WinTOTAL Armstrong:
New car, or just that new car smell?
Jeff Jones, Research Fellow
jeff@alamodelabs.com
I'm a bit of a car buff. In addition to various computer geek magazines, I subscribe to several new car periodicals. I like to keep up with the industry... current model specs, what's coming next year, that sort of thing. In reading through these every month, one thing that becomes obvious is automobile manufacturers, both foreign and domestic, have a pretty broad definition of the word "new". Many times "new" refers to nothing more different bumpers and a spiffed up interior. Sometimes it seems change for the sake of change is what drives the industry. Is it better? Is it faster or more fuel efficient? Is it safer? No. But it is different and different means "new". Granted, owning a new car is as much about having the latest and greatest as it is about having reliable, safe transportation. That means people will buy something just because it's "new".
Let's contrast that to software. How did we get to the point where consumers feel obligated to upgrade either their operating system or productivity software just because a "new" version is on the horizon? Well, the same marketing engine that drives new car sales drives software. It's that same engine that drives practically every consumer based product in the marketplace. Don't get me wrong. This is not a rant on the free market... quite the contrary. I think its genius. Convincing consumers to pay $6 a cup for the "latest" coffee craze... it's genius.
What drives software companies to jump on the marketing bandwagon to persuade you to buy their latest products? What motivates them to move around a few icons, add a few obscure features and switch to a flashy color scheme just to be able to call it "new"? Wouldn't it be easier to sit back and sell what they already have? It's simple really. With almost no exceptions, they all demand a fee for the upgrade and some have abandoned the upgrade option altogether and require users to purchase a full version of the software. It's all about money. If they build it, we will come and for the most part that's true. Sure, there are some exceptions but not all that many. Most of the time, it's just new bumpers and a splash of new car smell.
a la mode is a software company and they are working on the next version of WinTOTAL, version 6 codenamed Armstrong. It is their latest appraisal form filling application. So how do they fit into all of this? Well, honestly they don't fit in at all. Why? It's always been a la mode's belief that customers should not have to pay for improvements to something they already own. Any user with a current support subscription receives software updates at no additional charge. That's right... they just give it to you. This includes new product releases. You see, once you take profit out of the equation, the only motivation for developing new software is that it's just the right thing to do... either it's time to improve the current version or rewrite it altogether.
This is a case with Armstrong. The current form filling application, Aurora, is due for a complete overhaul. There are limitations to its platform that can't be overcome with a facelift. It must be completely rewritten from the ground up. It's time... it's been almost three years since Aurora's release. With Armstrong Standard, users will see a completely new interface with features grouped and intuitively placed. The workflow process will be much improved and new features added to shave time off the process of creating the appraisal. Ultimately the Enterprise version will add a new backend database for improved performance. There will be user level security and many new features that function just as users expect.
Regular readers have heard many times that one of the great things about being involved in the Labs project is the opportunity to be part of the development and testing of some great new and really innovative products. That is certainly true and the pending release of Armstrong is just one example of that. a la mode's newest form filling application is not only revolutionary in it's design and function but also in it's execution. By developing the base form filler first, a la mode is all but guaranteed a stable, lightweight platform on which to build future, more robust versions. The standard industry approach is to build a full featured version first then remove many of those features to arrive at a "standard" or "basic" version. That approach presents problems as it would be akin to building an entire building then deciding to have the foundation inspected for integrity and strength.
This is a first for a la mode. It's a completely new way of approaching software development. It was back in 2005 that Aurora was released. Aurora followed the traditional path in that it was released as a full-featured version and issues were addressed as they were uncovered. These issues were corrected quickly, but the lesson learned from that process led to this fundamental shift in how a la mode develops software.
The Labs project is about new projects and new ideas but it's also about finding new approaches to solve existing problems. We exchange ideas and offer our opinions... the good, the bad and the ugly. My opinion in this case is a la mode has gotten it right. I'm not talking so much about the Armstrong platform. That's something time and testing will determine. I'm referring to the development process itself. By starting clean, building a base platform in the Labs then moving on to real-world testing by users, a la mode is assured of the solid foundation which will become Armstrong Standard. From there, future more robust version will be built including Armstrong Enterprise. This is much more than new bumpers and paint. Get in, buckle up and hang on.
Please go to http://www.alamode.com/labs/projects/Armstrong/default.aspx to learn more about Armstrong.
As always, your thoughts and feedback are always welcomed and encouraged. Please reply to labs@alamodelabs.com
