Small scale computer systems in the age of ERP! (Closed)

[divined]

Hello everybody

I`ve been building a small scale computer system for the Biomedical department of a major hospital. It caters for all the needs of this department and they are rather satisfied. I`ve put a lot of effort in this project and it works well.
Nonetheless, I see a large scale trend of shifting to large scale ERP systems which integrate the functionality of enterprise class businesses. These systems can be parametrized in infinite ways, with no access to the code beneath them. Does the future of software lie only in such enterprise-class computer systems? Do smaller - business oriented systems have any place in the future? Is there still place in the market for solo programmers or small scale programming companies?
I think that it is rather hard to compete with such systems and anyone seems to want them. I would like to listen to some opinions!

thx, in advance

George Papadopoulos

[techgnome]

Does the future of software lie only in such enterprise-class computer systems?

I hope not! My livelyhood depends on this non-erp system I work on.

Do smaller - business oriented systems have any place in the future?

They most certanly do. Typically the ERPs are for the higher ups managing thousands of people. But there are many more companies that are small ot mid-sized companies. The trick is to finding your nitch and carving out a market.

Is there still place in the market for solo programmers or small scale programming companies?

Maybe for smaller scale companies, but I think the era of lone wolf development has pretty much gone. Except for the ocasional free-lancing job (which can be few & far between and very short termed), these kinds of jobs are gone.

I think that it is rather hard to compete with such systems and anyone seems to want them.

Then don't compete with them. Find another market/product or angle to try. But it's not impossible. We have won out on more than one occasion against ERP systems. In other cases, we've had to co-exist next to an ERP system. ERPS are not a silver bullet. They are a tool. Just so happens that ERP is an overly misused tool for a lot of things. We even had one company that looked at several things, incl our system, selected an ERP, then came back 2 years later after they realized what a waste ERP was.

Looking at smaller aps vs. ERP is like the difference between a fly swatter and a hammer. Both may get the job done, but they each have thier usefullnes in certain tasks the other isn't as suited for.

But that's just me. Others may have a different view.

Tg

[divined]

That`s more or less what I think, as well! I believe that ERP systems have been overly hyped. These systems, at least in the form they exist today, are mostly for enterprise class or middle class businesses. Nonetheless, it is true that companies like SAP, PeopleSoft and even Microsoft have been trying to make inroads into smaller scale businesses. I hope it is some time before they can successfully penetrate that market, for all small scale programming companies sake.
Business needs are just too diverse to be totally encompassed in a single package. Based on this fact, I believe that there will be space for all of us, at least in the near future.