaaS to SaaZ.We would like to move the SaaS concept to the next level. While SaaS for as is multi-tenant/one code base application presented over the Internet to the customers we would like to embed additional qualities into it. Below you'll learn what we would like to focus on - and why we think that our offering deserves the name "Software as a Zen".
What goes around comes around.
We believe that customer service starts when customer is logging to the application. If user needs a manual to operate - it's not good software. If user doesn't feel that application is helping him to achieve his goals - it's not good software either.
Connect to the universe to reach nirvana.
One of the most important qualities that we would like to deliver is to leverage the power of the Web and ability to mobilize access to applications. Power of the Web gives you also ability to connect and complete certain business processes that are currently separated.
We believe that customer service starts when customer is logging to the application. If user needs a manual to operate - it's not good software. If user doesn't feel that application is helping him to achieve his goals - it's not good software either.
Connect to the universe to reach nirvana.
One of the most important qualities that we would like to deliver is to leverage the power of the Web and ability to mobilize access to applications. Power of the Web gives you also ability to connect and complete certain business processes that are currently separated.
Can you hear one hand clapping?
It's very hard to create simple design. It's very simple to create complexity. We will do our best to create simple design with most important features - because most of the time "less is more".
Peace of Mind.
Typical headaches with IT - security, upgrades, hardware purchases, installation, migration etc. People are buying electricity not building a power plant - we would like to provide application service exactly the way power plants are providing electricity. This way our customers can focus on the most important thing - growing their business.
Remember about your every day Mantra.
"Simple foundations of business" - that is exactly what we would like to provide.
You are not what you own...
...yet you want to own beautiful things. And even though it's true that you should not discuss about other people taste ( de gustibus non est disputandum ) you definitely can define classic beauty.
In software world it's not enough to define beauty, though. What we are trying to do is to create design - functional flow - that will be both very ergonomic and yet nice looking. For inspiration I think we should be looking at furniture.
The one below will never go out of style - it's fantastically comfortable (I've got 6 of those and I love them) and it will never go out of style because it is so minimalistic that it can go with virtually any interior design.
For me it was a surprise that it was designed in 1967 - because it looks so modern! Ideal marriage of style and practicality. As any software should be.
In software world it's not enough to define beauty, though. What we are trying to do is to create design - functional flow - that will be both very ergonomic and yet nice looking. For inspiration I think we should be looking at furniture.
The one below will never go out of style - it's fantastically comfortable (I've got 6 of those and I love them) and it will never go out of style because it is so minimalistic that it can go with virtually any interior design.
For me it was a surprise that it was designed in 1967 - because it looks so modern! Ideal marriage of style and practicality. As any software should be.
Application is UI
One of the aspects of UI that is very interesting is how personal it can be. How to make it talk to the users in more friendly manner. Looking for answers I've come across this picture - it is absolutely fantastic and makes you look at the product in totally different way - take a look:
Google Chrome OS - spy shots
I'm not sure if you've heard of the Google Chrome OS concept. It's aimed to be Microsoft Windows killer - at least in the netbook world. It'll be based on the Google Chrome web browser and Linux kernel - primary assumption - fast, lean and pointed to only one direction - best platform to run web application (a.k.a SaaZ apps).
I love the concept because I'm huge believer of the "less is more" philosophy. If you like it too I have to links for ya.
The role of post-PC devices in SaaZ revolution
In this little post I would like to briefly point you to very important advantage of SaaZ over installed software. If well prepared, it can run on any device with a browser you can get.
Modern browser is no longer just a program - it became abstraction layer that separates programs from operating system. It's less and less important for people if they have MacOS, Linux or Windows - as long as they use good enough browser - they’re good to go.
This also makes huge difference for the software vendor - if you are SaaZ provider you can deliver great value, for fraction of the cost for huge market (every PC and post-PC device that is running modern Web Browser).
iPhone - because iMobileAppPlatform would never sound that cool.
