justFabulous

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is not a new thing. Starting from 1998, On-Demand service has been promising the “application utility” model to bring the “affordable software” to the SMB market. Back then in the form of ASPs (Application Service Providers). Then in the name of hosted service. Then, the on-demand.

Now it has a new name SaaS.

They all aim at one thing: Every business needs standard features and capabilities in their business software to automate their operations. Offer those capabilities at simple pricing model, as you would buy water or electricity or any other utility.

The difference this time around is that the advancement of web technology platforms and innovations to develop Rich Internet Applications – much the same way, the interactivity and the richness of client/server applications.

In addition, the maturity of application integration standards and technologies in the form of Web Services.

Putting all these innovations together, SaaS vendors have started offering everything On-Demand. It’s high time you give SaaS paradigm a fresh look.

Every question around the viability of this model has been addressed in the last decade or so: Security, Interoperability, Integration, Application Richness, Extensibility, etc, etc.

In the “Pragmatic SaaS” blog series, I am planning to cover a number of topics on SaaS.

Please come back and visit time to time. If it makes any sense, leave your comments.