| The computer software industry is an ever changing | | | | Facebook. Since Facebook has allowed outside |
| environment. Companies and people demand that their | | | | software developers to create tools for the site, The |
| software do more, and of course they expect more | | | | New York Times reports, "The developers are hoping |
| out of the vendors they use to supply the software | | | | to both create and profit from expanded use of |
| they need. That is no more evident when consumers | | | | Facebook." Brad Stone of the New York Times |
| see companies acquire smaller firms to expand their | | | | claims, "The company`s (Facebook) book value has |
| business and of course their bottom line. | | | | soared. A report that Microsoft considered buying a |
| Recent news shows that companies like SAP are | | | | $500 million share of Facebook would put its worth at |
| trying to maneuver their way in with the big boys. | | | | almost $15 billion." Stone is uncertain if the new tools |
| Aaron Ricadela of Business Week Online recently | | | | can turn a profit. |
| reported that, "SAP has decided to acquire Business | | | | Business Week recently interviewed Steve Mills, a |
| Objects as part of its growth plan." According to | | | | senior vice-president and group executive at IBM. |
| Ricadela, "The deal would put SAP, the world`s | | | | When they asked him about the growth of IBM`s |
| third-largest software maker, into one of the U.S. | | | | software business, he said "that the percentage of the |
| software industry`s hottest sectors." Currently | | | | company`s software that comes from some of the |
| Business Objects competes in a fast-growing market | | | | faster growing parts of the portfolio continues to get |
| for software that help companies plan budgets and | | | | larger." According to Mills, "every acquisition made by |
| close their books. "The proposed acquisition of | | | | the company fits into one of the major categories of |
| Business Objects comes as competitors Oracle, IBM, | | | | middleware that makes up its portfolio." IBM has |
| Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft have stepped up the | | | | decided to make a version of their Lotus Symphony |
| pace of buyouts in the corporate software sector," | | | | collaboration software for free. A trend that other |
| claims Ricadela. | | | | companies seem to follow, such as Sun, who recently |
| Acquisitions are not the only hot topic in computer | | | | has mentioned they are going to make Solaris and |
| software these days. How about internet web sites | | | | Java, free, to get back to the basics of what made |
| and what some of them have to offer. We have all | | | | them, what they are. |
| heard of the success story of companies like Google, | | | | The software industry is forever changing, very |
| Link Exchange and so on, where the creators come | | | | competitive, yet very necessary. If you run a small firm, |
| up with a wonderful web idea, and a couple of years | | | | or distribute a software product, you may want to look |
| later the company gets purchased for millions or go | | | | to the big boys to gain some inspiration and knowledge |
| public in Google`s case and are now worth Billions. | | | | of where to take that product or service next. |
| Nothing holds more true than the populare web site | | | | By: Bruce A. |