Many years ago, I worked with a company that made and sold machine tools (lathe and mill machines). This was a smallish company, perhaps 20 or so employees. My project there was to take a bunch of software packages they were using and attempt to make them work together. In the end, we wound up customizing something from a local vendor and writing some of our own code. The initial cost was somewhat higher, but it did everything they wanted, the way they wanted it done.
Sixteen years later, I find out they're still using the same software. Although it has been updated and enhanced to keep current.
I have been away from the business software world since then, doing other software-related things. Recently, I have had reason to look into this area again and so far I have seen much of the same: hundreds of different software packages, all on different platforms, unless you want to pay a ton of money and implement some kind of gigantic behemoth system that is really designed for very large enterprises.
My initial thoughts are that there still seems to be a void between accounting software like QuickBooks, and large ERP software systems. But I don't have the perspective of someone running a business, I have the perspective of someone who'se been stuck in a cubicle writing code for the past 16 years.
So, those with experience using or working with software for small to medium businesses: what are your thoughts of the current state of business software? Could development of an integrated, easy-to-use platform be a worthwhile project?
Sixteen years later, I find out they're still using the same software. Although it has been updated and enhanced to keep current.
I have been away from the business software world since then, doing other software-related things. Recently, I have had reason to look into this area again and so far I have seen much of the same: hundreds of different software packages, all on different platforms, unless you want to pay a ton of money and implement some kind of gigantic behemoth system that is really designed for very large enterprises.
My initial thoughts are that there still seems to be a void between accounting software like QuickBooks, and large ERP software systems. But I don't have the perspective of someone running a business, I have the perspective of someone who'se been stuck in a cubicle writing code for the past 16 years.
So, those with experience using or working with software for small to medium businesses: what are your thoughts of the current state of business software? Could development of an integrated, easy-to-use platform be a worthwhile project?
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