Killing the "Killer App"

Can we just start talking like grown-ups? At this point in the evolution of the tech industry, it's really disheartening to hearWeb services and Service-Oriented Architecture spoken of as the "next killer app." But that's how these concepts were framed recently in one otherwise terrific article.

Why do we continue to talk like teenagers --cool, phat, killer -- when we should be positioning this movement in terms of real-world business value? Real-world decision-makers are not seeking killer-apps. They are seeking solutions to business problems, remedies to pain, new opportunities to cut costs and drive growth. They want a solid business case -- and they want results. We're not selling xBoxes or iPods.

The killer app stuff reeks of techno-nerd hyperbole. It's also a pretty tired way of framing an innovative change in the post-boom, "deployment period" of information technology. If the SOA/Web services movement is to realize its vast potential, it's vital that weengage risk-managing, bottom-line-focused executives in their own language.Sorry to be a scold. But if I hear you use this term again, you're dead.