When first unveiled, iPhone was introduced to be a Frankenstein created from three different devices - iPod, Phone and MiniMacThatCanRunWebBrowser. Timing for such device was perfect - mobile internet is everywhere and is getting cheaper and cheaper. Most people very actively chasing their own tail all day long - there is not much time to sit down to a PC or even open their laptop. But the phone? It's always with you. Being able to do your business on the move, access vital business information while you're out of office can be critical advantage for the company.
NetBook - because all I need is a Web Browser.
This actually is rather old concept. NetComputer (the network is the computer) or a Terminal that is connected to network and is fetching all the programs from outside. Great vision - but didn't really work out that well in the late 90's when it was first introduced. There were many reasons why that concept achieved spectacular failure - but one was really important. Level of end user experience you could deliver 10 years ago on the web browser was significantly lower than user experience of any of the existing thick client installable applications. Why do we think things have changed?
HTML5 - because user will no longer tell the difference - is this installed or delivered over the web browser?
Multi threading and local storage are, in my opinion, most important new features of HTML standard. Ability to run web application even if you are offline is essential for most customers. So is performance of the app - right now shouldn't be an issue with WebWorkers where multiple threads run on the browser preventing it from “hanging” while doing particularly heavy duty tasks. If you would like to checkout HTML5 demos please visit this site.
Google Wave - Is this any good for SaaS provider?
Personally I'm interested in this technology simply because I thought it makes sense to use it for Customer Service bit of the Smartupz product family. Even though I've read about Wave, and watched everything there is to watch about this technology, I didn't fully understand the concept.
Wait, I thought to myself, you'll get that dev account, you'll start to use it and then you'll understand it. Guess what happened after I received my dev account - I still don't get what Wave is about. I even don't know
how to describe that damn thing to my wife! And to be honest - I don't think it's very good for Wave...
I even think it's very bad for Wave. Because I strongly believe that if you can not describe something in one sentence, you will not be able to sell it.
Coming back to the question I asked in the title - is this any good for SaaS provider? - I must say that the only thing I can think of is another question - is this any good for anyone?
Now, when I'm still thinking of ways to incorporate Wave protocol into Smartupz, I'll leave you with mandatory screenshot of that new Google offspring.
Lower costs are not enough! pt.2
Previously I stated that in order to have much broader adoption of SaaS/SaaZ we need to provide much higher value then just a lower price. One of the key values that customers are looking for are Reliability and Data Security.
To discuss those to matters I think we should reverse the question. Let's not ask ourselves how secure SaaS app is - let's think for a moment of security of in-house hosted applications.
Where is threat coming from?
Let me check some statistics:
"A recent Ponemon Institute survey of 163 Fortune
1000 companies found that roughly 70 percent of
all reported security breaches were due to
insiders."
"According to a study by the FBI, an estimated
70 percent of these network breaches originate
from within. While there is an increased
awareness and improved technology to cope with
some threats such as viruses, unauthorized
access to information is on the rise,
representing a loss of more than $303,000.
per incident."
- People use full blown operating systems to be able to install applications on their PCs or Laptops - Huge majority of SMBs and many corporations never heard of ISO 27000 and many of the centrally hosted systems are simply easy to breach into, not secured with SSL (why would they - it's secure because it's internal!!) - Huge majority of SMBs think of security only when something bad happens...Now let us think of SaaS reality: - You don't need full blown operating system - you need netbook with a browser. Think of no loosing data when loosing notebook/netbook. Think of the world where there are no viruses. - SaaS provider should be able to proof that they think of security and it's important to them. If SaaS provider is serious about their business they will know what Disaster Recovery, backup and recovery etc. means. All the comunications are SSL encrypted and everything is "external" for employees. Nobody assumes confidence level based on "it's internal" - SaaS provider should and is thinking of security all the time. It's part of the core business. Period.And again - costs. Because of very simple rule of consolidation greater levels of security can be achieved with much lower costs for the single SaaS customer.Customers simply share the costs among themselves.
