The eBusiness Division of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has released a report examining what it thinks is the next stage in the evolution of the software industry: Web Services. The report provides a definition of Web Services, and analyzes five major companies (Sun, Oracle, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft) competing plans to develop the platform standards on which Web Services will grow.
It also looks at what independent software vendors (ISVs) need to consider as they begin to develop their offerings as Web services.
Industry Leaders’ Plans for Web Services: What does it mean for ISVs?, a 43-page report, follows the stages leading to Web services and its ultimate effect upon ISVs.
“In SIIA’s view, Web Services are the next stage of an evolutionary movement that has been developing in the software industry for some time,” said Fred Hoch, director of SIIA’s eBusiness Division. “It began with ASPs, moved to software as a service (SaaS) and has developed into Web services. Web services promise to bring software as a services to reality.”
The report highlights how Web services will “dramatically” change the way software is sold. It determines that ISVs must begin examining new business models, investigating Web services platforms and preparing to change the way they develop and support software.
“Web services will forever change the way that software is developed, deployed and paid for,” said Hoch.
The report is available to SIIA members at no charge and non-members for $495.