Mystery of slow software sales still unsolved

Software execs have tons of reasons for June slowdown--some self-serving. It seems clear, though, that something worrisome is afoot.

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[djugan]

Fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice, thrice.....

The go-go days of the nineties promoted the hyper-extension of unquestioned belief that "new was always better." In fact, what was and is touted today as "new" seldom offers more than marginal functional improvements at an inordinate price.

The bursting of the tech bubble served as the life-altering event that jolted enterprise and the consumer back to reality. Subsequently, enduring economic malaise has forced all of us to think longer and harder before taking that leap and risking another round of self-recrimination.

[djugan]

Erratum: Read subject line above "Fool me once, shame on you; fool.....

Thank you.

It departments have too much on their plates

Virtually every public company in the US is up to their armpits in Sarbanes-Oxley. They will not be working on anything else till this is out of the way to the satisfaction of their auditors. It is especially dominating the time of top executives that would normally manage IT projects. Many smaller private companies that sell software and services of all kinds, to larger public companies, are also being drawn into the process. This is as big as Y2K but without any of the potential systems growth or sales. Since virtually all key/ critical processes in US business have some degree of automation, I.T. is being drawn into nearly every departments Sarbanes-Oxley documentation process. When Sarbanes-Oxley was conceived I don't think the cost and impact on business in this economic downturn was anticipated.

Between out-sourcing, Sarbanes-Oxley, the rising cost of energy, terrorist fears and current ecconomic condition, I think we are well down the trail of the Ex-Lax eating bull.