Jul 2005
The Long Tail Continues
Apple switching to Intel is a move that stunned the
faithful Mac community, yet most of us knew Mac OS X
was derived from a dual core OS Steve Jobs had been
running for a while at Next. Had we forgotten?
Did the success of the iPod blur our vision? But more important than the choice for Intel CPU's is the impact on the choice for other hardware components of the computer. The Mac derives its cool look, slim laptop design, unique features and true innovation from a primarily proprietary hardware design process. Low cost and commodity designs from mostly Intel, AMD, and other mass market producers still turns out computer bricks. Intel performance is good, instead of "Intel Inside" just add "Apple Everywhere Else".
Did the success of the iPod blur our vision? But more important than the choice for Intel CPU's is the impact on the choice for other hardware components of the computer. The Mac derives its cool look, slim laptop design, unique features and true innovation from a primarily proprietary hardware design process. Low cost and commodity designs from mostly Intel, AMD, and other mass market producers still turns out computer bricks. Intel performance is good, instead of "Intel Inside" just add "Apple Everywhere Else".
PowerPC or Intel, who cares? Or do I?
Saturday - July 09, 2005 Filed in: Positioning
While attending Tony Perkins' Media 100
beer-and-burger bash at the Alpine Inn, I was
confronted by another opinionist that questioned
Oracle's foray in the Enterprise Collaboration
business. Indeed, it has been a long road;
Oracle*Mail, Oracle Office, Oracle Library, Oracle
Documents, Oracle Workflow, Oracle InterOffice Suite,
Oracle InterOffice, Oracle Collaboration Suite is the
reincarnation Oracle's installed base has been hit up
with since 1990. As the lead salesman (or should I
say Director of Worldwide Marketing), more than 7
years ago for Oracle Office and InterOffice I learned
a few important lessons that stuck with me
forever.
For one, technology does not sell. Oracle's
collaboration tools were then, and are now some of
the best in the business.
Two, deliver a proposition to sales people that matches the vendor's existing business model. Incompatibility of business models is why 800-pound Gorillas can't buy themselves into new categories.
Three, commission sales people competitively to other proven product offerings. Don't let your weakest sales people hide behind selling the "impossible". Again, Oracle's technology is not the problem, incompatible business models is the real issue. I see a bright future for Oracle's Collaboration Suite as the software-as-a-service solution for customers who have bought into Salesforce.com's business model.
Now, Digital Asset Management, often erroneously merged into the Collaboration substrate, is a market category that Oracle needs to own and quickly. "Unstructured" data and corporate media management markets are currently growing at a clip of 45% a year, faster than RDBMS or ERP growth. If Oracle wants to be the database for all corporate data, digital asset management is the real opportunity, not only because it works best with Oracle's organic business model. I've got suggestions for Chuck (Rozwat and Phillips) of who to buy to get in quick.
Two, deliver a proposition to sales people that matches the vendor's existing business model. Incompatibility of business models is why 800-pound Gorillas can't buy themselves into new categories.
Three, commission sales people competitively to other proven product offerings. Don't let your weakest sales people hide behind selling the "impossible". Again, Oracle's technology is not the problem, incompatible business models is the real issue. I see a bright future for Oracle's Collaboration Suite as the software-as-a-service solution for customers who have bought into Salesforce.com's business model.
Now, Digital Asset Management, often erroneously merged into the Collaboration substrate, is a market category that Oracle needs to own and quickly. "Unstructured" data and corporate media management markets are currently growing at a clip of 45% a year, faster than RDBMS or ERP growth. If Oracle wants to be the database for all corporate data, digital asset management is the real opportunity, not only because it works best with Oracle's organic business model. I've got suggestions for Chuck (Rozwat and Phillips) of who to buy to get in quick.
Oracle Collaboration "sweet"
Friday - July 08, 2005 Filed in: Positioning
