Silicon Valley is crazy about its catch phrases. And when it comes to software, there are plenty to throw around, from tipping points to paradigm shifts to game changers. The thing about those terms and the undercurrents they describe is that they don't benefit the software vendors or the investors. It's always another set of companies higher up the food chain that figures out how to better capitalize on new technology.
And even so, it's often only a temporary win. Eventually, new predators come along and figure out how to gain an even bigger advantage.
We're seeing this played out now in the business-software market. The next "game changer" in the industry is what's known as service-oriented architectures (SOA). Companies such as SAP and Oracle are pouring billions of dollars into creating such platforms.
