Reflections: Raymond Lee, Adobe
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Q. Is there such a thing as Web 3.0 and does it matter?
What we're seeing on the Web today is a renaissance in applications. Some people call it Web 2.0, some people call it rich Internet applications, and some have begun to discuss a concept of Web 3.0, yet at the core is this phenomenon of engaging Web applications. Today, these Web applications live in the browser. We at Adobe see a potential revolution in enabling these Web applications to actually reach beyond the browser and become first class desktop applications. The Apollo project from Adobe will create this new paradigm in Internet computing. With Apollo, Adobe is giving Web developers a way to create connected desktop applications, using the Web development skills they already have and the tools that they choose. This opens up whole new frontiers for developers to do things via the Web that haven't been done before.
Name the top 3 software issues that CIOs in Asia should pay attention to in 2007?
The first is piracy. Software piracy hurts businesses and is becoming an increasing concern for CIOs, with consequences ranging from potential legal action to viruses and spyware that can be invisibly embedded into pirated products. Pirated software gets into the market, and onto computers, in numerous ways--often it's proliferated unintentionally, and businesses don't even realize they have a problem. Piracy also harms the economy that CIOs are a part of by threatening the innovation and intellectual property that are the lifeblood of the software industry.
Worldwide, the economic loss associated with software piracy is estimated in the tens of billions of dollars. In the end, the only people who really benefit from pirated software are the pirates themselves. We're working closely with CIOs and with industry coalitions such as the Business Software Alliance to stop professional piracy. Most importantly, Adobe is committed to eliminating unauthorized use of its software in a manner designed to have a minimal impact on licensed customers.
The second is software asset management (SAM). Managing software assets is a complex, labor-intensive, inefficient process that is costing companies millions each year. Considering how much companies invest in software, it's surprising how difficult it can be for them to understand how software assets are actually deployed beyond the initial purchase. IT managers often dont know what software has been installed or where it was installed. Employees sometimes mistakenly believe that because an application has been paid for, they can install it anywhere, including a home computer.
Regulatory compliance has added to the license management burden. And it's tough for companies to know how much software they really need: software optimization depends on knowing who is using what. Without this knowledge, companies cannot know if they are getting the best value for their software investments. We believe CIOs need greater management visibility into the status of their organizations' software licenses.
The third is rich Internet applications (RIA). RIAs are Web applications that have the features and functions of traditional desktop applications, and are fast becoming a larger part of today's computing experience. Apollo, the code name for the future cross-operating system (OS), service-oriented client from Adobe, which will extend the reach and capabilities of today's RIAs, frees RIAs to run outside of the browser, across multiple operating systems on desktops and devices. Adobe hasn't issued a press release for Apollo technology, however, Apollo was discussed publicly as early as the MAX 2005 event and since then it has been widely talked about and demonstrated at conferences and tradeshows.
Name one issue that could put a damper on corporate IT budgets in 2007?
Corporate IT compliance could possibly affect corporate IT budgets in 2007. According to a survey conducted by Serena Software earlier this year, IT will have a major role to play in meeting regulatory compliance standards, with three quarters of the CIOs indicating that compliance will be one of their top IT objectives. This will most likely carry on through 2007, in light of the recent announcement of the ISO/IEC 19770-1 standard for SAM.