Lower costs are not enough! pt.1
When talking to people trying to present them idea of SaaS for businesses I often get one question - why would anyone give up control on their data and give it to some remote unknown datacenter somwhere in the cloud?? At first I was explaining that it's a cost case - it's a lot more cost effective to use SaaS then to maintain internal IT for most of the cases.
But is MONEY really a reason why people should move to SaaS??
History teaches us something on that matter - remember big Windows vs. Linux war (the one that is still going on btw.)? The case was really obvious - get free copy of Linux operating system instead of paying for Windows. It's better for you. Yet we still live in the world where Linux on desktop is about 3%-5% while costly alternative has around 90% of the marketshare.
So what could be a reason that will push people towards SaaS??
In my opinion we must deliver more then just a lower price tag. In fact there is one thing that highly differentiates Saas vs. internally installed software - it's accessibility (because it's on Internet). In it's core SaaS offering should be designed to fully maximize power of the Web. This will create the value that no business can resist...
Important question that remains - how one should maximize this power of the Web. This I'll try to cover in the next post.
How we are trying to model our software...
Software as a Service? I think we should aim to offer Software as a Zen (SaaZ)! And that is what we at Smartupz are trying to do. And in this post I will explain you why.
Do you want to hear one hand clapping?...
First I should explain what I mean by "Zen". Zen for me is "Simplicity", "Focus" and "Peace of Mind". That is a set of great qualities that every software company should think of when designing their product. And we certainly think of them. Here is why.
Simplicity
While thinking of simplicity we actually try to remember of what Steve Jobs said about this. Let me remind you:
“When you start looking at a problem and it seems really simple with all these simple solutions, you don’t really understand the complexity of the problem. And your solutions are way too oversimplified, and they don’t work.”
“…Then you get into the problem, and you see it’s really complicated. And you come up with all these convoluted solutions. That’s sort of the middle, and that’s where most people stop, and the solutions tend to work for a while…”
“…But the really great person will keep on going and find the key, underlying principle of the problem, and come up with a beautiful elegant solution that works.”
Our goal is to reach this elegant and beautiful solution. And then call it - simple solution to your problem.
Focus
"What you do now, should be what you do now" - this sentence was chasing me for a while now... Everyone understands it in a little different way - and let's leave it like that.
Peace of Mind
Here we think of couple of things - mainly security and lack of usual IT problems with maintenance, upgrades, internal SLAs etc. Using software should be like using electricity - you don't care about the whole complexity of the nuclear power plant, do you? You just care that you need 110V or 220V in the standard socket. That is it.
What is our Mantra then?
"Simple foundation of business".
Smartupz is Smart Apps or Smart Startups?
When we thought of the name for a startup we looked into many different sources of wisdom (including Guy Kawasaki's Naming Principles ) - then we kind of broke all the rules and come up with this awkward - Smartupz - thing.
So in general we thought of mixing Smart Applications (Smart Apps) with the Smart Business/Startup idea. Of course - name should be at least a little bit funky - hence the "Z" instead of "S" at the end of the name.
What do you think of it?
Hello World - We'll take you over!
This post is just to say hello to the SMB world that is waiting for the new way of buying and using software to accelerate it's business. My personal feeling is that current economic climate will kill very soon (or degrade at least) traditional installed&maintained software. Because there is a new kid on the block - and this kid is called SaaS (Software as a Service).
The King is dead - Long live the King!
Make no mistake - we are not talking about the new way of delivering software to the SMB franchises around the globe. We are talking about the whole new economy of scale and way of thinking about features of business software. SaaS stands for using the power of network to create functionality that "normal" (as 'installed on premise") can simply not deliver. For the price that is absolutely not achievable other way.
To sum things up - be prepared for the revolution - because revolution is coming.
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