We`ve Got SaaS - What's Happening Now?
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Let me begin this section with the latest from this year's ISPCON convention, because it helps segue from our discussion about pros and cons. According to thewhir.com, a man named David Snead gave a well attended lecture about SaaS liability. He referenced the Communications Decency Act, which states if you provide computer access for multiple users, you're not liable for copyright infringement for the data you process. He advises better terms of service contracts for the vendor, provider, and customer, namely that they consent to possibly being liable for what they do, and that the liability be spread equally throughout. It doesn't necessarily say that SaaS is bad, just that it is a fast growing trend and with power comes responsibility.
Specifically regarding new SaaS developments, I will first mention a new program by Ensim called Unify. Earlier I mentioned the difficulty in developing SaaS applications, but this product is helping to change that. In short, the program allows for the creation of connectors, which combine a company's applications with the available resources provided by the Unify program. Of course, this will help to quickly deliver a company's cutting edge services. Ensim says Unify will be available for all their customers by December 1, 2007.
The last development I will discuss is from everyone's favorite search engine, Google. They will be working with gas stations to provide in-pump monitors that connect customers to their widely popular application, Google Maps. Whether or not Google charges the stations for this service is still unknown. What is known is that this deal will help both customers and gas stations. The gas station is the most obvious and convenient place for travelers to stop for directions and the stations themselves will be able to program whatever points of interest they want.
Not only did Google make the obvious choice, but once again they have done something revolutionary. It makes you wonder how big SaaS can really get if something so simple can be guaranteed to reach almost everyone, possibly in the world. The last section will cover how to classify SaaS as a whole and give a brief summary of what has already been discussed.
Next: Conclusion >>
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