Predicting the Next Software Decade

CEOs and investors predict what the next decade will bring for the enteprise software industry. Take our survey and see how your predictions stack up.

By M.R. Rangaswami, Sand Hill Group

Microsoft as open source partner… Oracle as application vendor... Bangalore as development leader... The Internet as a secure corporate network…

Unless you’ve just climbed out from under a rock, you’re well aware that the sofware industry is undergoing massive change. From buyer behavior to emerging technologies to new delivery models to global development to investor activity, nothing about today’s software business is the same as it was ten years ago.

At the tenth anniversary of the elite, invitation-only Enterprise 2007 conference last month, the software CEOs, investors and thought leaders in attendance were prompted to reflect on the evolution of the last ten years and to predict how the next ten years will play out. A survey of attendees revealed surprising insight on the most important industry influences of the past – and the future.

Looking for Promising SaaS Startups

The SIIA OnDemand conference takes place in San Jose from November 7-9, 2007. The organizers are looking for several early-stage, on-demand software vendors to present their businesses to the more than 400 industry executives, analysts and press members who will be in attendance. Click here to find out more and submit an application. The deadline for entry is Aug. 31.

Software IPO Update

The latest analysis of second quarter software financial trends shows encouraging signs. Ken Bender of Software Equity Group reviews the latest software IPOs and looks closer at the current pipeline in this week’s post to the SandHill.com Blog on software finance.

Enterprise Software Shifts Direction

Customers continue to demand changes in the software business. S. Sadagopan of Satyam says this continued evolution of the buyer’s mindset and the ongoing importance of innovation will present a new environment for software sales. Read why in this post to his SandHill.com Blog, The Deep End.

Publish Your Perspective!

The SandHill.com Blog wants your opinions. Send your thoughts on the enterprise software industry to editor@sandhill.com and we’ll publish them in our blog.

Don't Miss: Focus on the Customer – Merrill Lynch

Merrill Lynch has combined operations with IT in a single unit. Diane Schueneman, the head of the company’s Global Infrastructure Solutions, explains how she is changing both to focus on the customer in this article from The McKinsey Quarterly.

News Update: Good Morning, DC

The U.S. government wakes up and votes to bolster the domestic tech industry’s future; plus, Google blacks out, Benioff sells off and Slim gives out. Read these stories and more software news of the week in the latest SandHill.com Software News Summary.

Poll: Most Influential Software Leader?

Which software leader has had the biggest impact on the industry over the past decade?
Take our Pulse Poll >>

Last week, readers gave their opinions as to how the impact of services revenues on software vendor performance will evolve.
Give us your opinion and see the results >>